Chemical Safe Skincare Campaign

Frizzy hair is now being blamed on cheap foaming agent, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, found in many regular shampoo and conditioners.

Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES/SLS) is added to shampoos and conditioners to foam the product and help cleanse the hair and scalp. SLS has long been recognised as having a drying effect on the skin leaving skin feeling tight, itchy and dry after rinsing. In shampoos, this can result in itchy scalp, unsightly flaking and even increased frizz of the hair due to the harsh nature of SLS.

Sodium Laureth Sulfate is also used in shaving creams, shower gels, bubble baths and even household cleaning products due to their highly effective cleansing properties. Many believe their cleansing properties are overly harsh and can aggravate sensitive skin, eczema and dermatitis conditions leaving them dry and itchy.

So to reduce frizz and irritation of your skin and scalp search out shampoos and conditioners, which are free from Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES/SLS).

Why should we care about Chemicals in Cosmetics?
It sounds noble: a cosmetics company promises that if you buy one of its products, a portion of the sale will go toward “the fight against breast cancer.”

But what if that cosmetic contains chemicals that might actually increase your risk of developing the disease and skin conditions?

Many cosmetics contain chemicals known as parabens and phthalates, which recent studies indicate may be linked to cancer development.

• Parabens are chemical preservatives that have been identified as estrogenic and disruptive of normal hormone function. (Estrogenic chemicals mimic the function of the naturally occurring hormone estrogen, and exposure to external estrogens has been shown to increase the risk of breast cancer.)
  
• Phthalates are known to cause a broad range of birth defects and lifelong reproductive impairments in laboratory animals that are exposed to these chemicals during pregnancy and after birth. Phthalates are also known to be hormone-mimicking chemicals, many of which disrupt normal hormonal processes, raising concern about their implications for increased breast cancer risk.
  

Both of these chemicals are cheap but very unnecessary in our skincare.  Be empowered, look for products without them, they are out there!

Eczema affects almost one in four children and cases are continuing to rise. Our modern living can be blamed for some of this increase.

We live in warmer, cleaner, well insulated houses with deep pile carpet which all helps dry the skin leaving it tight and itchy. These conditions also increase the levels of dustmites in our homes and especially in our bedrooms, which irritate dry skin increase the itch.

Experts in Dermatology believe that these wonders of modern living teamed with increase in washing our skin is to blame for the dramatic increase in the levels of eczema. With most of us showering or bathing daily our skin can become dry and irritated from both overwashing and the use of harsh shower gels and bubble baths. Most bubble baths, shampoos, shower gels and skincare products contain SLS, a harsh foaming agent know to dry the skin and parabens, a harsh irritating preservative commonly used in skincare products.

Think about for just a moment…Our skin is the largest organ in the body and its porous. Research indicates that up to 60% of ingredients in skincare products are absorbed into our bodies through our skin. What are the effects of this absorption and are there any risks to our health.

Many commonly ingredients found in skincare products have been highlighted as the most common triggers for skin sensitivities and flare-up in conditions such as eczema, dermatitis and asthma. Other experts strongly believe that ingredients such as Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Parabens and Phthalates can have an even more devastating effect on the body. Check out our web links for more information on the potential health implications these ingredients in skincare products.