Endocrine Disruptors in Personal Care Products could be wreaking havoc on your hormones causing you to have a less than stellar menstrual cycle. There is hope though, just keep reading.
Your body absorbs 60% of what is applied topically. Now think about it, how many different body care products are you using on a daily basis? Makeup, nail polish, shaving foam, face cream, toothpaste, lip balm, sunscreen, body wash, body lotion the list goes on.
Many of these contain hundreds of unregulated chemicals in them with the major offenders being a group of ingredients that become endocrine disruptors.
What are endocrine disruptors?
An endocrine disruptor is a synthetic chemical that messes with the hormones being sent to your body via your endocrine system. Endocrine disruptors have been indicated in many conditions including : PMS, menstrual headaches and cramps , breast cancer, infertility, endomitriosis and miscarriage.
Go take a look at the ingredients in all your personal care products. If you see any of the following ingredients from the list below trash them!
- Parabens ~found in almost everything sadly
- Triclosan ~usually found in antibacterial soaps and hand wash
toothpaste - Resorcinol ~usually found in hair dyes
- Phthalates ~usually found in cosmetics such as fragrances, face wash, lotions and nail polish
- Fragrance / Parfum~ In the U.S., manufacturers can legally hide hundreds of synthetic chemicals in the one word -fragrance- without revealing what those ingredients are.
- TPHP, Toluene, Formaldehyde & DBP ~ usually found in nail polish
💡If tossing these products out at the same time seems daunting here are a couple tips to get you started
1) First finish them off and when buying new ones aim for safer alternatives.
2) Try to simplify your product line up. You do not need 100 different products to be beautiful or have a clean home.
Potential Endocrine Disruptors in Personal Care Products List
UV filters found in:
- sunscreen
- cosmetics with sun protection, e.g. lip balm, makeup and moisturiser
What to do about it: Choose sunscreens with physical blockers, such as zinc oxide or titanium dioxide.
Safe alternative :Badger Balm Zinc Oxide Sunscreen Cream
Phthalates found in:
- cosmetics such as fragrances, face wash, lotions and nail polish
What to do about it: Avoid personal care and household products containing perfume.
Safe alternative : Homemade Facial Cleanser , DIY Linen Spray
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- Homemade Facial Cleanser
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- DIY Linen Spray
Parabens found in:
Shampoos, conditioner, lotions and face masks
What to do about it: Check product ingredients list for propyl-, isopropyl-, butyl- and isobutyl-parabens.
Safe alternative : Luxurious DIY Body Oil , Hibiscus Face Mask , Homemade Deep Conditioner
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- Hibiscus Face Mask
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- Homemade Deep Conditioner
Triclosan found in:
- antibacterial soap and hand wash
- toothpaste
What to do about it: Avoid soaps and toothpastes which contain triclosanand triclocarban.
Safe alternative :
Try a Natural Toothpaste
Resorcinol found in:
- topical treatments for acne, seborrhoeic dermatitis, eczema, psoriasis, corns and warts
What to do about it: Check product labels and avoid the overuse if containing resorcinol.
Safe alternative : Homemade Body Butter , Lemon Sugar Scrub
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- Homemade Body Butter
TPHP, Toluene, Formaldehyde & DBP ~ usually found in nail polish
What to do about it: Choose nail polish free from the TOP 7 toxins -Formaldehyde, toluene, DBP, formaldehyde resin, camphor, ethyl tosylamide, and xylene.
Try Cote Nail Polish
Resources www.choice.com.au