Welcome!
Print the cheat sheet below to help you choose the healthiest body care for you and your family.
~ Love & RRRevolution, Tracey
How To Tell if Your Body Care Product Is Actually Healthy
by Tracey TieF, Certified Natural Health Practitioner www.AnarresHealth.ca
Check if the product contains any of the following harmful ingredients.
(some) INGREDIENTS THAT HARM from A-Z
Alkyl-phenol ethoxylades are used in cleaning products and shampoos. By mimicking estrogen in the body these are a cause of reproductive cancers and infertility in men and women. Ethoxylates contaminate water.
Benzene is carcinogenic, is not excreted readily and can interact with DNA to produce harmful mutations. It is not normally listed as an ingredient because labeling laws do not require disclosure of trace amounts!
Colours and Dyes (FD & C or D & C) are predominantly made from coal tar and as such, are carcinogenic, linked to ADD, ADHD and some to thyroid tumours, cause allergies and damage the skin.
DEA (diethanolamine) is a solvent and detergent that is carcinogenic and attacks the liver, kidneys and pancreas. It is a health risk to children and babies, linked to miscarriage and harmful to brain development.
Formaldehyde is carcinogenic and breaks down the skin’s DNA. It is released by the harmless-sounding preservatives DMDM hydantoin or MDM hydantoin, which are common in lotions and in soaps.
Parabens are used as preservatives in body products, and are strongly associated with breast cancer tumours.
Petrolatum, Vaseline and “Mineral” Oil are linked to breast and other cancers, and banned in the EU.
Propyl/Isopropanol/rubbing alcohol causes mental depression, headaches and is carcinogenic. 1 ounce is a fatal dose. Used to clean new containers, it is rarely listed as an ingredient, but present in trace amounts.
Propylene Glycol carries substances directly into the blood stream, is found in brake and hydraulic fluids, anti-freeze and virtually all baby products, moist/baby wipes, make up, moisturizers, shampoos and conditioners. Mechanics are advised by the Material Safety Data Sheets to avoid skin contact as it causes liver abnormalities and kidney damage. Can cause dermatitis and irritate the eyes and mucous membranes.
Sodium Laurel/Laureth Sulphate or SLS is a mechanical degreaser that has become the major ingredient in most shampoos and liquid soaps. It is carcinogenic, linked to cataracts, denatures proteins and changes genetic material found in cells, breaking the skin's structure. Causes canker sores, so check your toothpaste!!!
Synthetic perfumes or “fragrances” cause headaches, violent coughing, vomiting, dizziness skin irritation and rashes according to complaints to the FDA. Watch out for synthetic “rose”, “jasmine” and “lily of the valley”.
Synthetic fragrances are carcinogens that contribute to environmental pollution, including the Great Lakes.
Sketchy Ingredients and Their Better Alternatives
Waxes
Sketchy: paraffin, petroleum
Alternatives: vegetable wax, lanette wax with NO SLS!, cocopalm emulsifying wax
Thickeners
Sketchy: animal by products
Alternatives: xanthan gum, guar gum, vegetable glycerine, vegetable waxes
Soap
Sketchy: Sodium Laurel/eth Sulphate, detergents, GMO betaine, GMO cornacopa (coconut & corn)
Alternatives: real soap, castille soap, soap flakes, Dr Bronner's, NatureClean Pure Soap
Preservatives
Sketchy: DMDM and MDM hydantoin, paragons
Alternatives: essential oils especially myrrh, rosemary, heliozimpt, grapefruit seed extract (GSE), citric acid, antioxidants such as non GMO vitamine E aka tocopherols
Wholistic aromatherapists use naturally occurring plant waxes, flower waters or hydrosols and good quality plant derived oils in making products. Watch out for healthy sounding “aromatherapy” creams, lotions and soap bases that harmful ingredients, especially “DMDM” or “MDM Hydantoin” – these metabolize as formaldehyde in our bodies!
Endangered species: Responsible aromatherapists DO NOT use rosewood essential oil, or sandalwood East Indian Santalum album because these oils are produced from endangered species and are often poached. Ask that Ho wood, rose geranium or rose be used in place of rosewood, and that Santalum spicatum, sustainably harvested from Australia, be used instead of Santalum album.
How To Tell if Your Bath & Body Product Is Actually Healthy
by Tracey TieF, Certified Natural Health Practitioner www.AnarresHealth.ca
Look for products that contain any of the following helpful ingredients.
