additives, toxins, fillers, oh my!
Through years of research, I realized that the message companies were trying to convey to me was that their products were natural when their ingredient list told me another story. Adding the words “natural” or “naturally derived” meant nothing. It was simply boardroom marketing trying to pull the wool over our eyes.
Some things to look out for
Listing ALL the ingredients
Have you ever seen a website where you can see the “Key Ingredients” of a product? That is code for “the-ingredients-we-want-you-to-know-about-and-not-the-ones-we-don’t.” If a company doesn’t list ALL their ingredients, they must be hiding something, right? In this day and age of healthy clean eating, why wouldn’t they preach their healthy ingredients loud and proud
There's how much of what?
Ingredients are listed in descending order of quantity. For instance, water is almost always listed first which means that product has more water than any other ingredient. This is important to know because you can see where beneficial/safe/natural ingredients fall in the list. If coconut oil is listed close to the bottom, it likely contains very little coconut oil.
Capitol letters and numbers
Seeing numbers or capital letters in an ingredient’s name is a clue that they are made in a lab. After all, you never go picking for raspberry #5, right?
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Petroleum Ingredients
Did you know that petroleum ingredients like mineral oil are disguised in names like baby oil, vaseline, or petroleum jelly are everywhere in personal care products? Everywhere.
Here are a few things you should know and why you want to stay clear of these Ingredients.
- They act like a raincoat on your skin and don't allow your skin to breathe. Skin needs to breathe. Think plastic wrap. Not good.
- Because skin absorbs stuff, these ingredients are absorbed into the body. Yet, petroleum ingredients are not able to be metabolized by the body so it stays in there a looooong time. Think of the build up that accumulates over a year, 5 or 10 years. EWG or environmental working group states, "These trace contaminants in petroleum-based ingredients often readily penetrate the skin according to government and industry studies, and their presence in products is not restricted by government safety standards — they are legal at any level."
- A common condition, called Estrogen Dominance is when a sufferer has a high estrogen ratio with little to no progesterone to balance its effects in the body. Chemicals called Xenoestrogens are one of the biggest culprits. Petroleum ingredients are classified as Xenoestrogens. Yikes.
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Other toxic ingredients
Parabens
Parabens are used as a preservative that are known endocrine disrupters. The Endocrine system includes all glands and the hormones these glands produce. They affect cellular metabolism, reproduction, sexual development, sugar and mineral homeostasis, heart rate, and digestion.
This ingredient can interfere with fetal development, is linked to breast cancer, is considered an immuno-toxin causing a myriad of allergic reations.
Polyethylene glycol
(a.k.a. PEG which is a bi-product of the petroleum industry)
PEG is found in almost Everything you put on your body, make-up, hair products, lotions, aftershave, deodorants, toothpastes and mouthwashes to name a few. However, you may know it more commonly as an ingredient in antifreeze and brake fluid. It is a known human carcinogen, is highly toxic and can cause brain, liver, and kidney abnormalities, potentially causing breast cancer, leukemia, brain and nervous system cancer, bladder cancer, stomach cancer and pancreatic cancer, as well as Hodgkin’s disease.
One of the reasons manufacturers use PEGs is to help their products absorb deeply into skin. Think of it as a transport system. While this may sound great, PEGs are often contaminated with additional pollutants including ethylene oxide, dioxane, polycyclic aromatic compounds and heavy metals including arsenic, cadmium, lead, nickel, cobalt and iron, according to the Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) committee. PEG’s allow pollutants to easily enter your body through the skin’s surface. Yikes.
Genetically Modified Organisms
Commonly known as GMOs, genetically modified crops have been changed at the genetic level using E. Coli or other bacteria. While modification of food at this level is harmful, another, perhaps more toxic are the chemicals used in the growing of these crops. The compounds found in these toxins were also in Agent Orange which caused extreme deformation in children of parents exposed to it. More and more crops are becoming modified.
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate
SLS is another ingredient found in (mostly) everything that causes bubbles. It is what the FDA uses to irritate skin so they can test another products ability to soothe the irritation. It is a potent carcinogen, is absorbed and plants itself in the blood, liver, heart, and eyes.
Because of it's caustic properties, it breaks down the skin's moisture barrier and strips the skin of naturally-occurring oil called sebum.
Phthalates
Used as a carrier for fragrances, phthalates are found in nail polish, deoderants, lotions, shampoos, and other personal care products. They are highly toxic because they can alter hormone concentrations in breast milk. This is problematic for infants and small children because their systems are still developing and have been tested to cause defects and allergies.
Fragrance, Perfume or Parfum
Petroleum based, these are toxic and carcinogenic and can cause headaches, dizziness, rashes, skin discolorations, respiratory problems, coughing, vomiting, allergic skin reactions, hyperactivity, irritability, and behavioral changes. It is found in many baby care products, as well. Yikes.
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Don't worry. We have good news!
When you remove all the fillers and other toxins (water, alcohols, preservatives, perfumes, emulsifying wax, petroleum ingredients, etc.) and replace them with healthy, active, beneficial ingredients, your skin is able to go about the work of healing itself.
Think about what happens when you remove processed food from your diet and replace it with healthy fruits, veggies, quality proteins, nuts, and seeds. You begin to feel better, sleep better, lose weight, your mood improves, etc. Without all the distractions, your body is able to begin the work of healing itself. This is the principal behind Bloom.
Give your skin the tools it needs to be clear, bright, and healthy again (or perhaps, for the first time).