It makes my head spin just thinking about this topic, the number of synthetic and chemical ingredients that go into hair and skin care products is enormous. The scary part is… many of the chemicals have never been tested for human safety… hmmmm, and we’re slathering this stuff all over our bodies!? Yikes!
I stopped buying commercial skin and hair products twenty years ago. I had to stop… I couldn’t stand the poor results, the high cost, the amount of product needed (making even the cheaper brands FAR more expensive because I needed to use so much of the junk), the smells (YUCK!), and the fact that the ingredients are toxic chemicals. At the same time, I was beginning to get into higher quality essential oils – and am I glad that I did. Bringing them into my life and learning how to use them has been one of the smarter things I’ve done for myself. I cannot tell you how free-ing it is to not be in that consumer rat-trap and a part of the crowd that is locked into that whole system of really awful products, yes that includes the much more expensive brands too (which I once bought also).
I don’t really understand why the majority of the population is still locked into that trap, perhaps it’s due to human habit. I do know this, I am sooo glad that I found my way out of it… with the economy tanking, health care costs rising, the last thing I want in my life are products that WILL make me ill and/or diseased.
For the past 8 years, I’ve been using Young Living Essential Oils shampoo/conditioner. They have three really super quality shampoo’s & conditioners: Lavender, Lemon-Sage, and Rosewood. Yes, the price is high but I use so little – the conditioner, I probably only need to buy 4 bottles a year – that’s a whole lot cheaper than Suave and Pantene (which I refuse to put on my hair due to the nasty chemicals). I believe one 8 oz. bottle of the Young Living shampoo lasts me a little over two months, I think that’s amazing. My hair is soft, shiny and in really nice shape (I never blow dry my hair, that’s way too damaging, instead I wash my hair at night and let it air dry). The YL hair care smell fabulous – they contain the YL therapeutic-grade essential oils and the best part, they don’t have any chemicals that are going to create health problems!
It’s the same with the Young Living skin car products, they smell amazing (like REAL essential oils, not those chemically derived essential oils found in other products). My skin looks better now than it did 20 years ago! I attribute that 100% to the the products I refuse to use. I used to spend a small fortune on creams and things for my face and body, cheap brands and expensive. None of them yielded the results I truly wanted – clean, clear, near perfect looking skin. I got those results when I stopped using skin care products and started using essential oils and a few of the YL skin care products.
By the way, essential oils are NOT created equally! The vast majority are nothing more than chemicals or adulterated with chemicals – which you certainly do NOT want to apply to your skin or breathe. So, do not be tempted to buy oils that are cheap – they will not save you any money and they will not be safe to use in the same way we use the Young Living oils. In other words, you will NOT get the same results.
If you suffer from allergies, skin problems (dandruff, dry flaky skin, etc), and related health issues… take a look at your labels. Your problems are more than likely a result of the chemicals in the skin, hair, and household cleaning products you’re using.
8 Harmful Chemicals in Skin & Hair Care Products
Listed below are the 8 chemicals on the “most harmful” list – there are thousands more! But these 8 chemicals we most want to see OFF labels of skin and hair care products. Read your labels and avoid these harmful, toxic chemicals and you’ll save so much money all the way around, particularly in regards to health care costs!
1. Propylene Glycol – This is a cheap, synthetic petrochemical used as a emulsifying base in creams and lotions to make the skin look smooth, but ultimately it ages the skin faster. The Material Safety Data Sheet tells you to avoid skin contact with it because it’s a skin irritant! It can denature the skin’s protein, leading to poor, saggy skin. It can be absorbed through your skin and potentially cause allergic reactions, and liver and kidney damage.
2. Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) – This harsh, caustic detergent is used because it’s cheap and suds well. It’s used as an engine degreaser and garage floor cleaner but you’ll also find it in shampoo, soap, facial cleanser, etc. Research shows that SLS has a degenerative effect on the cell membranes and denatures protein such as in hair or skin.
This can damage skin or hair, leading to aged skin and poor hair. SLS can corrode hair follicles and inhibit hair growth, contributing to hair loss. SLS has the potential to cause cataracts (through skin absorption, even without direct eye contact). SLS can denature the protein of the eyes and delay the healing time of the eyes. From skin contact, SLS can be absorbed into your circulation and concentrate in your organs, such as your heart, liver or brain. This is potentially dangerous since SLS is a mutagen, capable of changing the information in the genetic material of your cell and organs.
3. Mineral Oil – This cheap, petroleum-based oil clogs the skin’s pores and enlarges them, leading to poor, saggy skin. It decreases the ability of the skin cells to exchange nutrients and waste products. Those allergic to petroleum products may develop skin irritations.
4. Fragrance – When the word “fragrance” is listed on a label, it means a synthetic fragrance made in a test tube from any of over 200 synthetic chemicals. These “fragrance” chemicals, which can bio-accumulate in your organs, can cause many symptoms, such as headaches, lung problems, skin irritation, dizziness, memory impairment, rash, and more. They are very cheap, toxic imitations of real herbal scents.
5. Parabens (Propyl, Methyl, Butyl, or Ethyl) – These cheap preservatives are used to inhibit microbial growth in skin care or hair products even though they are known to be highly toxic. They have caused many allergic and skin reactions.
6. Imidazolidinyl and Diazolidinyl Urea – These are the most commonly used preservatives after the parabens. They are an established cause of contact dermatitis (American Academy of Dermatology) and release formaldehyde (a toxic chemical).
7. Synthetic Colors – Synthetic colors are used in skin cream or shampoo to make it colorful. Avoid them at all costs, along with hair dyes (with the exception of some henna products). They can cause allergy, skin and nerve problems. Synthetic colors are labeled as FD&C or D&C, followed by a number and color.
8. Triethanolamine (TEA) – Often used in the base of a product and to adjust the pH. TEA causes allergic reactions including eye problems, dryness of hair and skin, and can be toxic if absorbed into the body over time.
Get Young Living Essential Oils and Products Here!
Related articles by Evelyn Vincent:
Hair and Scalp Problems Helped by Essential Oils
Dandruff, Itching, Flakey Scalp – may be caused by a fungus or imbalance in Omega 3s & 6s
60 Ways to Use YL Therapeutic-grade Essential Oils
Air Fresheners and Dryer Sheets Make Me Feel Sick
Gender Benders – Phthalates in Personal care Products
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January 27, 2009 at 12:34 pm
Miss Brittani
This was most informative, thank you for writing it!