Parabens, Petroleum, and Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, Oh my...

Have you ever skimmed the list of ingredients in your shampoo, makeup, cleansers, or moisturizers?

To be honest, I have given little thought to this sort of thing until recently. I have spent the last several hours researching and my head is spinning!

I started out on Pinterest looking for a good exfoliator and cleanser. (Isn't that where it All starts??) Then I started getting curious... hmmmm. My current "Pond's Crema S" Nourishing Moisturizing Cream suits me just fine and works well, but I wanted to see exactly what I was slathering on my face everyday.

Since I am trying to incorporate more natural, organic and eco-friendly foods and products, into my everyday life, and eliminate toxins and chemicals, I thought:

Hey, why not try to do something all-natural?

Sounds easy enough, right!?

I bounced from one site to another - reading reviews and ingredients - attempting to uncloak the mystery of the unfamiliar components of which these expensive beauty products consisted. Should I just dive in head first (or, er face first..) and get the pricey, smell good stuff? It says "All-Natural" and the company seems to care about being green. And why switch to something different, that might not work as well as what I already have, and know it works?

But, alas, the innards were less than ideal. Here are just a few things I discovered:

More Hormones for your Buck..

Parabens are bad, mkay. The Pond's moisturizer I use contains a little nasty preservative called methylparaben.

Methylparaben is in the paraben family and is considered a xenoestrogen, which is known to mimic estrogen in the body. That means it can disrupt our body's normal hormone production - and this "extra" fake estrogen adds to what our body naturally produces - leading to an excess of estrogen (natural and otherwise.)

Guess what? That isn't a good thing. Excess estrogen has been linked to breast cancer, as well as other reproductive problems. (endometriosis, infertility, and early puberty)

Also scary, methylparaben has a dozen synonyms used by cosmetic companies. Click here to find out more and what names to look for.

You've got some Earth juice on your face..

I read several reviews of women who have used a product called Shu Uemura. It sounds natural enough, but after some further digging, I discovered that it is mainly mineral oil.

There seems to be some controversy surrounding mineral oil, also known as: liquid petroleum, liquidum paraffinum, petrolatum, and paraffin oil. It's extracted from petroleum..a crude oil.. the stuff in gasoline. (But on the flip, it is from the Earth.. so it depends on the slant you want to use)

It is most definitely more purified for cosmetic use than the stuff you use for your vehicle. Part of the controversy comes from the use of mineral oil in conjunction with "comedogenic" ingredients; meaning it will clog pores or exacerbate acne. For example, the main ingredient in Baby Oil and Vaseline is mineral oil. I have used both for moisturizing, and I have to say, they both do the trick! But the oils with other ingredients is not so ideal for your pores. 

I also found some debate regarding spreading mineral oil over the skin as a moisturizer because it "prevents the skin's ability to eliminate toxins."  The skin can't breathe and the body is forced to absorb the oil, and is later processed through the liver, supposedly causing other issues.  Some sites were perfectly okay with mineral oil, and others not so much. I'm still searching for answers here. Obviously, whatever we put on our skin is going to be absorbed into our bodies - so how do we know what is safe? For now, I say just don't spend all your allowance on expensive, dolled up versions of mineral oil, just make sure it is cosmetic and pharmaceutical grade. (and please, don't go using the gasoline from the pump, capeesh?)

So far, it looks like the best option is to use plain old Olive oil, Avocado oil, Borage Seed Oil, Grapeseed Oil, Hazelnut Oil, and/or Hemp Seed Oil (to name a few, but not castor oil) for the "oil cleansing method." It sounds counter-intuitive, but apparently it is great for cleansing your skin, removing makeup, and improving your complexion.

I found some great information, including a tutorial on the Mommypotamus blog. (Click to view)

I plan to give it a try and see how it works for me!

Stuff in my Shampoo...

Lastly, on my journey of ingredients that sound like they are straight from the periodic table... is Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (aka: PAH).

This is found in my shampoo that I use for my impossibly dry, itchy, and perpetually scaly scalp. Sounds lovely, doesn't it? Well, it isn't. I have to wash my hair with this brown, unpleasant smelling prescription shampoo every other day in order to keep these troublesome symptoms at bay. But after reading about the main ingredient, I am considering other options.

PAH is in Coal Tar Shampoo and is mostly used for symptoms of dermatitis, psoriasis, and eczema. It is pretty effective, at least for me, but I'm open to other suggestions! There is not strong evidence of the toxicity of PAH levels in the shampoo, but one study I found showed an increased level of a PAH "metabolite" in the participant's urine after using the shampoo. However, the study also noted that the concentration of PAH was 100 times higher than many other Coal tar shampoos. Read more about that study here. Some types of PAHs have been linked to cancer, reproductive problems, and other organ issues. See more here.


So, if I haven't totally confused and overwhelmed you - then you are probably much more knowledgeable than I am when it comes to being organic and all-natural (or at least more natural), and chemicals in our every day products. Please, please, share your knowledge with me! :)

I don't plan to give up, but my brain needs a rest. I'm going to go get in my giant BPA-free, eco-friendly plastic bubble now. 



Here are some links to learn more:
Xenoestrogens and How to Minimize Your Exposure
Mineral Oil - cosmetic-ingredient-dictionary 
Mineral Oil - okay to use?
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons - chemical fact sheet