The Danger of Beauty: 10 Ingredients that are harming your health

Who doesn't love pampering themselves? During these cold winter months I'm especially prone to slowing down, taking more baths and treating my body with extra care. The other night, I was getting ready to jump in a nice, hot bath while a winter storm raged outside bringing negative digits to my town, when I happened to glance at the package of epsom salts I was using. It had a strong smell so I decided to check what might be in it and sure enough it said Fragrance. I was appalled and here is why. 

The FDA does nearly nothing to regulate our body care products which are full of chemicals that other nations, many in the European Union, have banned because they are known to be toxic. Fragrance, for example, could mean anything. Normally, it is a cocktail of chemicals that are shown to cause reproductive issues, dermatitis, skin irritation and allergies. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) has an amazing database with links to scientific reports, concerns and levels of toxicity to the human body of these and many other chemicals. 

According to this Huffington Post article, these are the top 10 ingredients to ban from your beauty care routine:

1. Parabens

2. Synthetic Colors

3. Fragrance

4. Phthlalates

5. Triclosan

6. Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS)/ Sodium laureth sulfate (SLES)

7. Formaldehyde

8. Toluene

9. Propylene Glycol

10. Sunscreen Chemicals ( benzophenone, PABA, avobenzone, homosalate and ethoxycinnmate) 

A majority of beauty products carry these harmful chemicals and so many more that I can't possibly list them in this short blog post but you can find an extensive list at www.ewg.org. Some companies that I do know to be safe (or safer at the very least) are Beauty Counter, Dr. Bronner's, Weleda, Lily Lolo and Era Perez to name a few. See a more comprehensive list at Sarah Wilson's blog here. 

All this research, spurred by my Epsom salt ordeal, led me to decide to start making a bath product line including oils, vinegars, salts and teas for making soaks in the tub more therapeutic as well as non-toxic! Baths have the wonderful ability to enhance the benefits of massage. Check in to the website in the next month for all the exciting goodies and tune in to my Instagram (@soulvibrationwellness) for contests giving away bath salts, oils and teas!

Soul Vibration now offers bath products that are gentle, non-toxic herbal delights to enhance your massage experience. Bath teas, salts, oils and herbal vinegars help extend the benefits of massage and offer a lovely alternative to toxic beauty products.