| The Truth About Skin Care Products |
|
|
| Simisha Pather-Elias | |||
| Thursday, 11 October 2007 | |||
  We all know about the advantages of living healthily through eating organic food, but what most people don’t realise is that it is equally important to use “chemically-free” skincare products as well to receive the full benefits of organic living. Even more unfortunate is that some companies masquerade as being natural by virtue of their active ingredients being natural, but be warned. Petrochemicals are heavy oils which clog your pores and prevent them from “breathing” which can lead to dry skin, and synthetic preservatives, colourants and pesticides can be carcinogenic, hormone disrupting and neurotoxic. Common ingredients (and their effects) found in skin-care products;
So why do our skin-care products contain such harmful chemicals? When the chemical revolution began scientists didn't know of the effects of these ingredients on the human body, nor were there any animal studies to prove otherwise. This was compounded by the fact that it was believed that the skin was an impenetrable barrier that could not absorb anything and pass them into the blood stream. Today we know better but beauty warehouses continue to use these chemicals in their products simply because of the lack of pressure from government bodies and by consumers to change their ingredients. In addition to this, these chemical ingredients are tested on rabbits, dogs (mostly beagles), cats, monkeys, rats and other animals every year. The British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection (BUAV) estimates that 100 million animals are experimented on around the world every year. During these tests, animals are subjected to horrific procedures such as forcing substances down throats, pumping it into their stomachs, applying it into their eyes, rectum, vagina or forcing them to inhale substances. Upon being exposed to these chemicals, the animals may suffer convulsions, skin eruptions and bleeding to name a few, while many of them die from breaking their necks and backs trying to escape the pain. What’s even more disturbing is that there is evidence that animal models correlate extremely poorly with humans. Less than 2% of animals experience human illnesses and most doctors agree that the anatomical and physiological differences between animals and humans are very different. Some chemicals are still passed as safe for human consumption although they fail animal tests. Why do animal-testing at all? So what can we do about it? The alternative is to use natural / organic skincare products that contain natural moisturising agents which are easily absorbed through your skin and will not harm you in any way. These ingredients have been tried and tested for centuries by our ancestors. Good quality natural products will;
In South Africa, there are only a few natural/organic skincare companies that are endorsed by the Beauty Without Cruelty Foundation. They are of the highest quality and their prices are very competitive. The choice is yours!
Disclaimer: Harmonious Living is written for and read by a community of individuals with strong and independent opinions. While the publishers of Harmonious Living are dedicated to providing a forum in which views can be openly expressed, those views do not necessarily reflect those of the publishers.
|
|||
This is the powerful story of the author's struggle with Multiple Sclerosis and how a healer's unusual prescription of mindful altruism - to 'give away 29 gifts in 29 days' - ignited her energy, her happiness, and invited more abundance into her life.
