Products

How many products do I use a day? I suppose I use at least 10 products a day. I'm going to start listing all of the products that I use/have used and list all of the ingredients so that I have idea of what I'm exposed to on a daily basis.

Before I became more aware of the ingredients that are used in personal care products, I used a wide variety of products on my face and body. I changed brands frequently based on how well the products seemed to work.

Morning routine

I would wake up in the morning and then wash my face. I've used a range or product lines, from Clinique to Shiseido.

But let's start with some products that I've used more more recently. Dermalogica was a brand that I used before I started reading the ingredient list.

Facial Wash

Dermalogica's Ultracalming Cleanser - This is touted as a gently cleaning gel-cream that "combats environmental assault with [its] exclusive Anti-Ozonate Complex," which contains extracts that have anti-inflammatory, calming and healing properties. I like that it doesn't contain any artificial colors or fragrances. Sounds good, but let's look at the ingredients (in order of appearance)*:

• Lavandula angustifolia (lavendar) extract - so far, this ingredient has not been assessed for safety in products.
• cetearyl alcohol - this is a common ingredient that is used in moisturizers, conditioners, sunscreens, cleansers, hand creams and styling products. So far, this ingredient hasn't been assessed extensively for safety.
• hydrolyzed wheat protein - this ingredient has possible skin allergy effects.
• citrus media limonium (lemon) extract - so far, this ingredient has not been assessed for safety in products.
• fumaria officinalis extract - so far, this ingredient has not been assessed for safety in products.
• fumaric acid - this ingredient may have organ system toxicity (non-reproductive), is classified as an irritant (skin, eyes or lungs) by the EU, may be possibly carcinogenic (in vitro tests on mammalian cells showed positive mutation results according to the Japanese Journal of Cancer Research), and may be neurotoxic in high doses.
• cucumis sativis (cucumber) fruit extract - so far, this ingredient has not been assessed for safety in products.
• cocamidopropyl pg-dimonium chloride phosphate - so far, this ingredient has not been assessed for safety in products.
• sodium cetearyl sulfate - this ingredient may have sense organ toxic effects (non-reproductive) at low doses.
• cetrimonium bromide - this ingredient has been deemed safe to use in products, but is subject to use limits, this may have sense organ toxic effects (non-reproductive) at low doses, causes irritation to the skin in high doses, and is considered to be a skin toxicant.
• acrylkates/C10-30 alkyl acrylate crosspolimer - so far, this ingredient has not been assessed for safety in products.
• butylene glycol - animal studies have shown reproductive effects in high doses.
• aminomethyl propanol - this ingredient has been deemed safe to use in products, but is subject to use limits, may have brain and nervous system effects at moderate doses, may have endocrine system disruption effects at high doses, may have broad systemic effects at high doses, is toxic to the environment, is known to be an irritant (skin, eyes or lungs), and there are contamination concerns (nitrosamines and oxazolidines).
• methylparaben - this ingredient may be possibly carcinogenic (in vitro tests on mammalian cells showed positive mutation results), there is strong evidence that it is a skin toxicant, it may have broad systemic effects on the organs at low doses, may have weak endocrine disruption, may have brain and neuro system effects at low doses, may have biochemical and cellular effects and is known to be a skin irritant.
• propylparaben - there is strong evidence that this ingredient is a skin toxicant, it may have developmental and reproductive effects at low doses, there is limited evidence of endocrine disruption effects, there is limited evidence of sense organ toxicity, and it is toxic to the environment.

*Source: Environmental Working Group's Skin Deep Cosmetic Safety Database.

I understand that dosage matters in some of these studies and that the concentrations of some of these ingredients are not high enough to cause effects, but what about the use of multiple products that may contain the same ingredients? I not only wash my face, but I also use a toner and a moisturizer. I use shampoo and a conditioner on my hair and use a body wash and sometimes apply a moisturizer on my body afterwards. Could the combination of products over time cause these potentially toxic ingredients to accumulate in my body such that I could be exposed to toxic doses? This was a sobering thought.

Next, toner and moisturizer.....

Components

Body care products are generally made of different components. For instance, a moisturizer generally is made from a solvent, an emollient, a thickener or stabilizer, an emulsifer, and a preservative. Cleansing products, in addition to some of the aforementioned components, also contain a surfactant.

Solvent

A solvent is a substance in which all of the other ingredients are dissolved or diluted. Water is the most common solvent.

