Ingredients to avoid are:
Butyl acetate, Butylated hydroxytoluene, Coal tar, Cocamide DEA/lauramide DEA, Diazolidinyl urea, Ethyl acetate, Formaldehyde, Oxybenzone, Petrolatum, Sodium laureth/sodium laurel sulfate, Talc, Toluene.

Some well-known skin-care products contain chemical nasties such as:

• Triclosan - "an anti-bacterial" compound that kills both good and bad bacteria in the human body - generally found in soaps, toothpaste and household cleaning products.
• Fragrance/Parfum - the word "parfum" is used to denote fragrance in a product. Nearly all "fragrance" or "parfum" is made from synthesised petrochemicals because it's cheaper than using natural essential oils. Artifical fragrances contain solvents, aldehyes and benzene derivatives and other toxins which have been linked to birth defects, cancer etc. Fragrances apart from being inhaled, can also absorb through the skin, they are slow to leave the body and can be toxic to the liver and kidneys, others accumulate in our fatty tissues and slowly leak into our system or else are passed via breast-feeding to our children.
• Triethanolamine - found in a vast array of skin care and personal care products. Concerns for this range from skin sensitisation, possible carcinogen and respiratory toxicant, it can also possibly instigate an immune system response.
• Phthalates - a group of synthetic chemicals used as solvents and fragrance enhancers, two are now banned because they are so toxic to reproduction. Phthalates keep your mascara from running, stop your nail polish from chipping and help fragrances linger. The highest level of phthalates are found in women aged 20-40 - women in this age group are the heaviest users of personal care products on a day to day basis.
• Parabens - parabens are skin irritants and have been found in cancerous human breast tissue and they adversely effect male reproductive functions. Types of parabens commonly used in synthetic personal care products are Butylparaben, Propylparaben, Ethylparaben and Isobutylparaben

• Propylene Glycol - commonly used in personal care products, it can also be found in cleaning fluids and in anti-freeze solutions for engines. It can be irritating to the eyes, skin and respiratory tract. It alters the skin's structure and allows ingredients to penetrate more deeply and quickly into the skin.
  
  

Most women use a variety of personal care products every day of their lives - from shower gels, shampoos, conditioners and toothpaste to moisturisers, cleansers toners and deodorants to make-up.

The average woman uses about 12 personal care products a day and 1 in 4 women use at least 15 products a day, most of which contain more than 200 different synthetic chemical compounds which have been added to preserve, dye and emulsify the products. Some are the same chemicals used in industrial manufacturing to soften plastics, clean equipment and stabilize pesticides.

Worryingly there is a lack of any data on the long-term cumulative effect and daily exposure to the synthetic chemicals in these skin-care products.

Your skin is the biggest organ on your body and it absorbs 60% of any product that you put onto it.

Using luxury skin care products should be a thoroughly enjoyable and pampering experience, but our health should not be compromised as a result of synthetic chemicals used in some products.

Educate yourself, read your product labels and know what you are putting onto your delicate skin - be safe, be happy and be gorgeous!

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