Toxic Skin Care Products Can Make You Age Faster

Posted on Jan 19, 2012 in Green Products by Anh Speer, Ph.D. 1 Comment

Did you know that each day when you use your regular skin care products, you may be applying toxins to your skin that can make you age faster than normal? The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health reported that nearly 900 toxic chemicals are used in skin care and cosmetic products. Health and cancer experts have indicated that mainstream cosmetic and hygiene products pose a higher risk to cancers to general public than smoking. However, there is a lot of misinformation and contradictory research that can confuse consumers making it difficult to make the right choice in choosing skin care products. Let iSustainableEarth.com help you uncover some of these facts and empowering you make the right natural skin care product choice.

Skin Care Products and the Link With Cancer

Any cosmetic product you apply to your skin will be absorbed through the pores and travel through your body; therefore, you need to be very careful in researching the ingredients of before you buy. Many of the skin care products that declare they are “natural” deserve a closer look. You will find that some of the so called natural skin care products contain toxic ingredients such as synthetic preservatives, ‘suspected’ carcinogens, drying alcohols, synthetic fragrances and dyes. These toxins can cause physical and emotional issues such as headaches, allergies, rashes, asthma, hormonal imbalances, reproductive complications, and cancer. The Environmental Working Group created a database listing over 69,000 products that have been tested and help you understand the toxicity level of each product. Check up on your natural skin care products before you buy, using the cosmetics database.

What skin care products should you use?

The most effective natural and organic skin care products contain whole-food nutrients from botanicals. Studies show that the body can absorb nutrients from whole food much more effective than from isolated components such as vitamin A, vitamin C or CoQ10. This is mainly because whole food nutrients contain complex and balanced nutrients that work in harmony with the body. Plants are made from the same vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids, amino acids, enzymes and hormones that our bodies are made from, therefore our bodies will be benefit from absorbing these ingredients. For example, black currant contains a high source of vitamin C (a powerful antioxidant), gamma linolenic acid (an omega-6 essential fatty acid) and potassium which all work together to prevent acne, reduce free radical damage and stop wrinkles associated with premature aging.

Find Organic Skin Care Products

Organic skin care products can support the skin’s healing functions which can help you solve skin problems while beauty product chemicals will likely cause them. Unnatural chemicals are considered foreign substances to the body which will react in an attempt to eliminate them. If the body is not able to eliminate the toxins due to prolong usage, they will accumulate in the body leading the way to certain diseases. The rule of thumb is that anything you put on your skin you should be able to eat.

Some common organic ingredients you want to look for in skin care products are:

Natural vegetable oils such as coconut oil, sweet almond oil, apricot kernel oil, sesame oil, and wheat germ oil have many beneficial properties for the skin.
Botanicals that have been proven throughout the ages such as chamomile, comfrey, lavender, frankincense, rose, black currant, myrrh, melissa, geranium, seaweeds and many more. They should be derived from organically grown plants and may be included in the skin care products in the form of herbal extracts, infusions, essential oils or hydrosols.
Distilled and deionized water which contribute to the moisturizing process are protected from the hundreds of chemicals in public water.

More than just protecting your health, organic skin care products also have a minimal impact on the environment. Look for skin care manufactures that are certified organic since they adhere to eco-friendly policies relating to conservation, biodiversity and waste management.

Image: graur codrin