When we rub on creams and lotions each morning, while we‘re thinking about caring for and softening our skin, we don‘t necessarily pay attention to the danger these skincare options all too often present. In fact, some cosmetic products contain more than 100 different chemicals. Many of these soak into our skin, enter our blood stream, and then disperse through our entire bodies.
This means that when we apply those creams and lotions when we wake each day, we‘re essentially feeding our bodies a toxic breakfast.
To demonstrate how thorougly molecules can spread in our bodies, an experiment cited in Tisserand and Balacs, 1995, found that essential oils, such as lavender, were absorbed within 10 mintues from bath water, and detected in the breath after 20-60 mintues.
Essential oils are examples of compounds that are easily absorbed by the skin since their molecular structure is small (less than 500 dalton). In the case of essential oils, this can be beneficial for if the right oils are selected in safe concentration.
Unfortunately many of the toxins found in traditional skincare products are just as easily absorbed as these essential oils if not more so since their chemical composition can actually increase their absorption levels.
See our other stories on: Parabens, Phenoxyethanol, Benzoic compounds, Ethoxylated compounds, Phthalates, BHA‘s, Triclosan, Citric Acid, Formaldehyde, Oxybenzone, Fragrances and others.
