In a skincare market over-saturated with options and flooded with advertising dollars, it’s important to understand the differences between options that could end up damaging and sensitizing your skin, versus products that will support healthy skin and longevity. Of the more than 80,000 ingredients used in personal care products, many are toxic, industrial chemicals.
Why Clean Matters
Similar to our bodies performing at their best by eating natural, high quality, minimally processed foods—our skin also responds to this philosophy. Our skin is our largest organ. A significant percentage of what we put on it absorbs deep below surface level. Studies have shown that certain chemicals found in beauty products may disrupt natural hormone function, which may have a long-term impact on reproductive health and increase the incidence of diseases like breast cancer. (1)
Natural, organic ingredients work to make change in a way which is more synergistic with the skin’s natural functions, without disrupting how it organically heals and cares for itself.
A good, high quality natural skincare regimen will use plant-derived ingredients to support the skin and help solve skin deficiencies. It’s important to note that not all ‘natural’ skincare is created equal, as regulations in the US put very few restrictions on what it means to be labeled ‘natural’ or ‘organic’. A discerning eye is needed to be sure to avoid unnecessary ingredients in your skincare.
What to Avoid: The “Dirty Dozen”
Products which contain the following may cause free radical damage, hormone change, and inflammation which can increase your UV sensitivity and rapidly age the skin over time.
- Coal Tar Dyes (P-Phenylenediamine and Colors, listed as CI and followed by a 5 digit number)
- Petrolatum
- Triclosan
- BHA & BHT
- DEA (Diethanolamine)
- DBP (Dibutyl Phthalate)
- Formaldehyde-Releasing Preservatives
- PEG Compounds
- Siloxanes
- SLS (Sodium Laureth Sulfate)
- Parabens
- Parfum (Fragrance)
Free radicals are naturally produced by the body to fight disease, however when introduced in excess due to toxic topical ingredients or inflammation they become damaging to your cells’ DNA. The best way to combat excessive free radicals is to include antioxidants into your regimen, and avoid using toxic synthetic ingredients which trigger your body’s defenses.
Products You Can Trust
At Alive + Well we are often asked for recommendations on healthy skin care products. We have been studying this topic for some time, working to bring our community high quality options that we believe in.
Our facial services, for example, feature Eminence Organic Skin Care, a skin care line that is free from the toxic “dirty dozen” ingredients. Eminence focuses on results-driven, sustainably sourced, cruelty free products. Using only skin-safe essential oils and natural color from the plants the ingredients are derived from, Eminence actually works to combine the ingredients in a way to affect real, sustainable change in the skin.
In addition to Eminence, we offer SOCO Botanicals and ISUN Skincare. SOCO is a line of nourishing oils made from the highest quality natural resources from around the world. ISUN is focused on providing products that utilize wildcrafted, organic ingredients. Eminence, SOCO and ISUN can all be used to preserve the health of our skin, without using toxic ingredients that may have a long-term detrimental impact to other systems in our body.
To learn more about how to take care of your skin naturally, please visit us at Alive + Well to speak to one of our aestheticians and experience the difference of elevated, organic beauty care.
