Is A Chemical Free Face Wash That Important?

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{EAV:29a392e09c3cf62f}Have you ever thought about how exposure to chemicals could be one of the reasons for the dramatic increase in cancer?  Certainly the figures from 1900 when only 8,000 people in the USA had the disease is a sobering thought. The American Cancer Society has calculated that there are probably one in three people who have cancer at the moment.

Well, we are exposed to all sorts of chemicals in what we eat, what we wear and also what we use in personal care products.  In fact it is often calculated that there are about 800 chemical compounds lurking in these products, not all of them harmful, of course.

But it might be a good idea to reduce the number and go for a natural product which will be safer and just as effective. I am thinking here of an organic and  chemical free face wash.

Let us look at some of the chemicals that are in face washes at the moment and are still sold in their millions. These are the ones you should avoid, if possible:-

   *  Sodium Lauryl Sulphate (SLS).   This gives the lovely foam that you always get in shampoos and bubble baths but there is now evidence that it may be implicated in children’s urinary infections.

*  DEA and MEA ingredients are not that healthy either so you should be avoiding these too.

 * Propylene glycol should also be avoided as it is a harsh chemical used in antifreeze and other industrial preparations so not really suitable for your delicate skin. According to the  FDA, it is a known carcinogen

As we can see, all the above are not exactly very skin friendly. We need ingredients and raw materials which are as close to our skin composition as possible. Most of these are fully bio available and nourish and heal the skin. Let me give you some examples.

 *  honey lips derived form  manuka honey is well known for its antibacterial properties

*  kiwi fruit extract can hold moisture while at the same time maintaining the pH levels.

*  extracts of amino acids contained in apple juice which is great for creating soft caressing foam.

* Cetiol HE is a hydrophilic oil.

 As we have seen, these chemical free face washes are perfectly practicable. You just have to know what to look for on the label.. Go for organic excellence

All Natural Beauty Products? Easier Said Than Done!

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I know some people who actually use their home remedies a lot because they maintain that these are truly all natural beauty products. They are right to a certain extent but apart from the ingredients, have they thought about the following :-

* as they are not using chemical preservatives, how long can their products actually last?
* are their home products produced in a sterile environment?
* are they actually keeping their products in the fridge, immediately after using them?

These considerations point up the whole problem of what exactly we can put in  all natural beauty products and how long they are going to last.

Let’s face it, the preservatives, used up to now which are mainly parabens did serve a useful function in keeping away nasty molds, and other microorganisms which could be really harmful to our health.
But scientific research now shows that there are so many question marks, concerns and risks over their use, it is just simply better to avoid them altogether.

The cosmetic industry is sharply divided on this one. There are those who maintain that the parabens are within the normal safety limits and that there is no risk to our health. This lobby is mainly supported by the mainstream industry who insist that there is no danger.

 It is easy to see why, because if they were to change, they would have to carry out extensive research on natural preservatives and the price of their products would shoot up. That might be better for the consumers in general but certainly not for their budget.

Essential oils.
The other main lobby which is led by The Campaign For Safe Cosmetics maintains that the only safe way is to avoid these synthetics and chemical preservatives altogether.

We now know that there are certain essential oils which are natural preservatives but they if they are used in all natural beauty products, they have to produced in very small batches as they will not simply last as long as the parabens which gave an average shelf life of several years. As we can see, the economic implications for the manufacturer and the consumer are enormous here.

However, the essential oils are now used more and more in the industry and the batches are small enough to guarantee safety within a shorter shelf life span.  These oils are :-

•    Rosemary
•    Thyme
•    Lemongrass
•    Eucalyptus
•    Clove
•    Peppermint
•    Mustard
•    Anise

All of these have been shown to be capable of being powerful disinfectants and also antibacterial agents. That is so important when they are used in all natural and organic beauty products.

But why leave all this to chance when one company in New Zealand has done all the donkey work for you and have added in natural preservatives so that their all natural beauty products are entirely safe and are produced to the highest standards.