Many “soaps” on the store shelves contain petroleum-derived synthetic fragrances, artificial colors and mineral oil that can cause skin rashes and other allergic reactions.
The active ingredient in popular “Antimicrobial Soaps” causes nerve damage. This ingredient is called MIT (methylisothiazolinone), and is found in a surprising number of personal care products. MIT promotes the breeding of resistant strains of bacteria, and interferes with a healthy immune system (our primary prevention from getting sick).
Hair care products are commonly made with formaldehyde as a preservative, often labeled quarternim-15. Even though your hair can’t directly absorb toxins that can enter your bloodstream, the thin skin of your scalp can. This is especially important since shampoos and conditioners make their way to the scalp in showers and baths, when warm water opens the pores and increases the potential for absorption. This carcinogen can also be an irritant to skin, eyes, and respiratory passages. Although the government requires some products containing quaternium-15 to carry a warning label, shampoo is exempted from this requirement.
Dandruff shampoos contain selenium sulfide, which can cause vital organs to degenerate. Resorcinol, another absorbed ingredient in dandruff shampoos, can cause skin and eye irritation, drowsiness, unconsciousness and convulsions. Coal tar is also a popular dandruff remedy that is particularly carcinogenic.
Body Washes and Bubble Baths contain many chemicals, including BNPD, TEA and DEA. These chemicals combine at random to form carcinogenic nitrosamines. One of the labels on a popular bubble bath describes “a bath that will gently cleanse your skin, helping to leave it feeling soft and smooth.” Yet if you read the active ingredient list, it includes sodium laureth sulfate, cocamide DEA, sodium chloride, parfum, glycol stearate, tetrasodium EDTA, formaldehyde, polyquaternium-7, propylparaben, sodium hydroxide.
Sodium laureth sulphate (commonly found in bubble bath, body washes and soaps) is a substance that reduces the surface tension of a liquid and allows it to foam or penetrate solids. This ingredient is also an industrial grade detergent, or degreaser! It attacks heavy-duty greases and oils, thereby cleaning any surface. Garages use it to clean engine oil from their floors, as it is very corrosive.
However, the human skin contains glands that deliberately secrete grease or oil to keep the skin waterproof, supple, soft and smooth. Sodium laureth sulphate strips the natural oil from the skin leaving it rough and dry. It also attacks the formation of essential proteins in the eyes, leading to cataracts and may prevent children’s eyes from forming properly.
Sodium laureth sulphate and sodium lauryl sulphate can both react with other chemicals found in cosmetics to form nitrosamines and 1,4 dioxin, both known carcinogens.
Hope this helps to explain the importance of natural soaps, shampoos and body washes! Remember: You are what put on your skin!
In the spirit of nature and health,
Caryn