475 Toxic Chemicals in just One Shower
By Carolin
You take a shower, fix your hair and put on make-up.
It’s supposed to make you feel clean and renewed. But this might give you the opposite feeling.
The shower might have added 475 toxic chemicals to your body. Unfortunately, the skin absorbs what you put on in. That is just from one shower!
A lot of people apply lipstic and lotion several times a day. At night we wash of all the excess make-up and lotion but what happens to the toxins? Many of the absorbed, potentially toxic chemicals aren’t flushed out of the body. Instead they build up day after day, year after year, compromising your health.
Here are some alarming facts about the average number of chemicals found in everyday personal care products:
| Product |
Chemicals |
Most worrying chemicals & some of their effects |
|
Shampoo: |
15 |
Sodium Lauryl Sulphate; Tetrasodium and Propbylene Glycol – possible eye damage |
|
Eye Shadow: |
26 |
Polythylene terephthalate – linked to cancer |
|
Lipstick: |
33 |
Polymenthyl methacrylate – also linked to cancer |
|
Nail Varnish: |
31 |
Phthalates – linked to fertility issues and problems in developing babies |
|
Perfume: |
250 |
Benzaldehyde – linked to kidney damage |
|
Fake Tan: |
22 |
Ethyl/Methyl/Propylparabens – possible hormonal disruption |
|
Hairspray: |
11 |
Octinoxate, Isophthalates – possible hormonal disruption, linked to change in cell structure |
|
Blusher: |
16 |
Ethyl/Methyl/Propylparabens – possible hormonal disruptions |
|
Foundation: |
24 |
Polymethyl methacrylates – possibly disrupts immune system, linked to cancer |
|
Deodorant: |
15 |
Isopropyl Myristate, ‘Parfum’ – possible respiratory problems |
|
Body Lotion: |
32 |
Methyl/Propylparabens, Polyethylene Glycol, also found in oven cleaners – possible hormonal disruption |
The idea of adding potentially harmful toxins to your you body everyday is pretty unpleasant.
How do you know How Bad Your Products are?
Luckily the Environmental Working Group has set-up an free searchable database of toxic ingredients in cosmetic and personal care products.
I recommend you go there and check your personal products. Though I need to warn you – You might not like what you see.
I checked mine and that’s why I use MiEssence Organic Skin Care . They are all in the green.
Image by http://www.flickr.com/photos/wim314/ / CC BY-ND 2.0
Learn More About.. organic shampoo, organic beauty, cosmetic natural
It appears that women are at a very high risk. I never thought that these products you (women) are using can be toxic. I appreciate you posting this information. I’ll better warn my wife with that. She uses a lot and different beauty products so much.
Unfortunately it’s not just about women. Most men use shampoo, deodorant and prefume in some form and that add up to a lot too.
Its true that its not about woman but it seems woman may be more vulnerable than man. because most of the products mentioned there are very widely used by woman over man, to be frank I am a man but I hardly use perfumes and I prefer to spray my deodorant over my shirt rather than exposing it to bare skin.
Good of you Steve.
I agree, in general women use a lot more toxic skin products than men. When I see all the commercials for men lotion, I can’t help thinging oh, no go down that road.
Deodorant over your shirt. Interesting. That’s what I do with bug spray when I don’t have a natural option available. Doesn’t it stain?
This is very alarming. Toxic chemicals are part of our everyday lives. I don’t think we can do anything about it. I don’t think I can live without putting on make-up, or use shampoo or apply lotion after shower. Anyways, thank you for this good post and making us aware of reality.
I don’t think that many of us wants to stop using shampoo and make-up. But we need to get the word out that there are better alternatives.
I am using shampoo and lotion everyday. I do not know that they are dangerous. I will now lessen using such product. I will also tell my sisters about this.