Detox is a word that’s used on the regular these days. We know the reality of toxic buildup in our bodies, that it’s not good for us and that it needs to get out. Toxins build up because our bodies don’t know how to absorb + assimilate these foreign ingredients, so they continue to circulate, putting strain on our bodies, rather than becoming food and nourishment for our cells.
Believe it or not, conventional beauty + body products can actually be one of the biggest contributors to our toxic load. But before we get into some technical terms and the top toxic skincare ingredients to avoid, let’s look at the WHY behind it all.
There are countless pollutants in our environment that we can’t control, so it’s important to be conscious of the choices we can make and to avoid contributing to the toxic buildup in our bodies – with what we put on our plates and apply to our skin. Our bodies can handle occasional chemicals but when exposed consistently and daily, disease and health conditions are more likely to occur.
Since the beauty industry is largely unregulated (the last legislation passed to regulate safety of cosmetics was over 80 years ago!), it’s up to you to do your own research to find the safest products. There are no legal standards for personal care products labeled as “pure,” “natural” or “organic,” so it’s time to look beyond the marketing claims and start to read labels carefully.
We know it’s a lot to take in – so we’ll simplify what to look for on your product labels and help you detox your beauty bag. The following are five specific chemicals you absolutely want to avoid in your skincare products.
FRAGRANCE/PARFUM
We get it, we all want to smell fresh + floral! But these engineered scents can contain any combination of 3,000+ chemical ingredients, including hormone disruptors and allergens. Fragrance formulas are protected under federal law’s classification of trade secrets and therefore can remain undisclosed. That smells a little fishy to us, rather than floral.
