More Skin Ingredients to Avoid

As promised in my last entry, here are some more skin care ingredients that you must avoid if you are going to keep you and your kids cancer free.

Stearalkonium Chloride: This is asubstance that is included in many skin and hair care products that studies have indicated is safe in the concentrations used in products of this nature.

However, additional studies have indicated that in higher concentrations, it is a known skin and eye irritant and it is also known to cause allergic reactions, particularly in those with sensitive skin. If your baby's eyes are watering, make sure this chemical is not in anything you are putting on her hair or in her skin.

Triclosan: Triclosan is regarded by the EPA as a pesticide, one that is believed to be carcinogenic for humans. It is so toxic and powerful that it is usually measured in parts per trillion, to the extent that one drop in 300 swimming pools could be sufficient to cause hormonal difficulties.

However, because it is a powerful antibacterial agent, it is used in many common household products like toothpaste, antibacterial lotions and soap. It is definitely not something that you should be washing yourself or cleaning your teeth with. Keep this mind the next time you buy that antibacterial soap.

DMDM hydantoin: DMDM hydantoin is a chemical preservative that releases formaldehyde which limits the development of microorganisms. Unfortunately, it also causes allergic reactions range from mild to severe, joint pain, rashes, depression, headache, chest pains, chronic fatigue and a loss of sleep.

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS): Sodium lauryl sulfate is an ingredient that is found in almost all household products that foam such as shampoo. It has been used in products like baby shampoo even though it is known to cause allergic reactions and damage to young eyes. This is another substance that is often included in toothpaste as well, but one that is to be avoided.

Diethanolamine (DEA): Diethanolamine is another chemical to be found in foaming products that is known to be a skin irritant.

In fact, because they are known to cause hormonal problems and to be carcinogenic, diethanolamine (and the ‘mono' and ‘tri' versions of the chemical) are already restricted or banned in many European countries as a result of the known risks associated with them.

These risks were highlighted on the CBS TV program ‘This morning' as long ago as 1998 when it was reported that a Federal government study had shown that DEA and detergents that contained it posed significantly increased cancer risks, particularly of kidney and liver cancer.

Mineral oil: Mineral oil is a byproduct of the processing of oil into petroleum products. When applied to the skin, mineral oil literally coats your skin with a ‘saran wrap-like' cover that completely prevents your skin from breathing.

It will clog your pores to the extent that blocked pores, spots and pimples become almost inevitable, preventing your skin from sloughing off the dead cells and getting rid of toxins.

And note that far from being as gentle and kind as you might imagine it would be, ‘Baby Oil' is almost always pure mineral oil. Be careful and read the labels!

Parenting Tips
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Is Your Teen Shaving?

Is your teen starting to shave? Whether it is a he is trying to attack the first bits of an appearing mustache or whether it is she is making an attempt to hack away at the hair on her legs you might want to consider what it is that they are putting on their skin. Is it a green product?
You can never be old to start thinking green when it comes to personal grooming products. This is because green shaving products are not only good for your health – they are also good for the environment. They also tend to be less abrasive on the skin and they do not caused raised red razor bumps (razor burn) or rashes like some products.
I think it is important to teach my kids to be ecologically correct about the kinds of shaving products they use This is s because most of the leading brands of shaving creams contain triethanolamine (TEA) or diethanolamine (DEA). Both of these chemicals act as an emulsifier, preservative and foaming agent.
Although these chemicals give you a good lathering up when you shave they also can give a human being a liver or kidney tumor. These chemicals can also irritate the skin of some human beings. This is why so many people are choosing shaving creams and soaps with natural ingredients over the evil TEA or DEA additives. It also stands to reason that when you shave that you are allowing more toxins to seep into your skin than usual.
When you first use these natural shaving creams you might find yourself missing some of the lather. When you first put them on your face it is more like shaving with a gel or a lotion. You will get used to that. Also what these products lack in foam they make up for with a gorgeous aroma therapeutic scent.
A good company making natural shaving creams is Kiss My Face. These are creams in a tube and they smell nice and come in very hip scents like patchouli. My kids certainly like that. Kiss My Face also makes really attractive sandalwood and lime scented shaving creams as well.
An example of a natural shaving cream is wild soap bars. These are old fashioned soap bars made from olive oil and herbs like sassafras. They guarantee an old fashioned organic shave. However they are meant more for the man in your house.
Another old and reputable company that makes shaving soap bars is the D.R. Harris and Company out of London. It has manufactured organic lavender scented products for the royal family for centuries. If your kid is not accident prone you can even teach him how to shave the old fashioned way with a brush, a dish of soap and a straight razor. It seems that everything that is old fashioned is usually quite chemical free and 'green' in nature in the first place.

Parenting Tips
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