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Crunchy Coach Blog
Eat to Live
Go Green
Crunchy Parenting
Healthy Home
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Natural Healing
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Natural Skin Care Products: Buyer Beware
The
natural skin care
products in your bathroom may not be as natural as you thought. In
fact, they may be loaded with ingredients that have strong links to
cancer and other physical maladies.For example, a year or so ago I bought hand soap from a major health food store, the kind that comes in a pump dispenser. I didn't think I would have to scrutinize the ingredients. After all, I did buy it from a place known for its eco-friendly product line.
A couple of weeks after my family had started using the soap, I bothered to take a closer look at its ingredients.
Much to my dismay, it contained two kinds of parabens, a chemical family which has been linked to cancer and various types of body toxicity. So much for "natural' skin care.
The lesser of two evils
Of course, the natural skin care products sold at a health food store are usually less toxic than their conventional counterparts. However, the degree of toxicity in the so-called "natural" products may be just a notch below that of a conventional brand.Let's look at shampoo as an example. And let's use The Environmental Working Group's cosmeticdatabase.com website. It categorizes cosmetics and personal hygiene products according to their toxicity level rates products as follows:
- 0-2: Low hazard
- 3-6: Moderate hazard
- 7-10: High hazard
The rating for V05 Herbal Shampoo is a 6 (by the way, the word "herbal" on a product label has nothing to do with how natural and nontoxic it is).
One variety of shampoo put out by Aubrey Organics rates a 3. Another put out by Avalon Organics also rates a 3. A shampoo by Burt's Bees rates a 4.
In other words, the natural skin care brands fall in the same category as a conventional brand, albeit with slightly lower scores.
"That's all well and good, Coach, but are the chemical ingredients really as bad as they say?"
At the cosmetics database site, I noticed an interesting phenomenon. A few of the truly natural skin care, mostly herbal-based, products were noted as having ingredients linked to certain problems, but they were still rated a 0, the lowest score on their hazard scale.On the other hand, some of the chemical ingredients were rated as "low
hazard." For example, cocoamidpropyl hydroxysultaine. Sounds pretty
awful, doesn't it? But, although technically a chemical, it is derived
from coconut. And its hazard rating, according to the
Environmental Working Group, is a 0.However, the pronunciation rule is the best guideline; that is, if you can't pronounce it (or if you feel like you're back in first grade trying to sound out four-syllable words), it's not good for you.
- Sodium lauryl sulfate is a gastronintestinal toxin.
- Hydroxypropylmethylcellulose has been linked to endocrine disruption and organ toxicity.
- Methylparaben (and the other parabens) is strongly linked to cancer, immunotoxology, skin irritation, and organ toxicity.
Three ways to resolve the "natural" skin care product problem
1. Carefully read labels before you buy. If you are not sure how hazardous a particular ingredient might be, visit the cosmeticsdatabase site. I do not recommend looking up product labels on the site. I looked up our shampoo, just for fun, and was shocked to find it labeled "moderately hazardous." Upon investigation, I discovered the Group had been using the product's label from "the old days" when it used to contain parabens.I recommend Exclusively Green, LLC
2. Don't use any skin care products. The most natural thing to do would be to not put anything on your body. I personally don't wear makeup, and I don't use any kind of facial cream. However, I need moisturizer for my skin in the winter, and so I...
3. Find homemade recipes for natural skin care products. My favorite moisturizer is coconut oil. This website is a wonderful resource for anyone who wants to save money on personal hygiene products and ensure that every last ingredient is natural and nontoxic.
May I coach you? "Natural" and "herbal" are powerful marketing tools these days, but they are deceptive, unregulated terms. If you want to use chemical-free products, do your homework and make sure they will provide truly natural skin care.
Looking for resources and products to help you "green" your life and enhance your health? Visit
The Crunchy Coach Store.
From positive parenting to healthy eating to organic gardening, these e-books will enhance your natural living journey.
The Crunchy Coach's favorite shampoo: Nurture My Body Fragrance Free Organic Shampoo
Talk about a luxurious clean!