Skin Eats

If it's safe for your insides, it's safe for your outside.

My pedicurist Simon has his mantra; here's mine (with apologies to friends who have heard this ad nauseam):

Don't put anything on your skin that you wouldn't put in your mouth.

Why? Because skin eats. Our skin doesn't act like an impermeable wet suit -- it's one of our main absorption organs (it's also the body's largest organ). Most of what we apply to our skin goes directly into the bloodstream, bypassing the digestive process our food goes through. And anything ingested -- whether via your skin or mouth -- becomes either matter for building new body tissue or toxic waste. Think of whatever you put on your skin not as cosmetics but as food. Would you eat methylparaben (related to organ toxicity and cellular level changes), propylparaben (related to reproductive toxicity, allergies), artificial fragrance (related to neurotoxicity)? These are just a few ingredients found in a really popular moisturizer. I call these toxic ingredients "beauty-stealers" -- they slowly steal the life and vitality from our skin.

"If this stuff is really so bad, why would these companies be allowed to use these ingredients in their products?" my friend D. asked after I badgered her for the umpteenth time about using said popular moisturizer. Good question, D. Because, believe it or not, there is no publicly accountable institution regulating what goes into cosmetics. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not regulate the cosmetic industry and they don't require companies to safety-test their products. Any cosmetic manufacturer can use almost any ingredient without FDA approval. Why would they use ingredients that have been linked to cancer and other serious health issues? Cost. It's cheaper to use these ingredients than healthier alternatives that are less stable and more costly to manufacture.

As consumers become more aware of the potential toxicity of chemicals and synthetics and demand safer alternatives, it seems like a new "natural skincare" product hits the shelf every week. Unfortunately, many manufacturers who've jumped on the all-things-natural craze are "greenwashing" their products -- they've thrown some "natural" ingredients into a chemical soup of preservatives, emulsifiers, colourants and fragrances. 

So what to do? I prefer to make my own skin care products -- that way, I know exactly what's in them and I can control the quality of the ingredients. Why bother to do this when so many cosmetic companies are using some of these very same ingredients I use? Because I like to go straight to the source -- I believe that the more "alive" and less-processed the ingredient, the more life-giving vitality it can offer your skin. But I know messing around in the kitchen isn't for everyone. Fortunately, more and more truly natural, high-quality products have been making their way onto the market -- today, there are so many to choose from!

Am I suggesting that everything natural is "good", everything chemical is "bad"? No. The former can carry risk (poison ivy is natural, after all), the latter, benefits. Am I saying you should throw out all your make-up, skin creams, soaps and shampoos, don a pair of Birkenstocks and wander into the woods to forage for herbs and berries? Definitely no.

It's a matter of weighing the risks, picking and choosing. I may have my mantra, but I'm still not ready to throw out a favourite lipstick even though I know I literally end up eating it along with my food. But I do try to limit the chemical load on my body by being especially careful about what I use on an everyday basis (like face and body moisturizer).

In the end, it's really about being aware of and responsible for what we put on and in our bodies. It's about reclaiming our power from the multi-billion dollar Cosmetics Industry that cares less about women's health and more about profits. And it's about real beauty based in health and vitality.

Comments

[LS]

I've checked a bunch of my products and they all have chemical-sounding ingredients in them. I never really thought about it before. Maybe that's why I don't look like Heidi Klum! ;)