What you put on your skin can go into your body to affect your health and sense of well being- either negatively or positively. YOU CAN CHOOSE WHICH, if you know the facts (which the 'cosmetic conspiracy' want to hide from you). As your body's biggest organ, your skin is your most important immune defense barrier as well as your largest organ for eliminating wast. Commercial products with harmful petroleum ingredients can plasticize and 'constipate' your skin, making germs more likely to get in and toxins less likely to get out of your body. The result: Neither you nor your skin are as radiant and healthy as you could be!
Every day we use products that we think are safe; but the truth is that products are NOT always safe - and manufacturer's don't have to tell us so. Ever since 1938 - when the FDA granted self-regulation to the cosmetics industry - such products can be marketed without government approval of ingredients, regardless of what tests show. Most of the 2,000 chemicals used have not been tested for long-term toxic effects. In a typical day, you might be exposed to over 200 different chemicals, many of which are suspected of causing cancer or juggling hormones. EPA tests conclude that ingredients in shampoos, dyes, and other personal care products 'may be playing havoc with hormones that control reproduction and development'.
START CHECKING ALL PRODUCT LABELS:
Avoid these harmful, hazardous "touch me not" ingredients!
Alcohol, Isopropyl (SD-40): A very drying and irritating solvent and dehydrator that strips your skin's moisture and natural immune barrier, making you more vulnerable to bacteria, molds and viruses. It is made from propylene, a petroleum derivative and is found in many skin and hair products, fragrance as well as shellac and antifreeze. It can act as a 'carrier' accelerating the penetration of other harmful chemicals into your skin. It may promote brown spots and premature aging of the skin. A Consumer's Dictionary of Cosmetic ingredients says it may cause headaches, flushing, dizziness, mental depression, nausea, vomiting, narcosis, anesthesia, and coma. Fatal ingested dose is one ounce or less.
DEA (diethanolamine), MEA (monoethanolamine), and TEA (triethanolamine): Hormone disrupting chemicals that can form cancer-causing nitrates and nitrosamines. Already restricted in Europe due to known carcinogenic effects, but Americans may be exposed 10-20 times per day! Used to create 'foam' in products like shampoo, shaving creams, and bubble bath, Dr. Samuel Epstein (Professor of Environmental Health at the University of Illinois) says that repeated skin applications of DEA-based detergents resulted in a major increase in the incidence of liver and kidney cancer. The FDA's John Bailey says this is especially important since 'the risk equation changes significantly for children'.
DMDM Hydantoin & Urea (Imidazolidinyl): Just two of many preservatives that often release formaldehyde which may cause joint pain, skin reactions, allergies, depression, headaches, chest pains, ear infections, chronic fatigue, dizziness and loss of sleep. Exposure may also irritate the respiratory system, trigger heart palpitations or asthma, and aggravate cough and colds. Other possible side effects include weakening the immune system and cancer.
FD&C (Color Pigments): Synthetic colors made from coal tar, containing heavy metal salts that deposit toxins onto the skin, causing skin sensitivity and irritation. Absorption of certain colors can cause depletion of oxygen in the body and death. Animal studies have shown almost all of them to carcinogenic.
Fragrances: Mostly synthetic ingredients, often containing animal urine or feces! Fragrance on a label can indicate the presence of up to four thousand separate ingredients, many toxic or carcinogenic. Symptoms reported to the FDA include headaches, dizziness, allergic rashes, skin discoloration, violent coughing, vomiting and skin irritation. Clinical observation proves fragrances can affect the central nervous system, causing depression, hyperactivity, irritability, inability to cope and other behavioral changes.
Mineral Oil: Petroleum by-product that coats the skin like plastic, clogging the pores. Interferes with skin's ability to eliminate toxins, promoting acne and other disorders. Slows down skin function and cell development, resulting in premature aging. Used in many products (baby oil is 100% mineral oil!).
Polyethylene glycol (PEG): Potentially carcinogenic petroleum ingredient that can alter and reduce the skin's natural moisture factor. This could increase the appearance of aging and leave you more vulnerable to bacteria. Used in cleansers to dissolve oil and grease. It adjusts the melting point and thickens products. Also used in caustic spray on oven cleaners.
Propylene Glycol (PG) and Butylene Glycol: Petroleum plastics which act as 'surfactants' (wetting agents and solvents). They easily penetrate the skin and can weaken protein and cellular structure. The active ingredient in antifreeze, PG is strong enough to remove barnacles from boats! The EPA considers PG so toxic that it requires workers to wear protective gloves, clothing and goggles and to dispose of any PG solutions by burying in the ground. Because PG penetrates the skin so quickly, the EPA warns against skin contact to prevent consequences such as brain, liver and kidney abnormalities. But, there isn't even a warning label on products such as stick deodorants, where the concentration is greater than in most industrial applications.
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) & Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES): Detergents and surfactants that [pose serious health threats. Used in car washes. garage floor cleaners and engine degreasers - and in 90% of personal care products that foam. Animals exposed to SLS experience eye damage, depression, labored breathing, severe skin irritation and even death. Young eyes may not develop properly if exposed to SLS because proteins are dissolved. SLS may also damage the skin's immune system by causing layers to separate and inflame. When combined with other chemicals, SLS can be transformed into nitrosamines, a potent class of carcinogens. Your body may retain the SLS for up to five days, during which time it may enter and maintain residual levels in the heart, liver, the lungs and the brain.
Triclosan (synthetic antibacterial ingredient) - With a chemical structure similar to Agent Orange! The EPA registers it as a pesticide, giving it high scores as a risk to both human health and the enviornment. It is classified as a chlorophenol, a class of chemicals suspected of causing cancer in humans.It's manufacturing process may produce dioxin, a powerful hormone-disrupting chemical with toxic effects measured in the carts per trillion - that is only ONE drop in 300 Olympic-size swimming pools! Hormone disruptors pose enormous long term chronic health risks by interfering with the way hormones temporarily de-activate sensory nerve endings, so contact with it often causes little or no pain. Internally, it can lead to cold sweats, circulatory collapse and convulsions. Stored in body fat, it can accumulate to toxic levels, damagin the liver, kidneys and lungs and can cause paralysis, suppression of immune function, brain hemorrhages and heart problems. Tufts University School of Medicine says that triclosan is capable of forcing the emergence of 'super bugs' that it cannot kill. Its widespread use in popular antibacterial cleansers, toothpastes and hosehold products may have nightmare implications for your future.
Educate yourself on what you are putting on your skin and letting absorb into your blood stream. At Starflower Essentials, we will always share the ingredients that go into our organic skin care products.
