Dangers of Chemicals in Face Scrub

How the Chemicals in Your Face Scrub are Affecting Your Health

The skin on your face absorbs several times more of the chemicals and contaminants in beauty products than the skin on the rest of your body does. In fact, the skin on your face absorbs 64% of the contaminants in the water you use to wash with. So many face scrubs are nothing more than a toxic cocktail of chemicals, artificial coloring, and fragrance. You are careful about what you put in your body, but have you thought about what you’re putting on it?

What’s in Your Face Scrub?

• Sodium lauryl sulfate is the main ingredient in most face scrubs that gives you that squeaky clean feeling, it is also the active ingredient in your favorite engine degreaser. Sodium lauryl sulfate is also used in car washes and in garage floor cleaners. Pretty scary, huh? This harsh ingredient literally strips your skin of all of it’s natural protective oils. This causes your skin cells to crank up the oil production, which produces exactly the opposite affect you were looking for.
• Alcohols are a major ingredient in almost all face scrubs. Alcohol is used to make the skin product feel lighter. The problem is alcohol breaks down the skin’s natural oil barrier in order to let ingredients like retinol and Vitamin C penetrate skin cells. Alcohols are extremely drying to the skin. Studies of health care workers who frequently use alcohol based skin products show that the alcohol literally breaks down the skin’s barrier.
• Artificial Fragrance on a list of ingredients is just a fancy word that can refer to any number of toxic chemicals. Synthetic fragrances are stabilized with cancer causing phthalates. Fragrance compounds can cause allergies, asthma attacks and headaches. Overly perfumed products tend to irritate the skin as well.
• Parabens are found in most face scrubs. The companies use parabens as a preservative. Currently, the FDA has no regulations in regards to the use of parabens in skin care products and cosmetics. Recent studies show that parabens mimic estrogen, which can cause breast cancer. While the FDA maintains that parabens are safe for general use, these studies raise a red flag as to the safety of their effects on the human body.
• Oils are put in skin care products to boost moisture. Sounds safe enough right? Most oils used in skin care products are mineral or petroleum based. These oils are cheap and never go rancid. The problem is that they clog pores and cause breakouts. Dry skin is the only type of skin that benefits from additional oils in products. Dermatologists suggest using oil-free scrubs or ones that use plant based oils that won’t clog your pores.

What’s the Solution?

Fundamental Face Scrub is an all natural face scrub that is great for all skin types. This scrub is made in America with all organic herbs. The manufacturers do not use alcohols, chemical thickeners or fragrance in their product. This face scrub has been recognized as cruelty free by PETA and Leaping Bunny. With a price that is way less expensive than other chemical laden products, why not give it a try?

Read this informative article about cosmetics being linked to diabetes.