I have worked as an Aromatherapist for ten years, and I guess its conditioned me to be able to tell the difference between natural aromas made by God, versus synthetic aromas made by man.

My boyfriend has not developed my smelling talents, so he thought I was rude when I walked out of a social gathering, because a woman reeked of what can only be described as cockroach spray. 

Another least favorite experience of mine, was being sprayed with perfume, in a department store, without asking my permission. i walked straight out of that store, and had to go home to take a shower, because the perfume clung so badly, it made me feel nauseous.

Lastly, one of my best friends sprays her entire house with air freshener, daily, so that when I visit her, I develop a headache.

I finally decided I was tired of being told that I was ‘hyper-sensitive’ to smells, and consulted the great Google. Here’s what I found out:

 

Air Fresheners 

When you read the ingredients listed on the can, you will commonly see formaldehyde, a known cancer causing substance.

You will also see dichlorobenzene, which is a phthalate known to harm the unborn fetus, and small children. It can kill small pets, such as birds, and harm other pets, such as dogs and cats, to the point that they develop health issues in eyes, lungs and skin. When you inhale this, you are inhaling the pesticide DDT.

Sadly, manufacturers are not required to write the word ‘phthalate’. Instead it is allowed to be listed as perfume, parfum, or fragrance!

No safety tests are required to be conducted by health authorities, leaving air freshener manufacturers free to pack cheap, waste products into their cans, petroleum being yet another example.

If you use air freshener regularly, you should know that this could explain many strange symptoms you or your family have been having. Watering eyes, asthma, mucus membranes too dry or too wet, allergies, and nausea, are just some of the problems caused by air fresheners.

Aerosol cans contain propellants such as butane, and these can cause similar symptoms to those listed above.

These chemicals are all cumulative, which means they accumulate in your cells. Many years of use can even lead to serious health problems such as reproductive disorders or cancers.

 

Perfume

Have you ever felt sickened by perfumes, or had a skin reaction to one? Well here’s why:

A law passed decades ago, allows perfumes to keep over a dozen ingredients secret. You would think that this is to protect manufacturers from others copying their trade secrets.

Sadly, the truth is that the majority of many perfumes, are comprised of cheap ‘filler’ ingredients, most of which are chemicals.

These chemicals disrupt your hormones, causing headaches, nausea, and skin rashes.

It is a commonly known fact, that eau de cologne can cause brown pigmentation marks on the skin, due to citrus oils, which cause uneven tanning.

Most chemicals used in perfume, are derived from petroleum, which is not something to be putting on your skin, as it blocks pores, is a nerve toxin, and a respiratory irritant – particularly important information for those with asthma.

EWG found an alarmingly high number of ‘fragrances’ contained phthalates, and parabens, which are hormone disruptors, and regular application of these, to skin, is carcinogenic.

 

Skincare Products

Your body lotion is the one beauty product you should find a replacement for, that does not contain the following toxic ingredients, outlined below. 

The reason I suggest replacing your body lotion, is that it covers the largest area of your body, thus exposing you to the maximum toxicity.

Second to body lotion, I can recommend gradually replacing your decollete (chest and throat) creams, with chemical free versions, because this the second largest area of skin application, and the chemicals will be absorbed directly into your thyroid, thymus, and breast glands.

Check your lotions and creams for the following ingredients, then make the switch to our all-natural products, which do not contain any of the following chemicals.

The following toxic chemicals are found in most body and skin lotions, in order to preserve the product for years of shelf life, which maximizes profits.

Garden of Essences’ non-preserved products will remain fresh for one year, and do not contain any of these dangerous chemicals:

FORMALDEHYDE

• Antiseptic formaldehyde is used as a preservative in beauty products.
• On contact, it can trigger allergies in the throat, nose and eyes. In large doses, it can cause cancers, including Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, and Leukemia. Sweden and Japan have banned its use in cosmetics.
• Formaldehyde is a known carcinogen. It causes allergic, irritant, and contact dermatitis, and also headaches, and chronic fatigue.
• There are many preservatives that release formaldehyde, for example, Imidazolidinyl urea and DMDM hydantoin, so that, sadly, formaldehyde will not be transparently listed in the ingredients. Even the word ‘fragrance’ is actually a formaldehyde-releasing chemical substance.
  

 

PHENOXYETHANOL

• Hailed as the “harmless” alternative to Parabens, it is now used in most of the Natural and Organic ranges of products.
• Phenoxyethanol is listed as a low hazard preservative, and a zero carcinogen, by the EWG Skin Deep Database.
• Often it is found in “natural” products, when the Company states that their products are “paraben-free.”
• BUT, the product’s OWN Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) says that Phenoxyethanol is harmful if absorbed through the skin, and that it can cause internal organ damage, if it is used over extended periods of time.
• Phenoxyethanol, in a small percent of people, can cause allergies, such as mild skin irritation. This could be  caused  when inexperienced makers of cosmetics add too much  of it to their product, or it could be caused by a sensitivity to Phenoxyethanol.
• It can be a moderate to severe eye irritant, which may cause serious damage to the eyes. Therefore, keep products containing it, away from the eyes.
• HOWEVER, used in the correct, miniature dose, in cosmetic creams and lotions, it is SUPPOSED to be one of the least dangerous of all the available preservatives. It would be best to use products containing Phenoxyethanol, on limited occasions, and not on a daily basis, as any possible harm to the body, is caused by prolonged exposure.
• Our Chocolate Body Butter contains Phenoxyethanol, and even though it is recommended to be used daily, if you are serious about following a preservative free skin routine, use the Chocolate Butter as a once or twice a week massage treat.

