 Our skin is one of the things that we work the hardest to keep fresh and revitalized. EnviroCitizen.org has found that in our daily routines, the average person uses several different skin care products on his or her body every day causing its users to absorb nearly hundreds of chemicals. Some of these chemicals are toxic to our bodies as well as the planet. Here are a few tips to keep you looking your best without endangering your health or the Earth.
One way to begin is to condense and simplify all of your skincare products. You really don't need all the things that advertisers make you believe. The ingredients are nearly identical for anti-aging products and lotions no matter what the brand. All you need is a basic cleanser, toner, moisturize, and broad-spectrum sunscreen to keep your skin in its best shape.
Toxic synthetic chemicals are the biggest issue in the beauty industry today, so it pays to be aware when it comes to examining product labels. A great resource is the Environmental Working Group's Skin Deep Cosmetics Database, which rates popular cosmetics and personal-care products based on hazard scores on a scale of 0 to 10, depending on the quality of the ingredients.
Federal law doesn't require companies to declare any of the dozens of toxic chemicals that a single product's scent mixture may contain. Artificial fragrances, which frequently contain phthalates, can also set off allergic reactions and other health problems. Be mindful of the hidden dangers that "fragrance" or any similar terms listed on ingredients labels can include and do your best to choose fragrance-free products.
Avoid products made with petrochemicals. Petrochemicals are used to make emollients for face cream or come in the form of coal tar for scalp-treatment shampoos. Petroleum byproducts can be contaminated by cancer-containing impurities. This is a very environmentally-unfriendly product as well as fairly toxic in the long term. Recognize it on labels as petrolatum, mineral oil and paraffin or anything else that denotes a petroleum product.
Organic ingredients are those grown without synthetic fertilizers or pesticides, which is healthier for the planet and healthier for our bodies. The USDA National Organic Program has been certifying personal care products for a few years now, and an increasing number of organic skincare products now are approved with the USDA organic seal.
You may wonder what the best way to know exactly what goes into your skincare products is. EnviroCitizen.org has found that making them yourself is the simplest and most obviously method. Not only will you save money and avoid packaging, but you'll also get the satisfaction of knowing that no preservatives or toxic chemicals were used in the process. There are tons of recipes for soaps, scrubs and treatments that can be found on many websites and books. Do some research and start making your own eco-friendly products today.
Check out EnviroCitizen.org's selection of eco-friendly skin care products.
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