20 Ways to Reduce your Intake of Chemicals in Body Care Products

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20 Ways to Reduce Your Intake of Chemicals in Body Care Products-- Guardian UK

 

 

20 ways to cut out chemicals

 

Saturday May 8, 2004

 

The Guardian (UK)

 

1 Clear out your bathroom cabinet and dump everything but the essentials.

Try not to duplicate - if you currently use three moisturisers, get rid of two.

 

2 Avoid baby wipes, which can contain parabens and propylene glycol - a

common ingredient in anti-freeze. A damp flannel will do the job just as well.

 

3 Overwashing with chemically-based shampoos and conditioners strips the

hair of its natural oils. If you usually shampoo daily, leave for a day or

two and see if it makes any difference.

 

4 If you're worried about sunscreen, cover up or keep out of the sun

completely. Currently only 30 percent of us stay in the shade, according to

Cancer Research UK.

 

5 Avoid unnecessary use of products with a high sun protection factor - at

night you don 't need to use a moisturiser with an SPF.

 

6 Cut down on bubble baths which can contain skin-irritating detergents. All

your baby needs to keep clean is a tub full of warm water.

 

7 Splash your face with witch hazel or cold water instead of using

over-the-counter toners.

 

8 Become label savvy. Everyone reads food labels - get in the habit of doing

the same with your toiletries.They won 't tell you everything, but it will help.

 

9 If you want to be sure a product is organic, look out for a Soil

Association certification. Words like organic, natural and hypoallergenic

generally mean little in the beauty industry.

 

10 When using a product, follow the instructions. It's easy to use far more

than you need to.

 

11 Switch to organic tampons and sanitary towels. They're non-chlorine

bleached, 100% pure cotton and GM-free. Try Natracare Regular Organic Cotton

Tampons. Prices start at £2.39 and stockists include Sainsbury's, Waitrose

and independent health stores.

 

12 Rediscover henna which is natural and less invasive than heavy-duty hair

dyes.

 

13 If you're going swimming, ozone pools have fewer chemicals. But when

visiting chlorine pools, make sure you (and your children) shower first. If

everyone washed before getting in, there'd be less need for so many

chemicals in the water.

 

14 If you can't give up nail varnish, protect the cuticles with oil.

Although the part of the nail you see is dead, it is still porous and can

absorb the chemicals used in varnish and remover, such as toluene, acetone

and formaldehyde.

 

15 A thick coating of aloe vera gel is a good alternative to shaving foams

and gels. It has natural anti-inflammatory and skin-softening properties,

without all the chemicals.

 

16 The average make-up wearing woman will eat two pounds of lipstick in her

life-time. Most lipsticks contain petroleum derivatives. Try brands based on

beeswax, plant oils or vitamin E instead.

 

17 If you 're worried about deodorants, there are more natural products on

the market. Be prepared to try a few before you find one that suits - but

beware, seemingly green products can have hidden ingredients such as

parabens.

 

18 Do a website trawl. Greenpeace (greenpeace.org.uk) and Women's

Environmental Network (wen.org.uk) both have useful lists of products to

avoid, as well as companies with good track records.

 

19 Arm yourself with knowledge. Get hold of a copy of Kim Erickson's

Drop-Dead Gorgeous (published by Contemporary Books), to find out more about

what's in your cosmetics.

 

20 Ask your granny for tips. Lemon juice, for example, has always been used

as a beauty aid - to make fair hair shine, to soften hard skin, and get rid

of blackheads. Cosmetics haven't always been all about products devised

inlaboratories.

http://www.organicconsumers.org/bodycare/reduce052104.cfm

 

Guardian Unlimited © Guardian Newspapers Limited 2004

_________________

 

JoAnn Guest

mrsjoguest

DietaryTipsForHBP

http://www.geocities.com/mrsjoguest

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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