Chemical Free Skincare – Read Product Labels More – Here’s Why

I’ve been doing some research lately into what we are actually putting on our faces and wash our bodies with, and the idea that we should look for chemical free skincare, as well as wash less and read product labels more is definitely beginning to make sense to me, for me and the men in my life too.

Why chemical free skincare?

Following on from my post yesterday about Why use a Soap Free Body Wash and which ones are best, I’ve found some interesting reads on the internet about chemical free skincare and the chemicals we dare to put on our skin.

If you’re a woman over 50, you probably didn’t pay much attention to what you put on your skin when you were younger. But it’s time to get more savvy.

I’ve also read about why we should get into the habit of understanding what goes into the beauty products we buy, and a recipe for a home made all natural soap wash.

I’m all for learning more about chemical free makeup, chemical free skincare, organic makeup, soap free body wash and natural soap, not only for our own health but also because I’m concerned about protecting the environment from the aggressive chemicals often found in beauty products.

Now we’re over 50, I believe that we especially have a responsibility to be more responsible.

It’s a Slippery Slope for Soap

Did you know that many commercial soap versions contain more detergent than soap and strip the skin of vital oils? In her post “The Slippery Slope of Soap,” Katie from Wellness Mama discusses different options and looks at the dirty details of soap; from antibacterial soaps, scented soaps and washes, and laundry soaps

“In general, soap seems like a good thing… after all, cleanliness is next to Godliness, but in our germ-afraid society, have we gone too far? Unfortunately, many of the things we use as “soap” are actually harsh detergents or chemical cocktails. Rather than the gentle action of true soaps that pulls dirt and grime off the skin, these detergents can strip the skin (or other surfaces) of healthy oils. Most laundry detergents, for example, contain no soap at all, but are just a chemical detergent mix. This is also true of many body wash products that don’t contain any soap but just a mix of chemicals.”

Use Soap Less

Genevieve Howland aka Mama Natural, explains why she doesn’t use soap much, and goes on to tell us that many soaps consist of unnatural ingredients that are nasty or bad. She explains why using less soap is better for the environment, and how some chemicals found in antibacterial products, are “highly toxic” to algae and affect some fish species reproduction.

” Most conventional soap products contain heavy fragrances, nasty parabens, dyes and other chemicals that don’t belong on our skin. These ingredients can cause endocrine disruption and even be carcinogenic. Also, our skin is our biggest detox organ so we don’t want to coat or clog it with artificial stuff.”

Read Genevieve’s illuminating post Why I don’t use Soap???(Much)

Make your own Soap Free Body Wash

If you’re looking for a DIY Soap free body wash for sensitive skin, read the Beauty Munsta’s post about how to make your own soap free body wash.

When you use something you’ve made yourself from all natural ingredients, you can be sure that it’s better than a mix of chemicals be they aggressive or not. I like the sound of a soap free body wash made from oatmeal, honey, coconut oil and lavender oil, don’t you?

The Beauty Munsta goes on to explain how soap free body washes can feel just like soap, and why our skin doesn’t react well to commercial soap products.

“The reason why our skin reacts negatively to soap is because it’s filled with ingredients like chemicals such as SLS (sodium lauryl sulfate) which has been linked to hormone disruption and the big bad guy – fragrance. Fragrance is a major cause of skin allergies and the worst part is that it’s not just one ingredient.”

Toxic Beauty Ingredients to Avoid

Vanessa Cunningham of Gold Bee writing for The Huffington Post says we should look at the ingredients in beauty products the same way we look at the ingredients in our food products.

“There are thousands of chemicals in your products, many of which are being absorbed into your body. These companies have cart blanche to use any ingredient or raw material without government review or approval. This industry is highly unregulated. There is no pre-product approval before a product hits the market and enters your home. A minuscule approval process exists, but only for color additives and ingredients classified as over-the-counter drugs. Many of these synthetic chemicals are skin irritants, skin penetrators, endocrine disrupters and are carcinogenic.”

For the 10 things we should avoid in beauty ingredients including what we wash ourselves with, read Vanessa’s post.

What do you think?

Do you use a soap free body wash? Is this chemical free enough for you?

Do you know what you’re putting on your skin?

It would be lovely if you’d share your thoughts and knowledge with us in the comments 🙂