You are not only what you eat: cosmetics and the effect of the chemical cocktail
We are all increasingly aware of the need to eat right and exercise to protect our future health and avoid diseases like cancer. However, it is not only what we eat that reaches our body. Every day we are surrounded by thousands of chemicals that we rub on our skin, spray into the air, and get drenched in. We cover ourselves in beauty chemicals and keep our homes clean while releasing hundreds of potentially harmful chemicals into our personal environment. To feel calm, we perfume our home with products related to cancers such as breast cancer. The range of cosmetics and beauty products on offer is now so vast that choosing a shampoo can take hours, but most of these products contain potentially harmful ingredients, and few chemicals are tested for the effects of use over time. long term. Women now use an average of 20 different personal care products each day, each containing 10 or more chemicals.
There is increasing research to demonstrate the potential harm of the ‘chemical cocktail effect;’ the unknown interactions that occur between chemicals used together in everyday products. It may worry you to know that unlike the food industry, the cosmetics industry is largely self-regulating; there is little control as to what goes into the products. But just like the food industry, we know that this multi-billion dollar industry is largely concerned with making money and therefore cutting corners and using cheap products that are highly processed and chemical in origin; often by-products of the petrochemical industry.
Just for fun, here’s the list of ingredients in my popular brand ‘Revitalizing’ hand soap with natural essential oils (all of which you’ll find in many of your beauty products):
o Aqua: It’s just water, although water definitely sounds more expensive.
o Sodium Laureth Sulphate – will be in many of your beauty products and is a lathering agent. The US Food and Drug Administration classifies it as a drug due to its effects on the human body. It is a strong detergent and is used by workshops to clean oil from the floor; it will strip the skin of its natural oils, leaving it dry and unprotected. It is related to eye problems and can combine with other chemicals used in the product to produce carcinogens; chemicals that cause cancer. Due to its effect on the skin’s natural oil balance, it is best to avoid products containing this chemical if you suffer from eczema, acne, rosacea, or skin sensitivity.
o Cocamidopropyl betaine: a thickening, emulsifying, and antistatic agent that is inexpensive to produce, versatile in its uses, and has been linked through scientific studies to contact dermatitis, eczema, and skin sensitivity in some people.
o Methyl Parabens: The family of parabens (methyl, ethyl, propyl) are found in a wide range of beauty products and are known to disrupt the body’s natural hormonal balance. They are strongly linked to cancer, with a University of Reading study finding parabens present in breast tumors and can cause problems with fertility or fetal development. They are often found in baby and children’s products, and many skin lotions and creams. They are classified as toxic and are also known to cause skin problems such as skin sensitivity, itching, burning, blistering, and rashes.
o Sodium chloride: salt.
o Fragrance: a synthetic fragrance. These chemicals are largely derived from (pleasant) petrochemicals and enter the body through skin absorption, inhalation, or ingestion. 1/3 of synthetic fragrances are believed to cause skin sensitivity and skin problems, and are listed by the US Food and Drug Administration as the leading cause of allergic reactions to beauty products. There is no evidence of the possible long-term effects of these drugs. Some synthetic fragrances, such as musks, can bioaccumulate in the body and become concentrated in fats (including breast milk). Most people accumulate significant amounts of these chemicals in their bodies, which has led Germany and Japan to ban many of them from beauty products. They will be widely used in room fragrances.
o Citrus Aurantium Dulcis: sweet orange extract, finally something natural!
o Citrus Aurantium Amara: Bitter orange oil.
o Cymbopogon Schoenanthus: Lemongrass extract.
o Olea Europaea – Despite the fancy name, it is just olive extract.
o Tetrasodium EDTA: Thought to be safe when used in the small amounts found in cosmetics, it is also used in large amounts in household detergents. This chemical compound can affect the body at the cellular level allowing chemicals to more easily enter cells. It is rapidly eliminated from the body through urine and accumulates in the environment in groundwater, rivers, and drinking water, and as such is of great environmental concern. Further studies are needed to determine any potential health effects in humans and throughout the food chain.
o Sodium Lactate: A known irritant to the respiratory system, eyes, and skin in large amounts. It is also used in the food industry.
o Polyquaternium-7: This chemical can break down into chemicals linked to cancer and other health problems. It is believed that security tests conducted within the industry may not be sufficient to determine a true risk factor.
o Sodium Benzoate – This chemical is only safe in small amounts and is a classified toxin. It is suspected of having a toxic effect on the brain, skin, blood, liver, kidneys, and gastrointestinal system. Due to concerns about toxicity, it has a safe limit for adding it to cosmetics, although no safe limit has been given for products it can be inhaled into.
o Citric Acid: This ingredient has not been evaluated for safety as it is believed to be completely safe for use.
o Propylene glycol: by-product of the petroleum industry, also used in antifreeze and brake fluid. It can cause skin sensitivity and allows other chemicals to more easily penetrate the skin. In large quantities, this chemical should be handled only with protective clothing, gloves, and eyewear, and skin contact can cause liver, brain, and kidney abnormalities. Fortunately for you, it’s used in much smaller amounts in cosmetics and household products; Still, I think I’ll try to avoid it under the circumstances. There are no data on long-term use of this chemical.
o Methylchloroisothiazolinone: sounds nasty, and it is. This is related to skin sensitivity, lung sensitivity and is toxic to the immune system. It has two safe limits, one for the things that are washed and one for the things that are left. I don’t know about you, but if it’s not safe to leave it on my skin, I’m not sure I want it there.
o Hexyl Cinnamal: It is registered as an allergen in the United States, where it is required to be listed in the product information by law, although it is believed to be safe for cosmetic use.
o Citronellol: another fragrance related to skin sensitivity.
o Citral: This fragrance can cause skin sensitivity and is irritating. It is subject to restrictions if it is not of sufficient quality and is also used in food products. It is a classified toxin and is suspected of causing liver and immune system toxicity.
o Limonene: This fragrance is similar to the previous one and causes skin irritation, burning, itching and hives in susceptible people. It is a registered chemical hazard with management restrictions and is an environmental toxin, dangerous to wildlife where it contaminates the water system (ie, goes down the drain).
Well, after all that, I don’t feel so much invigorated as sickened. There are 21 ingredients in my hand wash, 14 of which can cause health problems ranging from dry, irritated skin to cancer. As a hand soap, I can use this product up to 10 times a day, that’s 70 times a week, and yet it contains a lot of chemicals that do me no good at best, and at worst they are bad for me. There are also the other products that I come into contact with throughout the day; shower gel, shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, face and body moisturizer, fabric cleaner and conditioner in my clothes, liquid detergent in my kitchen stuff, hairspray in changing rooms; the list is endless. All of these chemicals have the potential to enter my body through the skin, lungs, and digestive system, and mounting evidence suggests that this chemical cocktail can be harmful in the short and long term. It is certainly true that these chemicals will have a more marked effect on children and babies. It seems that you are not only what you eat!