If You Wouldn’t Put It in Your Mouth Don’t Put It on Your Skin.
Our skin is a great outer reflection of our inner health. What we put on our skin is just as important as what we put in our body; both affect the health and well being of our entire body. Synthetic chemicals in beauty products and fragrances contribute to the toxic burden our bodies are exposed to on a daily basis. In fact, some of the beauty products we are using could potentially damage our health and even cause us to age faster.
Less is More.
Naturopath Dr. Trevor Cates found that women put on average 126 unique synthetic chemicals on their body every single day. These numbers sound pretty scary and make me question what´s hiding in the back of my own bathroom cabinet.
Going Paleo made me realise how much nasties are hiding in our foods. It didn´t take very long until I went from clearing out my pantry to clearing out my beauty cabinet. I started questioning all the chemicals and synthetic ingredients in my cosmetics that could potentially do more harm than good.
Who would have thought that there is lead in lipstick, mercury in mascara and bleach in tampons?
Unfortunately there is very little regulation when it comes to what goes into cosmetic products. Skin care companies can pretty much put whatever ingredients in their products and aren´t concerned about the health implications.
Dr. Cates states,
“The problem is that when you put something on your skin it doesn’t just stay on your skin, you actually absorb it through your skin, into your bloodstream.”
Skin covers about 1.7 square meters of the human body. It is our largest organ, our protective covering and a passageway to our bloodstream. The next time you slather on a chemical laden lotion or soak in a toxic tub, remember that your skin absorbs a large percentage of what you put on it.
Are your Beauty Products Killing You?
A lot of these chemicals can lead to problems like infertility, thyroid issues, all kinds of hormone disrupting effects and some are even carcinogenic.
Research shows that it is usually not a single chemical that is potentially harmful but the sum of all products used over a lifespan can have serious health implications.
“The dose makes the poison — all substances are poisons; there is none which is not a poison. The right dose differentiates a poison…“ Paracelsus
Ever since I embarked on my real food journey I also started questioning what kind of beauty products I´m using. I honestly threw 90% of my cosmetics away and replaced most of it with natural organic products. I buy less and focus on quality ingredients rather than fancy packaging or marketing slogans.
If You Wouldn’t Put It In Your Mouth Don’t Put It On Your Skin.
That is pretty much how I feel about skincare today. Luckily we have better options these days. There are many great companies, which produce natural chemical-free products that are based on plant based oils and essential extracts. Avocado oil, cacao butter, grape seed extracts etc. are all ingredients you could potentially eat.
All oils that we can eat are great to nourish the skin from the outside. Coconut oil is, for example, a staple in my bathroom cabinet. I use it for my hair and skin as a great moisturizer.
Resources:
· Interview with Dr. Trevor Cates about Hacking Dry Skin & Internal Health
https://www.bulletproofexec.com/dr-trevor-cates-hacking-dry-skin-acne-internal-health-214/
Do tampons make us infertile and does sunscreen cause cancer?
Here´s a list of chemicals which I personally try to avoid. I´m sure there´s lots more. Feel free to email me to add to this lis.
What you should avoid:
· Oxybenzone: Is the main ingredient in sunscreen which can create hormone-disrupting effects and may even potentially lead to cancer.
· Parabens: 85% of cosmetics have them, they are found to be oestrogen disruptors and have been found in breast cancer tumours.
· Nano-sized particles: Especially occur in in mineral make-up and get into the body system through the lungs and that they remain in the body.
· Titanium dioxide: Is a sunscreen ingredient but also occurs in all sorts of cosmetics and personal care products. It increases free radicals in your body and this increase of free radicals can potentially increase aging effects.
· Fluoride in toothpaste: Dentists have recommended fluoride for years to prevent cavities. However, fluoride is highly toxic and is also used as insecticide and rat poison. In tests on laboratory animals, fluoride has been linked to Alzheimer’s disease and osteoporosis.
· Aluminium in deodorant: Most antiperspirants contain a variety of chemicals that are detrimental to our health. Only one of them is aluminium, which can potentially lead to breast cancer.
http://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/features/antiperspirant-facts-safety
· Chlorine in tampons: Tampons are not just cotton they are made of dyes, fragrances, chlorine and other super-absorbent chemicals. The problem with chlorine is that the toxic by-product dioxine can lead to cancer, birth defects, and reproductive disorders.
· Lead in lipstick: Many lipsticks contain lead, aluminium, cadmium, chromium, and other toxic heavy metals, which can cause serious health issues.
