When I first became sick it was an easy transition for me to change my diet from a more processed one, to one that was filled with nutrient-dense whole foods. While I know diet can be a challenging transition for many, I think God was preparing me far in advance to be ready to just go all in. While diet was easy, the transition to clean skincare and makeup was a little bit harder. I didn’t quite buy into the fact that what I put on my body impacted me, and I failed to pay attention and do research the way I really should have.
It turns out ignorance was bliss. It wasn’t until a friend called me out on my skincare and makeup items that I really decided to dive deeper to find the truth. As I began to research, I was shocked to find out about the insane amount of toxins lurking in personal care products. In addition to this, I was appalled to find out about the lack of regulation within the personal care industry. In fact, there is almost zero federal regulation of the cosmetics industry in the United States. A product can go straight from manufacturing to store shelves without any type of approval or mandatory safety testing. The Food and Drug Administration only regulates misbranding or false advertising on packages-not what actually goes inside the packages. THIS IS CRAZY!
I also found out that my previous belief that what I put in my body was more important than what I put ON was completely wrong. Our skin is our largest organ and up to 60% of what is put on our skin gets absorbed directly into the bloodstream.
Body Burden
“Body burden” is the term that describes the heavy load of environmental chemicals that can be found in the average person. This is the result of lifelong exposure to plastics, metals, pesticides, fire retardants, etc. and while the body is capable of handling and dealing with small amounts of toxins, the accumulation of toxins over time is what can eventually lead to disease. Because we are exposed to toxins in the food we eat, the water we drink, the air we breathe, it becomes very easy to have a very high “body burden”. While many studies have been done over the course of the years to determine people’s body burden or toxic load, there was one done in 2009 that really stood out to me. In 2009, the Environmental Working Group looked at umbilical cord blood out of curiosity to see what toxins they may find. In 9 out of 10 samples they found (BPA)- the synthetic estrogen used in plastics that has been linked to breast cancer and hormonal problems. In addition to this, synthetic musks or fragrance from perfumes were also found. All 10 samples had lead, mercury, perfluorochemicals, polybrominated diphenyl ethers, polychlorinated naphthalenes, polychlorinated biphenyls, and chlorinated dioxin.
As if personal exposure to these toxins was not enough there is now evidence showing that toxic exposure from personal care products actually pass through the skin barrier and into the umbilical cord from baby. WOW.
This study is fascinating and terrifying to me because it shows how easy a body burden can add up. From in the womb, a baby begins to accumulate toxins that will be present for life unless they do something to eliminate them. We can now see how easy it is to absorb toxins and the need to be careful when choosing the personal care products we are going to use.
Lack of Regulation
As mentioned above there is almost zero federal regulation of the cosmetic industry in the United States. In fact, federal law regulating cosmetic safety hasn’t been updated in over 80 years. While places such as the European Union have over 1,300 chemicals banned for use in cosmetics, the United States has only 30. In many cases, this means a product can go straight from manufacturing to store shelves without any type of approval or mandatory safety testing. With over 75,000 chemicals introduced to the environment in the last 50 years, the lack of regulation is a huge problem within the cosmetic industry.
While I wish I could report the regulation to be different, I can’t. This is frustrating and quite honestly disappointing, but it leaves us with only one option. It is up to us to choose safer products for ourselves and our families. While many toxic exposures are out of our direct control, choosing safer skincare and cosmetic products is something we can control. Skincare and makeup are a big part of our daily lives, and by making simple swaps to remove harmful ingredients, one can make a drastic impact on their health and body burden.
10 INGREDIENTS TO AVOID
- Parabens
Parabens are preservatives and anti-microbials that are commonly used in cosmetics, personal care products and some foods. They are added to personal care and cosmetics to stop fungus and bacteria from growing in liquids, lotions and creams, as well as to extend the shelf life of these products. The CDC has detected parabens in almost all Americans tested and as more research is done, scientists are finding more and more problems with parabens. The European Commission’s Scientific Committee on Consumer Products claims that longer-chain parabens may disrupt the reproductive and endocrine systems causing reproductive and developmental disorders. Parabens have also been linked to neurotoxicity, immunotoxicity, and reproductive toxicity.
- Artificial Fragrance
Almost every single cosmetic product on the market contains artificial fragrance whether scented or not. The chemists who create fragrances have over 3000 chemicals to work with and many of these fragrance chemicals are derived from petrochemicals that are known allergens and hormone and endocrine disruptors. These toxic ingredients can hide under the terms fragrance or parfum and manufacturers aren’t required to reveal what exactly is in their so called “fragrance”
- SLS or Sodium Lauryl Sulfate
Sodium laureth sulfate (sometimes referred to as SLES) is used in cosmetics as a detergent and also to make products bubble and foam. It is common in shampoos, toothpaste, body wash, and facial cleansers. Depending on the manufacturing processes, SLES is sometimes contaminated with toxic impurities like 1,4-dioxane and ethylene oxide. The International Agency for Research on Cancer labels ethylene oxide as a known human carcinogen and 1,4-dioxane as a possible human carcinogen. Ethylene oxide can also harm the nervous system iiand the California Environmental Protection Agency has classified it as a possible developmental toxicant based on evidence that it may interfere with human development. In addition to the above, SLES has also been linked to skin, eye, and lung irritation.
