Unhealthy Skincare Ingredients

Let me start by saying that until 1 1/2 years ago I was totally ignorant about everything I'm about to share with you. I would go to the store by my usual health and beauty products and never think twice about what was in them. What changed my way of thinking, was an article given to me by my daughter's pediatrician. The article outlined the dangers of some of the ingredients in supposedly safe products that we use on our children. Of course I went home and started looking at the ingredients and sure enough every product had at least three harmful chemicals in them.

Your skin is the largest organ in your body. Anything that comes in contact with your skin is quickly absorbed and distibuted throughout your body. Below is a brief list of some of the main harmful ingredients in health and beauty products and the damage they can cause. The first three ingredients come from rendering plants. A rendering plant collects "items" like dead animals, bad meat from grocery stores, unusable body parts from animals and used grease from restaurants. The plants throws all of this into a huge vat and boils it. What is left is yellow grease, that is sold to companies to make the first three ingredients.

Oleic acid: Found in soaps, permanent wave solutions, shampoos, hair dyes, lipsticks and liquid make-ups

Glycerine: Found in cosmetics, mouthwashes, toothpastes, and soaps

Stearic acid: Found in cosmetics, hair spray, conditioners, deodorants and creams,

DEA (Diethanolamine), MEA (Monoethanolamine), TEA (Triethanolamine): Found in bubble bath,shampoos, soaps and facial cleansers They are easily absorbed by the skin, and research indicates a strong link to liver and kidney cancer. There is also evidence that carcinogens form when Cocamide DEA (a cleanser, thickener and foam booster) is applied to the skin.

FD&C Color Pigments:
You see these at the end of every ingredient list, but not because they are inconsequential. Many cause skin sensitivity and irritation, or even oxygen depletion in the blood. Most are made from coal tar and studies show that almost all of them are carcinogenic (cancer causing). For example, FD&C Red #4 is no longer available for use in foods because of a known threat to the adrenal glands and urinary bladder. It is considered a carcinogen but is still used in non-food products.

Fragrance: Found in most deodorants (and the underarm is too close to the breast area), shampoos, sunscreens, skincare and bodycare products. The term "fragrance" appearing on a product label indicates the presence of any number of up to 4,000 different ingredients. The majority of these are synthetic and are either cancer-causing or otherwise toxic. Exposure to fragrances has been shown to affect the central nervous system.

Isopropyl Alcohol: Found in antifreeze and shellac,hair color rinses, body rubs, hand lotion and aftershave lotions. It penetrates the skin easily and is thought to destroy intestinal flora, leaving your body's major organs open to parasites, and thus to cancers. The sad fact is that isopropyl alcohol simply isn't needed, but the petroleum industry makes a killing off of this industrial byproduct.

Mineral Oil: Sounds nice, doesn't it? It isn't. It is a petroleum derivative that coats the skin like plastic wrap, which stands in the way of the skin's natural function of releasing toxins from the body. It slows the skin's natural cell development, causing the skin to age prematurely.

Baby oil is 100% mineral oil!!!

PEG (Polyethylene Glycol): Found in hair and skin care products. Also used as an oil and grease disolver. They strip the skin of its natural moisture factor, leaving the skin and hence the immune system vulnerable. They are also potentially cancer causing.

Propylene Glycol: Found in bodycare products like make up, toothpaste and deoorant. It's also the active ingredient in antifreeze.The EPA requires workers to wear protective gloves, clothing and goggles when working with it. Direct contact can cause brain, liver and kidney abnormalities. Stick deodorants are higher in concentration of PG than is allowed for most industrial use! Also beware of Butylene Glycol, a petroleum plastic like PG.

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate and Sodium Laureth Sulfate: Found in cosmetics, toothpaste, hair conditioner, shampoo and other foaming products. It is also used for car wash, garage floor cleaner and engine degreasers.Exposure causes eye damage, depression, diarrhea and many other ailments. This is perhaps the MOST DANGEROUS of all ingredients, and when used in combination with other chemicals, can form nitrosamines, a potent class of carcinogen

Talc: Found in makeup, baby and adult powders and foundation. It conveniently provides slip and covering, with the inconvenience of being strongly linked to ovarian and testicular cancer.

Petrolatum: Found in hand and skincare products to form an occlusive barrier on the skin (again, preventing the skin from doing what it is meant to do, detoxify).Petrolatum is a petrochemical that contains two well-known carcinogens: Benzo-A-Pyrene and Benzo-B-Fluroanthene.

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After reading this, you may think death is at the doorstep, but don't worry our bodies are very resilient. By changing the products that you currently use and avoiding these ingredients, your body will begin to detoxify itself and you will actually begin to look and feel better. Also, if you are a parent with an infant or toddler, please pay special attention to the ingredients in their products.
If you would like more information on the products I use please visit Upurea, your destination for natural & organic beauty! or click on one of the links below. Free samples, of your choice, are included with every purchase. I hope you found this information helpful and wish you much luck in your journey to a happier, healthier body. Please remember to post your comments and questions below.

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