Did you know many skin care products have chemicals that can penetrate the skin and allow toxins into your body? Our skin is not the “armadillo” barrier we once thought. It does act as a protective barrier, but it also allows some substances to penetrate it.

The knowledge that the skin absorbs substances led medical researchers to create transdermal patches. These drug-embedded patches are attached to the skin and deliver their medicines directly through the skin and into the bloodstream.

Skin care companies are self-regulated and often use cheap, filler ingredients that are toxic. They can penetrate your skin, entering your bloodstream and organs. That’s not a good thing!

The degree of absorption depends on many factors: age, skin thickness and location, skin condition (whether it’s irritated or damaged), and the substance itself. For instance, lipids (oils) more easily penetrate the skin than some other ingredients.

It’s important to look with a critical eye at what products we use on our skin. We’re healthier when we eat organic, whole foods instead of packaged, processed junk food. Our skin is the same. We’re healthier “feeding” our skin nourishing, organic, plant-based substances rather than synthetic chemicals and pesticides.

What You Need to Know

It’s not enough for products to claim they are “natural”. Petroleum is natural, but not the best thing to use on the skin. Some products contain natural plant ingredients along with toxic chemicals and preservatives.

So how can we choose safe skin care products?

The first step is learning to read labels. Here are some basic guidelines for selecting safe, healthy skin care products.

Ingredients to look for in skin care products:

•Organic or wild-crafted plants and herbs
•Plants and herbs extracted by a “clean” technology, not petroleum solvents
•Essential oils
•Gentle, plant-based cleansers
•A toxic-free preservative system

Ingredients to avoid in skin care products:

•Plants and herbs that are not organic or wild-crafted -- these may have been grown using herbicides and pesticides or extracted with petroleum products such as propylene glycol or butylene glycol. Unfortunately, the extraction method is rarely shown on the label. This is where knowing the company’s philosophy, ethics and openness with the consumer becomes important.

•Fragrance -- can contain thousands of chemicals, many toxic or carcinogenic. Can cause headaches, dizziness, allergic reactions, coughing, vomiting and skin irritation. Fragrances can also affect the nervous system, causing depression, hyperactivity, irritability and other behavioral changes.

•Harsh chemical cleansers -- can strip natural oils from skin, removing the natural barrier and leaving skin dry and vulnerable. Two of these are Sodium Laurel Sulfate (SLS) and Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES). These detergents can cause serious health problems. They are used in the majority of personal-care products that foam. Also used as garage floor cleaners and engine degreasers!

•DEA (diethanolamine), MEA (monoethanolamine) & TEA (triethanolamine) -- these hormone-disrupting chemicals can form cancer-causing nitrates. Dr. Samuel Epstein (Professor of Environmental Health at the University of Illinois) reports that repeated applications of DEA-based detergents result in increases in liver cancer and kidney cancer.

•Parabens – the most widely used preservatives in the United States, they have been detected in human breast cancer tissue. Brunell University in Great Britain identified parabens as xeno-estrogens that penetrated the skin. Studies found these xeno-estrogens contributed to sterility in male mice and hormone imbalances in females.

•DMDM and Urea -- preservatives that often release formaldehyde (called formaldehyde donors) which cause joint pain, skin reactions, allergies, depression, headaches, chest pains, ear infections, chronic fatigue and dizziness.

•Artificial colors and dyes -- most colors are made from coal tars that can cause skin reactions. Artificial colors are combinations of chemicals that may be toxic.

Using these guidelines will give you a good start finding healthy, pure products to enjoy. You can rest easy knowing you are protecting your family and yourself from harmful ingredients.

Fortunately, there are an increasing number of organic or wild-crafted, toxic-free products on the market today. Be sure to check the ingredient list and choose the healthiest products to nourish your skin and body.