(some) INGREDIENTS THAT HEAL from A-Z
(Sweet) Almond oil Prunus amygdalus softens and re-conditions dry skin, being rich in proteins fatty acids and vitamins A, B1, B2 and B6 and is useful for chapped skin, itchy skin, and eczema.
Avocado oil Persea americana contains lecithin, and vitamins A, B1. B2, D and E plus Beta carotene.
Calendula Flowers Calendula officinalis are a very effective treatment for most minor skin problems.
Roman Chamomile Chamaemelum nobile soothes the nerves, digestion and skin. Safe for babies and children.
Carrot root infused oil from Daucus carota is very high in vitamins A, B, C, D, E and F (linoleic acid) and in minerals. It is useful for natural colouring, eczema, psoriasis, acne, and rejuvenation of the skin.
Castor (bean) Oil Ricinus communis is safe cold pressed as a conditioner and a liver and kidney detoxifier.
Clays are mineral-rich colouring and detoxifying agents, nourishing and rejuvenating for the skin and hair.
Cocoa butter Theobroma cacao is naturally rich in Vitamin E to heal, soothe, hydrate, and balance the skin.
Coconut Oil Cocos nucifera creates a light oily, nourishing and UV protective barrier on the skin.
Evening Primrose Seed Oil Oenothera fiennis is anti- ageing and treats dandruff because it is a rich source of gamma linoleic acid, omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids which can be used to nourish the skin.
Grapeseed oil Vitis vinifera is inexpensive, non greasy and quickly absorbed, good for oily, acne prone skin.
Hemp seed oil Cannabis sativa is rich in omega 3&6 EFAs, complete proteins and minerals. Produced in Canada!
Jojoba oil Simmondsia chinensis is a liquid wax that closely resembles the sebum of the skin, and is rich in vitamin E. It is a useful moisturizer for all skin conditions, including acne, as it hydrates and dissolves sebum.
Lavender essential oil Lavendula angustifolia or officinalis is a cell regenerator for burns. Reduces scarring.
(Blue) Mallow Flowers Malva sylvestri is helpful for digestion, bruises, inflammations, piles, and skin diseases.
Neem (Seed) Oil Traditional medicine Azadirachta indica heals eczema, psoriasis, rashes, burns and acne.
OILS: Oils should be cold-pressed, non GMO, sold and stored in a dark glass bottle away from heat and light. Olive oil Olea europaea is a versatile, nourishing moisturizer for stretch marks and dry and irritated skin.
Palm Oil Elaeis guinensis is an anti-oxidant rich in palmitic acid, vitamin E, vitamin K and magnesium.
Rosehip Oil Rosa rubiginosa treats dry, irritated and weathered skin, plus burns, scars and stretch marks.
Sesame oil Sesamum indicum is rich in vitamins A, B and E, essential fatty acids and in minerals such as calcium, magnesium and phosphorus. A natural sunscreen, sesame also treats psoriasis and dry eczema.
Shea (Nut) Butter Butyrospermum parkii protects from UV rays, heals wounds and softens the skin.
Vegetable Glycerine softens and soothes the skin, assisting it to retain moisture by drawing it out of the air.
Walnut Oil Juglans regia moisturizes dry, aged, irritated skin and balances the nervous system.
Wheatgerm oil Triticum vulgare is a preservative rich in natural vitamins A, B, D, and E, proteins and lecithin.
Ingredients that are safe include algae powder, cetyl alcohol, cetyl palmintate (synthetic, NOT the kind from whales!), cocopalm emulsifying wax aka cetyl stearyl alcohol (from palm and coconut oils), conditioning emulsifier (from cetearyl alcohol, stearalkonium chloride, and castor oil), cornacopa aka decyl polyglucose (from corn, coconut and palm kernels), tegomuls aka glyceryl monostereate, seaweed extract, wheat protein.
Fair Trade Compliant Please make sure that what you buy has been fairly traded. This means that profits go back to the community, that environmentally friendly production methods are utilized, that underage or forced labour is not used, and that a minimum price is earned by the farmer regardless of market pressure.
Make a difference! * Demand that the government develop a national bill on child trafficking.
* Demand that manufacturers and retailers in Canada clearly ensure that workers and children are not harmed during the production and manufacturing of goods.
Buy Fair Trade products and ask stores to stock them. A thriving market for shade-grown cocoa and coffee make it profitable for growers to preserve, rather than cut, rain-forests.