The serial killers in cosmetics
On the edge of your sink, next to the showerhead or behind the medicine cabinet mirror…
Scattered all over your bathroom, dangerous double agents have infiltrated your health partners. You don’t even know it, but your bathroom already looks like a crime scene!
Who are these serial killers of cosmetics who, under the banner of beauty, threaten to kill you?
1- Sun creams: double-edged protection
Nothing new under the sun: to protect ourselves from ultraviolet rays and thus avoid the dreaded skin cancer, we must be extra vigilant.
Sunscreen is by far the most popular solution. However, this first place on the podium is far from irreproachable…
First, sunscreens don’t always block all the sun’s ultraviolet rays!
Unless they contain a specific anti-UVA ingredient, they reflect the good ones, namely UVB, and thus let through the dangerous UVA, factors of cancer.
Suncare protects you from sunburn without protecting you from cancer! Besides, by stopping the UVBs, they prevent the skin from producing excellent vitamin D whose anti-cancer effects outweigh the nasty effects of UVA.
Secondly, sun care products reveal a highly controversial range of ingredients. These include benzophenone, used as a synthetic filter and known to be an endocrine disruptor, and titanium dioxide, a mineral filter suspected, in a nano form, of disrupting the health of the body. Indeed, nanoparticles manage to infiltrate the skin and can thus do more harm than good.
Titanium dioxide should, therefore, be avoided in this form!
On top of that, these synthetic sun filters are responsible for the serious pollution of marine environments by contributing to the destruction of coral reefs.
My tip:
I reassure you, no need to turn you into a vampire to have a clear conscience and healthy skin.
Even if the ideal sun care product does not exist, you can turn to products labeled organic or bearing the “Slow Cosmetic” label.
2- The scrubs: microbeads on your plate!
Exfoliation is a precious care for your skin, and there is no question of giving it up!
On the other hand, I invite you to draw a definitive line on the exfoliating creams which you find in stores and which contain tiny beads. Of course, their small size is ideal for deeply cleaning the pores of our skin, but when rinsing, they follow the flow of water and fall through the filters of sewage treatment plants that are not equipped to treat them.
Every day, more than 8 000 billion (I rewrite it in figures as I find this figure so crazy: 8 000 000 000 000 !!!) of microparticles end up in the water.
Confused with plankton, beads attract fishes that swallow them. And in which plate will this same fish end up? I let you guess…
My tip:
To avoid such an ecological and sanitary disaster, nothing could be simpler: replace these beads by sugar or salt which are very good natural exfoliants!
Tampons and sanitary pads: panties under high tension!
We have trusted them for many years; today we may well bite our fingers.
As a matter of fact, the manufacturing secrets of our menstrual products have recently come to light: pesticides, dioxin (a deadly carcinogenic substance!), synthetic perfumes… all these toxic residues are found in our underwear, even directly inside our intimate parts.
The icing on the cake, did you know that the tampon also absorbs “good” vaginal secretions, causing our natural protection to collapse to the point of sometimes causing repeated infections, fungal infections, or irritation?
It is also a potential cause of Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS), tampons allow Staphylococcus aureus bacteria to proliferate, which can lead to amputation or, in the worst case, death.
As if these charges were not enough, filaments of tampon fiber were found in the vaginal mucosa and fallopian tubes of some women. Linkage with cervical cancer, endometriosis, and certain sterilities cannot, therefore, be excluded.
My tip:
If you haven’t already adopted it, it’s time to try the cup: an economical and ecological alternative to the dangers of tampons and pads. Above all, it does not disturb your vaginal flora.
Deodorants: heavily involved in breast cancer
Aluminum salts are present in 90% of deodorants, causing trouble near our breasts!
In a study conducted by the University of Geneva, researchers found that the anatomical evolution of breast cancers was developing increasingly close to the armpits.
Deodorants containing aluminum salts would be largely responsible.
Even if it is still early to say that the salts in question cause the development of breast cancer, one thing is certain: they have harmful effects on breast cells!
And what about the alum stone? Many times promoted to replace conventional deodorants made of aluminum, it is also losing its popularity.
From alternative number 1 to preserve armpits in good health, it has been in the dock.
But what exactly is it being accused of?
Its potassium and aluminum content could present the same risks as the aluminum salts of deodorants available on the market!
The subject is still controversial, but if in doubt, it is better to turn to 100% guaranteed cosmetics without aluminum or make your own deodorant.
My tip:
Do like me, be inspired by the natural homemade recipes.
Fluoride toothpaste: the silent contamination
Although fluoride has always been regarded as the benefactor of our teeth, it is becoming the number one public enemy.
It is now on the long list of chemicals that pose a health problem!
Basically, we have been suffering for a long time from massive silent intoxication with significant impacts on our health.
