 Natural
Skin Care
By Dr. Edward F. Group III, DC, Ph.D, ND, DACBN
on March 15, 2005
You work hard to eat a healthy diet and exercise
regularly. You know that organic foods can help you avoid
ingesting nasty hormones and chemicals but did you know that
these toxins are creeping into your system in other ways?
Your moisturizers, eye creams, and make up may seem harmless,
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 a recent survey, conducted by Health, eighty
three percent of responding consumers indicated that they
would rather use all natural body products. The skin care
industry is responding to this demand. The natural and organic
skin care product sector has seen a growth of thirty nine
percent over the last year. Some of these products may claim
to be all-natural, while still containing a slew of chemicals
and toxins. Here's what you need to know about natural skin
care and how to determine if the product you are using is
free of harmful chemicals.
Why Choose Natural Skin Care Products?
There is approximately six pounds of skin on
your body which provides a porous membrane into your system.
Dirt, dust, pollutants, and other environmental pollutants
enter the body through the skin, providing a more significant
gateway to your system than food. The National Institute of
Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) found that 884 chemicals
used in personal care products and cosmetics are known to
be toxic. And a recent Canadian study in Pediatric Drugs found
cosmetic and personal care products as the most common cause
of unintentional poisonings of kids under six.
The chemicals and toxins found in most commercial
skin care products also have a detrimental effect on the environment,
although this effect is just beginning to be understood. In
March, a team of US Geological Survey scientists showed that
a variety of chemicals from personal care products were among
95 wastewater contaminants found in US waterways.
Why poison yourself and the environment with
toxic chemicals and pollutants? Natural skin care products
are healthier for you, for your skin, and for the environment.
But many products may claim to be all-natural while still
containing a number of harmful ingredients. Make sure you
read and understand the product label to ensure that the product
your using is as natural as it claims to be.
Reading the Ingredients Label
Organic personal care manufacturing needs strict
standards and enforcement in order to be effective. Currently,
some manufacturers claim their products are organic merely
as a marketing gimmick. One look at their products ingredients
clearly suggests otherwise. Only by tying organic beauty care
closely to the National Organic Program standards can the
“lifestyle” marketed by the manufacturers represent
the values at the core of organic agriculture.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) classifies
cosmetics into 13 categories, but it does not regulate them.
According to the FDA, “A cosmetic manufacturer may use
any ingredient or raw material and market the final product
without government approval.” Seven toxins are banned,
but many more known toxins and carcinogens are allowed in
cosmetic formulations. Less than one percent of the FDA’s
budget is for the evaluation of skin care products.
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,
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.
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 that the products you buy actually contain the
ingredients they claim to have? Read the label, right? But
unless you happen to be a scientist or chemist, the ingredient
list on most cosmetics and personal care products will look
like a long list of mind-numbing, tongue-twisting names.
This is where natural and organic skin care
products should stand out. If a product claims to be all natural,
its ingredients should be easily recognizable as natural components.
Also, the ingredients should be listed in descending order
with the most prominent factors listed first. Scrutinize the
first several listings in the product to be sure that they
are the natural ingredients you are looking for. If a skin
care product contains an ingredient that you are unsure about,
write down it's name and do a little research. A quick online
search should reveal it's true nature. As a consumer, you
need to be on the look out for chemicals and toxic ingredients
that can be harmful to your skin and your body. You would
not even think about eating a food that contained chemicals
or cancer causing agents. Don't let these toxins enter your
system through your beauty product either!
For more information on natural skin care and
make-up go to http://www.skin-care-support.org.
Dr. Group, the founder/CEO and clinical director
for the Global Healing Center, heads a research and development
team producing advanced, new, natural health protocols and
products. To learn more visit http://www.ghchealth.com.
support@ghchealth.com
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