It’s a sad reality that many of the skin care products available today contain harsh, harmful chemicals. These chemicals can damage our bodies and minds, causing problems in the short term like rashes, all the way to long term damage to our unborn children.
To preserve our natural state of good health, one needs to be well-informed about the potential toxins that must be avoided. Here’s a short list of some of the main dangerous chemicals that you should be looking for when you choose a new skincare product for yourself or those you love.
1. Parabens
Commonly used as a preservative in skincare products, these synthetic chemicals have been shown to damage the body’s endocrine system. They disrupt and imbalance hormones, which can lead to reproductive, neurological, and immune issues.
2. “Fragrance”
The term “Fragrance” refers to potentially thousands of different ingredients, many of which have been proven to harm the body. Since companies are not required to disclose the ingredients making up their fragrance, it’s impossible to know whether the contents are toxic.
3. Pthalates
Pthalates are one of the many potential ingredients that are commonly found in “Fragrances”. They are a chemical used in plastic manufacturing, and in animal studies they have been shown to alter our hormones, reproductive system, and children’s developmental systems.
4. Ethanolamines
Typical forms of this chemical like monoethanoline (MEA), Triethanolamine (TEA), & Diethanolamine (DEA) can be found in many moisturizers and sunscreens. Studies on DEA have concluded that it has the potential to cause cancer in humans, and it’s likely MEA and TEA can have toxic side effects.
5. Formaldehyde
A well known cancer causing preservative, this chemical is not typically used directly in skin care products. However, chemicals that produce formaldehyde like DMDM Hydantoin and Bronopol (a few of many examples) are used often. It is said 1 in 5 skin care products contain a formaldehyde producing preservative.
6. Triclosan
Triclosan is an antibiotic preservative commonly found in deodorants, toothpastes, and body washes. It disrupts the skins microbiome which can lead to dermatitis and an increase in allergic rashes. Along with this, it can potentially alter the hormones by damaging the thyroid.
