TheCrabsHomestead

Have you ever looked on the back of your beauty product labels? Can you pronounce half of them, or do you know what half of them actually are? I will tell you from my own research that there are one too many harmful ingredients in most of them, unless it is manufactured by an organically minded company. I wanted to write this article in association with my other article on how to DIY your own Toothpaste, Mouthwash, Shampoo, Conditioner, Face Wash, Face Mask, and Deodorant, which you can find HERE(will post shortly).

I did not list all of the ingredients in the above listed products, but simply a few examples to show the dangers that we put on and in our bodies every day. I also listed the sites that I retrieved the information from after each one! Of course, I encourage everyone to do their own research, because at the end of the day, only you are the one really looking out for you or your family.

• Sodium Fluoride: Used in toothpaste, also in pesticides, fungicides, insecticides because it is poisonous and to make steel and aluminum products, glass frosting, wood preservatives, and drinking water at public water treatment facilities (yeah its poison in your water people). Check out this excerpt from Livestrong.com:

“The most common form of fluoride used in toothpaste and fluoride mouth rinse is sodium fluoride, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Fluoride toothpaste sold in the United States typically contains between 1000 and 1500 parts per million of sodium fluoride. Because ingesting too much sodium fluoride can result in poisoning, you should only use a pea-sized amount when brushing and avoid swallowing. Symptoms of sodium fluoride include abdominal pain, drowsiness, vomiting and unconsciousness.”

(http://www.livestrong.com/article/344745-common-uses-of-sodium-fluoride/).

• FD&C Blue Dye #1 &2: In toothpaste. Artificial coloring, used in ice cream, gelatin, soda pop, candy, and many other low nutritional products. Oh and did I mention these are derived from petroleum? Yummmmm…

“Blue 2 has been known to cause hyperactivity, chromosomal damage, nausea, high blood pressure, vomiting, breathing problems, allergic reactions and skin rashes. This chemical has been found to cause brain cancer in rats. Blue 2 has been banned in Sweden, Switzerland, Norway, Germany, France, Belgium, Australia and the British Commonwealth.”

http://whatsinthisstuff.com/ingredient/FDC-Blue-2-Lake).

• Benzalkonium Chloride: (aka alkyldimethylbenzylammonium) Used as a disinfectant in mouthwash and microbial corrosion inhibition in oilfields, as well as many other industrial uses.

“Benzalkonium chloride is highly toxic to fish – very highly toxic to aquatic invertebrates, moderately toxic to birds. A solution of 10% or more is toxic to humans, causing irritation to the skin and mucosa, and death if taken internally.”

http://gumdiseaseremedies.com/mouthwash-ingredients-can-mouthwash-really-kill-me/

• Sodium Lauryl Sulfate: Found in 90% of shampoo and conditoners and has been blamed for premature hair loss. Found in Car wash soaps, engine degreaser, toothpaste, lotions, and garage floor cleaners.

“Exposure to SLS can lead to a burning sensation, coughing, wheezing, laryngitis, shortness of breath, headache, nausea and vomiting, according to the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) of the U.S. government. SLS penetrates your eyes, brain, liver and remains there long-term. It degenerates cell membranes because it is a mutagen that can change the genetic information in your cells and damage your immune system. It can cause blindness (scientific studies have proven that this compound damages protein formation in the eye tissue) and can lead to cataract formation. After damage to the eyes has been done, your eyes cannot heal properly because SLS retards the eye healing process.”

http://www.healthy-communications.com/hidden_dangers_lurking_in_shampoo.htm

• Propylene Glycol: Derived from petroleum products, used in antifreeze, de-icers, paint, and laundry detergent. This one can also cause nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea if ingested. Of course, we are not eating this stuff…but we are putting it right on top of our brains. What the What?!

http://www.healthy-communications.com/hidden_dangers_lurking_in_shampoo.htm

• Aluminum: The main and sometimes the only active ingredient in deoderant. It is also used in other beauty products as well. It has been linked to breast cancer and alzheimers disease.

“Aluminum-based compounds are used as the active ingredient in antiperspirants. These compounds form a temporary plug within the sweat duct that stops the flow of sweat to the skin’s surface. Some research suggests that aluminum-based compounds, which are applied frequently and left on the skin near the breast, may be absorbed by the skin and cause estrogen-like (hormonal) effects. Because estrogen has the ability to promote the growth of breast cancer cells, some scientists have suggested that the aluminum-based compounds in antiperspirants may contribute to the development of breast cancer.”

http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Risk/AP-Deo

There are many other ingredients not even listed here, but honestly, that should be enough proof for any person! If you can’t pronounce the ingredient, it probably isn’t good for you. Just a good rule of thumb to think about with any ingredient you ingest or put on your body, food included. So, how to fix this? You DIY IT! And it is super easy! Vote with your dollar and live self reliantly. The fate of you and your family’s health depend on it. Most Americans have ingested and absorbed numerous toxins since being in the womb…I can at least say that about my generation, when everything was made “cheaper and better” with no prolonged scientific studies of what the long term effects would be on humans.

We just recently made this switch to our own DIY products to hopefully decrease the number of toxins entering our bodies. The important thing to remember is that every day is a new day. The sooner you start, your chances of decreasing the amount of toxins and bad junk are astronomically higher!! You can always buy from more natural ingredient focused companies, but that can get expensive. Why not try DIY easy recipes that can be whipped up in no time!

See my next article on how to make all of these awesome products yourself with just 1-4 ingredients you have in your pantry! HERE