Commercial Warning
I wrote this article for my own website... thus, you will see a suggestion for a certain skin care line I use...and absolutely adore! Remember that everyone could be sensitive to any certain ingredients, even natural ingredients, so you must pay attention to your own personal sensitivities. The following ingredients I included should be avoided by EVERYONE. They have toxicities that no one should be using, if they can at all avoid them.
Take care,
Robin
Our skin protects our body in multiple ways: it is the armor that protects our organs, regulates our body temperature, and keeps all our essential fluids intact. It is also important in helping eliminate toxins from our body. What goes out, can also come in, so our skin also absorbs many chemicals.
What happens when we slather on cleansers, lotions, deodorants, and cosmetics? Many of these products contain chemicals that are cytotoxic to your skin cells, so they actually damage them over time. And a 2004 survey of 2,300 American men and women found that the average adult uses nine products-containing around 126 individual ingredients- every day!
“Preserving” Beauty
Nobody wants to open a jar of their favorite moisturizer to find it has a gone moldy or smells like bacteria. Not only unattractive, it’s a health hazard resulting in potentially blinding eye infections. So in the 1950′s manufacturers began putting preservatives in their products. Shelf-life increased from a couple of weeks to 2 years or more, allowing companies to manufacture large batches and then store products for a long time before distrbution, saving money and increasing profits.
Preservatives used in most skincare lines include both parabens and formaldehyde releasing agents. They are extremely effective in killing bacteria and fungi. They kill cells. When we use multiple products, especially ones that sit on our face and skin all day, these toxins are also sitting on our face and skin all day, in doses high enough to damage our skin.
Some of us have allergic reactions to even small doses of these products, and know to avoid them. The rest of us are left to find out the hard way just how much our bodies can handle years of exposure. I feel it’s best to practice avoidance when possible, especially for the products that are left on the skin all day. In particular, young girls and pregnant women should be avoiding as many of these products as possible.
Ingredients to Avoid
[1]Steer clear of products that have the following ingredients listed on their labels:
- Parabens
- Quaternium 15
- 2-bromo-2-nitropropane-1,3-diol
- Diazolidinyl urea
- DMDM Hydantoin
- Mercury (thimerosal)
- Lead acetate
- Diethanolamine (DEA)
- Synthetic color pigments
- Propylene glycol (PG)
- Coal tar
- Toluene
- Phenylenediamine (PPD)
- Petrolatum
I admit, I still want to pamper my skin with luxurious skin care, and at age 50+ I am also in the market for excellent anti-aging ingredients. What’s a girl to do?
I discovered a line of products that are safe, gentle, and contain no added chemical preservatives- Sensé™ Beautiful Science provides a self-preserving formula along with all the anti-aging technology I desire. Check out Sensé™ for yourself at http://beautifulscience.com [2] and then contact me and tell me know what you think!
Live Well,
Robin
Comments
Thank you for posting this, as I find it VERY helpful. I didn't think about the downside of totally natural products in terms of their ability to grow things. My aesthetician LAUGHED at me for bringing her my favorite lotion that I LOVED and saved for special occasions ... and she sniffed it and said 'Mardy, this is rancid!'. .... ooooh, I didn't think about THAT (and neither did the makers putting it in a clear bottle, which I know leads to oils degenerating).
I so very much value your expertise and knew that Mariluz Fontanez had used Sense for a month or so and had put feedback on Lumigrate and on her video series saying she liked it and it's effects. SO, I purchased Sense, as you know and I'm hearin' the forewarning related to me, because I didn't do well with the scent, although it is a pleasant scent. But with the population with full barrel syndrome/chronic illness such as CFS and FMS, that sensitivity is such a factor and I really appreciate the way you've worked with me about that. Your knowledge about this based on your professional training, personal/life experience is really helpful to me, and I hope many MANY more who find you at Lumigrate.com due to your taking the time to post! ~~ Mardy
Live and Learn. Learn and Live Better! is my motto. I'm Mardy Ross, and I founded Lumigrate in 2008 after a career as an occupational therapist with a background in health education and environmental research program administration. Today I function as the desk clerk for short questions people have, as well as 'concierge' services offered for those who want a thorough exploration of their health history and direction to resources likely to progress their health according to their goals. Contact Us comes to me, so please do if you have questions or comments. Lumigrate is "Lighting the Path to Health and Well-Being" for increasing numbers of people. Follow us on social networking sites such as: Twitter: http://twitter.com/lumigrate [9] and Facebook. (There is my personal page and several Lumigrate pages. For those interested in "groovy" local education and networking for those uniquely talented LumiGRATE experts located in my own back yard, "LumiGRATE Groove of the Grand Valley" is a Facebook page to join. (Many who have joined are beyond our area but like to see the Groovy information! We not only have FUN, we are learning about other providers we can be referring patients to and 'wearing a groove' to each other's doors -- or websites/home offices!) By covering some of the things we do, including case examples, it reinforces the concepts at Lumigrate.com as well as making YOU feel that you're part of a community. Which you ARE at Lumigrate!
I am fairly new to this forum and I appreciate your post and your info. We recently were presented with some products from the Dead Sea that don't appear to have any of these toxins so makes me happy. I usually hate slathering on stuff but this stuff is impressive! Instant results and my wife was freaking out how much it improved her skin. We are going to try the anti wrinkle and age defying stuff this week. But the point of my post is to thank you for the list to look out for!
Don
I am a recent physician assistant graduate who has stepped into the daunting field of interventional pain management. I am eager to contribute what I learn along the way and, more importantly, learn from the experts who deal with pain every day, with the goal of providing compassionate and evidence-based care.