By Lisa Petty
In the previous blog, you may recall that xenoestrogens in petrochemicals found in some beauty care products can have dangerous consequences for your health. Let’s take a look at a few of them:
Phthalates (pronounced “thay-lates”) are used in some hairspray, deodorant, nail polish, and cologne formulations can be inhaled or absorbed through the skin and are known to damage the liver, lungs, and reproductive system. Avoid MEHP and DEHP, which have been proven to be contributing factors in female infertility by suppressing the production of estradiol, a hormone essential for the release of an egg from the ovary. In animal studies, MEHP has also been implicated as a cause of decreased levels of the natural estrogen estradiol in the blood, prolonged estrous cycles, and lack of ovulation. Phthalates have also been associated with undescended testes in male babies, which occurs when the testes remain in the abdomen for more than a year after a boy’s birth and must be surgically corrected.
Avoid products with the word ‘fragrance’ on the label, as these likely contain phthalates (which are used to make the fragrance and are not listed individually on the label.) Think about the number of products in your home that contain fragrance: candles, room deodorizers, dish detergent, feminine products, garbage bags and so on. Now think of how many products you use directly on your body that have a fragrance: shampoo, conditioner, gel, mousse, spray, shaving gel or cream, soap, body lotion, facial cleanser, moisturizer, make-up, lipstick, deodorant, and of course, perfume. It doesn’t take a mathematician to add up our exposures to synthetic fragrance.
Stay tuned for the next edition in the series If Looks Could Kill for practical tips to help you boost your healthy, natural beauty.
About This Guest Blogger
Excerpted from Living Beauty: Feel Great, Look Fabulous & Live Well (©2006 Fitzhenry & Whiteside) by Lisa Petty. www.LiveVibrantly.ca
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