The Chemicals We Put on Our Bodies Every Day

Source: The Daily Mail

This article highlights 5 of the most common culprits and hopefully by making small changes to your routine and paying a little more attention to the cosmetic products you buy (and put on your skin) you’ll be significantly improving your health. 

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS), Sodium Laureth Sulphate (SLES), Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate (ALS)

SLS is a surfactant, detergent and emulsifier used in almost all hand washes, shower gels, shampoos, bubble bath, in fact almost any cleaning products that create a foam. SLES and ALS are foaming agents with similar effects to SLS. There are over 16,000 studies describing the toxicity of these chemicals with their effects ranging from skin and eye irritation to organ toxicity, hormone disruption and even gene mutations and cancer.

Parabens

Found in almost all face creams, gels, hair waxes and most deodorants, parabens can seep into the skin and mimic the effects of oestrogen. Oestrogen imbalances cause health problems for both genders, ranging from increased fat storage, fertility problems and an increased risk of cancer. Listed as methyl paraben, ethyl paraben, proplyl paraben, butyl paraben, isobutyl paraben, polyparaben or E216 all of these should be avoided.

Isopropyl Alcohol

One of the foremost defenders your body has against viruses, bacteria, fungus, and other perpetrators, is the natural acid mantle your skin possesses. Isopropyl alcohol is a solvent and denaturant (substance that changes another substance's natural qualities), and has an uncanny ability to completely strip the natural acid mantle of your skin, leaving you more vulnerable to the aforementioned issues. Isopropyl alcohol is added to various hair color rinses, body creams, hand lotions, after shave lotions, fragrances and many other cosmetics. Isopropyl alcohol’s primary function is to increase absorption of other ingredients in such cosmetics as body, face, and hand lotions, yet only serves to rob your skin of its natural pH and acid mantle.

Polyethylene Glycol (PEG)

PEG-6, PEG-150 and other similar names are all close relatives of the PEG family. 
PEG compounds are synthetic chemicals used in cosmetics as surfactants, cleansing agents, emulsifiers, skin conditioners and humectants that many believe could increase the risk of a variety of cancers, including breast cancer.

Aluminium

The main ingredient in deodorants and antiperspirants is aluminium (or associated salts).  Aluminium is very difficult to remove from our cells so it tends to accumulate throughout our lifetime causing degenerative cognitive function and in particular Alzheimer's disease.  A clean diet, combined with washing ourselves (and clothes) regularly should be sufficient to avoid body odour.

Helpful tip♥: check out Cosmetics Database to see if your cosmetic products are safe. 

:)