Should You Care About Body Care Ingredients? YES!
We hear it all the time, "I'm eating well, feeding my body with good organic food. What I'm putting into my body is good, so do I really need to think about what I put on my body?" The simple answer is "Yes". Yes, you should be thinking about what goes on your body, especially if you're already taking great care with what you're putting into your body. When you eat something, your body gets to really break that something down through your digestive system. But what goes on your skin can go right through your skin, and directly into your body, no breaking down, no digesting. On top of that your skin is your body's largest organ, covering a surface area of nearly 22 square feet and accounting for nearly 16% of your total body weight. It provides you with a physical barrier, protects you from microbes, regulates hot and cold, and houses your lymphatic system. If your skin is gunked up by what you're putting on it from the outside, it's going to be difficult for your skin to clear out cellular gunk from the inside. Our litmus test - if there's an ingredient that would be toxic to eat, do we really want to be putting that same ingredient on our skin?
At Choices Natural Market, we screen all of our personal care items for these ingredients. You will not find them in any of the products we sell.
OXYBENZONE (BENZPENONE-3)
Used as: sunscreen agent, UV light absorber, UV filter.
Commonly found in: sunscreen, makeup.
Health concerns may include: photoallergic reactions, immunotoxicity, probable carcinogen, endocrine disruptor, biochemical cellular changes, developmental toxicity, reproductive toxicity.
PARABENS (METHYL, ETHYL, PROPYL AND BUTYL)
Used as: preservative, anti-bacterial agent.
Commonly found in: cosmetics, personal care products.
Health concerns may include: possible hormone disruptor, impaired fertility, probable skin toxicant; studies have found parabens in breast tumors; animal studies have found brain and nervous system effects.
FORMALDEHYDE
Used as: disinfectant, germicide, fungicide, preservative.
Commonly found in: nail polish, deodorant, soap, shampoo, shaving cream.
Health concerns may include: immune system toxicant, hematological toxicant, skin toxicant, probable carcinogen, cardiovascular toxicant; may cause damage to DNA; animal studies have found brain and nervous system effects.
PETROLATUM (PETROLEUM)
Used as: skin softener, increases shine, creates smooth texture.
Commonly found in: cosmetics, personal care products.
Health concerns may include: linked to certain cancers; may be contaminated with other impurities.
PHTHALATES (DIBUTYL PHTHALATES)
Used as: solvent, plasticizer, fragrance ingredient.
Commonly found in: cosmetics, personal care products.
Health concerns may include: immune system toxicant, developmental toxicant, reproductive toxicant, respiratory toxicant, probable neurotoxin, possible carcinogen, possible endocrine disruptor; has been found to be bio-accumulative in wildlife.
PROPYLENE GLYCOL
Used as: solvent, enhances skin penetration, controls viscosity, anti-melting and anti-freezing properties.
Commonly found in: cosmetics, personal care products.
Health concerns may include: allows other chemicals to penetrate deeper into the skin, increases the amount of other chemicals that can enter the bloodstream; animal studies have found reproductive effects, mutation, brain and nervous system effects, and endocrine disruption.
SODIUM LAURETH SULFATE
Used as: enhances skin penetration, surfactant.
Commonly found in: cosmetics, personal care products.
Health concerns may include: allows other chemicals to penetrate deeper into the skin, increases the amount of other chemicals that can enter the bloodstream, irritant.
TALC
Used as: anti-caking agent, bulking agent, absorbs moisture.
Commonly found in: blush, eye shadow, and foundation powders, baby powder, deodorant.
Health concerns may include: carcinogen, probable respiratory toxicant, linked to ovarian cancer; shown to be similar to asbestos particles.
We invite you to read ALL labels in our store because we are confident you’ll find only the cleanest food, personal care, vitamins and supplements anywhere in Rockford.
SOURCES FOR INGREDIENT INFORMATION: