However by Roman times dangerous ingredients in beauty products were becoming more common with toxic mercury compounds used to tint and white lead to whiten their skin.
Today the cosmetic industry doesn’t tell you that some of the ingredients used in its products are health hazards. But that is no reason to remain uninformed. Who wants to age faster, suffer an allergic skin reaction, not to mention an increased risk of cancer? Nobody does and if you follow the tips in this article then you will be on your way to looking great the healthy way!
Why should I be concerned about the chemicals in my cosmetic products? If they were in my food, I would understand the concern, but I am only putting them on my hair and skin.
Your skin is a living organ that not only protects you, but also absorbs much of what comes into contact with it. Most people don’t realise that up to 60% of what you put on your skin can be absorbed into your body. If you use skin care products made of petrochemicals and other chemical preservatives, your skin is going to absorb these toxins. However, if you switch to organic skin care products made of natural oils and herbs, you can avoid the toxic chemicals used in many skin care products.
When you expose your skin to less toxins, you not only give yourself an opportunity to be healthier, you also make it easier for your body to rid itself of the toxins you do come in contact with.
Over the last 50 years, there has been a tremendous rise in the use of petrochemicals in the products you use daily – primarily because these chemicals are much cheaper, increase the shelf life and far more convenient for manufacturers to use.
The bottom line for your skin’s health
If you are using conventional cosmetics on your skin and hair, you are at risk of getting sick from some of the toxic chemicals. The long-term effects of these harsh chemicals on both your body and the environment are still unknown. Its critical to remember that Mother Nature has provided well for us, and the solutions to staying fit and young looking are not going to be discovered in a test tube full of chemicals.
If you want natural products, you have to know what to look for. Learn to read labels, and refuse to settle for half-natural hair and skin care. Do not use cosmetics that are artificially coloured. If the shampoo is bright green or blue, then it very likely it contains a coal tar colour.
10 things you can do to protect yourself and your family
Did you know the government does not require that cosmetics and other personal care products be tested for safety? Or that the industry’s own safety review panel has assessed only 11 percent of the 10,500 ingredients contained in health and beauty products available in stores today?
Given this lack of critical information, Environmental Working Group has developed Skin Deep, an online safety guide with in-depth information on nearly 15,000 products—makeup, lotion, lip balm, deodorant, sunscreen, toothpaste, hair dye and many other popular items.
1. Focus on the ingredients.
Current law says manufacturers don’t have to back up their claims, so don’t trust marketing terms such as organic, natural and hypoallergenic. Read the fine print and check the ingredients.
2. Be careful of soaps
Soap removes dirt from the surface of your skin, but using the wrong soaps can strip away your body’s own natural skin oils. A milder natural soap Such as Celtic sea soap can reduce skin dryness and your need for artificial moisturizers.
3. Turn your nose to added fragrances.
Fragrances can cause allergic reactions, and products that claim to be “fragrance free” often contain masking fragrances that give off a neutral odour. Check the label to be sure, if you see the word ”fragrance” on the ingredients then you don’t know what you are getting so leave the product on the shelf.
4. Lighten up on hair dyes.
Many contain coal tar ingredients that have been linked to cancer.
5. Don’t use baby powder.
A number of ingredients common in powder products have been linked to cancer, and can cause lung damage if inhaled regularly. Use a quality baby salve or lotion instead.
6. Brush off the fluoridated toothpaste.
Children eat toothpaste, and fluoride consumption has been linked to bone cancer in boys. There’s a reason for the poison control warning on fluoridated toothpaste, so choose a product without fluoride in it.
7. Stop using nail polish, especially if you’re pregnant.
It’s a product that routinely contains ingredients linked to birth defects and other problems. If you do use it, always paint nails in a well-ventilated area. Anything that has a unpleasant smell such as the strong odour given off by nail polishes is a clean sign its not good for you.
8. Go easy on the perfume or cologne.
They often contain phthalates and parabens, ingredients that have been linked to birth defects and breast cancer.
9. Simplify your life by using fewer personal care products.
Ask yourself is there something that you can cut from your daily routine, or a product you can use less often? Doing so will reduce potential health risks associated with those products.
10. Search for natural alternatives.
This is actually the most important step. There are some good natural organic products on the market by using them you are taking a giant step in the right direction for the health of you and your family.
Why using Green People organic products is the key to achieving your optimal health
By definition, organic products are free from pesticides, herbicides, and other potentially harmful substances that can damage your health. Exposure to persistent pollutants from pesticides has been linked to cancer, immune system suppression, nervous system disorders, reproductive damage, and hormone disruption.
Your body can purge a certain number of toxins that you come in contact with because it is designed to eliminate toxins. However, everyday you are exposed to numerous chemicals that may wreak havoc upon your health. These chemicals saturate your environment from the food you eat, the air you breathe, and the water you drink to the personal products you use daily for your body.
Many of us are facing toxic overload and our bodies just cannot get rid of all the toxins we are constantly taking in. Infants and children with developing immune systems and lower body weight are much more vulnerable, as is anyone with chronic illness, or someone who is exposed to more pesticides, like farmers.
While it’s impossible to avoid all environmental toxins, you can reduce your toxin overload by using Green People Organic Skincare products. When your skin benefits, your overall health will too!
