What would you think if I told you that some people use engine degreaser to wash their hair, rust remover to cleanse their face and aircraft deicer to moisturize their body? You’d think only someone crazy would do that, right?
Wrong. You are most likely doing the above, day in and day out.
Most personal care products contain toxic chemicals that are being absorbed through your skin, into your blood stream, and are building up inside vital organs. In time these organs become highly toxic (like a toxic dump site) and stop functioning normally.
On television, radio and in newspapers, people are encouraged to pick up such things as acne products, cleansing creams, night creams, daytime moisturizers, face foundations and so on.
Industrial chemicals, long banned and at 100 times the allowable amounts, can be found in nearly all of the products we use every day. This not only makes acne worse, it also causes other health problems.
Manufacturers of commercial acne products use cheap ingredients that harm human skin. Preservatives and chemicals are cheaper than natural substances so it makes good business sense to use them. Once these chemicals and preservatives are added to the product it automatically pro-longs its shelf life, thus making it more profitable for the manufacturer.
Let’s take a closer look at some of the most common offending chemicals found in branded products and acne skincare products. Grab your favorite products and check their labels to see if you can find any.
Propylene Glycol (PG)
Its industrial use is as anti-freeze and it is frequently applied on airplane wings during cold weather. It’s also included in hair conditioners, deodorants, cosmetics, body lotions, skin creams and toothpaste. Increasingly, it’s also being added to food. Material safety data sheets, which give handling instructions for hazardous chemicals, state that propylene glycol has been linked to contact dermatitis, kidney damage and liver abnormalities. This chemical is so toxic that workers handling it during the manufacturing process are required to wear masks and gloves.
Polyethylene Glycol (PEG)
Potentially carcinogenic (cancer causing) petroleum ingredient that can alter and reduce the skin’s natural moisture factor. This can increase the appearance of aging and leave you more vulnerable to bacterial infection. Funny then, that’s its often included in anti-aging products.
Fragrance
Fragrance on a label can indicate the presence of up to 4000 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 has proven that chemical fragrances can affect the central nervous system, causing depression, hyperactivity, and irritability.
1.4-Dioxane
A carcinogenic (whenever you see this word, it means cancer causing) contaminant of cosmetic products. Almost 50% of cosmetics containing ethoxylated surfactants were found to contain dioxane. From Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS): 1,4-Dioxane is an eye and mucous membrane irritant, primary skin irritant, central nervous system depressant, nephrotoxin and hepatotoxin. Acute exposure causes irritation, headache, dizziness and narcosis. Chronic inhalation exposure can produce damage to the liver and kidneys, and blood disorders.
Sodium Laurel / Laureth Sulphate (SLS)
These are common detergents that are used in most shampoos, bubble baths, shower gels and other cleansers. Its industrial use is to clean garage floors and degrease motor engines. Dr K. Green has researched into the use of SLS, and found alarming results: it permanently impairs the normal functioning of eyes, especially in children. Is it any wonder that so many children wear spectacles these days? In addition to these findings, the American Journal of Toxicology has found that SLS irritates skin tissue, corrodes hair follicles, and impairs the ability to grow hair. It also enters into the blood stream and collects in the heart, liver, lungs and brain. Furthermore, it was found to mix with other chemicals to form nitrosamines (cancer causing chemicals).
DEA, TEA, MEA – Ammonia Derivatives
Possibly the most dangerous chemicals to be included in personal care products are the ammonia derivatives which are known to have hormone disrupting effects. This includes diethanolamine (DEA), triethanolamine (TEA) and monoethanolamine (MEA). These chemicals are added to soaps, bubble baths and facial cleansers. Unbalanced hormones are known to be one of the major causes of acne and the above chemicals have been shown to disrupt hormonal functions.
Isopropyl Myristate
Also one of the worst offenders found in everyday products is the penetrating oil called Isopropyl Myristate. It’s one of the main ingredients in a can of rust remover.
Benzoyl Peroxide
This is derived from coal tar (well known to cause skin problems). It’s industrially used in bleaching flour, milk and other dairy products. In other words it’s used to kill off healthy nutrients in these foods so that they last longer. Considering that, imagine what it can do to delicate skin. No wonder so many people are frustrated with benzoyl peroxide acne fighting products that just don’t work.
Parabens: Methyl, Propyl, Butyl and Ethyl
Are used to extend a product’s shelf life and inhibit bacterial growth. All parabens are highly toxic chemicals.
Synthetic colors
Coal-tar dyes are generally labeled as FD&C or D&C followed by a number. All synthetic colors are carcinogenic, meaning they can cause or contribute towards cancer and all kinds of other problems.
Mineral Oil / Petrolatum
A derivative of crude oil (petroleum) that is used industrially as a cutting fluid and lubricating oil. Mineral oil forms an oily film over the skin to lock in moisture, toxins and wastes, but hinders normal skin respiration by keeping oxygen out. 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).
