In Canada, personal care products generate billions of dollars in profits every year. On average, Canadians use at least nine personal care products daily.
Did you know that many of these products contain harmful ingredients? In fact, we expose ourselves to over 120 chemicals each day. This is quite shocking if you think about it. How do these chemicals adversely affect our health?
Chemical ingredients in personal care products can be absorbed through the skin and enter our bodies. Unfortunately, many ingredients found in many popular name-brand products have not been tested for safety, and those that have may still be harmful to our health.
Many personal care products have been linked to cancer and other serious health problems.
What can we do to ensure our safety while still using personal care products? Bradford-based vitamin and health supplement store Nancy’s Nifty Nook carries a wide array of natural and safe personal care products, which are safe yet effective.
Ingredients matter
Phthalates, commonly used in synthetic fragrances, pose potential risks to reproductive and thyroid systems. In addition to cancer, many have also been shown to cause hormone disruptions.
Parabens, which are commonly found in makeup, moisturizers, hair care products, and shaving products, have been linked to breast cancer and reproductive health problems. This ingredient can mimic the estrogen hormone and can disrupt the body’s normal hormonal balance.
Parabens can be found in 75 – 90 per cent of cosmetics. Thankfully, there has been a shift over the last few years and many companies are choosing to eliminate the use of parabens in their products.
Unfortunately, many cosmetics and body care products people buy in ordinary stores do not list the ingredients found in their products.
What other products are unsafe to use?
It is important to carefully read labels. The word ‘natural’ does not always imply that it is safe to use. Nancy herself advises that consumers make their buying decisions wisely. Find out what is in the bottle and do not always believe the promises that are printed on the label.
Some ingredients that are harmful to our health and should be avoided:
- Sodium lauryl sulfate;
- Propylene glycol;
- Isopropyl alcohol;
- Mineral oil and petroleum;
- Artificial colours;
- Aluminum salts;
- Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT);
- Synthetic fragrance; and
- Triclosan.
Fragrances
Many people tend to buy products because they smell good. While we want to smell fragrant, many of the chemicals used to create fragrance cause allergic reactions. They can also contribute to mood changes, headaches and memory and sleep problems.
This is a serious problem that most people don’t understand. Perfumes are not romantic potions made from natural flowers but rather a very hazardous substance filled with many toxic chemicals.
Did you know that more than 4,000 chemicals are used in fragrances alone and 95 per cent are made from petroleum? Unfortunately, there is no agency that regulates the fragrance industry. This means, consumers must be buyer-beware and check all the ingredients in the products they are purchasing.
Exposure to these harmful chemicals can cause dizziness, difficulty concentrating, headaches, rashes, swollen lymph glands, muscle aches and spasms, heart palpitations, nausea, stomach cramps, vomiting, asthma attacks, neuro-motor dysfunction, seizures and, in severe cases, loss of consciousness.
Household products
Common household cleaner and air fresheners can be harmful too. Beware of products used for laundry, dishwashing and disinfectant. Popular commercial brands contain many harmful ingredients – make sure to check before buying!
Nancy is a strong advocate for natural personal care products because she herself suffers from terrible headaches when exposed to harmful chemicals. She recommends avoiding fragranced products altogether.
“If you must use something with smell, use a light touch of essential oil. While this is safer, people may still experience a negative effect, depending on their sensitivity,” she says.
Hair dyes
Hair dyes are quite harmful and can be absorbed into the body The darker the colour, the worse it can be.
Nancy says, “We have so many women that come into the store saying they have thinning hair that continues to fall out daily. The first question I ask is if they are dying their hair? I always suggest aging gracefully, avoiding hair dyes and choosing to be safe!”
Our skin is the largest organ in the body. Everyone should be more aware of the products they are using because many of them contain harmful chemicals, which are absorbed into our bodies and affects our internal organs and systems.
Stop by Nancy’s Nifty Nook located at 152 Holland Street E. to peruse the large selection of truly natural personal care products.