Toxic Beauty

As I get older I find myself asking more questions and accepting what people tell me less. Pregnancy opened the door to a whole new world to me and has made me even more conscious in my consumer choices. One of the first things I first discovered was the world of 'toxic beauty'. Having long relied upon make up to cover my outward imperfections I have been horrified to learn that I have, in effect been poisoning and polluting myself for years. Lots of people, me included, try hard to limit the amount of artificial chemicals and toxins in our bodies by choosing organic. But have you ever thought about what you are smothering all over your face and body every day? Nor had I until I read 'The Green Beauty Guide' by Julie Gabriel a well researched and informative book shedding light on the cosmetic industry. Did you know that there are more then 100,000 synthetic chemicals in use in every area of our lives and less than 5% have been tested for their long term impact on human health? It wasn't that long ago that proven toxins such as lead and mercury were considered safe...scary stuff.


Here is an overview of the most toxic chemicals found in most commercial and even some organic products.


1. Sodium Laureth Sulphate (SLS) - Anything with -eth in it's name will almost certainly have the chemical 1,4 Dioxine in it, a by product made in a shortcut to turn the harsh '-eths' into a milder chemical. 1,4 Dioxine is considered a probable human carcinogenic.


2. Phthalates - Found in perfumes, hairspray, nail varnish and anything that is synthetically scented. They are known reproductive toxins, safe in minuscule amounts but scientists are concerned their combined effect will be harmful. They basically tip the hormonal scales, making men more like women and vice versa. Scarily it has been found that baby products contain the highest concentration of phthalates.


3. Aluminium - Found in all antiperspirants and is a known potent neurotoxin and there is evidence that aluminium from deodorants contribute to developing breast cancer and Alzheimer's disease.  


4. Synthetic Fragrances - Found in almost every cosmetic and laundry product you could get. There are more than 5,000 materials available for use in fragrances and only a small number have been tested for their safety. A typical perfume often contains between 50 and 100 natural and synthetic fragrances and while the natural ones may can cause allergies, eczema and irritations, the synthetic ones may be capable of causing cancer and disorders to the central nervous system as all they all get into our skin when we spray them or inhale them. 


5. Parabens - Parabens are preservatives used to give products an extended shelf life. The main area of concerns is it's link to breast cancer, as traces of paraben have been found in breast cancer tumors. They have also been shown to affect hormone levels and are chemicals easily absorbed into the skin. No one is sure of Parabens contribute to getting breast cancer but I think the fact they made it into the breast tissue in the first place and stay ther is pretty scary, especially seeing as no one if and what harm could be caused.

I could go on and on...if any one is  interested I do have a list of the top 100 toxic beauty ingredients that you really don't want to be buying.

I have changed the beauty and laundry products I buy and have even made a few for myself (my laundry detergent saves us around £10 a month, although the washing up liquid was a disaster), but even a few small changes like reading the ingredients list and being aware of what you are exposing yourself to is a good starting place.