Alcohol
A colorless, volatile, flammable liquid produced by the fermentation of yeast and carbohydrates. Alcohol is used frequently as a solvent and is also found in beverages and medicine. As an ingredient in ingestible products, alcohol may cause body tissues to be more vulnerable to carcinogens. Mouthwashes with an alcohol content of 25% or more have been implicated in mouth, tongue and throat cancers.
Alpha Hydroxy Acid
An organic acid produced by anaerobic respiration. Skin care products containing AHA exfoliate not only damage skin cells, but the skin’s protective barrier as well. Long term skin damage may result from its use.
Aluminum
A metallic element used extensively in the manufacture of aircraft components, prosthetic devises and as an ingredient in antiperspirants, antacids and antiseptics. Aluminum has been linked to Alzheimer’s disease and various other problems.
Glycerin
A syrupy liquid that is chemically produced by combining water and fat. Glycerin is used as a solvent and plasticizer. Unless the humidity of air is over 65%, glycerin draws moisture from the lower layers of the skin and holds it on the surface, which dries the skin from the inside out, thus causing pore blockages and sebum complications (big factors in acne problems).
Interesting Facts
# The average woman applies more than two hundred chemicals a day to her body, (men somewhat fewer), most of which initiate an immune response.
# Over an average lifetime over 150 lbs of toxic chemicals are absorbed directly into the blood stream through the skin.
# Just one square inch of skin contains 100 sebaceous glands and 600 sweat glands that are used for absorbing / releasing.
In this day and age of chemical overload, it is absurd to think that toxic abuse is not affecting our health and contributing to problems like acne. The very same products that are suppose to help keep your skin smooth and your hair shiny could even by contributing to the acne in the first place.
Herbal Essences Shampoo – A fine example of toxic products
One of the most interesting personal care products on the market is Herbal Essences Shampoo by Clairol. We think this product is deceptive because it’s trying to exploit the word “herbal” to imply that the shampoo is healthy, even though it is primarily made with the same ingredients as every other shampoo. The first three ingredients, for example, are: water, sodium laureth, and sodium lauryl sulfate. Plus, the product contains all sorts of other ingredients that I personally would never allow to touch my skin (like methylchloroisothiazolinone or MIT). Think the color of the shampoo is from the herbs? Think again. Three other ingredients in the shampoo are Yellow #5, Orange #4 and Violet #2. Again these are potentially dangerous chemicals. Once you realize what truly safe and natural products are, you’ll never go back to products like Herbal Essences.
Why doesn’t the government ban all of these toxic products?
Because the FDA, which is responsible for regulating these products, spends almost no time, money or effort actually investigating the safety of such products. Instead, the FDA spends the vast majority of its time approving new prescription drugs.
These disease-causing chemicals are going to remain quite legal in the use of personal care products for many years to come. Why? You can bet that the manufacturers of these products will fight against any attempt to regulate or outlaw these toxic chemicals. That’s because the chemicals are convenient for such manufacturers. It’s all about their profits rather than protecting your health.
According to an investigation by the Environmental Working Group:
- 51 percent of products on the market contain at least one ingredient linked to cancer.
- 57 percent of all products contain “penetration enhancer” chemicals that can drive other ingredients faster and deeper into the skin to the blood vessels below.
- 74 percent of all products contain ingredients that may contain harmful impurities like known human carcinogens, according to FDA or industry reviews. Impurities are legal and unrestricted for the personal care product industry.
- 99.7 percent of the ingredients found in 14,086 common branded products have not been assessed for safety.
Combine the dangerous ingredients from the labels of all the products you use or are exposed to in one day, including laundry detergents, house cleaners, exhaust fumes, cosmetics, etc, multiply these by how many times you use them or are exposed to them in one day, multiply this by seven and then by 52 weeks, and then by how many years you have been alive plus how many years you think you’ll live. Now consider if you really want to continue allowing millions of chemicals into your body, or if you want to go organic and thrive on nature’s offerings.
Food for thought
If we stood on a street corner with a bottle of colored liquid, and told you that liquid contained a toxic chemical that caused neurological disorders, hair loss and eye cataracts, would you buy that product from me and scrub it into your scalp under warm water? I doubt it. But what if we did a professional advert on TV for the same bottle of colored liquid, this time with glossy packaging. Would you buy it from us then?
Stop letting big corporations profit from poisoning you
We encourage you to learn the truth about these products and switch to acne products made with safe ingredients. Using certified organic products only is the only way to know what you are using is completely safe and beneficial to skin problems like acne.
If you’re willing to look, you’ll find plenty of 100% natural products to meet all of your personal care needs. Back in 2005, the organic skin care market in the USA alone was worth over $18 billion! Compare this to just $5 billion in 2000 and you have proof that more people all over the world are saying ‘yes to organic’.
Our recommended organic personal care product suppliers are:
Green People
Love Lula
One Group
Related Reading
Want to know more about chemicals in everyday products? Check out these books:
Drop-Dead Gorgeous: Protecting Yourself from the Hidden Dangers of Cosmetics
A Consumer’s Dictionary of Cosmetic Ingredients
Cosmetics Unmasked: Your Family Guide to Safe Cosmetics and Allergy-Free Toiletries
Useful Links
Campaign for Safe Cosmetics
