Skin Deep in Contaminants |
Now that I am pregnant with my first child, I find my earthy values have intensified. I carry reusable shopping bags in my vehicle; monitor more closely what I eat and drink; conserve more water and energy; and replace worn clothing with garments manufactured with organic cotton or other sustainable fabrics. (When I clean house) I clean with baking soda and vinegar, or Orange TKO, an organic, all-purpose cleaner similar to 409. My home and office are powered with 100% renewable energy, and all of my websites are hosted by Think Host, also powered with 100% renewable, clean energy. Of course, like everyone, I could do more for the planet and my growing family.
What I put on my body is just as important as what I put in it. The largest organ in our bodies, our skin reveals much about our bodies’ functionality. Hormonal imbalances, impacted colons, food allergies: many maladies can be detected in our faces. Eating organic foods nourishes skin and other organs from the inside. By wearing organic cotton, hemp, soy and bamboo clothing, I am reducing significantly my exposure to pesticides and other carcinogens related to large-scale agriculture. What about makeup and skin care products?
Dr. Christine Farlow, author of Dying To Look Good, investigates ingredients in cosmetics, toiletries and personal care products and reports her findings on her website, Dying to Look Good . Like me, she is a member of Co-Op America Business Network, a consortium of green businesses. I asked her about Arbonne’s claim that its products are pure and natural, and ‘100% vegan.’ In her response, she lists many of the harmful ingredients included in the NutriMin RE line, but adds “these are [not] the only harmful ingredients or ingredients of questionable safety in these products.” She acknowledges that “although these products do contain a great many plant based, natural ingredients, that does not make them natural and healthy. They also contain synthetic harmful ingredients that should absolutely be avoided.”
Some of the ingredients to be avoided are butylene glycol, diazolidinyl urea and methylparaben. Butylene glycol, a synthetic solvent derived from petroleum, may irritate skin and eyes, cause nausea (if ingested), or kidney or liver damage (if overexposure occurs.) Also synthetic, the preservative diazolidinyl urea may irritate skin or cause dermatitis. More frightening is that it may also release formaldehyde. Methylparaben – another synthetic preservative – is associated with numerous health problems. Toxic if swallowed, this strong allergen may cause contact dermatitis and asthma; it is also an “endocrine disrupter.”
Immediately upon reading Dr. Farlow’s response I purchased a membership to (and book from) her website. I began to wonder about old products lingering on my bathroom shelves. First product up for analysis: Family Dollar Lady Stick Anti-perspirant/deodorant. It contains, among other ingredients, Cyclopentasiloxane, a synthetic “silicone fluid not readily absorbed by the skin” and may be “toxic for reproduction.” Hydrogenated Castor Oil – which I assume falls within the collective “hydrogenated oils” – is a synthetic trans fat that wreaks havoc on your body. According to Dr. Farlow’s research, these oils are “absorbed directly into the bloodstream” and destroy essential fatty acids and fat soluble vitamins. Further, “consumption is associated with heart disease, breast and colon cancer, atherosclerosis, elevated cholesterol.” This product also contains mineral oil, a petroleum derivative that irritates skin and eyes and may cause acne and birth defects.
The first ingredient in Hawaiian Tropic Dark Tanning Oil is mineral oil. Also included is lanolin, a skin irritant derived from sheep’s wool. Unless it is “highly refined and purified”, this ingredient may be contaminated with toxic, carcinogenic pesticides which are absorbed by the skin into the bloodstream. However, in my state of heightened motherliness, I was most convinced that this ingredient “should be avoided by nursing mothers, infants and children.” A quick search for this product in Skin Deep’s Cosmetics Database reveals a possible link between mineral oil and cancer: “One or more animal studies show tumor formation at high doses.”
Daily we make contact with various toxins, but we don’t have to wear them. Or share them with our family!
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Christy Ilfrey |
| About the author: |
| Christy Tinsley-Ilfrey is an entrepreneur, gardener, eco-goddess; a wife, mother-to-be, daughter, sister; but mostly she sees herself as a writer. Someday, she hopes to become a really good one. Read more about her and by her at http://greenqueendom.blogspot.com or contact her at
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