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Skin Care Products with Mineral Oil and Other Chemicals Damage the Skin

08/16/2008

Millions of people around the world go from one dry skin care product to another looking for relief. They say a product just didn’t work for them, or that it was working but isn’t anymore, and go searching for something else. But rarely do you hear anyone say the product they were using was actually making their skin worse. In fact, that is often the situation. What they need is a skin care product that doesn’t exacerbate the skin problems they already have or cause new ones.

Is it really true that the precise products we’re using to address our skin problems are either causing them or making them worse? Absolutely. Traditional skin care products commonly contain ingredients known to be irritants that compromise the integrity of the outer layer of the skin and cause it to itch, dry, and crack. It can even result in eczema.

Here are a few major chemical ingredients to watch out for:

Proplyene glycol - Used in skin care products to facilitate the absorption of other ingredients and prevent the product from melting or freezing, propylene glycol is also used in antifreeze, as a fluid in hydraulic presses, a coolant in liquid cooling systems, and to kill bugs. It is also a common ingredient in moisturizers, cosmetics, fragrance oils, toothpaste, mouth wash and even food. The Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) warns us to avoid skin contact with propylene glycol and says it can damage the liver and kidneys. It is also suspected to cause damage to the respiratory tract and the immune and nervous systems. Nevertheless, it’s in an alarming number of personal care products – including many of the skin care products that are probably in your bathroom right now.

Mineral oil and other petroleum products – They coat the skin with a slick film that makes your skin feel soft and supple. But it’s not your skin you’re feeling, it’s the mineral oil. Underneath that slick surface, you have clogged pores that can’t release toxins, can’t slough off dead skin cells, and can’t absorb moisture from the air. That’s what the mineral oil is actually doing. It also fools the skin into thinking it has adequate moisture and the body stops producing it’s own moisture in the quantity necessary. In a nutshell, the skin basically becomes dysfunctional and can no longer do its job as the body’s largest organ. To top it all off, a recent study found that mineral oil promotes the growth of skin cancer tumors.

Sodium laurel sulfate and it’s weaker cousin, sodium laureth sulfate - You’d be hard-pressed to find a face or body soap, shampoo, laundry or dish detergent or even a toothpaste without it. It is a common ingredient in skin care products – including those for dry skin and has been proven to be a skin irritant. Any skin care product that irritates the skin will compromise the integrity of the skin’s surface – which is where dry skin and other skin problems begin.

These aren’t the only dangerous chemicals in skin care products but they are among the most common.

Unfortunately, chemicals are hard to avoid. Even if you do your best to get natural products, it’s hard to completely eliminate them, especially since most of us live in fairly polluted environments and, if nothing else, we’ll absorb harsh and toxic chemicals from the air. To really be safe, check out shielding lotion. A good shielding lotion bonds with the outer layer of the skin to form a new protective layer that locks out chemicals. It also helps the body retain natural moisture.

When choosing skin care products, make sure they do not contain the above ingredients. Do a little research on your own, and then select natural skin care products free of harmful ingredients. But don’t forget the shielding lotion – no matter how wisely you shop to avoid chemicals in your household and personal care products, you can’t avoid air.

Technorati Tags: skin care, natural skin care, skin care products, skin care product, dry skin, eczema, shielding lotion

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