Beware of that lotion bottle!

A segment I saw on Oprah recently made me start looking at the labels on all the products I use. Sophie Uliano, the guest speaker was talking about a bunch of ingredients found in everyday products we use that could damage your health. So I started doing some research and what I found out was astounding!

Most shampoos, lotions, face creams, shaving gels, cleansing gels, topical ointments, toothpaste and god knows what we put on our skin contains a preservative called paraben. Most labels list ethyl-paraben, or methyl-paraben. Paraben can mimic the hormone estrogen and can disrupt your hormones! Do your own internet searches and see what you find. My results somehow always related parabens to reproductive health or cancer in one way or another.

Most antiperspirant contains aluminum! Ya, really! Aluminum is a neurotoxin or “nerve poison” that acts specifically on nerve cells. Need I say more?

Most products list fragrance or parfum on their labels. This according to Sophie, “is to mask dodgy chemicals!” So any label with fragrance or parfum is a no no!

Another “beware” chemical is phthalate. Phthalates are used to give lotions its creamy texture. Get this, phthalates are also a hormone disruptor and are toxic. Studies done on rodents involving phthalates have been shown to damage the liver, testes and cause birth defects!

Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) sounds harmless enough. But, this one also disrupts hormones and is chemically known as a surfacant. Possible causes include hormone imbalance, eye deformities in children, skin irritation, skin corrosion, etc.

I’m working on finding out alternative products available in Male’ or even Asia that are more “people friendly” and will be posting it soon. If any of you come across something interesting, do share!

Hope all of you will start reading your labels and do your own research to find out what you put on your body. After all, your skin is the largest organ in your body and if you care about organic veggies and unbleached sugar, then care about that lotion bottle too!