Drugs and medicines today are often used in the form of transdermal skin patches. Why? It has has been shown to be up to 95% more effective than oral medications. The good news is our skin can be fed, nourished and treated from the outside with some wonderful substances. The bad news: There are many not-so-good substances in the products you may be using on your skin.
When you think about just how much your skin can absorb, think about how important it is to use something natural. Our skin is the largest eliminatory organ in the body and our first line of immunity, is permeable to all chemicals. Medical research shows that significant amounts of cosmetic ingredients, including carcinogenic substances, penetrate the skin and end up in the blood stream. Many chemicals in cosmetics don’t cause obvious signs of toxicity on the skin but slowly poison us thorough repeated use.
Because we care, and we want only natural ingredients on our skin – we use only natural ingredients in our soaps. All of our ingredients are natural including fruit and vegetable oils and butters, herbs, botanicals and essential oils. We choose not to use any artifical anything. So we may not have fancy colors (the colors we do have occur naturally), we think our soap is the best because they are made the “old school” way, hand-stirred in small batches. Most contain essential oils with different therapeutic properties. They are indeed “good for you & good for the earth”.
If you start reading ingredients you may find all sorts of chemicals and preservatives in your commercial cosmetic products.
Sodium Laurel/Laureth Sulfate
Perhaps one of the most common chemical groups used in cosmetics, this sudsing agent gives liquid soaps and shampoos their foam-ability. This harsh skin irritant may also cause the skin to dry out as well as a host of other allergic reactions like rashes, eye irritation, and dandruff. These sudsers can be damaging to the immune system, and their residue can show up in the heart, liver, and lungs.
Propylene Glycol
A solvent that is also used in antifreeze & brake fluid. Factory workers who handle propylene glycol must wear protective gear to prevent skin contact. That’s because exposure can cause eye and skin irritation, headaches, nausea, and vomiting.
Diethanolamine (DEA) + Triethanolamine (TEA)
Long used in industrial strength lubricants and as surfactants (wetting agents that help products spread) in cosmetics, DEA and TEA are known eye, skin, nose, and throat irritants and can cause liver cancer in rats.
PVP/VA Copolymer
While much of the haircare industry continues to use polyvinylpyrrolidone, a petroleum-derived chemical, some studies suggest its toxicity. It’s particularly harmful when inhaled, which is a problem because of its use as an anti-static agent and a binder for styling products such as hair sprays.
Stearalkonium Chloride
First used by the fabric and paper industries as a softener and an anti-static agent, stearalkonium chloride is now commonly found in the cream rinses and hair conditioners. Yet the hard facts on this cationic surfactant show that it is a toxin known to set off allergic reactions.
Petroleum + Mineral Oil
Both of these petrolatum-derived products are prized by the cosmetic mainstream for their emollient properties. The problem is when you have mineral oil on your skin, nothing goes in and nothing can get out. Mineral oil in lotions forms a barrier when applied, so that skin can’t eliminate toxins. With repeated use, moisturizers that include either petroleum or mineral oil can clog pores, setting off skin conditions such as acne and dermatitis. This petroleum by-product may contain cancer-causing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH).
Artifical Colorants:
Although make your favorite products look inviting, synthetic tints can contain a host of unnamed, and unsafe, ingredients.
Synthetic Fragrances
The catchall terms “fragrance,” “parfum,” and “perfume” can conceal thousands of synthetic ingredients. Numerous reports have linked fragrance oils to such conditions as birth defects, cancer, brain damage, respiratory disorders, chronic skin reactions, and environmental damage through waste water. Synthetic fragrances, including phthalates, can be absorbed into the body through the skin and inhaled as fumes.
Make a point to carefully read ingredient labels and choose all-natural ingredients for optimum healthy skincare.
Irish Twins handmade glycerin & rustic soaps
Good For You. Good for the Earth. 