Are Organic Cosmetics Really Better
The first question a consumer often asks before purchasing a skin care product is “Is it natural?” This perception has come about because numerous natural companies have been misinterpreting safety data sheets. Of course the reason they do this is to make their cosmetic seem safer when in reality this may not be the case.
Usually this inaccurate data comes in the form of Material Safety Data Sheets that have been taken out of context. Unfortunately MSDS often use animal studies as a determinant of safety , This however is not accurate and does not follow that that the same adverse effects are inevitable in humans.
Using animals as a means of deciding whether drugs and chemicals are safe has no weight what so ever. Most drugs are metabolised entirely differently by humans then animals. Even within the animal family some species will have no health affects while others will be killed by the same substance.
Thalidomide, a drug prescribed for morning sickness in the 60’s was tested on animals prior to release and deemed safe upon animal testing but soon after was found to cause birth defects in humans. Aspirin also causes birth defects in monkeys amongst many other animal species but is safe in humans.
With the massive amount of inaccurate information flying around the internet is it any wonder that consumers are going natural but natural does not mean safer for allergic skins.
Lavender oil which is frequently used in baby products and liberally in adult cosmetics is considered by most people to be fantastic because of its antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties. Lavender however makes the skin more prone to burning from UV rays and also causes pigmentation, a condition that women pay hundreds to thousands of dollars to get rid of. Of course natural companies will not tell you that by using their lavender product that they will give you pigmentation. You are only told how fantastic it is and not what the long term consequences of use are.
Lavender and Tea Tree Oil have also been dubbed gender bender chemicals. Both of these natural oils have been shown to induce breast development in prepubescent boys. The report in The New England Journal of Medicine found that use of personal care products was a strong contributor to this phenomenon.
Lavender also is associated with contact dermatitis and allergies. Lavender contains Coumarin (makes you burn quicker), Geraniol, Limonene and Linalool; all of which are listed of the EU regulated list of contact allergens. Not a good choice for those with hypersensitivities. Of course this information about natural products is hidden from consumers in an attempt by natural companies to get a competitive edge over their synthetic counterparts.
Sodium Lauryl Sulphate (SLS) is hailed as being terrible for your skin and there is no doubt it can dry your skin and cause problems. Sodium Lauryl Sulphate is the benchmark for irritancy, it is what everything else is compared to. However replacing SLS with other surfactants does not mean you will not have an allergy. The newest breed of surfactants are derived from sugar and so are deemed natural, the fact that SLS comes from coconut another natural souce is not mentioned of course by natural companies. The Glucosides come from sugar and yes they are natural, but don’t use them if you have allergies. I have seen first hand people who look like they have been burnt from a couple of uses. Decyl Glucoside which is commonly used has a pH of 11. Yes you read that correctly. It is so alkaline that Citric Acid must be added at the end of formulation to bring down the pH so it does not burn your skin.
Do not rely on safety data sheets as an indicator of safeness. What causes an allergy in one person does not in another. Education however is the best knowledge you can have as it allows you to have choice and not be misled by hyped up advertising.
Bursting The Bubble On Surfactants
Surfactants are a necessary ingredient when it comes to having clean skin and hair. Surfactants are one of the known ingredients that can also cause dryness and skin irritation due to the nature of how they work. Surfactants is an abbreviation for Surface Active Tension Agent. They work by lowering the surface tension and allowing dirt and grease to be removed.
One of the most common surfactants used is Sodium Lauryl Sulphate. It is also the benchmark for irritancy for all other surfactants. Like the majority of surfactants available, Sodium Lauryl Sulphate is also is derived from a natural source…coconut. So it is a naturally derived ingredient.
Sodium Lauryl Sulphate is used because it is a very effective degreaser and is also dirt cheap to buy. You are looking at a commercial cost of about $3.00 AUS per kg to purchase versus some of the more natural surfactants which are $17.00 per kg.
Many companies use scare mongering to suggest that SLS causes cancer. Both the CTFA (Cosmetic, Toiletry and Fragrance Association) and the American Cancer Council have stated this is nothing more than an urban myth, a view confirmed by toxicology research(1) The protest from natural and toxic free companies comes from the fact that SLS can be contaminated with 1,4 Dioxane, a probable human carcinogen.
