Why Organic Skin Care? What’s the big deal? What are the harmful side effects of non-organic?
By Leah Hill, Licensed Esthetician, owner of Enchanted Esthetics (formerly Reflections Esthetics & Massage Therapy)
The Éminence tradition began in Hungary more than 50 years ago in a small village where family knowledge of using herbs, fruits and plants in natural remedies spanned generations. This unique awareness of medicinal plants was enhanced with skin care innovation to produce natural products that are true to both organic enthusiasts and results-oriented clients. Today the precious ingredients are still hand-picked and hand-mixed in small batches and are combined with thermal hot spring water to create products that contain potent healing and beautifying properties.
Do you know what’s going into your skin? It’s a known fact that our skin is the largest organ of the body and is responsible for regulating your external and internal balances. A survey carried out by the US National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health found that 884 chemicals used in personal care products and cosmetics were toxic and estimate that women absorb up to 2 kilograms of chemicals through toiletries and cosmetics over the course of a year. The importance of understanding the ingredients you digest carries through to your skin care products, so be sure to focus on the healthier options.
1) Take any of your favorite skin care products. Turn to the ingredients and see if you can name the preservatives.
Éminence uses natural preservatives such as honey, glycine derivatives, lemon and salicylic acid and always recommends products that use natural preservatives in place of chemical preservatives. If you can’t find it in nature, you won’t find it on Eminence labels!
2) What do you smell in your skin care products?
Éminence’s products are bursting with fruit pulp and juices which contain the natural scent of each ingredient. Éminence recommends the use of essential and natural oils as opposed to assorted harmful synthetic fragrances or chemical fragrances.
3) Does your favorite body wash foam up or clean up?
Éminence uses natural cleansing agents that may not foam, however, will cleanse the skin just as well as other cleansers which may use chemicals.
4) Take out your favorite lip balm. Turn to the ingredients and see if it contains shea butter.
Recommended ingredients to keep lips moisturized are shea butter and sunflower seed oil that not only provide hydration but also a sexy sheen for the lips! Naturally occurring peptides also provide a collagen-boosting plumping action that fills in fine lines and makes lips voluptuous.
You can avoid harmful chemicals when you audit your bathroom cupboard using this list of harmful ingredients:
1. BHA and BHT- Suspected endocrine disruptors & may cause cancer
2. DEA-related ingredients- Used in creamy and foaming products, such as moisturizers and shampoos. Can react to form nitrosamines, which may cause cancer
3. Dibutyl Phthalate- Used as a plasticizer in some nail care products. Suspected endocrine disrupter and reproductive toxicant
4. Formaldehyde-releasing preservatives- Look for DMDM hydantoin, diazolidinyl urea, imidazolidinyl urea, methenamine and quarternium-15. Used in a variety of cosmetics. Slowly release small amounts of formaldehyde, which causes cancer
5. Parabens- Used in a variety of cosmetics as preservatives. Suspected endocrine disrupters and may interfere with male reproductive functions
6. Parfum- Any mixture of fragrance ingredients used in a variety of cosmetics — even in some products marketed as “unscented.” Some fragrance ingredients can trigger allergies and asthma. Some linked to cancer and neurotoxicity
7. PEG compounds- Used in many cosmetic cream bases. Can be contaminated with 1,4-dioxane, which may cause cancer
8. Petrolatum- Used in some hair products for shine and as a moisture barrier in some lip balms, lip sticks and moisturizers. A petroleum product that can be contaminated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which may cause cancer
9. Siloxanes- Look for ingredients ending in “-siloxane” or “-methicone.” Used in a variety of cosmetics to soften, smooth and moisten. Suspected endocrine disrupter and reproductive toxicant
10. Sodium laureth sulfate- Used in foaming cosmetics, such as shampoos, cleansers and bubble bath. Can be contaminated with 1,4-dioxane, which may cause cancer. Look also for related chemical sodium lauryl sulfate and other ingredients with the letters “eth” (e.g., sodium laureth sulcate)
11. Triclosan- Used in antibacterial cosmetics, such as toothpastes, cleansers and antiperspirants. Suspected endocrine disrupter and may contribute to antibiotic resistance in bacteria. Harmful to fish and other wildlife