By Melesa Kelsch
If your looks are important to you, it's very likely that you use a variety of hygiene and beauty products. Unfortunately these products aren't always good for you. They may in fact carry some serious health risks, not to mention the impact they have on the environment. For this reason, more and more consumers are switching to natural skin care.
Most of the cosmetics on the market contain ingredients that you won't find in the same form in nature. That smell of herbs, fruit or the ocean is usually the result of artificial fragrances, while colorants ensure that a product is, for example, pale pink rather than muddy brown. Most products also contain parabens and mineral oil.
The problem with using products full of chemicals is that you absorb more than half of these substances through your epidermis. Research into many of the ingredients of mainstream cosmetics is showing that some of these chemicals may be bad for your health. Parabens, for instance, have been linked to hormonal problems that lead to breast cancer and other diseases. In addition, some artificial ingredients may do more harm than good for your skin too. Mineral oil can actually increase your risk of getting wrinkles while colorants and fragrances may cause allergic reactions.
If you have environmental concerns, 'artificial' should be a label banned from your bathroom closet too. Few artificial ingredients are biodegradable, so when they wash down the drain in your shower or bathtub, they end up in the waterways and pollute the environment. In addition, a commonly used ingredient is mineral oil, which is a petroleum byproduct. You only need to travel past an oil refinery to see how producing petroleum impacts on the world around you.
If you decide to switch to products that contain only naturally derived ingredients, it's always best to be aware that even these ingredients aren't completely risk free. It's also very easy for manufacturers to jump on the green bandwagon without actually being more environmentally responsible. As with anything else you use on your body, you should read the labels carefully, stay informed about what the ingredients do and test the products for allergic reactions.
Many consumers complain that going green is very expensive. Mainstream products are cheaper because manufacturers can keep costs lower by using more cost-effective artificial ingredients. One way for you to get around this problem is to try home remedies. There are many recipes for making moisturizers, cleansers, toners, face masks and even soaps and hair products using items from your kitchen, like oatmeal and honey.
Online is also a good place to look for ready-made natural skin care products. Otherwise, health stores usually stock a variety of products too. Switching to greener, healthier cosmetics has never been easier.
