Ingredients We Avoid

"The average adult uses nine personal care products each day and is therefore being exposed to 126 chemical ingredients on a DAILY BASIS”
“More than one third of all personal care products contain at least one ingredient linked to cancer”                       - Environmental Working Group
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Some Ingredients We Don’t Like

Phthalates – are used in many synthetic fragrances.
Di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP)
Diethyl phthalate (DEP)

Are considered:
Mutagenic
Carcinogenic
Xenoestrogenic (estrogen mimics)
False estrogens bind with estrogen receptors in our cells. When this occurs cellular functions change and hormonal balance shifts in favour of estrogen causing estrogen dominance.

Estrogen dominance is linked to:
• PMS
• Bloating
• Swollen breasts
• Irritability
• Depression
• Insomnia
• Increased blood pressure
• Endometriosis
• Decreased thyroid function
• Weight gain
• Acne
• Hair loss
• Increased facial hair
• Accelerated aging

Parabens -preservative
Butylparaben
Proplparaben
Methylparaben
Ethylparaben

Studies show they stimulate the growth of breast cancer causing MCF7 cells

Decrease the quantity and quality oaf daily sperm production

Considered :
• Toxic
• Allergenic
• Xenoestogenic

Mineral Oil – petroleum product

• Contains carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons
• Allergenic
• Phototoxic
• Causes skin discoloration
• Can promote acne
• Interferes with body’s own natural moisturizing mechanism thus causing dry skin and chapping
• Can produce photosensitivity (promoting sun damage)

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate – used for its foam-building abilities in shampoos

Can cause:
• Eye irritations
• Skin rashes
• Hair loss
• Allergic reaction
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Label Reading 101

It has been debated that because there is only a small amount of problematic ingredients in personal care products it doesn’t really matter. But most personal care products are used everyday. With continual daily use that small amount becomes a big problem. It does matter.
Here’s a quick Label reading lesson to help keep you and your family healthy.
Don’t believe a label that says “All Natural”. Read the ingredient list.
For example, these are the ingredients of a popular baby care product which is called

“Natural” Lavender Baby Wash”. Water, cocamido proply betain, PEG 80, sorbitan Laurate, sodium trideceth sufate, PEG 150 distearate, fragrance, polyquaternium-10, Tetrasodium EDTA, quaternium 15 Citric Acid, ext. violet 2.

5 Rules for Label Reading

1. Don’t believe the labels that say “All Natural” – read the ingredient list
2. Don’t buy anything with fragrance listed as its ingredients - it is synthetic fragrance and can contain Phthalates
3. Don’t buy anything with synthetic colors. Sure they look pretty but it doesn’t seem that pretty when we consider that synthetic colors are believed
     to be cancer-causing agents.
4. Don’t believe the labels that say Fragrance free or unscented – read the ingredient list. Many companies mask the natural scents with synthetic
     ingredients.
5. If a label says Hypo allergenic it just means that most common irritants have been left out. Read the ingredient list because it still contain other
    problematic chemicals.