Dirty Dozen

SHAN - Organic Skin Care & Natural Skin Care

Dirty Dozen | More Ingredients to Avoid | Shan's Story

Are you aware that there are products sold in your local grocery and health food stores that can compromise your health? Like you, we were uninformed and always thought that the US Government, specifically the FDA, was watching out for our well being by making sure that we were safe from harm through regulations preventing companies from selling products that could cause problems. With more than 25,000 new cosmetic chemicals being developed over the last several decades, it is no wonder that personal care products have been found to cause hormone disruption, skin constipation, protein, cellular and DNA denaturing, respiratory distress, infertility, birth defects, cold sweats, circulatory collapse, convulsions, headaches, chronic fatigue, allergies, joint pain, dizziness, skin abnormalities, hyperactivity, irritability, depression, cancer and even death.

What you put on your skin can affect your health and sense of well-being…either negatively or positively. You have the ability to choose which…if you know the facts.

Our skin, the body's largest organ, is our most important immune defense barrier as well as our most efficient waste elimination mechanism. Commercial products with harmful petroleum ingredients can plasticize and "constipate" your skin, causing germs more likely to enter into our body, and toxins more likely to be retained and not released through our skin, the largest detox organ

Every day we use products we think are safe, but the truth is, products we use every day are not always safe – and manufacturers are not required to tell us so. How shocked we were when we found out that our government relinquished the right to control the cosmetic industry in 1938, allowing that multibillion-dollar industry to become self-regulated. This "Cosmetic Conspiracy" means that products can be marketed without government approval, regardless of test results.

In a typical day, you may be exposed to over 200 chemicals, many of which are suspected of causing cancer or juggling hormones. EPA tests conclude that ingredients in shampoos, dyes and other personal care products "may be wreaking havoc with hormones that control reproduction and development."

A great way to protect yourself and your loved ones is to start checking all product labels and learn to avoid using products containing harmful, hazardous and dangerous ingredients.

  1. Propylene Glycol (PG) and Butylene Glycol: Found in Anti-freeze. Acts as a "surfactant" (wetting agent and solvent). Penetrates the skin and weakens protein and cellular structure. Strong enough to remove barnacles from boats, factory workers are required by the FDA to wear protective clothing when producing products containing these chemicals and are required to dispose of PG as toxic waste. Baby wipes, diaper creams, baby lotion, facial cleansing cloths, facial cleansers, body washes, shampoos, toothpastes, etc.
  2. Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) and Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES): Detergents pose serious health threats. Used in garage floor cleaners and engine degreasers and in 90% of all personal-care products that foam. Young eyes may not develop properly if exposed to SLS. SLS may damage the skin's immune system. Baby body washes, baby shampoos, anti-bacterial hand washes, shaving cream, body lotions, shampoos, etc.
  3. DEA (diethanolamine), MEA (monoethanolamine) & TEA (triethanolamine): Hormone-disrupting chemicals that can form cancer-causing nitrates. Dr. Samuel Epstein (Professor of Environmental Health at the University of Illinois) says that repeated applications of DEA-based detergents result in major increase in liver and kidney cancer. The FDA's John Bailey says "the risk is significantly increased for children." Body lotions, body washes, cleansers, shampoos, etc.
  4. Polyethylene Glycol (PEG): Carcinogenic petroleum ingredient that reduces the skin's natural moisture. Increases the appearance of aging and leaves you vulnerable to bacteria. Baby wipes, diaper creams, baby lotions, cleansers, body washes, deodorants, etc.
  5. Sodium Hydroxide: This is a poison (caustic lye) found in drain cleaners. The warning label on sodium hydroxide products reads "POISON, May be fatal or cause permanent damage if swallowed. May cause blindness. Avoid contact with skin, eyes, mouth and clothing." Toothpastes, baby lotions,
  6. hand and body lotion, etc.
  7. Triclosan: Synthetic "antibacterial" with a chemical structure similar to Agent Orange! The EPA registers Triclosan as a pesticide, giving it high scores as a risk to human health and the environment. It is in a class of chemicals suspected of causing cancer in humans. Tufts University, School of Medicine says Triclosan can force the emergence of "super bugs" that it cannot kill. Anti-bacterial hand wash, antibacterial toys, etc.
  8. DMDM and Urea (Imidazolidnyl): Two of many preservatives that often release formaldehyde which cause joint pain, skin reactions, allergies, depression, headaches, chest pains, ear infections, chronic fatigue, dizziness, and loss of sleep. Body lotions, body washes, anti-bacterial hand washes, cleansers, shampoos, etc.
  9. Parabens: Studies show that parabens – alkyl hydroxy parabens – alpha hydroxy benzoate (methyl-, ethyl-, propyl- and butyl-parabens) are weakly estrogenic. Baby Wipes, baby body washes, anti-bacterial hand washes, facial wipes, body lotions, shampoos, etc.
  10. Alcohol, Isoproplyl, SD-40: Drying, irritating solvent that strips skin's moisture and immune barrier, making you vulnerable to bacteria and viruses. Made from the same petroleum derivative used in shellac and antifreeze as well as personal care products. Promotes brown spots and premature aging. Lotions, creams, deodorants, etc.
  11. Mineral Oil: Petroleum by-product that coats the skin similar to plastic wrap, clogging the pores. Interferes with skin's ability to eliminate toxins, promoting acne and other disorders. Slows down skin function and cell development, resulting in premature aging. Lotions, Creams, etc.
  12. FD&C Color Pigments: Synthetic colors from coal tar that deposit toxins onto the skin, causing skin irritation. Absorption of certain colors can cause depletion of oxygen in the body and death. Shampoos, toothpastes, body washes, cleansers, baby products, wipes, hand washes, deodorants, lotions, creams, etc.
  13. Fragrances: Can contain up to four thousand ingredients (including animal urine), many toxic or carcinogenic. Causes headaches, dizziness, allergic reactions, skin discoloration, violent coughing, vomiting, and skin irritation. Fragrances affect the nervous system, causing depression, hyperactivity, irritability, inability to cope and other behavioral changes. Shampoos, toothpastes, body washes, cleansers, baby products, wipes, hand washes, deodorants, lotions , creams, etc.

 

 

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