Among other things, fluoride could weaken the bone structure of our body and impair our intellectual performance.
Telling you this, I realize that I met this “good fluoride” again the last time I visited my dentist.
He was proud of a poster designed to encourage children to brush their teeth. I imagine that this new fight is far from over…
My tip:
Fortunately, today, finding a fluorine-free toothpaste is easy. You know what you have to do!
But I prefer to warn you: fluoride is not only hidden in toothpaste. It’s time for vigilance!
Self-tanners: from tanned complexion to real danger
Self-tanners are like little chemical bombs. If you use them, you actually owe your pretty tanned complexion to dihydroxyacetone (DHA).
This molecule used to color the skin is unfortunately suspected of harmful effects on health.
So a nice tan, why not… but a toxic tan, thank you, but no thank you.
To make matters worse, self-tanners also contain formaldehyde, a component recognized as a carcinogen by the WHO.
As for those in the form of a spray, they involve inhalation risks and are therefore to be avoided!
My tip:
To choose, between my tan and my health, it’s a done deal.
I prefer – and by far – a slightly pale complexion… My new summer slogan: “Tan light, Tan healthier”.
Intimate cleansers: a confused vaginal flora
Our vagina is incredibly well-constituted since it has a self-cleaning function thanks to its secretions.
Vaginal showers should, therefore, be avoided, as should intimate cleansers that upset the bacterial balance and the natural PH of our flora, increasing the risk of developing fungi and vaginosis.
Even mild intimate cleansers are too abrasive for such a sensitive area. The use of these products is therefore of no interest, not to mention that they are not free of chemical substances (surfactants).
My tip:
Like Pocahontas, let nature take care of our vaginal flora…
Foundation makeup: Dirt wells
Foundation clogs the pores of our face and prevents it from breathing as it should.
Acne, blackheads, excessive sebum production… these are the damages caused by our indispensable healthy glow ally and imperfections coverer.
In other words, it camouflages real wells of dirt that it feeds itself. Something to spread you even more! A real vicious circle…
My tip:
Careful, don’t make me say what I didn’t say, that you shouldn’t wear makeup anymore. You can start by favoring less covering products and especially the most natural possible… Learn more about natural alternatives! Especially since organic cosmetics, as you know, have the wind in their sails.
Anti-aging creams: the chemical promise
We all aspire to preserve youth and vitality ad vitam æternam…
This phenomenon has a direct consequence: the anti-aging cream market is booming.
Have you ever wondered if, through this vow of longevity, we were not doing ourselves more harm than good?
When in doubt, I ask you: what is the price to pay to delay aging by a few years?
Anti-wrinkle creams are full of components, some of which are far from being totally innocent: parabens, preservatives or allergenic UV filters, endocrine disruptors, and as usual, the label of these products is full of barbaric names that do not inspire much naturalness.
And do these miracle creams really keep their promise? Meh… If they can certainly reduce a wrinkle, they will not miraculously erase it.
Finally, at the cost of anti-aging products, I am frankly convinced that it is not worth it.
My tip:
If you want to delay the appearance of a few wrinkles, be more attentive to your lifestyle, do not smoke, and do not expose yourself too long to the sun.
I’m not teaching you anything (I hope!), it’s the ABC!
You can also make simple and natural gestures like facial gymnastics and massage as well as smooth exfoliation and save your money by trusting natural recipes that are often much more effective than commercial products.
Antibacterial gel: the risk of the whole sanitized
You carry around your antibacterial bottle, convinced that it protects you from viruses and fungi of all kinds?
You use and abuse it to maintain your health? What if you’re on the wrong track?
Could hydroalcoholic gels be more dangerous than the bacteria they protect us from?
It’s possible! The issue, their triclosan content.
The latter is suspected of being an endocrine disruptor, increasing the resistance of certain microbes, and even promoting antibiotic resistance.
Another equally problematic component is bisphenol A, also classified as an endocrine disruptor.
According to a study conducted by the University of Missouri, the antibacterial gel would promote the absorption of bisphenol A by the skin and would, therefore, be dangerous to health in the long term.
The Association Health and Environment of France even called for caution with the use of these hand sanitizer gels and advised to reserve them for exceptional use.
If the use of these gels in hospitals is crucial to ensure quality care, it is far from always the case in your handbag or a fortiori in your bathroom.
My tip:
Unless you think you’re Dr. Ross and you’re starting an ER career, maybe it’s time to invite that little gel to retire.
A Marseille soap to wash your hands when you leave the toilet or before having a meal is more than enough.
Of course, this list is far from being exhaustive. I, therefore, invite you to be even more vigilant when purchasing your cosmetics.
Read the labels carefully and be patient because I am sure that even after this clean-up, your bathroom is still in the mined ground.
I’ll go even further, the demining is just beginning!
