Sunday, December 7, 2008

Are Your Skin Care Products Dangerous?

By Jemma Rivera

Of course we all like to think that the skin care products that we use are perfectly safe. In reality though, they may not be as harmless as we think. If your facial cleanser makes you feel clean with those foaming, popping little bubbles, then you should keep reading; you may be surprised at what you learn here.

Any facial cleanser which has foaming action probably has the ingredients Sodium Lauryl Sulphate or Sodium Laureth Sulphate, or both. These ingredients are chemicals which have been found to lower immune function, cause inflammations and are found in engine degreasers and other products you would never put on your face.

Another commonly seen skin care product ingredient is Propylene Glycol - one of the primary ingredients in antifreeze! Naturally, this is not something you'd like on your face either.

Mineral oil is another common ingredient. Mineral oil coats your skin like a waterproof layer - however, this keeps your skin from performing the important function of cellular respiration. Your pores will be clogged, which causes acne and many other skin problems. Even with all of these downsides, skin care products often contain this ingredient.

Beauty products containing the chemicals mentioned above include fragrances, lotions and skin creams. While companies say that these chemical is safe in small amounts, who wants to take that chance?

Some of the side effects seen after heavy exposure to the chemicals mentioned include headaches, chronic fatigue, hormonal disruption, and cancer. While not all products contain these particular chemicals, it's often very difficult to find skin care products that do not have two or more ingredients that are considered toxic and deadly to humans.

One ingredient in natural skin care products which is actually good for your skin is emu oil.

A neutral, hypoallergenic lipid, emu oil is safe for anyone to use. Products containing emu oil penetrate into the skin and hydrate and strengthen your skin cells.

Pure emu oil containing skin care products nourish and soften your skin naturally. The oil also has anti-inflammatory properties; this skin lotion can smooth and soothe your skin at the same time - it can even help to alleviate the discomfort of arthritis.

Seaweed is another natural ingredient which is great for your skin. Seaweed may not look so appetizing in the wild, but in skin care products, it can help you to achieve healthy, youthful looking skin.

Botanical based skin care formulas rely on ingredients found in nature. Some of the elements found in seaweed include organic mineral salts, amino acids that can fortify the structure of the skin, several vitamins, and antioxidants which help repair cellular damage. Seaweed has also been found to be one of the best ingredients to promote skin cell regeneration.

Skin care products which are made from natural ingredients and contain vitamins A, C, E and other antioxidants help to nourish, hydrate and detoxify your skin.

The whole world won't switch to natural alternatives overnight. You though, can opt to take action on your own and make sure that you and your household use only high quality natural ingredients to care for your skin. - 15252

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