When Skincare becomes Skinscare

Here’s a question for you: What is the body’s largest organ?
No, not the heart. Nor the kidney or the liver. Look back at the title of the article, there’s a clue!

The body’s largest organ is, in fact, the skin. It has a mass of 4-5 kg and a surface area of 1.2 - 2.2 square metres – obviously depending on your size. Most of us take great care of our skin: we nourish it with creams and lotions and try to embellish it with decorative cosmetics in the hope of improving its condition, appearance and health. So we go out and buy personal care products which claim to contain beneficial ingredients, and yes, they may indeed contain one or two substances with proven beneficial effects, yet most mainstream cosmetics also contain at least the same number of ingredients which can cause anything from allergies, eczema and irritation of the eyes and mucous membranes to respiratory problems, malfunctions of the nervous system and in some cases even cancer.

The majority of conventional cosmetics and skincare products we use on a daily basis (body lotions, face creams, deodorants, talcum powder, lipstick, perfumes, basically the lot!) contain so-called petrochemicals. These are synthetic chemicals derived from mineral oil, which no one would voluntarily apply if they knew what they were actually slapping on their skin and – since skin is permeable – feeding into their body’s system.

If you think you are less at risk because you are a man and don’t use half of the products listed above, think again! Even shampoo and shower gel or toothpaste and mouthwash contain potentially harmful substances.

Unfortunately, the cosmetics industry is one of the least regulated industries, not just in the UK but world-wide, which explains why certain chemicals are still being used despite scientific evidence of their adverse effects. So what can you do to ensure real skincare since regulatory bodies fail to do their job?

You can start by getting informed about which substances to avoid. There are countless sources of information, both online and in print, which are dedicated to educating consumers and guide them through the jungle of ingredients and products (see list below).

It is quite a scary and frustrating experience to go through your bathroom and discover that your most cherished products are in the true sense of the word “poison”. Yet, not everything needs to be binned straightaway. The best approach is to check the ingredients lists for the so-called carcinogens (cancer-inducing substances) and discard products containing those. Cosmetics which contain allergens (allergy-causing chemicals) can be used up, provided you don’t show any allergic reactions to them, although a continued use might increase your body’s tolerance level for such substances.

Long-term it is probably safest to change to healthier and natural alternatives, which you can find in your local health food stores or buy directly online from the manufacturers.

Wise up and take care of yourself because no one else is going to do it for you. And if you care about your nearest and dearest, raise their awareness too. This is an avoidable health risk and, to put it in the words of one of the main culprits, you’re worth it!

DROP DEAD GORGEOUS? HIDDEN CARCINOGEN CHECK LIST

Contaminants
DIOXANE (in PEG, POLYSORBATE, LAURETHS, ETHOXYLATED ALCOHOLS)CRYSTALLINE SILICA (in AMORPHOUS SILICATES)

Nitrosamine Precursors
DEA, TEA, BRONOPOL, PADIMATE O

Formaldehyde Releasers
BRONOPOL, QUATERNIUM 15, DIAZOLIDINYL or IMIDAZOLIDINYL UREA, DMDM HYDANTOIN

Overt Carcinogens
DEA, TALC, FLUORIDE, SACCHARIN, CRYSTALLINE SILICA, COAL TAR DYES, BLUE 1, GREEN 3PHENYLENEDIAMINE

Useful sources of information:

Websites:

• www.preventcancer.com – The Prevent Cancer Coalition
• www.safecosmetics.org – The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics
• www.cosmeticdatabase.com – Skindeep
• www.greenpeace.org.uk – see Toxics, The Problems, Hazardous Chemicals
• www.theecologist.org – a monthly periodical (also available in print)

Publications:

• A Consumer's Dictionary of Cosmetics Ingredients, Ruth Winter
• Beauty to Die For, Judi Vance
• Don’t Go to the Counter without Me, Paula Begoun
• Dying to Look Good: The Disturbing Truth About What’s Really in Your Cosmetics, -Toiletries and Personal Care Products, Christine Hoza Farlow
• The Safe Shopper's Bible, A Consumer's Guide to Nontoxic Household Products, Cosmetics and Food, David Steinman & Samuel S. Epstein
  
  © Manuela Hübner, 2007