As we become more and more mindful of our environment, what we eat, how much exercise we do, what toxins we are using in our household cleaning products and gardens, I'd like to also talk about the products we put on our skin each day.
Last year I attended a 5-day Skin Detox challenge with the School of Natural Skincare. Founded in 2010, the couple who run this school (at the date of writing this post) are passionate about teaching the world how to recognise what is in the products we buy. The school's team of tutors include cosmetic scientists, cosmetic formulators, aromatherapists, beauty business experts and safety assessors. If you are truly passionate they run courses on how to make your own natural products from scratch - definitely on my wish list.
Overview
What's important to you when you purchase a new face cream, body lotion, shower gel, shampoo, makeup? Do you have highly sensitive skin? Are you a vegan or vegetarian and want to avoid animal products in your skincare? How about synthetic ingredients? Are the products environmentally friendly? Below is a list of what to look out for, how to identify them in the list of ingredients on the label, and why (for full details please follow the links to the relevant web pages listed under the "References" section below):
Synthetic fragrances
Do you suffer from sensitivities such as skin sensitivity, rashes, dermatitis, coughing, asthma attacks, migraine? Consider checking your products for synthetic fragrances.
Look out for: ingredients listed as fragrance or parfum, which could be a mix of many chemicals which aren't categorised or listed. Instead look for products which use 100% natural essential oils as a fragrance. These should be named as the actual product (eg Lemon), along with the plant's Latin name (eg Citrus limonum for lemon essential oil)
Parabens
Parabens are used as preservatives in many products, and are said to have a possible impact on oestrogen levels in the body.
Look out for the following on labels if you wish to avoid parabens:
Methylparaben / Ethylparaben / Propylparaben / Butylparaben / Heptylparaben / Isobutylparaben / Isopropylparaben / Benzylparaben.
Sodium Laureth Sulphate (SLeS) and Sodium Lauryl Sulphate (SLS)
These are surfactants, helping to bind oil and water together. They can potentially cause skin irritation, so if you have super sensitive skin and don't know why you might want to try and eliminate products containing SLeS's and SLS's from your cupboard.
Look out for Sodium Laureth Sulphate or Sodium Lauryl Sulphate.
Mineral oils
There is proof that if absorbed by the skin, mineral oils can be stored in the liver and other organs and could potentially cause harm.
Look out for paraffinum liquidum, paraffinum, cera microcristallina, petrolatum, mineral oil or paraffin waxes.
Animal products
If you are a vegan you might like to:
Look out for beeswax, cera alba, cera bellina, lanolin, lanolin alcohol, lanolin wax, lanolin cera, laneth-x (x being a number).
Silicones
Gives a lovely powdery dry skin feeling. Non-biodegradable so if you are thinking of the environment:
Look out for: anything ending in “-cone” or “-siloxane”.
To Summarise
The list above is not exhaustive. Don't just take the word of a product that it's 100% natural, organic or environmentally friendly! Get involved in the choices you make, know what you are buying, and consider what is important to you ethically, spiritually and health-wise.
References:
"8 Ingredients to detox from your skincare routine", The School of Natural Skincare, accessed from the web on 17th January 2021.
"How to read a cosmetic label", The School of Natural Skincare, accessed from the web on 17th January 2021
Get in touch if you'd like to purchase essential oils, smell any of the oils in my collection (see my blog posts under the Essential Oils tag), buy a CAM Aromatherapy product (for clients only), get help with creating your own blend, or have a massage treatment.
Medical Disclaimer - The above information is intended for educational purposes only, and not to be taken as an endorsement or replacement for any particular medical health treatment. Please check with your health provider before embarking on any type of herbal treatment.
Contact:
camaromatherapy@gmail.com
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