Emollient

An emollient is a liquid or substance that is used to keep the skin from drying by creating a barrier to prevent water loss. Natural oils are the best emollients, but there are some oils that should be avoided. Look for emollients such as:

• oils such as almond oil, avocado oil, jojoba oil, olive oil, sunflower oil, and safflower oil
• beeswax
• butters such as cocoa butter, shea butter and mango butter.
  

I would avoid any products that contain the following:

• castor oil (since castor beans may yield a biotoxin ricin),
  
• cottonseed oil (cotton is generally exposed to a large amount of pesticides),
  
• grapeseed oil (cold pressed grapeseeds do not yield much oil, so the oil is generally solvent extracted), and
  
• peanut oil (because of the higher incidence of allergies).

Thickener or Stabilizer

This generally deals with the viscosity of the product. I think that most people are used to products that have a certain thickness and they equate this thickness with effectiveness. Thickeners generally do not add any qualities to the resulting product that make them more effective as a moisturizer. But, if a thickener is used, natural thickeners such as guar gum and clay minerals are better.

Emulsifier

Emulsifier are used to blend the oil and water elements together. Otherwise, the water and oils will separate. Lecithin is a natural emulsifier.

Preservative

Preservatives are used in most products that contain water, and it is used to prevent the growth of bacteria. Natural preservatives exist, such as certain essential oils, honey, alcohol and salt, but synthetic preservatives are used in many products that purport to be "organic" or "natural." If you've seen the literature relating to the use of "parabens", then you may be aware of the possible effects of some of these commonly used preservatives today; however, this has been a subject of hot debate. The jury is still out on the use of parabens, but I generally tend of avoid products that contain any parabens.

Surfactant

Cleansing products also contain a surfactant, which is a substance that is used to clean surfaces by being attracted to both oil and water. Natural soaps are the best surfactants, and they are generally made from a combination of oils, water and an alkali (sodium hydroxide for bar soaps and potassium hydroxide for liquid soaps). Commonly seen synthetic surfactants include ammonium lauryl sulfate, coco betaine, coco polyglucose, sodium laureth sulfate and sodium lauryl/laureth sulfate.

Organic

What does the word term organic mean? When I think of the word, "organic", I think of the USDA label on organic produce or other food products.

According to the USDA, “organic food is produced by farmers who emphasize the use of renewable resources and the conservation of soil and water to enhance environmental quality for future generations. Organic meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products come from animals that are given no antibiotics or growth hormones. Organic food is produced without using most conventional pesticides; fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge; bioengineering; or ionizing radiation. Before a product can be labeled ‘organic,’ a Government-approved certifier inspects the farm where the food is grown to make sure the farmer is following all the rules necessary to meet USDA organic standards. Companies that handle or process organic food before it gets to your local supermarket or restaurant must be certified, too.”

Could these principles apply to body care products?

While the National Organic Program of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) was originally intended to govern only food, the USDA had agreed recently to allow other product categories, such as personal care products, to receive the certification. The problem is that the department does not appear to enforce the organic standards in the personal care products industry.

More consumers are becoming aware of the effects that personal body care products have on their bodies and on the environment, and this has lead to a perceptible change in buying habits of these conscientious consumers. Unfortunately, however, many companies are keen to cash in on this trend and try to portray their products as "organic" and with the lack of enforcement, then there is no incentive for manufacturers or sellers to be truthful.

The USDA has strict labeling instructions for the use of the word "organic."

Organic Ingredients as a Percentage	Label
100% organic ingredients	100% Organic
95 – 100% organic ingredients	Organic [Product]
70 – 95% organic ingredients	Made with Organic [List Organic Ingredients]
Less than 70% organic ingredients	May list organic ingredients on the side panel of a package but may not make any organic claims on the front of the package

Just like reading the list of ingredient in any food product, I would read the list of ingredients in any body care products.

It's strange, but even with product lines that are touted as "organic", you still see the names of synthetic chemicals.

There seems to be a trend in body care products industry in which the word "organic" or "organics" is included in the company's name, but the products themselves are not organic. In the organic food world, the USDA does not permit a company to use the word organic in its name unless a majority of the products that it produces are composed of organic ingredients. In the personal care products industry, apparently a different standard applies.

