What's in your Shower? 4 Soap Ingredients to Avoid
One of the main ways your body acquires nutrients, other than eating, is through the skin. Your skin is your largest organ and most of the substances you put on it are eventually absorbed into the bloodstream. Our skin absorbs the good, the bad and the ugly ingredients that you put on it. It can't discern what is good or bad, that is left up to you.
Chemicals in common soaps can disrupt our hormones, cause allergies, lead to reproductive issues and increase risk of some cancers. With serious side effects like these, we need to be particular about what we put on our skin.
1) Triclosan -
Triclosan is a pesticide that has antibacterial properties. It is found in soaps because it helps to get rid of potentially dangerous bacteria that have built up on your skin during the day. Overexposure to antibacterial products can cause an immunity to them. Another important reason to avoid triclosan is that it is considered an endocrine disruptor. Endocrine disruptors cause potentially dangerous fluctuations in your hormone levels which in turn can lead to hormonal problems.
2) Sodium laurel sulfate (SLS):
A common ingredient in personal care products, sodium lauryl sulfate, or SLS, is an additive that allows cleansing products to foam. According to the Environmental Working Group's Skin Deep Cosmetic Safety Database, SLS is a "moderate hazard" that has been linked to cancer, neurotoxicity, organ toxicity, skin irritation and endocrine disruption. SLS is in almost all shampoos and soaps. Check your labels and be informed. SLS goes by many different names, some of which include sodium dodecyl sulfate, sulfuric acid, monododecyl ester, sodium salt, sodium salt sulfuric acid, sodium dodecyl sulfate, aquarex me or aquarex methyl, reports the EWG.
3) Fragrances
Almost all bars of soap contain added fragrances in order to make them more enjoyable to use in the bath or shower. However, printing ‘fragrance’ on a soap label can be extremely misleading, as this often means that thousands of different chemicals have been added in order to create the special smell of the soap.
The FDA doesn’t require companies to disclose the breakdown of a fragrance’s ingredients to consumers because the chemicals that produce fragrance are considered “trade secrets.” Most of the time, synthetic chemicals and cancer-causing toxins are hiding under that one sneaky term. Constant exposure to fragrances has been shown to negatively impact the central nervous system and can trigger allergies, migraines and asthma symptoms.
4) Parabens
These ingredients are estrogen mimickers—meaning that once applied to the skin, they enter the bloodstream, and the body mistakes them for estrogen. Further studies have demonstrated that parabens can also cause neurological problems by way of nervous system toxicity.
So, if we are washing our bodies with soap that contains harmful ingredients every single day, think of what a lifetime of doing this could do to your health
Government testing on these chemicals is minimal, so it is up to you to make informed decisions about what goes on your skin and what doesn't.
Baby Steps for the New Year
Happy New Year! The start of a new year always brings along the feeling that I need to make resolutions or at least make a fresh start on things that are important to me, likely you are the same. So how do you go about doing this? Many years ago, I followed a blog to help put order back into my home, the most important thing I learned through that following was that taking baby steps was the best way to accomplish things that needed to be done. So, as you reflect on things that are important, things that you want to change, create a list of "baby steps" to move you along that road to your end goal.
Here are some ideas for the most common New Starts!
1) Detox - Detox your skin naturally to renew that youthful glow. Why is it important to detox? Over the course of a year, your skin comes into contact with many chemicals, chemicals in your laundry detergent, your lotions, your sunscreens, all of these chemicals are absorbed by your skin. Take a few days to give your body a break from all of these toxins, a rest, so to speak. Nourish it with a light fast and detox with a few natural products great at renewing your mind, body and spirit.
- Charcoal soap - a naturally detoxing bar that aids in clearing the skin, this bar gets rave reviews, if you haven't tried it, now is the time. Also available in unscented for those with sensitive skin.
- Detox soap - a great detox bar with dead sea mud and a blend of essential oils known for their ability to detox the skin. You can also lather up with these soaps and leave it on for a few minutes to let the dead sea mud or charcoal work at adsorbing the toxins.
- Detox Bath Bomb - relax and soak for 20-30 minutes with my detox bath bomb. I like to break my bath bomb in half and use it for two baths.
2) Lose weight - Watch what you eat and try to exercise a few times a week, in addition, there are many essential oils that can aid you on your journey, grapefruit essential oil for instance is excellent in this respect.
Grapefruit Bath Bombs - bathe in grapefruit, the best way for it to absorb into your skin.
Grapefruit Scrub - Prefer to take a shower? A scrub is the perfect way to use grapefruit in the shower, it provides exfoliation and aromatherapy benefits of grapefruit.
3) Natural Beauty - Now is the time to take a fresh start with your beauty care routine. Minimize what you use and pay attention to the ingredient list. You can have amazing skin with natural ingredients. Make it a point to change 1 or 2 products to more natural products for your skin this month!
4) Less Stress - It's not easy to have less stress, but you can change the way you handle stress. Take time for yourself, and make it a point to bring more essential oils into your routine. Pure therapeutic essential oils can provide a calming affect. Try lavender, peaceful or lavender dream, all of these oils and oil blends will relax the body and mind. Place a drop or two on the back of your neck or on the bottoms of your feet, you can also put a drop on your pulse points. Another good way to use essential oils is via wax melts or an essential oil diffuser, both allow the essential oils to be diffused into the air, thereby benefiting everyone in your home.
