1/ Sodium Lauryl/laureth Sulphate - It is found in shampoo, bubble bath, body wash, hand soap and toothpaste as well as car washing detergents and industrial cleaners. There is so much research now to show the adverse effects of this cheap foaming chemical that I could not list them all so I urge you to do your own research as well. It has been linked to eye and skin irritations and even worse to immune system damage, allergies , cataracts, impaired hair growth and toxic build up in the lungs, liver and heart. There are many more natural and gentle options today - see our online shop for natural and organic products for your bathroom.
2/ Petro-chemicals, paraffin & Mineral Oil - These substances are made from crude petrol and are commonly found in baby products, skin , body and hair care. They are used as an emollient but ultimately suffocate the skin, preventing natural detoxing as well as being dangerous if ingested. They are major environmental pollutants.
3/ Synthetic Fragrance - synthetic fragrances are often bound with alcohol and are drying and irritating to the skin, potentially causing dermatitis. Unlike Essential Oils they have no therapeutic value at all.
4/ Propylene Glycol - is basically anti-freeze, it is used in small amounts in cosmetics to make them soft and give them 'slip' and prevent radical changes in the consistency of the product. It has been linked with kidney damage and dermatitis and depression. You will find a lot of information on substances like this being perfectly safe because they are used in such small quantities in skincare, but we really need to think about whether that is relevant over the long term.
5/ Parabens - these are petro-chemical based preservatives that have long been linked with allergic reactions. There is also some evidence that they are estrogen (female hormone) mimics. Again there is much information on the internet to say that natural products like essential oils and soy also mimic hormones but we need to question this if we are actually creating the substance synthetically rather than something which occurs in nature.
6/ Talc - talc is formed from the mineral magnesium silicate which in its raw form is often contaminated with asbestos. It is used in baby powder and many cosmetics. If inhaled it is dangerous and can dry out the lungs, it has been known to cause wheezing in infants and in some cases death. Recent studies have linked it to cancer, possibly cervical.
7/ Fluoride - found mainly in toothpaste, it is poisonous if ingested and is actually used in rat poison. It increases the absorption of aluminium into the body if ingested and there is no solid proof that it actually prevents tooth decay.
8/ Lanolin - is the natural wax coating from sheep's wool, unfortunately all sheep are dipped in chemicals and most eat grass grown with chemical fertilizers which contaminate the lanolin. Lanolin like paraffin is used as an emollient but tends to suffocate the skin and clog the pores.
9/ DEA/TEA/MEA - these are amine compounds which can form cancer-causing nitrosamines. They are used as wetting agents in creams and shampoos. Over 40% of cosmetics containing these ingredients have been found to be contaminated with nitrosamines which have been linked with stomach, liver and bladder cancer.
10/ Aluminium - is found in anti-perspirants and it is the ingredient that stops the body perspiring, it has been linked to Cancer and Alzheimer's disease. One of the body's natural defenses to toxins is to release them through sweating - alumimium prevents this with potentially devastating consequences.
There are many more chemicals that it may be wise to avoid using - read the ingredients on your skincare and if you don't understand it then question it!!!! for your health's sake.