Faqs
PEOPLE
Many
commercial products contain ingredients I would describe as suspect at best, and
some are downright dangerous. Just walk into any pharmacy or supermarket and
read the ingredient list on skincare products if you dare. Most people can’t
pronounce the ingredients, and very few understand them, or the implications of
their use. In fact, for most people, you need to be a specialist chemist.
For instance, the ‘soap’ you’ll find on the supermarket shelf is not soap at all. Chemically, it’s a solid detergent, and this is why many doctors and dermatologists will advise patients not to use soap. Among other suspect chemicals it will contain sodium laurel sulphate, the infamous SLS, or its chemical cousin sodium laureth sulphate (SLES), the supposedly ‘safer’ alternative. Unfortunately, both are dangerous, and irritating chemicals. Far from giving "healthy shining hair" and "beautiful skin", soaps and shampoos containing SLES can lead to direct damage of the hair follicle, skin damage, permanent eye damage in children and even liver toxicity. Although SLES is somewhat less irritating than SLS, it cannot be metabolised by the liver and its effects are therefore much longer-lasting. This not only means it stays in the body tissues for longer, but much more precious energy is used getting rid of it.
These ingredients are found in most commercial
shampoos, conditioners, bubble-bath, solid and liquid commercial soaps, body
wash, shower gel, washing-up liquids, laundry detergents, infant soap and
shampoos, shave cream, mouthwash, mascara, soap-free skin cleansers, make-up
remover, lotions, moisturisers, creams, sun creams, and toothpaste (yes,
toothpaste). And the list goes on (stain remover, carpet shampoo, fabric glue).
In commercial soaps the exception is good old Sunlight laundry soap, but
that’s made from tallow (beef fat), mixed with the cleaned up oils recovered
from fish and chip shops. SLS and SLES are very cheap to make and produce
copious amounts of lather, so you can see why commercial manufacturers love
them, but there are serious scientific claims they are also carcinogenic in
quantity. So, add up the times you could be exposed to them on a daily basis if
you do the following:- Brush with commercial toothpaste, use a commercial
mouthwash, wash in commercial soap, body wash or shower gel (including
supposedly soap-free gels), shampoo and condition your hair, put on some
sunscreen and other moisturiser, wash your hands (how many times a day?), wash
dishes, and wear clothing washed in
it. It’s in fabric softener too. If you are a woman, add mascara and the
cleanser you remove it with.
Some scientists have actually worked out that a woman using all commercial products will apply (directly or indirectly), 8Kg of toxic materials to her skin every year. Without attempting any deliberate scare mongering, I can tell you that worries me!
The use of sodium laureth sulphate in children’s products is particularly worrying. In small children this chemical is readily absorbed through the skin, and travels to accumulate in tissue behind the eyes. It is known that, whether it gets in the eyes or not, skin application DOES lead to measurable concentrations in the eyes of children. This is known to affect eye development, and the damage caused in this manner is irreversible. If you have children PLEASE DO NOT USE products containing sodium laurel sulphate (SLS) or sodium laureth sulphate (SLES). There are safe alternatives available, and your children will thank you for it one day.
Do not believe that just because a commercial product is labelled as natural it is free from SLS or SLES. Most common brands of "Natural" or "Herbal" commercial shampoos and cleansers still use these harmful chemicals as their main active ingredient - check your labels!
That’s not to say that you can't get SLS and SLES-free shampoos, detergents and toothpastes. Some highly reputable companies have been producing such products for years. These products not only contain no SLS or SLES, they are also free of other harmful chemical colourings and preservatives. I am currently compiling a list of every such product I can find. See below *
Some
of the other ingredients you’ll find in your shampoos and shower gels are
several different alcohols, fragrances with up to 1000 separate chemical
ingredients,and cyclopentasiloxane, or CPS for short. This one is a synthetic
chemical belonging to a group of compounds found in volatile, low- viscosity
silicone fluids. It hasn’t been identified as a human health concern, however,
it is persistent and bio-accumulative in the environment, and can harm aquatic
organisms at very low concentrations. It is found in, or used in the manufacture
of a wide variety of products, including silicone fluids, rubbers, plastics,
cleaning and washing compounds, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and other personal
care products, surface treatment and polishing agents, pesticides, paints,
lacquers, varnishes, inks, textiles, and fuel additives. Its many uses
mean it can be released to the environment in a widespread manner. (I think
a lot about the amount of non-degradable stuff that gets washed into the
environment)
Then
perhaps you might consider your lotions, creams, and serums. A lot of money goes
into advertising; telling you how wonderful these are for you, how they will
smooth away wrinkles, make you look younger in 10 to 60 days, and probably make
you look like Miss Australia into the bargain. And all this wonder for only
xxx$$$s (with all the marketing costs and retail mark-ups included).
