Have you ever thought how many skin care and personal care items you’ve used before even leaving your home? And what on earth is in them? By the time you have finished in the bathroom, it is likely you may have utilized one or more of these products; a cleanser, toner, moisturizer, foundation, lipstick, shaving cream, toothpaste, deodorant, perfume or cologne, with each product containing anywhere between 15 – 50 ingredients.

Skincare Ingredients

Avoiding each and every chemical is impossible in our modern day world, however our overall aim should be to reduce our toxic load. And why not start with your skincare? While on average men purchase and utilize less skincare products than women, it is estimated that the average woman uses 9 – 15 personal care products per day, which can equate to the application of 515 synthetic chemicals. Some common chemicals in everyday skin care products include:

• Sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS)
• Preservatives such as parabens
• Fragrances such as phthalates
• Synthetic thickeners
• Petroleum oils

Chemicals such as SLS are known to be skin irritants, leading to dry, inflamed skin and worsening of skin conditions such as eczema and dermatitis. Parabens display endocrine disrupting properties that can contribute to a variety of health concerns such a menstrual disturbances and obesity. Synthetic fragrances have been associated with negative health effects such as contact dermatitis, migraine headaches, rhinitis and airway irritation.

Natural Skincare

So what options are available? My three favourites include:

• Juniper Australia provides organic skincare products with certified organic natural ingredients without the use of chemicals or synthetic preservatives. Each formulation use therapeutic levels of medicinal ingredients such as aloe vera, jojoba oil, rosehip oil, green tea, calendula, antioxidants and essential oils to name a few. There is a product for all skin types and skin conditions such as eczema and rosacea.
• The Jojoba Company is Australian made and owned who of course use jojoba oil as the main ingredient in their products. It is a golden liquid wax that is made from the jojoba bean, which mimics the skins natural oils and penetrates deep into the skin layers. It has naturally occurring vitamins A, D, and E plus essential fatty acids. Jojoba oil has an extensive shelf life and is remarkably stable, minimizing the need for irritating preservatives. There is a product for all skin types and is used for a wide range of skin conditions.
• Weleda have been producing a large range of products including skin and body care since the 1920’s based on the philosophies developed by Dr. Rudolf Steiner. Ingredients are grown on their own biodynamic farms, are certified natural and organic plus completely sustainable and free from synthetic ingredients. There is a range for babies straight through to mature skin and a specific range for men.

Your skin is the largest organ of the body and what is applied to it will be absorbed. With so many natural and organic skincare products available today, it only makes sense to be nourishing, hydrating and repairing the skin with only the purest ingredients rather than harsh synthetic chemicals.

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Bianca Falvo Nutritionist

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References

• https://www.science.org.au/curious/people-medicine/chemistry-cosmetics
• https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.0105-1873.2006.00848.x
• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29126512
• https://www.jstor.org/stable/26327879?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents
• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5359373/
• http://www.juniperaustralia.com.au/
• https://www.thejojobacompany.com.au/
• http://www.weleda.com.au/homepage/w1/i2/