Organic beauty products are a great alternative to commercial beauty products. One main reason for this is the difference in ingredients. Organic bath, beauty, and personal care products typically do not contain the types of chemical ingredients that are found in commercial products.
Phthalates are one common ingredient in many non-organic cosmetic and personal care items. These chemicals are believed to have dangerous long-term health effects. You will often see them listed as:
- Dibutylphthalate (DBP)
- Butyl Ester
- DEP
The EPA has deemed these chemicals as being probable carcinogens and they are believed to have many scary effects on health. L'Oreal is one of the largest companies to restrict the use of phthalates in their products, but many other large beauty companies still use this ingredient in their retail items.
Studies have shown that women between the ages of 20-40 have much higher levels of DBP in their systems than any other demographic of men and women. Phthalates act as plasticisers and are used in the manufacturing of things like plastic kitchen containers to make them flexible. They are found in many cosmetic products--very commonly in hair spray, perfume, deodorant, and nail polish.
Most of these products are items that we expose our skin to, and the skin absorbs these chemicals into the blood stream. Considering the following negative health effects, many scientists would say that it is best to avoid using products that contain these potentially dangerous chemicals.
Birth Defects - On top of being possibly carcinogenic, these chemicals are believed to cause birth defects. That is startling information, especially considering that women are most exposed to them.
Low Sperm Count - These ingredients also cause issues for men. They are believed to play a part in lowering the male sperm count.
Liver & Kidney Damage - Along with the above problems, they are linked to possibly causing damage to the liver and kidneys which are extremely vital organs.
While further study is needed to assess all of the dangerous, what has been found is enough to make some consumers decide to err on the side of caution when it comes to which bath, beauty, and personal care products they buy. Most of us do not read ingredients labels, but with the number of synthetic chemicals used in our everyday products it is a good idea. Unfortunately, most of these products have only been used for about the last 50 years and extensive research is still be done to find out what long-term effects that may have on health.