It’s no question these days that people are paying higher prices and putting much more effort into discovering and using organic alternatives. Its acceptance as a healthier choice in our food has reaped many direct benefits as we evolve to embrace a greener and more natural way of living. Thanks to advancement in food industry, our standards have risen and regulations have rid our food of toxic and harmful substances that we used to be less knowledgeable about. With the FDA, we can depend on the administration to regulate the industry on what we ingest. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said about products that are topical but yet still come into contact with our bodies. For this reason, there are still many unforeseen consequences—especially among natural ingredient products that we use on a daily basis.
Identifying the Problem
The regulation on skin care products is much less rigorous, and this sector may seek to up its standards as the trend follows into this industry. The following ingredients are commonly found in skin care and make up products and are known to have detrimental effects in the human body:
- Isopropyl Alcohol
- Polyethylene Glycol
- Mercury
- Dioxane
- Nitrosamines
- Sulfates
- Parabins
- Aluminum derivatives
- Phthalate
These compounds are frequently found in synthetic cosmetics and skin care products and can be harmful to your organs. Your liver is incapable of processing and separating these chemicals from your body, leaving it to spread and cause organ damage over time.
Reading Product Labels Teach What to Avoid
The same habit that health conscious eaters have to memorize how much fat and calories each item they consume has should also be applied to skin care products that we use. Our skin is porous and chemicals certainly can permeate through its surface—and considering that our skin is the body’s largest organ this leaves us extremely to whatever substances are applied to it.
At the same time, we all lead busy lives and do not have the luxury to read each product label from beginning to end, especially those heavy shoppers who fill their carts to the brim each trip. The key here is to develop an efficient method so you can quickly scan the ingredients.
Unless you are already a great chemist, chances are that most ingredient lists consist of complex mixtures that you can barely pronounce. So instead of trying to decipher and research what each one is, you can develop a list of “trigger” words that should act as red flags when you quickly scan the ingredient list. Developing this habit will not only help you understand the products you are using, but you will develop a keen insight for making smarter choices. Overtime, you will begin to quickly recognize products that could potentially cause bodily harm with continual use.