Newsletter Home > Natural Skin Care

Natural Skin Care

By Dr. Edward F. Group III, DC, ND, DACBN

You work hard to maintain a healthy diet and exercise regularly. You know sticking to organic foods can help you avoid ingesting nasty hormones and chemicals, but did you know these toxins are creeping into your system in other ways? Your moisturizers, eye creams and makeup may seem like harmless embellishment, but check out the labels and you'll find a laundry list of tongue-twisting ingredients, many of which could be hazardous to your health.

In survey conducted by Health Magazine, 83% of responding consumers indicated they would rather use all-natural body products. The skin care industry is responding to this demand. The natural and organic skin care sector has grown over 39% during the last year alone. Some of these products may claim to be natural but still contain a slew of chemicals and toxins. Read on to learn more about natural skin care plus how to determine if the product you're using is free of harmful chemicals or not.

Why Choose Natural Skin Care Products?

Your body possesses approximately six pounds of skin acting as a porous membrane into your internal space. Dirt, dust, chemicals, smog, and other environmental pollutants enter the body through the skin, making it an even more significant gateway into your physiology than what you eat. The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) found that 884 chemicals used in personal care products and manufactured cosmetics are known to be toxic. Furthermore, a recent Canadian study of pediatric emergency medicine found cosmetic and personal care products to be the most common cause of unintentional poisoning of children less than six years of age.

The chemicals and toxins found in most commercial skin care products also have a detrimental effect on the environment itself, as these cosmetics are washed down the sink or thrown away, although the extent of this impact is just beginning to be understood. In March, a team of U.S. Geological Survey scientists detected a variety of chemicals from personal care products among more than 95 wastewater contaminants found in public waterways.

Why poison yourself and the environment with toxic chemicals and pollutants? Natural skin care products are healthier for your body (especially your skin) and for the environment. Many cosmetics firms claim their products are all-natural while they still contain a number of harmful ingredients. Make sure you read and understand the product label to ensure the product you're using is as natural as described.

Reading the Ingredients Label

Organic personal care manufacturing needs strict standards and enforcement to be effective. Currently, some manufacturers claim their products are "organic" but they are using this special term merely as a marketing gimmick. One look at their products' ingredients list clearly suggests otherwise. Only by tying organic beauty care closely to the National Organic Program standards can the "organic lifestyle" being marketed by these disreputable manufacturers reach the level of quality already present in organic agriculture.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) classifies cosmetics into 13 categories, but it does not actually regulate them! According to the FDA, "Except for color additives and a few prohibited ingredients, a cosmetic manufacturer may use any ingredient or raw material and market the final product without government approval." Severe-effect toxins are banned, but many more known toxins and carcinogens are allowed in cosmetic formulations. Less than 1% of the FDA's budget is allocated for the evaluation of skin care products, which may contain any combination or formulation of more than 10,000 different ingredients!

Many commercial skin care products have been regularly found to contain toxic chemicals. Surprisingly, most personal care products are not tested for health and safety. And because the FDA does not regulate skin care manufacturers; they can participate in the Voluntary Cosmetic Registration Program if they wish. As a result, questionable ingredients often make their way into their formulas. These ingredients may seem harmless in the short-term, but their chemical components are stored in the fatty tissues of the body where they accumulate and magnify over time. For example, many exfoliates (otherwise known as "skin peelers") containing AHA and BHA have demonstrated the propensity to cause " . . . severe burns, swelling and pain."

Cosmetics and personal care products are marketed based on the quality and content of their formulas. Many products claim to be filled with expensive vitamins, oils, and perfumes. Others claim to utilize an all-natural formula. But how can you be sure the products you buy actually contain the ingredients listed on the package? Common sense would suggest reading the label, right? Unless you're a scientist or chemist, the ingredient list on most cosmetics and personal care products probably won't make much sense.

If a skin care product contains an ingredient you're unsure about, write down its name and conduct a little research. A quick online search should reveal the true nature of the product (no pun intended). As a consumer, you need to be on the lookout for chemicals and toxic ingredients that can be harmful to your skin and your body. You would never consider eating a food containing known poisons or cancer causing agents. So don't let these toxins enter your body through beauty products either. Buy organic and live safe!

Compare the following two examples of skin care formulations. The columns on the left and right respectively list the ingredients of a popular manufacturer's so-called "natural" moisturizer and an organic moisturizer sample. Which would you prefer on your skin?

For more information on natural skin care and makeup, visit Skin-care-support.org or Make-up-cosmetics.com