Most
creams and lotions will also contain disodium EDTA, dimethicone, alphaisomethyl
ionone, triethanolamine, imidazolidinyl urea, and those good old petroleum
products paraffin and benzyl benzoate, plus methylparaben, and/or propylparaben,
Parabens are used as preservatives in thousands of cosmetic, food and
pharmaceutical products, and accumulate in human tissues. Parabens have also
been shown to be able to mimic the action of the female hormone oestrogen which
can drive the growth of human breast tumours, and have worrying implications
about breast cancer.
Many
creams and lotions will also contain hydroxyisohexyl 3-cyclohexene
carboxaldehide, or HICC for short. (nice long name there folks – what do you
think it is?) The trade name is Lyral®. Used for fragrance, it’s a frequent
allergen, identified as the cause of contact allergic reactions.
Coincidentally, it’s also used in more than 50% of marketed deodorants
and hair care products. A study by the Centre National de recherché
scientifique (the international French Scientific research centre) concluded
“HICC elicits allergic contact dermatitis in a high proportion of sensitised
individuals at common usage concentrations in deodorants”
So
now you know some of the dreaded truth about commercial products! Keeping
skincare natural is my passion. I could
go on and on about it all, but I’d probably bore you to tears, and I hope
you’ve got my message by now anyway, so I’ll stop the lecture and leave you
with a couple of thoughts.
Just
because something is ‘natural’ does
not mean it’s good for you! Nature provides for our complete wellbeing,
but she also provides many poisons. Nature is balanced, and every species and
piece of vegetation on this earth is in balance with another organism of some
kind. It may be food for one, medicine for another, and fatally toxic to others.
It may be wonderful in small doses, but toxic at higher levels. It may also be a
repellent to some, neutral to many species, home to others, or simply a building
material. The trick for us is to know the difference. My life is dedicated to
finding (and using) renewable land and sea plants with the highest degree of
positive benefit to our skin.
If
you care about your skin, the health of your family, future generations, the
environment you live in, and the creatures we all share it with, please read ingredient lists on the products you use.
Do
some research. Labels are required by law to list ingredients in descending
volume ie the first thing on the list is the ingredient of greatest quantity in
the product, while the last is the one in smallest quantity. Pick one ingredient
from a label. If you don’t have access to scientific journals, Google it. Look
for and read all the reputable
scientific findings and Government fact sheets you can find (not manufacturers
advertisements). Make your own informed
decision on that one chemical, and then go on to another one. I am currently
compiling a glossary of ingredients found in skin care products and hope to
have it completed soon. See
below *
Think
carefully about any damage these chemicals may do to you, future generations,
and the environment, both immediately and in the future, and remember two
seemingly benign chemicals may become very dangerous in combination with each
other, so make sure you check out compatibilities.
I
try to see everything from the cellular level right up to the big picture (our
one and only earth). I know there’s a lot to research and think about, but I
and others like me believe it’s well worth the effort.
PETS
Many products currently on the market for pets contain chemical ingredients with S5 to S7 poison schedule ratings. They will carry health warnings and many safety precautions, and most have worrying implications for the environment. We prefer the use of safe natural alternatives.
A word of caution. Just because something is natural, does not mean it is safe. We have carefully chosen only those essential oils and herbs with long traditional use, and which have been scientifically proven safe and effective with contemporary research.
In addition to filtered rain water, our pet products only contain one or more of the following ingredients:-
Oils:- Castor, Coconut, Neem, Sweet Almond, Olive, or Palm. (In pet soaps these oils will be saponified)
Essential oils:- Bay, Eucalyptus, Lemon-scented Tea tree, Parsley, Pennyroyal, Rosemary, or Tea tree.
Herbs:- Aloe vera, Calendula, Comfrey, Golden Seal, and St Johns Wort
Herbal Extracts:- Grapefruit seed, Rosemary
Coming Soon
I am currently compiling several lists.
Unfortunately the size restriction of this site does not allow me to present them here, but when they are completed I will be happy to email them in pdf format to interested readers on request.
Ingredients commonly found in skincare products
Commercial Products without SLS or SLES
What Else Can I do With a Bar of Soap?
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