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Because We Care!
This page is dedicated to providing you with relevant information on the raw materials that we will not use in our products. Because we believe what we don't put into our products is just as important as what we do put into them.
Phthalates: A chemical that can be toxic. They interfere with the male reproductive organs and are known to damage sperm, reduce fertility, and are especially dangerous to developing fetuses. Pregnant women should avoid dibutyl phthalate in nail polish. Phthalates are often contained in the “Fragrance” ingredient in personal care products. Often listed as: Fragrance, Dibutyl Phthalate(s), Diethyl Phthalate, 1,2-Benzenedicaroxylic Acid, Dibutyl Ester, Dibutyl 1,2-Benzenedicarboxylate, Dibutyl Ester1,2- Benzenedicaroxylic Acid, DBP, and DI-N-Butylphthalate.
SLS and SLES: Both Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) and its close relative Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES) are commonly used in many soaps, shampoos, detergents, toothpastes and other products that we expect to "foam up". Both chemicals are very effective foaming agents, chemically known as surfactants. In fact, SLES is commonly contaminated with dioxane, a known carcinogen. Although SLES is somewhat less irritating than Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, it cannot be metabolised by the liver and its effects are therefore much longer-lasting A report published in the Journal of The American College of Toxicology in 1983 showed that concentrations as low as 0.5% could cause irritation and concentrations of 10-30% caused skin corrosion and severe irritation. Perhaps most worryingly, SLS is also absorbed into the body from skin application. Once it has been absorbed, one of the main effects of sodium lauryl sulfate is to mimic the activity of the hormone Oestrogen. This has many health implications and may be responsible for a variety of health problems from PMS and Menopausal symptoms to dropping male fertility and increasing female cancers such as breast cancer, where oestrogen levels are known to be involved.
Synthetic Dye / Colorants (FD&C Blue No. 1, FD&C Yellow No 5 & 6, D&C Red No. 33): Most synthetic dyes or colorants are petroleum based. Some of them are toxic in nature while others could cause skin irritation. They are used to add variety of colors to the products aiming at differentiating them from others. FD & C Blue 1 is a known carcinogen FD & C 5 & 6 and D&C Red No. 33 - impurities found have been shown to cause cancer not only when digested but also through application to skin.
Artificial Preservative Imidazolidinyl Urea and DMDM Hydantoin: These are two of the many preservatives that release formaldehyde (formaldehyde-donors). According to the Mayo Clinic, formaldehyde can irritate the respiratory system, cause skin reactions and trigger heart palpitations. Exposure to formaldehyde may cause joint pain, allergies, depression, headaches, chest pains, ear infections, chronic fatigue, dizziness and loss of sleep. It can also aggravate coughs and colds and trigger asthma. Serious side effects include weakening of the immune system and cancer.
Synthetic Fragrance: Many of the compounds in fragrances are carcinogenic or otherwise toxic. Symptoms reported to the FDA have included headaches, dizziness, rashes, skin discoloration, violent coughing and vomiting, and allergic skin irritation.' Synthetic fragrance are made up of hundreds of chemicals. Some, such as methylene chloride, are carcinogenic; others can cause brain damage. Some of these carcinogenic chemicals can be readily absorbed through the skin.
Formaldehyde: A colorless, pungent-smelling gas, can cause watery eyes, burning sensations in the eyes and throat, nausea, and difficulty in breathing in some humans exposed at elevated levels (above 0.1 parts per million). High concentrations may trigger attacks in people with asthma. It has also been shown to cause cancer in animals and may cause cancer in humans. Health effects include eye, nose, and throat irritation; wheezing and coughing; fatigue; skin rash; severe allergic reactions.
Parabens: A synthetic preservatives found in shampoos, make-up foundations, shaving gels and even food. They have a chemical structure similar to estrogen that interferes with production of the body’s natural hormones - potentially leading to weight gain and more importantly, containing potential links to cancer. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in their report "Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products in the Environment: Agents of Subtle Change?" reported that the chemical preservatives called parabens—methyl, propyl, butyl and ethyl (alkyl-p-hydroxybenzoates)—displayed estrogenic activity in several tests. This means that these chemicals mimic your body´s own hormones and can have endocrine-disrupting action when they are rubbed into your body or washed down the drain into your drinking water. These disruptors interfere with your body´s endocrine system: your hypothalamus, your ovaries, your thyroid—virtually every system in your body.
DEA: DEA is diethanolamine, a chemical that is widely used as a wetting agent in shampoos, lotions, creams and other cosmetics. DEA provides a rich lather in shampoos and keeps a favorable consistency in lotions and creams. DEA by itself is not harmful but while sitting on the stores shelves or in your cabinet at home, DEA can react with other ingredients in the cosmetic formula to form an extremely potent carcinogen called nitrosodiethanolamine (NDEA). NDEA is readily absorbed through the skin and has been linked with stomach, esophagus, liver and bladder cancers. According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), "There is sufficient evidence of a carcinogenic effect of N-nitrosodiethanolamine -- . IARC recommends that NDEA should be treated as if it were a carcinogen in humans. The National Toxicology Program similarly concluded: "There is sufficient evidence for the carcinogenicity of N-nitrosodiethanolamine in experimental animals. Since 1976, workers exposed to NDEA in metal working fluids, at levels similar to those in cosmetics, have been warned of cancer risks and steps are taken to protect them. In 1979, the FDA urged the cosmetics industry to take "immediate action to eliminate" NDEA in cosmetics. However, the FDA has taken no subsequent action while industry remains unresponsive. Studies also show that DEA directly inhibits fetal brain development in mice by blocking the absorption of choline, a nutrient required for brain development and maintenance. DEA is also associated with miscarriages in laboratory studies.
Mineral Oil: This commonly used petroleum ingredient coats the skin just like plastic wrap. The skin's natural immune barrier is disrupted as this plastic coating inhibits its ability to breathe and absorb the Natural Moisture Factor (moisture and nutrition. The skin's ability to release toxins is impeded by this 'plastic wrap,' which can promote acne and other disorders. This process slows down skin function and normal cell development causing the skin to prematurely age. It hinders normal skin perspiration by preventing toxins, waste and moisture from escaping and not letting oxygen in to the skin.
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