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You might be thinking, “I’m not around chemicals, so of course I’m toxin free.” Are you sure? “Of course! I’ve switched to all-natural products.” Have you read the labels on your household cleaners? What about your soaps? Shampoo? Lotions? If not you may want to keep reading, then go check your bathroom, even if you have the greener, all-natural products.
In Europe, more than 1,300 chemicals are banned from use in lotions, soaps, toothpaste, cosmetics, and other personal care products. Contrast that to in the United States where just 11 are banned. The average US woman uses 12 personal care products and/or cosmetics a day, containing 168 different chemicals, according to the Environmental Working Group (EWG). Chemicals are all around us, they are hiding in our lotions, soaps, face washes, make-up, laundry detergent, dryer sheets and softeners, air fresheners, candles, cleaners, and more.
A bit scary huh? So what are some of the most common chemicals hiding all around us?
Soaps: sodium laureth sulfate - chemical used to remove car grease off floors. It can be damaging to the skin and disruptive to immune and hormonal health .
Shampoos: phthalates - banned in children's toys, but still used in cleansing products. It is a known endocrine disruptor and very hard for the body to break down.
Candles and Air fresheners: Formaldehyde - #1 cancer causing chemical. This is what they use to embalm at the morgue....
Household cleaners: 2-butoxyethanol - known to cause sore throat, narcosis, severe liver and kidney damage.
Laundry detergents and dryer sheets: alpha-terpineol, benzyl alcohol, and camphor - all cause central nervous system disorders, loss of muscular coordination, central nervous system depression, headaches, nausea, and vomiting.
Fragrance: a broad category that hides hundreds of chemicals. Fun fact. Companies are not required to reveal the actual chemicals in each "fragrance", keeping the public in the dark about what the true toxicity of the products are.
Talc, bismuth, parabens, lead, mercury, and mineral oil: all found in store bought skin care and makeup products. They can disrupt the endocrine system, are highly carcinogenic, and have even been found in tumors.
Beware that products boasting "all-natural" labels can still contain harmful chemicals, so be sure to check the full list of ingredients. Better yet, simplify your routine and make your own products. A slew of lotions, potions, and hair treatments can be eliminated with a jar of coconut oil, for example.
It's important to remember that your skin is your largest and most permeable organ. Just about anything you put on your skin will end up in your bloodstream and be distributed throughout your body. Once these chemicals find their way into your body, they tend to accumulate over time because you lack the necessary enzymes to break them down.
When these toxic products are used on a daily basis, the toxins build up within our bodies (bioaccumulation). The more we are exposed to the toxins, the harder it is for our bodies to break them down and get rid of them. This build up causes both minor and major health issues over time. This is why I'm so fond of saying "don't put anything on your body that you wouldn't eat if you had to." What you'll notice if you browse through the ingredients in any of my personal line of natural skin care products is just that – ingredients you'll know and recognize, like organic coconut oil, orange oil, or rosemary extract.
So now what? Choose better. I have become a label reader on everything I buy. You can become a DIY queen and use all ingredients you know the source of. I do make some of my own products, like my lotion, but I am a busy farm wife and momma of littles. I do not have the time to experiment and make everything. So I found an easy button, a company that is dedicated to improving wellness and chemical free living, around the world.
Wanting a community to lean into? Join the FREE Courageous + Purposeful Mommas group! This community is for the Mommas, mommas to be, in the midst of raising, and kids grown, looking for tips on building your family up and providing for them through natural methods. Tips include: gardening, bulk buying, caning,/preserving, livestock, homesteading, and home remedies. Your family is precious, and this group is to help you gain the knowledge and tools to keep your family well and not reliant on outside professionals. Remedies and tips are easy and simple for the busy momma, time is precious after all, including pregnancy, birth, young kids, and illness. Trust your Momma gut again! This community offers the resources + community you need to help get started on your journey and prepare for whatever future you envision.
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