Today I'm going to talk about skincare because it's important. Most people seem to have the idea that our skin is somehow different from the rest of our body, somehow outside of everything else and not connected to our inner body. This is not true at all, our skin is our largest organ, functioning as any other organ inside our body. Its purpose is to protect everything that's inside its cover, a great responsibility. Also, the skin is an absorbing organ, just like your bowels. It absorbs whatever comes into contact with it and transports it to the rest of the body. As such, you can imagine how much impact skincare has on your whole body and health.
Now most skincare products in 'normal' shops are bad for you. This is just a fact you have to accept even though it seems unreasonable. Business is business, and has nothing to do with your well-being. So what do they put in these horrible products? Firstly, any cream, balm, lotion, lip balm etc almost certainly has
mineral oil as its first, second, or third ingredient (ingredients are listed highest amount first), and it is the only ingredient in Vaseline. The list of ingredients does not read mineral oil, but instead other fancy terms are used, such as
paraffinum liquidum, petrolatum, or
hydrocarbon oils amongst others,
here's a good list. These mineral oils are actually
petroleum, which is the stuff they drill out of the earth to use as motor oil, car fuel, to make plastic, or in asphalt. Does this sound like something you want to put on your skin, a precious organ of yours which purpose is to absorb good things and protect the rest of your body? No, I didn't think so. Mineral oil acts as a layer on your skin, clogging the pores and thus making the skin unable to eliminate toxins. Once it has slowly been absorbed by your skin, it is broken down by your liver and passes through your intestinal tract, absorbing fat-soluble vitamins and stealing them from your body. This eventually leads to nutrient deficiencies and can therefore result in decease and ill-health. So why do skincare producers use this crap? Because it's a byproduct of making fuel and other products from petroleum, and therefore very cheap. And unless you think you are cheap and invaluable, don't use products containing mineral oils. I feel I need to add that it is the main ingredient in baby oil and other baby products, sometimes I wonder how the owners of these bad skincare companies sleep at night.
Another toxin which you find in most skincare products in
paraben. There are many different parabens, such as
methylparaben, ethylparaben, propylparaben, and
butylparaben, same stuff basically. They function as preservatives, giving products a longer shelf-life. These substances are, like mineral oils, very cheap and as such very valuable for business. I've tried to find out what these parabens actually are, but the chemistry was too deep for me, which I think in itself answers the question of whether I want to use them on my skin. Parabens have been shown to produce breast cancer, and have been found in breast cancer tumors. There are a lot of studies and reports claiming how non-toxic and safe parabens are, but do people ever make the effort of finding out who financed these studies? I'm pretty sure all of them are paid for by the same companies who frantically want to maximise their millions by selling you cheap crap to put on your skin. And here's a question for you: if there is even the slightest chance, the smallest study showing that parabens might give you breast cancer, even if other studies say it won't, would you like to rub it into your skin?
Stay with me a while longer, I want to mention
sodium laureth sulfate. This is an inexpensive foaming agent, used in shampoos, shower gels, soaps, facial cleansers and the like. Many studies have proven it to be toxic, containing cancer-producing components and skin-irritants. Again, its availability is being guarded by multinational companies wanting to preserve their ability to make huge amounts of money by using cheap crap in your skincare products. Here, you might want to ask yourself the previous question again.
These products are just a few, and there are many many more. But this is a good start, and by avoiding these you avoid most other toxins too because these are usually the main ingredients in conventional skincare. And by skincare I mean lotions, oils, shampoos, conditioners, deodorants, toothpaste, make-up, and everything else you use to make yourself pretty (as if you weren't already). So beware, you might actually be making yourself less pretty and more unhealthy.
The alternative? Visit any organic shop and you'll find loads and loads of great and healthy natural skincare products. Many other shops have started to sell such things too, but beware of words such as natural, they can be very deceptive, so always check the list of ingredients. Also, instead of skincare products, all organic natural oils can be used on your skin, such as olive oil or
coconut oil. Ask me if you want to know more details, or if you want advice on which products to use, I have a few years' experience and some excellent tips to share.
Emma
