Harmful ingredients are hidden in the beauty products you use every single day.
The sound of the alarm clock wakes you from a deep sleep. 5:30 a.m. always comes too quickly. You grab a cup of coffee and sit in front of the fire or watch the news for a moment of peace before the hustle and bustle of your day begins.
You take a shower and begin the process of preparing yourself to face the world. It starts with foundation and ends with a light spritz of your favorite perfume. You’ve been in the same routine since you stepped into the working world. You’ve used the same products since you were finally able to afford your favorite brand when you cashed in your first paycheck.
But, how often have you stopped to think about the ingredients in your cosmetics, lotions, shampoos, and perfumes that you so willingly expose your skin to every day? Did you know ingredients found in some of the products used today have been linked to everything from hormonal issues to types of cancer?
Here are 9 common ingredients we look for, and avoid, in our beauty care products:
Heavy Metals are naturally occurring materials, but they should never be exposed to your skin. Now you may be wondering, how can naturally occurring materials harm my body?
Here’s how: When you apply makeup directly to your skin, the products absorb into your skin and go directly to your bloodstream, completely unfiltered. These products then build up in your bloodstream, causing you to become ill. Four common heavy metals found in a variety of beauty care products are Lead, Arsenic, Cadmium, and Mercury.
Lead, found in lipsticks, lip glosses, and other lip products, is often linked to infertility, hormonal and menstrual irregularities, and neurotoxicity that can cause learning, language, and behavioral problems.
Arsenic, found in foundation, is linked to non-reproductive organ toxicity.
Cadmium, found in concealers and eyeliners, is linked to a host of cancers and organ, such as heart and lung, damage.
Mercury, found in mascara, can accumulate in the body causing allergic reactions, skin irritation, and neurotoxicity.
Parabens act as a preservative in deodorants, lotions, lipsticks, shampoos, shaving gels, shampoos, and more. Studies have also shown that they have the ability to mimic estrogen, and have been linked in cause breast cancer, skin cancer, and a decreased sperm count for men when absorbed into the skin. So, it’s best to always buy paraben-free beauty products.
Phthalates, found in color and fragrance cosmetics, are absorbed into your skin and exposed to your bloodstream in the same way as heavy metals and parabens. Phthalates are used to make plastics flexible and as lubricants in cosmetics. Unfortunately, this chemical is linked to a host of health issues.
Phthalates are well-known endocrine disruptors. This means that they can disrupt a group of hormones that are directly linked to the circulatory system and regulate the function of certain organs. In pregnant women, the chemical can negatively affect the development of babies. Studies have shown that, when passed from mother to baby through the placenta, female babies exposed to phthalates sometimes have abnormal sexual development. Additionally, boys exposed to this chemical may have less testosterone, resulting in less masculine behaviors. Yet another study has shown that women exposed to Phthalates are more likely to develop breast cancer. Pregnant or not pregnant, male or female, we should all be avoiding this harsh chemical.
“Fragrance”, found in moisturizers, deodorant, lotion, face cream, shampoo, conditioner, can contain hormone disruptors and are among the top 5 allergens in the world. Avoid buying products containing fragrance, and instead, opt for fragrant-free.
Hydroquinone, found in skin lighteners, reduces the melanin in your skin, acting as a skin-bleaching agent reducing dark spots, freckles, and even acne scars. However, the harm this chemical can cause to your skin far outweighs the benefits. Hydroquinone can cause allergic reactions, skin irritation, and even a
skin disease called ochronosis, which causes disfiguring and irreversible blue-black lesions on exposed skin. There is also suspicion that this chemical is a carcinogen, like many other chemicals found in our beauty products.
Talc is a toxic substance commonly found in face powders and eyeshadows. This chemical acts as an anticaking agent and often contains asbestos, which is linked to breast and lung cancer. Face powders and eyeshadows also contain zinc and bismuth, which can cause skin irritation.
So, instead of using store-bought products and exposing your skin to all sorts of toxic chemicals, try making your own face powder and eyeshadow using the recipe below so that you can control the ingredients in your beauty products:
Ingredients: Arrowroot powder, cocoa powder (brown eyeshadow), beet powder (pink eyeshadow), activated charcoal (black/grey eyeshadow), nutmeg (golden brown eyeshadow)
For a creamier look, to add moisturizer to your lids, and to prevent the color from bleeding or rubbing off, add 1/8th of a teaspoon of shea butter to the powder mixture.
Eye Shadow: Use ¼ teaspoon of arrowroot to start as your base, then add color until you get the shade you desire! Put into a small container to store.
Face Powder: Start with 1 tablespoon of arrowroot as your base, then slowly add 1-part cocoa, 1-part nutmeg until you reach your desired shade.
Check out www.fix.com for more DIY Organic Cosmetic recipes and go to https://www.ewg.org to start discovering if your current routine includes ingredients that you should avoid. Then, head over to https://afterglowcosmetics.com to order your new and improved Organic and Certified Gluten-Free Cosmetic products!
We hope your eyes have been opened to the dangerous chemicals used in common beauty products used every day. Start the process of improving your mind, body, and smile by changing out your toxic-filled products to organic products today.
