What you Don't want in your Skincare Products (Part One)

Did you know that the average North American uses 13 or more cosmetic items, skin care, body lotion, etc... everyday. There have been many studies to support that parabens (common preservative, but banned in the EU) are Enocrine disruptors, and are found in breast cancer tissue. This particular ingredient is still used in North America (Although I'm finding more products that are using safer preservative systems).

A friend of mine died of breast cancer a number of years ago. When she had her surgery, radiation, and chemo, she was given a sheet of paper that explained which ingredients she needed to avoid in skincare products. Parabens were on the list. The Mayo Clinic, and John Hopkins University strongly support this fact.

Parabens are usually found at the end of the ingredient list. (If they're further up the list, don't buy it!!) This suggests that there is very little in any given bottle. However, how many women only use one product on their bodies per day? You have a voice. You can choose not to buy products that do not list their ingredients on the bottle, or where questionable ingredients are present.

http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/

The above site's purpose is to try and unite cosmetic companies and have them agree on certain safety issues for their products to aid every consumer. Not many of the big name cosmetic companies will join, but most organic companies have. Take a peek...maybe look at what is really in the products you are using.

Ingredients to Avoid

Parbens (methylparaben, isobutylparaben etc...)- Endocrine Disruptor

SLS (Detergent found in most shampoos, bubble bath, body washes) Skin reaction is common

Paraffin, Mineral Oil, Petrolatum (made from the waste of the gas and petroleum industries) - Clogs pores, and actually makes your skin drier over time.

Propylene Glycol - The ingredient responsible for enabling any product to cross through the top layers of skin. This is great if it only let the beneficial ingredients pass through. However, it cannot be selective as to what is able to pass through, so it makes the nasties in the product permeate deeper too.

I'll add more ingredients another time.