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 Many
beauty products found in health food stores contain harmful ingredients and
are not 100 percent natural, no matter what they may claim.
There are no federal certifications or official guidelines for
beauty products, so anyone can claim that such a product is natural or organic.
Some "organic" beauty products contain only a single-digit percentage of organic
ingredients.
Alba Body Lotion, a "natural" body product, contains ingredients
such as octyl methoxycinnamate, benzophenone-3, and methyl/propylparaben, for
instance. The EPA has linked methyl parabens to metabolic, developmental, hormonal,
and neurological disorders, as well as various cancers.
Another common ingredient used in "natural" beauty products
is sodium laureth/lauryl sulfate, or SLES/SLS, which is an eye and skin irritant.
The Environmental
Working Group
GreenOptions.com
May 24, 2007
Dr.
Bronner’s Real Soap Test Video
Dr. Mercola's Comment:
The Environmental Working Group's database of cosmetic
products exposes many trusted natural brands as less than honorable.
Some brands use ingredients that were simply derived from natural sources, but
are no longer natural or organic.
Sodium laureth/lauryl sulfate is derived from coconut oil, and some
brands simply refer to it as such on their ingredients list. But SLES/SLS is
no longer natural by any means, and is a common ingredient in anti-freeze and
engine degreasers.
It's a shamefully misleading statement, as pure
coconut oil is a fantastic
moisturizer and a potent source of the beneficial fat lauric
acid, from which lauryl sulfate is derived.
The parabens
referred to in the articles are commonly used as preservatives, even though
they have been linked to various cancers.
On the label they may be listed as methyl paraben, ethyl paraben, propyl paraben,
butyl paraben, isobutyl paraben or E216.
Truly organic personal-care products do not contain preservatives,
although they may contain natural antimicrobial and antifungal ingredients like
grapefruit
seed extract, or antioxidant vitamins (A, C and E), which come
with all the benefits of a preservative, but none of the dangerous side effects.
There is no question that people are being damaged by beauty products.
The adverse effects of toxins is compounded over decades. Chemicals are transmitted
into the bloodstream in a number of ways: powders have the least absorption,
while oily solutions or those designed to increase moisture allow more of the
chemical to be absorbed.
It is important to remember that nearly everything you slather onto
your skin and scalp goes into your bloodstream, so make sure you read the labels!
Related Articles:
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Find Their Way Into Human Breast Milk
One
Out of Five Cosmetics May Be Contaminated with Cancer-Causing Chemical
How
Dangerous Are Your Cosmetics?
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