 

GRAPEFRUIT SEED EXTRACT

It is advertized as the most natural preservative available. But there ARE safety concerns:

The “Material Safety Data Sheets for Grapefruit Seed Extract”, found synthetic disinfectants present, within the Grapefruit Seed Extract, which caused a general pattern of eye, skin, and respiratory tract irritation.

In all of the antimicrobial Grapefruit Seed Extracts, the preservative benzethonium chloride was detected.

Also, some Grapefruit Seed Extracts contained the preserving substances triclosan and methyl paraben – both highly toxic (see section on parabens, above).

In only ONE of the grapefruit seed extracts tested, NO preservative agent was found. However, with this extract, no antimicrobial activity could be detected.

Thus, it is concluded that the antimicrobial activity being attributed to grapefruit seed extract, is merely due to the synthetic preservative agents contained within.

 

BHA and BHT

• BHA (butylated hydroxyanisole) and BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene) are synthetic preservatives, that are potential allergens with cancer-causing abilities, that can contribute to reproductive problems, and thyroid, liver and kidney damage.

 

1,4-DIOXANE

This is a known chemical carcinogen, which is created when ingredients are processed with petroleum-derived ethylene oxide. Ethoxylated compounds include: sodium laureth/lauryl sulfate and polyethylene glycol (often listed as PEG), myreth, oleth, laureth, ceteareth (or any other -eth), PEG, polyethylene, polyethylene glycol, polyoxyethylene, or oxynol.

1.4 Dioxane, release formaldehyde – see FORMALDEHYDE dangers listed above, in this article.

 

RETINOL PALMITATE

This is Vitamin A plus retinol, which, in combination, can damage DNA, when skin is exposed to the sun. Some studies have listed it as a carcinogen.

 

PETROCHEMICALS

• Petrolatum, petroleum jelly, and mineral oil are by-products of petroleum manufacturing!
• They are used to seal moisture into the hair and skin. They can cause irritation and worsen allergies.
• Mineral oil coats the skin like plastic, clogging the pores, and interfering with the skin’s ability to eliminate toxins, promoting acne and other disorders. Slows down skin function and cell development, resulting in premature aging.
• Also known as:

white mineral oil / mineral oil /medical white oil / paraffin oil / liquid paraffin / paraffinum liquidum / Vaseline / E 905.

 

SILOXANES

• Moisturizers utilize silicone-based siloxanes, to create a softer lotion. They can cause uterine tumors, infertility, and hormonal changes in humans.

 

TRIETHANOLAMINE (TEA)

• TEA causes allergic reactions, such as unexplained eye problems, and dryness of the skin. It could be toxic, if absorbed into the body over a long period of time. These chemicals are restricted in Europe, due to known carcinogenic effects.

 

SODIUM BENZOATE

• Professor Piper, of the University of Sheffield, claims that sodium benzoate can damage and inactivate vital parts of DNA, in the cell. There are many illnesses now tied to DNA damage, including Parkinson’s, and other neurodegenerative diseases, Premature aging of the skin could be the first sign of cellular damage.

 

PROPYLENE GLYCOL

• Ideally this is a vegetable glycerin mixed with grain alcohol, both of which are natural. However, usually it is a synthetic petrochemical mixture.
• Propylene Glycol has been known to cause allergic reactions, hives and eczema.
• Also known as:

PEG (polyethylene glycol) / PPG (polypropylene glycol) on labels.

• Although exposure to high levels of Propylene Glycol is known to cause potentially irreversible health conditions, the chemical industry claims that “small” quantities of Propylene Glycol are “safe” to use on the skin:
• However, according to the safety data sheets of industrial chemical manufacturers, chemicals such as Ethylene Glycol and Propylene Glycol will cause serious health conditions, including liver, heart and nerve damage, over time.

 

UREAS

Urea, also known as diazolidinyl urea, imidazolidinyl urea, or DMDM hydantoin and sodium hydroxymethylglycinate, are preservatives that have the potential to release formaldehyde in small amounts and are a primary cause of contact dermatitis.

 

TETRASODIUM OR DISODIUM EDTA

EDTA has been shown to enhance the penetration of other ingredients contained in a product.

Thus, it will also increase the penetration of other toxic ingredients, in some cases, right into the bloodstream.

ETDA, made from Ethylenediamine, Formaldehyde (a known carcinogen according to the
National Cancer Institute) and Sodium cyanide (which is made from the toxic gas, hydrogen cyanide).

Known to be cytotoxic and genotoxic to animals.

Synonyms are:

TEA-EDTA  / Edetate sodium  / Tetrasodium edetate  / Tetrasodium salt.

 

ORGANIC GRAIN ALCOHOL
This new replacement for Parabens, sounds good, but ‘organic’ does not always mean that its good.
For example, you can buy organic arsenic.
All it means is that the grain had no pesticides sprayed on it.
Here are the reasons to avoid it, if its listed in your skin products:
1) It make the product stink. The smell is like surgical spirits. No amount of essential oils added to it,
will get rid of that smell.
2) It makes the inside of your nostrils dry out instantly.
3) It breaks down the skin’s natural barrier, which increases penetration of good ingredients such as
herbs, but as the skin’s barrier is thinned and weakened, it becomes dry and unbalanced in many
ways. It will also increase the penetration of other toxic chemical ingredients, in some cases, right into the bloodstream.
4) The following alcohols are moisturizing: cetearyl / cetyl / stearyl. Grain alcohol is drying.

Synonyms are: ethanol / alcohol / organic alcohol.

The above is just a small list of synthetic ingredients to avoid. There are many more, so keep researching those strange words you see printed on your ingredients labels.