What's in a Good Skincare, Part 1

Why I'm so glad you asked. What is in a good skincare is vital but what is not in it can be just as telling. Since cleanser is the first step in a good skincare routine, let's start there.

So if you flip your cleanser over and take a gander at the ingredients, you're most likely going to see things like parabens, alcohol, propylene glycol, sodium lauryl sulfate (or some other sulfate) and fragrances, just to name a few. So let's break that down.

If you've read any of my previous posts, you'll see I've addressed parabens and phthalates (which are found in fragrances). So let's focus on some of the other ingredients. 

Alcohol: having issues with oily skin? Solvent alcohols like isopropyl or denatured alcohols are the wrong answer and in general are horrible for skin as they dry it out then forcing your skin to overproduce oil and compounding the problem. If you're already feeling like an oil slick, stay away from alcohol.

Propylene glycol: it's a petroleum plastic used to bind water and oil and is also used in antifreeze and brake fluid. This is a highly rancid oil that forms free radicals and damages the skin. The EPA has warned against skin contact and considers it so toxic that disposal is done with protective gloves, goggles and clothing for burial. The EPA also deems PG as a toxin to the brain, liver and kidneys. Whew! Sounds like a real winner. :(

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate: is a petroleum derivative. But according to the thousands of studies done, SLS is a highly toxic chemical and skin irritant. SLS is used as a foaming agent or emulsifier in most cleaners, detergents, soaps, hair products, toothpaste, makeup and more. It's list of offenses is massive but includes organ toxicity, reproductive defects, neurotoxicity, biochemical changes and endocrine disruption. In other words, if you're having health problems, SLS usage could definitely be a factor. 

Now, think about who face washes are targeted towards. Usually teens going through major physical development and women. As teens are going through major developmental stages, being exposed to endocrine disruptors (messes with hormones), dealing with organ toxicity (body can't detox properly) or having excess biochemical changes (MORE changes??!!) can totally wreak havoc and compound an already volatile situation (mood swings anyone??). 

Just like there are certain foods that shouldn't be eaten during pregnancy, there are certain skincare & cosmetic ingredients that shouldn't be used either. Did you know that the typical pregnant woman has over 200 different harmful toxins in her cord blood that is flowing to her developing fetus. As DNA is building this child, these harmful toxins interrupt, mutate and scramble the precise coding needed to create a new being. This is why you find babies with genetic mutations, birth defects, more miscarriages and moms with liver toxicity. Even if a woman isn't pregnant, the intricate balance of hormones is so vital and shouldn't be tampered with.

So what should be in a good cleanser? Our bodies have a precise pH balance both inside and out. Did you know that we consist of more bacteria than cells? I find that mind-blowing but it just shows how much of an intricate balance we have to maintain. When that balance is off, we suffer from a myriad of skin ailments or digestive ailments. So to keep your skin happy, find a skincare product that contains some good bacteria to keep your skin happy and balanced. 

A good skincare will detoxify as it cleanses so you're reaching beneath the surface to pull out harmful environmental toxins. Glacier silt in the Keep Me Safe Cleanser detoxes up to 95% of metal ions, toxins and harmful bacteria from the skin. 

Amino acids, minerals, vitamins and antioxidants help to heal and prevent oxidative stress and damage cause by environmental toxins as well as decrease inflammation and skin irritations.  

Our skin is only as good as the products we put on it. So with that in mind, we created a formula that is eco-cert with organic ingredients that are cruelty free and that are certified Toxic Free. 
Certified toxic free means that 

• every ingredient is from the earth. 
• every ingredient of every batch is tested for harmful chemicals.
• every ingredient is sustainably sourced and harvest.

We want to give you a product that is not only safe, but effective. 

Our Whipped Citrus Antioxidant Cleanser boasts a light citrus scent balanced by a creamy vanilla with the lightly floral lavender. You can find more info here.

To see how your cleanser measures up, load the app Think Dirty on your phone or search on the EWG skindeep database or www.safecosmetics.org to learn more about questionable ingredients.