How Can Body Creams Be So Appealing Yet Possibly Dangerous?
Are your body creams safe? There are ingredients in body lotion and creams that many researchers feel should not be included. Some of the chemicals are merely hazardous. Others are known to cause cancer.
The biggest problem is that you don’t know what might be lurking in that bottle, because cosmetic companies are not required to list detailed ingredients. They use proprietary names and don’t disclose the chemicals used to create their body creams.
Some of the residue and byproducts from the manufacturer process linger. Others probably are due to the bottle that it is stored in. In the United States, companies are allowed to use all but a handful of restricted materials in their body lotion and creams.
The restricted materials are mostly compounds that might injure employees handling the mixture. They use many volatile compounds, lots of alcohols, lots of preservatives and lots of fragrances.
Fragrance is another example of a vague ingredient. There are at least 4000 different ingredients that will create a fragrance. They are not required to be specific and they don’t want to be specific, because many of those ingredients are toxic and some are known carcinogens.
It is best to avoid body creams that contain a fragrance, cologne or perfume. They are the most common allergens. The second most common allergen, preservatives, should also be avoided.
The most common preservatives used in body lotion and creams are parabens. In some cases, there are as many as four different parabens in one product. They have been linked to cancer in numerous studies, but cosmetic companies won’t stop using them.
It wouldn’t be such a problem if we only used body creams every once in a while. But, on a daily basis we use deodorant, body wash, shampoo, conditioner, mousse, gel, and other health and beauty aids that contain the same compounds.
Women use a variety of different cosmetics including foundation, eye shadow, mascara, cover-stick and lipstick. Add to that body lotion and creams and all of the other products mentioned above and you have at least 10 different sources of exposure to hazardous chemicals every day. There is an option.
If you look for a company that has agreed to abide by the European Union’s standards for safe cosmetics, then you can avoid all of the chemicals that are suspected of or known to cause cancer. You can also avoid body creams that have been linked to breast cancer and birth defects.
Of course, the major brands have not signed the “Compact for Safe Cosmetics”. They would have to change their formulas and come up with new ingredients. That wouldn’t be a bad thing, because the average body lotion and creams are not effective anyway.
Most of them contain petrolatum which actually inhibits the natural rejuvenation process, so with repeated use, the skin looks older than it should. The best ingredients for body creams are natural plant oils that are similar to the skin’s own makeup, vitamins that prevent free radical damage and proteins that repair damage. So, shop carefully and be safe.
Jami Goode researches effective anti aging skin care products that protect and promote good health. Visit her site at www.radiant-and-clear-skin.com/ to discover the skin care products that Jami recommends.
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