One of my interests is how to stay healthy. I have compiled research that I have done on personal care products and household cleaners that people use on a daily basis and how to avoid toxic ingredients. Enjoy!
2. Why? Something that I have become particularly obsessed about are the products that people use on a daily basis and the toxic chemicals that companies use to make them. Over the past few years, I have done hours of research to find out which products are best and which ingredients to avoid. This presentation will show just a brief snapshot of the information that I have found.
3. The Facts Surveys show that on average, women use 12 products containing 168 ingredients every day, men use 6 products with 85 ingredients, and children are exposed to an average of 61 ingredients daily. Cosmetics companies may use any ingredient or raw material, except for color additives and a few prohibited substances, without government review or approval.
4. The Facts Continued… Federal law allows companies to leave many chemicals off labels, including nanomaterials, ingredients considered trade secrets, and components of fragrance. Fragrance may include any of 3,163 different chemicals, none of which are required to be listed on labels. Fragrance tests reveal an average of 14 hidden compounds per formulation, including potential hormone disruptors and diethyl phthalate, a compound linked to sperm damage.
5. Shampoo and Conditioner Most shampoos contain multiple toxic ingredients. Don’t be fooled by “natural” or even “organic” claims. Try products that do not contain these: Fragrance PEGs, ceteareths and polyethylene Parabens: propyl, isopropyl, butyl, isobutyl DMDMhydantoin
6. Soap and Body Wash Avoid these ingredients: DMDM hydantoin Diazolidinyl urea Imidazolidinyl urea Ceteareth Polyethylene glycol PEG Make sure to say NO to these: Triclocarban(bar soap) or triclosan (liquid soap) Say Yes To: Hand sanitizers with ethanol/ethyl alcohol ** If you are worried about germs, any hand soap will do. Just sing “Happy Birthday” twice while you rub your hands together under warm running water.**
7. Lotion Say No To: Retinylpalmitate or retinol in daytime skin products Fragrance Oxybenzone PEG/ceteareth/polyethylene Parabens
8. Sunscreen Very few sunscreens provide adequate sun protection and are free of harmful ingredients. Say No To: SPF above 50 Retinyl palmitate Aerosol spray and powder sunscreen Oxybenzone Insectrepellent Say Yes To: Hats and shade in mid-day sun. Zinc or Titanium are the best active ingredients, otherwise Avobenzone at 3% SPF 30 for intense sun Use a lot and reapply frequently
9. Nail Polish Nail salons are one of the most toxic places. I know most women like to get their nails done from time to time so here are some tips. Avoid these: Formaldehyde or formalin in polish, hardeners or other nail products. Toluene Dibutyl phthalate (DBP). Pregnant? Skip polish Practice BYOP — bring your own polish — on salon visits. Try buffing nails instead of lacquering, skip the mani and just get a pedi, limit polish use by children and pregnant women and always apply and remove polish in a well-ventilated area.
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12. Chlorine bleach: Can irritate the lungs and eyes and in waterways can become toxic organ chlorines. Naphtha and mineral spirits Phthalates: Found in furniture polish. Ether-type solvents Methylene chloride Butyl cello solve and petroleum distillates: Found in oven cleaning products. Sulfuric acid and sodium hydroxide Drain cleaning products. Alkyl phenol ethoxylates (APEs) Detergents and disinfectants- Suspected hormone disruptors Ammonia :Poisonous when swallowed, extremely irritating to respiratory passages when inhaled and can burn the skin on contact. Indiscriminate use of antibacterial cleansers containing triclosan may be contributing to the rise of antibiotic-resistant germs. Butyl cello solve ethylene glycol monobutylether. Poisonous when swallowed and a lung-tissue irritant. Diethanolamine (DEA): When combined with nitrosomes, produce carcinogenic nitrosamines that penetrate skin. Fragrances may contain phthalates, chemicals linked to reproductive abnormalities and liver cancer in lab animals and to asthma in children. Sodium hydroxide: Found in drain, metal and oven cleaners; extremely irritating to eyes, nose and throat and can burn tissues on contact. Sodium lauryl sulfate: A common sudsing agent, can penetrate the skin and cause contact dermatitis. Glass cleaners: May contain Isopropyl alcohol which can irritate the skin, eyes, nose and throat, and ammonia which can irritate the skin and eyes and cause coughing, wheezing and shortness of breath All-purpose cleaners: May contain 2-butoxyethanol which can cause headaches, dizziness, lightheadedness and confusion, in addition to irritating the eyes, nose, throat and mouth. Bathroom cleaners: May contain Sodium hypochlorite/chlorine which can severely irritate the skin, may cause eye damage, coughing or shortness of breath.
13. The Dirty Dozen Methyl and Propyl and Butyl and Ethyl Paraben. Linked to breast cancer. Imidazolindyl Urea. Impurities linked to cancer. Diazolindyl Urea. Allergies/immunotoxicity. Contamination concerns. Petrolatum. Can cause highly allergic reactions. Contamination concerns. Propylene Glycol. Alters skin structure for enhanced skin absorption. PVP/V Copolymer. The following is a list of synthetic cosmetic ingredients known or strongly suspected of causing cancer, birth defects or endocrine disruption.
14. Sodium Lauryl Sulfate. Non-reproductive organ system toxicity, irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs). Alters skin structure which allows chemicals to penetrate more deeply into skin. Stearalkonium Chloride. Non-reproductive organ system toxicity, neurotoxicity, and irritation (skin, eyes or lungs). Synthetic colors. Developmental/reproductive toxicity, neurotoxicity, and non-reproductive organ system toxicity. For example, synthetic colors may be listed as the following: FD&C Blue 1 Aluminum Lake or D&C Red 27 Lake. Synthetic fragrances. Neurotoxicity, allergies/immunotoxicity, and miscellaneous concerns. Phthalates. Developmental/reproductive toxicity, neurotoxicity, hormone disruption, allergies/immunotoxicity, persistence and bioaccumulation, and non-reproductive organ system toxicity. Linked to reproductive birth defects in baby boys. May damage lungs, liver, kidneys. Triethanolamine. May form carcinogenic compounds called nitrosamines in the body after absorbed - among the most potent cancer-causing agents found. The Dirty Dozen Continued
15. More Information Surprisingly, cosmetic products that claim to be “natural” or even “organic” have no government regulations. They can still put whatever they want into their products! A great website that you can type ingredients and product names into a search box to find out if they are safe or not is: Skin Deep Database You can also find some great information by watching this video: The Story of Cosmetics Video
16. The End! I hope you enjoyed this presentation! As a result of numerous hours researching, I am considerably knowledgeable on “natural” things. Feel free to ask me any questions!!!