For instance, with the Avalon Organics Baby Shampoo and Body Wash, I would assume that in an organic line, that most of the ingredients would be "organic" even if it doesn't specifically say that it is an "organic" shampoo. But, you'll see synthetic surfactants such as cocamidopropyl betaine, sodium cocoyl glutamate, sodium cocyl isethionate and decyl glucoside, which are sudsing agents and cleaners. It's interesting that after each of the names, they include a parentheses stating that they are coconut or corn cleansers to imply that since they are derived from something recognizable, that somehow it is more "natural." Interestingly, the list also includes phenoxyethanol (natural preservative) and ethylhexylglycerin (glycerin conditioner and preservative). It's hard to argue that these synthetic chemicals are natural and could not be used in food products that are certified organic. A quick search on phenoxyethanol revealed that it could have neurotoxic effects, among other things. The list also includes some organic materials, such as organic calendula and chamomile flower extracts. Is this their only link to something "organic"? It's sad, to say the least.

Toxic life

I've been doing some searches online. It looks like recent studies have shown that we may actually acquire more toxins through skin absorption and inhalation than through the foods that we eat. Since the the skin is the largest organ in the body, this means that there is a substantial surface area through which toxic chemicals could be absorbed by the body. This a scary thought. Does this mean that when I rub my moisturizer on my body, that the chemicals could pass straight through and enter my bloodstream? How long would it take? Seconds? Minutes? Hours? Then I thought about how nicotine and birth control patches work.

Another question arose. But doesn't the FDA test body care products that are out in the marketplace to ensure that products are safe? Apparently not. The FDA doesn't have the resources to test all of the ingredients that go into our moisturizers, lip balms, "soap", wipes, make-up and hair products. According to a report by the Environmental Defense group, 78% of the chemicals in high volume commercial use have not had even "minimal" toxicity testing. Scary, isn't it?

What Is This?

I thought that I was doing so well. For a while, I've been eating organic produce. It was like a light went off in my head and I realized that there must be a direct relationship between what I eat and how I feel. Although pesticides have been used for a while, I shuddered at the thought of what all of the combination of pesticides over an extended period of time must be doing to my body. There are always assurances that the pesticides are safe, etc., but what if they find out later that there IS a connection between some pesticide use and some cancers or some diseases?

A corollary to this revelation caused me to try to be more conscious about my impact on the environment and then I tried to find a way to support the local growers. Farmer's markets are an easy way to get access to organic produce but there is also the added benefit in that I feel more of a connection to to the earth since I am buying directly from local growers. Also, since this produce is local, there is hopefully less impact on the environment in that the emissions from the delivery of the local produce is much less than from the produce at the grocery store, which is provided from worldwide sources.

But, then I realized that there was a glaring hole. While I was so conscious about what I was putting in my mouth, the mouth of my husband and the mouth of my baby, I didn't think about what we were putting ON our bodies. The skin is a very porous barrier and some body care ingredients are absorbed by our bodies on a daily basis. It first started with the shampoo. What is "sodium laureth sulfate?" I asked.....hmm, when I looked at my conditioner, I noticed that it had an ingredient that I didn't know how to even start to pronounce - "methylisothiazoline". What is this, I asked. Thank goodness for the internet (and wikipedia) and I was able to do some quick research.

According to wikipedia, "methylisothiazoline" is "a powerful biocide and preservative within the group of isothiazolinones, used in shampoos and body care products. Though long considered safe for use in cosmetics, one study has shown that high doses of MIT may be neurotoxic, causing damage to extracted rat nerve cells in laboratory containers. Long-term health and safety studies have been conducted on humans and there is no evidence of nerve damage or neurological effects associated with MIT for consumers or workers. Regulatory authorities in the USA, Japan and Europe and more than 25 other countries have all independently concluded the product is safe."

I understand the need to prevent the growth of bacteria and the like, but hmmmm, I don't know about you, but why would I want to expose myself to anything that may be neurotoxic??? This got me thinking, how could I have been so blind to the ingredients in my body care products when I was so vigilant about reading labels on all of my food products? I had a mental checklist of things to avoid in food products - cottonseed oil, check, sodium benzoate, check, sodium nitrate or sodium nitrite, check, etc. and I think that what made me more lax was the sheer number of ingredients that were incomprehensible to me in body care products. At least, when I was shopping for food, I could easily recognize most of the ingredients. But with body care products? Forget it. I could probably recognize a few, but not most of the ingredients.

Also, it made me think, was I so blinded by the marketing adverts promising shiny hair or beautiful skin and should I so trusting in corporations to provide products that are safe? I guess I assumed that if products are on the market, they must be tested and they must be safe, but with all of the product recalls, you can never be absolutely sure......

This started a crusade that started perhaps a year ago when my son was born. He was born pure and I wanted to do everything in my power to make sure that whatever we used or fed him was safe and pure.