The Importance of Natural Skincare
Everywhere you look, there is something reminding us what to put IN our bodies. Eating right is so important and our world is full of unhealthy food and chemicals that end up in our bodies. But...we also might readily consider as to what we put ON our bodies. There isn’t as much information on this but it is just as important. You probably are aware that our skin is the biggest organ in our bodies. And… anything we put on our skin can absorb in seconds.
As more and more information is coming out about natural skincare and its importance, it is also an overwhelming amount of information to sift through in order to pick the right products. This month we look at some reasons for using non-toxic, natural and organic skincare products.
They Contain Natural Ingredients
Before there were a lot of chemicals added to products, all skincare was basically natural. Most of the ingredients found in today’s natural skincare products were used way back in history. Some of these ingredients are: oatmeal, flowers, seeds, leaves, honey, milk, vinegar, lemon juice and eggs, just to name a few. These ingredients were safe back then and are safe now and used in many of the natural products we put on our skin today. Today’s products are safe and effective.
Natural skincare products help keep your skin beautiful and keep it safe from skin conditions and exposure to harsh chemicals. Some of today’s natural products contain:
• Tea Tree oil
• Cocoa Butter
• Shea Butter
• Lavender Extract and Essential Oils
• Zinc Oxide
Natural Products are better for the Environment and Sustainable
Skincare products that contain chemicals harm the environment through spores from the sprays released into the air and manufacturing processes for chemical products are damaging to groundwater, plant life, and other areas of the environment. You need not worry about this with natural products.
The skin absorbs ingredients at a high rate and ingredients in unnatural products are easily absorbed and even more dangerous….absorption follows into the bloodstream and the vital organs. This activity can cause all kinds of health problems from skin conditions and allergies, to certain cancers. Some of the most harmful ingredients are:
• Parabens
• Diethanolamine (DEA)
• Cocamidopropyl betaine
• Mineral Oil
• Imidazolidinyl and Diazolidinyl urea
• Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS)
• Lanolin
• Propylene glycol
• Phthalates
You won’t find these ingredients in natural skincare products. Companies and individuals who produce natural products are passionate about making products that are good for you and the environment. Therefore, their products contain ingredients that make the skin feel better and look healthier in texture and performance. Natural skincare products are more cost effective too...in that you use less and they don’t dry the skin out as much, like the chemical-laced product. Natural skincare products are richer and more nurturing.
Why are there chemicals in our skincare products?
Have you ever been in a store and looked at the label of some shampoo or lotion? There probably were a lot of words that you didn’t know. As long as it is on the shelf you probably thought it was safe. But how much do we, as the general public, really know about the products on our store shelves.
The US cosmetics and personal care industry is really self-regulated. Since first coming into the FDA’s sights, they only had to ban 9 chemicals from use. More than 12,000 are approved for use today. In Europe, regulations are much stricter. The EU law bans 1,328 chemicals from cosmetics that are known or suspected to cause cancer, genetic mutation, reproductive harm or birth defects. In comparison, the U.S. FDA has only banned or restricted 11 chemicals from cosmetics.
Consumer health advocates and some researchers have warned for a long time of unsafe chemicals that are unsafe. They are tirelessly working on connections between chemicals in these products and diseases today that have been largely unexplained. Especially diseases in women. American women use an average of 12 products per day, and about 200 chemicals. This is according to a study done by the (EWG)...The Environmental Working Group. Other studies have been done as well, and show women even use more products...just on their face.
Cancer is on the rise, infertility, and allergies in children are on the rise. And although, studies are done constantly, conclusive information has not emerged...but they have discovered that it is not just genetics or new diagnostics techniques. Overall, cancer in the US has declined but thyroid, skin, and liver cancers are on the rise and. Men's cancer diagnoses are declining while women diagnoses are remaining the same (since 2008).
Many of the chemicals on the previous mentioned list are in products on your store shelves including formaldehyde...in some hair products, body soaps and nail polish. Heavy metals are found in lipsticks and clay-based products as well as endocrine-disrupting chemicals like parabens and phthalates. EWG has also found PFAS (used in flame retardants and teflon) in some cosmetics.
The EWG and other health advocacy groups are trying to get more transparency and regulation in the US and trying to get more of these chemicals banned. A recent report has shown that more than 40 countries have banned more than 1,400 chemicals in cosmetic products versus the US.
There are a lot of questions out there as to the ingredients in your products. Most ingredients are probably safe and studies are still taking place, as unraveling the causes of diseases is an arduous process. Until there is more transparency and responsibility in some of our companies, is it up to us to be an advocate for ourselves and choose products that are healthy for our skin and hair.
Hometown Naturals
We have offered natural products for many years. With our focus being on proactive healthcare, a large part of our daily lives is our skincare and hair care products. What do we do every day? Take a shower, wash our hair and wash our face. As stated before, our skin is our largest organ and should be treated with care. That is why at Hometown, we promote skin care and hair care products that are free of toxic chemicals, contain quality ingredients and are approved by the Hometown Science Team. We carry a variety of natural products in addition to hair and skin care products to include essential oils, teas, household products and more.
At Hometown Pharmacy we strive to provide our customers with the education, products and services to live a healthy and balanced lifestyle and to empower others to do the same.
One product we offer is: American Provenance American Provenance Difference
This is an awesome product that is right in our backyard - Mount Horeb, Wisconsin. Their products were created by a teacher and his students and contain none of the aforementioned chemicals. They have deodorant, body wash, men’s grooming products and more. Please visit their website for their interesting, up-to-date story.
Another product we have at Hometown is Dionis Goat Milk Skincare: Dionis Who We Are
Dionis is a natural goat milk skincare product we carry in most of our Hometown Stores. Goat milk products deeply absorb into the skin without leaving a greasy residue; humans share the same pH as goats allowing our products to moisturize the skin, for a soft silky after feel.
Goat milk is naturally enriched with a high amount of protein, fat, iron, vitamin A, B6, B12, C, D, E and many more. Their products are not just good, they are good for you.
Key elements of Goat milk:
• A powerful antioxidant
• Supplement with vitamin D for our sunshine needs
• Helps skin naturally maintain its own moisture
• Helps smooth skin by exfoliation, while the proteins enhance skin appearance
Sources: https://www.ewg.org/ and https://www.cosmeticsbusiness.com/
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