You open your eyes when you wake up in the morning and the first harmful chemicals you encounter are in the very air that you breath and on the very clothes and bedding touching your skin. You walk to the bathroom (on a floor coated in chemicals) to brush your teeth with toothpaste stacked full of chemicals.
I know, I know its all just too much to take in and it almost makes you want to click out of this post and just cross your fingers and hope you’ll live to see another day…
Don’t though. Seriously stay with me!
I know its a lot to take in when you start to look at toxins and it took me a while to get over the denial, followed by my initial disliking of crunchy people, followed by intense thinking about the validity of the situation and some more, followed by my plan of action to live healthier, which can be easy if someone just tells you what to use rather than you having to go through lots of products that cost lots of money to get to the products that won’t foam in your mouth or stick to your gums.
Yes, those are words coming from first hand experience!!
I’ll give you a list of just some of the dangerous chemicals found in your every day household products and toiletries just to get it out there just how harmful they can be… Don’t worry though, I will soon give you the list of ALTERNATIVES you can choose from the comfort of your home without having to find a health shop near (or far).
We would all like to have a safer and better bathroom.
The information I have is taken form this website and written by Dr Frank Lipman. Check it out in detail if you like, but I will sum it up for you.
https://www.bewell.com/blog/what-chemicals-should-you-look-out-for-in-your-personal-care-products/
Here are some of the baddies to look out for in the ingredients:
- DEA (Diethanolamine), MEA (Monoethanolamine), TEA (Triethanolamine)
- Phthalates and Parabens
- FD&C Color Pigments
- Fragrance
- Imidazolidinyl Urea and DMDM Hydantoin
- Quaternium-15
- Isopropyl Alcohol
- Mineral Oil
- PEG (Polyethylene Glycol)
- Propylene Glycol
- Sodium Lauryl Sulfate and Sodium Laureth Sulfate
- Triclosan
- Talc
- Petrolatum- Benzo-A-Pyrene and Benzo-B-Fluroanthene
What are they and what do they do to your health?
DEA (Diethanolamine), MEA (Monoethanolamine), TEA (Triethanolamine)
Hormone-disrupting chemicals that can form cancer-causing agents.
Commonly found in shampoos, soaps, bubble baths and facial cleansers.
Phthalates and Parabens
A group of chemicals commonly used as preservatives in cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. Carcinogenic and particularly linked to breast cancer.
(Banned by the European Union in 2003)
FD&C Color Pigments
Most FD&C color pigments are made from coal tar and studies show that almost all of them are carcinogenic.
FD&C Red #4 is no longer available for use in foods because of a known threat to the adrenal glands and urinary bladder.
Fragrance
“Fragrance” is a euphemism for nearly 4,000 different ingredients. Most “fragrances” are synthetic and are either cancer-causing or otherwise toxic. Exposure to fragrances has been shown to affect the central nervous system.
“Fragrances” are found in most shampoos, deodorants, sunscreens, skincare and body care products.
Imidazolidinyl Urea and DMDM Hydantoin
These chemicals are linked to allergies, chest pain, chronic fatigue, depression, dizziness, ear infections, headaches, joint pain, loss of sleep, and can trigger asthma. They can weaken the immune system, and, surprise surprise, cause cancer.
Used in skin, body and hair products, antiperspirants and nail polish.
Quaternium-15
Commonly causes allergic reactions and dermatitis, and breaks down into formaldehyde.
Used as a preservative in many skin and hair care products.
Isopropyl Alcohol
Used in hair color rinses, body rubs, hand lotion and aftershave lotions.
Scientists believe that it has the ability to destroy intestinal flora, leaving the body’s major organs open to parasites, and thus to cancers. Beyond attacking the intestinal flora, isopropyl alcohol can cause headaches, dizziness, mental depression, nausea, vomiting, and coma.
Mineral Oil
Sounds like something healthy enough doesn’t it? Well its a petroleum derivative that coats the skin like saran wrap, which prevents the skin from breathing, absorbing and excreting. It also slows the skin’s natural cell development, causing the skin to age prematurely. Note that baby oil is 100% mineral oil – and 100% bad for your baby’s sensitive skin!
PEG (Polyethylene Glycol)
Most commonly used in spray-on oven cleaners and in many hair and skin products.
Its main function is to dissolve oil and grease. Thus, on the body, they take the protective oils off the skin and hair, making them more vulnerable to other toxins.
Propylene Glycol
Used in makeup, toothpaste and deodorant. Stick deodorants have a higher concentration of PG than is allowed for most industrial use!
Direct contact can cause brain, liver and kidney abnormalities.
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate and Sodium Laureth Sulfate
The most toxic ingredients on this list! When used in combination with other chemicals, they can form nitrosamines, a deadly class of carcinogen.
They are used to clean engines, garage floors and at car washes. AND still the most popular ingredients for makeup, shampoo and conditioner and toothpaste. Exposure causes eye damage, depression, diarrhea and many other ailments.
Triclosan
The Environmental Protection Agency registers it as a pesticide, highly toxic to any living organism. It is also classified under a cancer causing chemical class.
Triclosan disrupts hormones, can affect sexual function and fertility and may foster birth defects. Triclosan has been linked to paralysis, suppression of the immune system, brain hemorrhages, and heart problems.
It is widely used in antibacterial cleansers, toothpaste, and household products.
Talc
Talc has been linked to ovarian and testicular cancer. It can be found in makeup, baby and adult powders and foundation.
Petrolatum
Petrolatum is a petrochemical that contains two well-known carcinogens: Benzo-A-Pyrene and Benzo-B-Fluroanthene.
As you might imagine from a petroleum derivative, petrolatum prevents the skin breathing and excreting.
The main things to look out for are toothpastes, stick roll-on’s, household cleaning products and toiletries. Phew that’s a mouth full!!! Well do not fear, I know of one online shop where you can find all the alternatives without any of those products and for your convenience, I’ve already tested many different ones in the last 4 years to find the most cost effective, yet pleasant products.
How do we make the change?
Slowly but freaken surely! You know how they invented the microwave and plastic almost at the same time and everyone jumped on the boat of how amazing microwave cooking is but no one knew the dangers of bpa and micro waves? Well its the same with the products we use, except now they know and we know but we just try to ignore it because they have a multi billion industry and we want convenience.
It was a real drag for me to move over to natural products and as I said, I went through a lot of products to find ones that doesn’t have weird textures or smells really strong of lavender. Luckily for me though, I didn’t have a choice because my teeny tiny little baby at that stage was suffering of eczema and still does at 4 years old when I expose him to any un-natural products!
So how did I make the change?
I didn’t throw away all my products and start over. I simply didn’t have the budget or the energy for that. I started little by little, replacing anything that ran out with a natural alternative, and now that I’ve been using it for 4 years, I buy everything I need from faithful-to-nature.co.za
Here’s my list of stunning cost effective alternative products:
Even though this post contains affiliate links, all my words are true and from the heart. I have been using faithful-to-nature for 4 years and never been disappointed even once! Wait… there was that one time I was disappointed that they sent me the wrong air freshener till I realised they actually sent me an extra air freshener as a sample (they always send super awesome samples). And thats simply the way they are!