Let’s however puts this in perspective. SLS contains parts per thousand to parts per million of 1,4 Dioxane. A very small percentage. A daily consumption of 1gram per day over a lifetime increases the risk of cancer to 1 in 3000.(2) You are unlikely to every accumulate a rate of 1gram per day. Such an intake would be correspond to eating litres of Sodium Lauryl Sulphate on a daily basis. Considering SLS is not meant for consumption this is an event that is unlikely to occur.
Even the Cosmetic Safety Data Base gives SLS a safety rating of 2 which is a mild risk.
http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/ingredient.php?ingred06=706110
There concern lies with animal studies which have shown possible detriment. You will know though if you have read my post on “Are Organic Cosmetics Better” that animal studies are not a reliable indicator of safety. There is not one human study showing detrimental effects besides skin irritation.
Cocamidopropyl Betaine which is a natural surfactant also derived from coconut has been shown to have human studies which show concern. It is rated as a moderate hazard, with a rating of 5. Yet we as mothers freely use these products on our children. Natural companies frequently use Cocamidopropyl Betaine and imply it is safe because it is natural. Cocamidopropyl Betaine is a known HUMAN (not animal) immune system toxicant. Yet you never see anyone maligning or saying it is BAD. Why is this so?
I will tell you the reason. It does not suit their agenda of what they are trying to sell you…So they only tell you what they want you to know. Ignorance is Bliss after all isn’t it.
The surfactant that is the best is the one you do not break out with a rash or get dry skin with. Happy hunting because that is different for every person. For me it is Sodium Lauryl Sarcosinate, one of the gentlest surfactants on the market.
References:
1. Rumour: Sodium Lauryl Sulfate Causes Cancer. The Cosmetic, Toiletry, and Fragrance Association. 13, October 2000.
2. 1,4 Dioxane. Hazard Summary Environmental Protection Agency. January 2000.
Olive Oil Not So Good For The Skin
Olive Oil is often eluded as almost being the holy grail of natural oils. Olive oil is an emollient and does contain Vitamin E and polyphenols. Of all the plant oils Olive Oil one of the few that contains polyphenols. Olive oil is primarily composed of approximately 85% Oleic Acid; 9% Linoleic Acid and 1% Linolenic Acid.
So what? It is full of essential fatty acids you say….
But it isn’t you see… Oleic Acid is also known as Omega 9 and it is not an essential fatty acid. By definition Essential fatty acids can not be made by the body and must come from the diet. Linoleic Acid (Omega 6) and Linolenic Acid (Omega 3) are the essential fatty acids in olive oil. Yet they consist of only 10% of the oil. Over 80% of the fatty acid profile of oil is Oleic Acid….and the problem with this is that Oleic Acid causes ACNE (1)
Oleic acid is classed as a triglyceride. A triglyceride has 3 fatty acids and is attached to a backbone of glycerol. On the surface of your skin triglycerides are hydrolysed (broken down) into free fatty acids and glycerol by the bacteria p.acnes (2). These free fatty acids promote inflammation in the skin and cause acne formation(1) If you have acne your skin already has abundance of inflammatory free fatty acids already, by putting on a cream or oil that contains olive oil you are just creating more free fatty acids and acne.
Applying Olive oil also creates scaly skin and abnormal keratinisation (3). Abnormal keratinisation is the major reason for acne formation. Olive oil has it’s benefits in internal usage rather than external applications.
What is dissappointing is that the rest of the Beauty industry are either unaware of these facts or don’t care. There are many products currently sold including natural that are incredibly flawed. Use of these products is often creating other problems for your skin.
Eclogite ensure we do extensive research before we put any ingredients into our products. Eclogite also don’t malign synthetic ingredients as being evil or bad for you. Yes some synthetics are toxic but not all of them are. We are not into scare mongering tactics. Everything we have to say is based on solid scientific fact.
Eclogite only chooses to use ingredients that don’t have side effects for your skin. Side effects include acne, pigmentation and sensitivity. Yet all you have to do is pick up just about any natural product and it seems they have shoved everything in there but the kitchen sink because it sounds good. When they explain why they have put in certain ingredients their explanation is ambiguous at best.
The oil of choice by the way for acne is sunflower oil…but more on that in another article.
