She All Natural Skin Care

Retinyl Palmitate in Sunscreens

2010-06-16T09:44:00.000-07:00

U.S. Senator Charles Schumer has been pushing the FDA to offer some guidance to the public about the effects of Retinyl Palmitate, a common ingredient in the majority of store bought sunscreens.

Retinyl Palmitate is a synthetic form of Vitamin A. Retinyl,a pure form of vitamin A is mixed with Palmitate acid to produce a synthetic mixture which has been widely used in anti-aging creams marketed as containing Retinol-A. This ingredient is also commonly found in many sunscreens.

The studies concerning Senator Schumer include ones by the National Center for Toxicological Research where lab rats were coated with a cream containing Retinyl Palmitate. Another group of rats was coated with a cream that did not contain this ingredient. The findings indicated that lab rats coated with the cream containing Retinyl Palmitate tended to develop tumors 11 to 21% faster than the rats that were not exposed to that chemical ingredient.

Although further research may be prudent, consider the fact that we slather on sunscreen several times a day, every day when we are out in the sun. We coat ourselves and our young children in a cocktail of synthetic ingredients. These ingredients are seeping into our bodies and potentially causing effects that we are unaware of. And that's not to talk about the fact that sunscreens block our bodies ability to produce Vitamin D - a cancer preventative.

The mass campaign to use sunscreen continously and consistently is so embedded in our minds that we carry the stuff with us everywhere we go and use it constantly giving little thought to the side effects.

Let's then ask ourselves these questions:

In our rampant mission to prevent skin cancer are we in fact causing skin cancer along with other cancers and illnesses?

Why do we blindly accept mass media messages?

What about the other synthetic ingredients in our sunscreens and body lotions?

Why is the FDA being so quiet on these findings?

Using sun protection is important in certain circumstances, but why is the public not demanding more natural sun protective creams and lotions?

Life is about balance. Balance the information and as always you have a right to choose.

Choose wisely.
www.sheallnaturalskincare.com

Natural Skin Care Products

2010-03-21T12:21:00.000-07:00

After using synthetically processed skin care products for decades knowledgeable consumers are demanding more natural products. As the spectrum of products widens and the knowledge of consumers increases, natural skin care products make for a wiser choice, but many wonder what the differences are and why we should be using natural skin care products.

Ethical natural skin care manufacturers make a valiant effort to include only natural ingredients in their products. A blend of natural oils, like coconut, passionfruit or almond along with an emulsifier and pure essential oils in a base of purified water is a basic formula for a delicious body lotion without any of the harsh chemicals that we have been unknowingly applying on our skin.

Although the cost of natural ingredients is much higher, the medical costs of using synthetically formulated skin care products is something to consider.

Over the years science has proven that what we put on our skins can enter the bloodstream. Applying a toxic cocktail of lab manufactured ingredients on our skin may manifest itself later in the form of disease, so why take the chance.

The move is on towards natural skin care products with natural and organic ingredients. But remember to read the label, just as you would if you were going to purchase a food product.

A label boasting that the product is paraben-free may be true, but what about the other ingredients? Are they natural? Are they safe? Questions we should all be asking ourselves.

Formulating all natural skin care products is a long and difficult process. One that involves a high financial investment and extensive research and development, but something that can provide us with a healthier lifestyle and products that reduce the negative impact on our environment.

The choice is yours. Choose wisely.

www.sheallnaturalskincare.com

Petrochemicals in Skin Care

2010-03-04T07:24:00.000-08:00

We've talked briefly about the hazards of Paraben preservatives in cosmetic formulations, but there are many other dangerous ingredients to consider. A common ingredient in many body lotions is mineral oil.

Mineral oil appears at first to nourish the skin leaving a nice sheen, but like many things this is a nasty facade. This seemingly benign ingredient is a derivative of the petroleum industry therefore a petrochemical byproduct that does nothing to nourish the skin. It does not penetrate the skin and makes things worse by creating a barrier on the skin, which prevents the skin from absorbing moisture. This facilitates a cycle of dry, under-nourished skin.

Found in many lotions due to its ease of availability and extremely low cost many cosmetics manufacturers will use this ingredient in large percentages. It is the main component of many baby oils, which parents have used abundantly not realizing they are doing more harm than good.

What are the substitutes for Mineral Oil? There are many. Simple Virgin Almond oil is just one shining example of a nourishing all natural oil. It absorbs into the skin and does not leave a barrier therefore it allows the skin to breathe. Known to have excellent emollient qualities Almond oil contains proteins and Vitamin D and is an excellent source of polyunsaturated Linoleic Acid which aids in the nourishment of dry skin.

Added to a lotion this all natural ingredient provides nourishment and softens the skin without the use of petrochemicals, which means your skin benefits and your world benefits.

The petroleum industry has had a detrimental effect on our environment, while providing not only gas and oil, but the myriad byproducts to the cosmetic, food and pharmaceutical industries.

Why not make a positive choice to use natural products that don't harm the environment and that are actually better for your health.

Choose wellness. Choose wisely.
http://www.sheallnaturalskincare.com/

The Truth about Parabens

2010-02-24T07:53:00.000-08:00

Check the label on your lotion bottle today. Did you find an ingredient ending with paraben. This notorious ingredient is prevalent in many store bought skin care products.

What are Parabens? Parabens are commonly used as a preservative by large scale manufacturing companies because it is inexpensive and easily available. Manufactured in a chemical lab this ingredient has an extremely high rate of preserving formulations.

No doubt, parabens are very effective preservatives being able to sustain the preservation of cosmetic skin care formulations for years and are a highly effective guard against microbial and bacterial activity. The downside of parabens is they are extremely harsh, have been found to be carcinogenic and can cause hormone disruptions, which is true of many skin care ingredients. However, unlike the other ingredients, Parabens have become a villanous ingredient and have been banned in the U.K. There is also some talk about it contributing to the aging process. Studies are on-going.

So why do skin care and cosmetics companies continue to use parabens? Because as I said they are cheap and for the most part your health is not important to the giant firms, however your money is. If the products last on the store shelves there is no loss due to spoilage. So what if it causes you cancer. It doesn't affect their profit margins negatively. That's something that could potentially happen to you down the road and it's a link that's hard to prove. So big deal. They continue to put this ingredient into their products.

Thankfully there are alternatives. Many up and coming natural skin care manufacturers use a variety of preservation techniques including the use of grapefruit seed extract, which when used properly and in the right percentages are very effective.

A new technology in natural perservation employs the use of hurdle technology with naturally derived ingredients. Hurdle technology is exactly what it sounds like - a hurdle - that makes it difficult for microbes and bacteria to overcome.

The majority of natural preservatives do not allow the product to last indefinitely the way parabens do, but they are a healthier alternative.

What is paramount is that an effective perservation system much be employed, for your health and safety, but one that does not cause you health related issues in years to come.

If your health is important to you then review the ingredients in the products you use and look for healthy natural alternatives. Only you can choose for yourself. Choose wisely.

For more information on natural skin care ingredients and alternatives check http://www.sheallnaturalskincare.com/