Some of the chemical nasties lurking in your toiletries

It really surprises us how little people really know about what goes into their everyday toiletries. Even more surprising is the amount of people that are turning to organic food but still using chemical laden toiletries. The skin is the largest breathing organ of our body, studies have shown that the skin absorbs up to 60% of what is put onto it. This means that all chemicals present in our everyday toiletries is absorbed into the body then transported via blood cells to every other major organ in our body.
Sodium Lauryl Sulphate (SLS) is a common ingredient found in our cosmetics and personal care products, including shampoo, soap, shower gel, toothpaste, shaving cream and bath foams. SLS is also known as a surfactant - a surfactant breaks down the surface tension of a liquid, allowing it to foam or to penetrate solids. It is widely used by manufacturers because it is cheap. Sodium lauryl sulphate is also used as an industrial degreaser to clean the grease off garage floors and in engines. SLS & Skin - Sodium lauryl sulphate is a known irritant and is actually used in clinical studies for that purpose - to irritate the skin so that the effects of other substances can be tested. When applied to human skin it has the effect of stripping off the oil layer then irritating and eroding, leaving it dry, itchy and sometimes inflamed. It cleans by corrosion and dries the skin by stripping the protective lipids from the surface so it cannot effectively regulate moisture balance. SLS can also aggravate more serious skin conditions like eczema and dermatitis. SLS & Eyes - In experimental, acute eye tests, a solution of 10% sodium lauryl sulphate caused corneal damage to the eyes if not irrigated or irrigation was delayed. A solution of 5.1% caused mild irritation. Studies have also shown that SLS could retard the healing and keep children’s eyes from developing properly by denaturing the proteins and not allowing for proper structural formation. Children under six years old are especially vulnerable to improper eye development. It has also been said that SLS could cause cataracts in adults and delays the healing of wounds in the surface of the cornea. SLS & Hair - Because sodium lauryl sulphate is such a caustic detergent it can cause scalp irritations, corrode the hair follicle - impairing the ability for hair to grow, and strips moisture from the delicate hair shaft, leaving it dry and brittle. SLS & Science - Sodium lauryl sulphate has a low molecular weight of just 40, ingredients under the weight of 75 enters the body. Therefore SLS can rapidly be absorbed into the body and be retained in the eyes, brain, liver and heart, which may result in harmful long term effects.
What is the difference between SLS and SLES? - When SLS goes through a process called ethoxylation (this is where the degreasing agent becomes less abrasive gives it enhanced foaming properties) this compound then becomes Sodium Laureth Sulphate (SLES). The problem here lays with the fact that ethoxylation causes residues of a compound called 1, 4-dioxane to form. 1, 4-dioxane has shown in tests to be carcinogenic in rats and mice and is absorbed through the intact skin of the animals. Furthermore, this compound has been classified as a possible carcinogen in humans. According to the European Economic Community directive on cosmetics, 1, 4-dioxane must not be present in commercial products. Consequently, the assay of this substance in marketed cosmetics is of a direct concern.
Parabens are a group of chemicals widely used in the cosmetic industry. They are preservatives that inhibit the growth of bacteria, fungus and mould, to extend the shelf life of a product. The most commonly used parabens in cosmetics are methylparaben, propylparaben, ethylparaben and butylparaben. Parabens may cause skin irritation, cause allergic reactions and interfere with the intestinal flora which is vital for the cleanliness of the intestines. Recent research suggests that parabens are able to mimic the action of the female hormone oestrogen, so there is a link with breast cancer, although this has not been proven and further studies are needed.
Phthalates are chemicals used in many toiletries to help the fragrance last longer. Animal studies on certain phthalates have shown the chemicals may cause a variety of problems, including reproductive and developmental harm, organ damage, immune suppression, endocrine disruption and cancer. The major concern is that as phthalates are so ubiquitous in our environment, no one knows for sure what the long term exposure, even in small doses, may be doing to human health, particularly developing infants.
Phthalates are so widely used that it may be nearly impossible to eliminate your exposure entirely. However, we feel just by omitting them from the cosmetics we use will make a difference. Phthalates may be listed as: Dibutyl phthalate (DBP), Diethyl phthalate (DEP), Butylbenzyl phthalate (BBP)
Propylene Glycol is a colourless, nearly odourless syrupy liquid that is derived from a natural gas. It is used in cosmetics as a binding agent. There is much debate at the moment whether PG is safe or not. Tests on animals have shown adverse health effects: rashes, deafness, liver problems and kidney damage where noted. For this reason BareSatsuma has decided not to offer you products with this chemical in.

Park Holistic Organic Luxury Hands and Nails

This hand cream is one of my personal favourites. It is a rich and nourishing hand cream with jojoba, natural vitamin E and organic essential oils of Lavender, Geranium, Frankinsense and Neroli.

A 60g jar tends to last for absolutely ages as only a small amount of cream is needed on application. It smooths in to the skin effortlessly and does not leave a greasy residue like some hand creams.

I have always suffered with incredibly dry and parched hands especially over the winter months, and over the years I have tried many lotions and potions. Until now I have never found a cream that truly nourishes my dry, chapped hands - thank goodness for this little miracle in a jar!

The Park Holistic Organic Luxury Hand & Nails cream carries a beautiful light fragrance and along with the ability to nourish and moisturise care worn hands I feel its a definate beauty must have!

http://www.baresatsuma.com/

Hello and welcome!

This is it I have finally decided to sit myself down for long enough to write our first ever blog..........easier said than done though! I am now sitting here racking my brains over what to write about!

The best place to start is probably to tell you about the passion behind BareSatsuma being born..............

Having children changes your life in many ways. You want to love, nurture and protect them from harm and give them the best possible start in life, this is why both myself and my collegue try to feed our families a healthy and where possible organic diet. This eventually went a little further by trying to omit as many unnecessary chemicals from their skin care and toiletries, by sourcing good quality products containing natural and organic ingredients. After a few years of using these products we felt very passionate about sharing our good finds with other like minded parents.

We have been incredibly surprised at how little people really know about the ingredients listed in their toiletries and the possible health implications they carry. For example most parents are completely unaware about a common added chemical ingredient called sodium lauryl sulphate (sls) that is included in most foaming toiletries - even in baby's bubble bath.......... sls is a cheap foaming agent, also known as a sufactant, it is basically the ingredient behind all the bubbles, also included in shampoos, soaps, shower gels in fact anything that foams. When applied to human skin it has the effect of stripping off the oil layer then irritating and eroding, leaving it dry, itchy and sometimes inflamed. It cleans by corrosion and dries the skin by stripping the protective lipids from the surface so it can not effectively regulate moisture balance. SLS can also aggrevate more serious skin conditions like eczema and dermatitis.

Are you still wanting to bathe your lovely new born baby in those nice scented bubbles now!?

The advice midwives are finally now starting to give is to bathe your baby in plain water for at least the first 6 weeks of life. At birth, the top layer of baby's skin is very thin and absorbent, so it is more susceptible to damage from germs, chemicals and water loss. Over the coming weeks Baby's skin matures,and develops a protective layer, although it is advisable to limit the amount of chemicals put onto the skin to reduce the development of future skin conditions.

So out of sheer passion for our families wellbeing our company was founded.

Please visit back to read more ramblings from me and the team with future product features and healthy skin tips and advice.

http://www.baresatsuma.com/