- Phthlates
Phthalates are a group of chemicals made from petroleum used in personal care products and are used to soften and increase the flexibility of plastics and polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Like harmful BPA, phthalates are considered stealth chemicals that are classified as endocrine disrupting compounds. Scientific studies link phthalate exposure to reproductive abnormalities in baby boys, reduced testosterone and sperm quality in men and early puberty in girls. Since the law doesn’t require full disclosure, you have no way to know when phthalates lurk in that bottle of lotion.
- Polyethelene Glycol (PEG)
PEG, the same active ingredient in a popular laxative, is widely used in cosmetics. PEG’s or polyethylene glycols are petroleum-based compounds used in cosmetics and personal care products to help keep ingredients stable and enhance the penetration of other active ingredients. PEGs are typically followed by a number indicating how many units of ethylene glycol they contain, for example PEG-4 or PEG-100; the lower the number, the more easily the compound is absorbed into skin. There are hundreds of versions of PEG chemicals in skincare products and most are backed by very little to no safety data. However, the biggest concern with PEGs is the toxins they may carry with them. PEGs are frequently contaminated with 1,4 dioxane. Several health agencies have reported 1,4 dioxane probably causes cancer and it’s been linked with breast cancer and tumors in the liver, gallbladder, nose, lungs, and skin.
- Triclosan
Triclosan is a bacteria-killing chemical. In fact, the FDA spoke out against the antibacterial ingredient triclosan and in 2017 banned its use in certain products, including hand sanitizer and certain soaps. Despite the ban, triclosan is still found in things like Colgate Total toothpastes (to prevent gingivitis), liquid hand soaps, body washes, clothing, cutting boards and other household goods. The chemical is thought to contribute to deadly antibiotic resistance and has been shown to interfere with thyroid signaling and male and female sex hormone signaling. In addition to this a 2012 study in Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology found that children with high levels of triclosan, were at significantly higher risk for developing seasonal allergies, food, drug, and insect allergies, hay fever, and other immune-related sensitivities. Triclosan can damage the endocrine system and reproductive hormone function even at very low doses and should really be avoided at all costs.
- PFOA’s, PFC’s and Teflon Chemicals
Teflon is a brand name for PTFE, one of thousands of fluorinated chemicals known as PFASs or PFCs. Most people know Teflon as the coating on nonstick cookware, but A recent study conducted by the Environmental Working Group found that a number of beauty and skin care products contain Teflon. Teflon is a brand name for a chemical called PTFE, which is one of thousands of fluorinated chemicals knowns as PFASs and PFCs. While the of these chemicals in skin are products is worrisome enough, “PTFE, PFASs or PFCs have been linked to serious health effects including cancer, thyroid disease and reduced effectiveness of childhood vaccines.”
- Heavy Metals
Heavy metals like lead, arsenic, mercury, aluminum, zinc, chromium and iron are found in a wide variety of personal care products including lipstick, whitening toothpaste, eyeliner and nail color. Some metals are intentionally added as ingredients, while others are contaminants. Exposure to metals has been linked to health concerns including reproductive, immune and nervous system toxicity. Aluminium, a specific heavy metal, is a popular ingredient found in deodorants. The health effects of aluminum have been extensively investigated, with much focus on neurological diseases, however aluminum came under investigation as a possible carcinogen because it can damage DNA and prevent DNA repair which is one of the ways cancer can form.
- Petroleum
Petroleum jelly, petrolatum or mineral oil are all names for the same ingredient. Just as the name suggests, petroleum jelly is derived from petroleum, a highly refined byproduct of the oil industry. When oil companies didn’t want the sludge at the bottom of the oil rigs to go to waste, it was refined and sold as a skin protectant. This ingredient is often found in lotions and creams labeled “healing” to skin, but when not properly refined petroleum can be contaminated with toxic chemicals called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. In 2011 a study in the Journal for Women’s Health tested petroleum in cosmetics and found it indeed contained these hydrocarbons. While health officials will say there is no real concern is petroleum is fully refined, this study stated “There is strong evidence that mineral oil hydrocarbons are the greatest contaminant of the human body, amounting to approximately 1 g per person. Possible routes of contamination include air inhalation, food intake, and dermal absorption.”
- Formaldehyde
Formaldehyde is used as a preservative in cosmetics. It’s a known carcinogen that is also linked to asthma, neurotoxicity, and developmental toxicity. It can be found in preservatives such as quaternium-15, DMDM hydantoin, and imidazolidinyl urea.
How I Choose Safer Cosmetics
One of the best resources I have found in addition to reading the labels is the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep Database. Each product is given a score based on the ingredients it contains, with 1 being the best and 10 being the worst. It is an easy way to figure out if the products you are using are safe, but the library is limited so not every product you search will be available to look at.
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