<![CDATA[Spagirl Gourmet by Kelly Williams, Consultant

Your skin is your body's largest organ; everything you put on it has the potential to be absorbed into your body. Think about medical patches you apply to your skin and the medicine is absorbed into your bloodstream. Now, think about all the dangerous chemicals in your body products that you use everyday--that's a pretty scary thought! Spagirl Gourmet does not use any of the ingredients listed below.

Petrolatum (Petroleum) is a semi-solid mixture of hydrocarbons which is found in crude oil.

USE: Inexpensive skin softener; Forms barrier on skin; Makes lipsticks shine and creams, smoother.
FOUND IN: Many cosmetics and personal care products. Read labels, Banned by EU.
HEALTH CONCERNS: Coats the skin with oil, stops skin from absorbing healthy ingredients and seals in toxins. Clogs pores and may cause acne or other skin irritations. Also may be contaminated with impurities linked to cancer or other significant health problems.

Parabens (Methyl, Ethyl, Propyl & Butyl)

Use: Preservative and anti-bacterial agent.
Found In: Many cosmetics and personal care products. Read labels.
Health Concerns: May alter hormone levels, possibly increasing the risk for certain types of cancer; impaired fertility, or alteration of the development of a fetus or young child; studies have found parabens in 18 out of 20 breast tumors; probable skin toxicant. Animal studies have shown brain and nervous system effects.

Diethanolamine (DEA)

Use: A chemical that provides a rich lather in shampoos, and keeps a favorable consistency in lotions and creams.
Found In: Shampoo, sunscreen, moisturizer, foundation, hair color
Health Concerns: skin and immune system toxicant; possible carcinogen; irritant. Anmial studies have shown endocrine disruption; and neuro developmental brain and nervous system effects. May trigger asthma. While sitting on store shelves or in your cabinet at home, DEA can react with other ingredients in the formula to form an extremely potent carcinogen called nitrosodiethanolamine (NDEA). NDEA is readily absorbed through the skin and has been linked with stomach, esophagus, liver and bladder cancers.

Phthalates (Dibutyl Phthalates)

Use: Allows the fragrance to linger on your skin longer, solvent
Found In: Many cosmetics and personal care products. Read labels, banned by EU.
Health Concerns: Immune system toxicant; developmental and reproductive toxin; respiratory toxicant; probable neurotoxin; possible carcinogen and endocrine disruptor; bio-accumulative in wildlife.

Sulfates

Use: Remove dirt and create suds
Found In: Soaps, shampoos cleansers, bath bubbles/soaks. Read labels.
Health Concerns: Alters skin structure, allowing other chemicals to penetrate deep into the skin, increasing the amounts of other chemicals that reach the bloodstream; irritant; animal studies show sense organ effects. This ingredient is strongly suspected to be toxic to the kidneys and nervous system. It appears on California Proposition 65 list of substances known to cause cancer and birth defects.

You Can Find An Incredible Skincare Line Without These Harsh Chemicals Here.

The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics is a valuable resource.

]]>