Why Natural Organic Skincare Is Better For Your Skin

Natural, Organic Body and Skincare

Shampoos, conditioners, shower gels, liquid soap, hand creams, facial cleansers and moisturiser, lip balms... we all have them in abundance in our homes and use them on a daily basis - but when's the last time you turned the bottle around and read the ingredients list? Even if you did, you probably wouldn't be any the wiser since many of these products consist of a concoction of chemicals, largely by-products of the petrochemical industry, heavily disguised under long complex names. Sadly, many of these chemicals do not have any beneficial effect on the skin and are included for other reasons - as an emulsifier, to bind ingredients together, to improve the texture or to give the product a longer shelf-life.

Whats more, some of these chemicals have been found to have potentially harmful effects on the human body and have been linked to skin irritations, adverse reactions in certain body organs and even cancer.

The problem by now is that so many commonly used skincare products contain these toxic ingredients - even some of those that claim to be 'natural', 'hypo-allergenic' or 'dermatologically-tested' - that it has become a minefield of misunderstanding for the average consumer.

So what is the answer? Firstly familiarise yourself with some of the nastiest chemical ingredients and make sure you don't buy anything containing these. Here are afew to get you started:

Sodium lauryl sulphate - a moderately toxic detergent which can cause skin irritation - found in most shampoos and toothpastes.

Parabens - including methy,propyl, butyl or ethyl - preservatives which are found in many products and can irritate skin, eyes and respiratory tract and are possibly carcinogenic.

Propylene/ butylene glycol - a petroleum-derived solvent linked with respiratory and throat irritation and central nervous system disorders, amongst others.

DEA- diethanolamine - acidity regulator e.g.DEA cocoamide - severely irritating to body tissues and eyes and possibly carcinogenic.

Bearing in mind that nobody really knows, as yet, what effect a daily bombardment by a concoction of these different chemicals may have on the human body over a prolonged period of time, it seems it would make sense to cut out or at least try to reduce your exposure to these toxic toiletries. Buying truly natural, organic products is the only way to ensure that what you are using is 100% safe and trustworthy and always check the ingredients labels. If you are reading such natural components as shea or cocoa butter, olive, sunflower or almond oil, beeswax, distilled flower waters and essential oils then you know you are on the right track! Remember that the purest, most natural products which are high in skin-feeding antioxidants and natural vitamins, often do not contain any preservatives and so will not be found on the shelves of your average shop, but there are plenty of on-line shops selling fresh products and at reasonable prices.

A Guide - Is Foam Hand Sanitizer Better Than Liquid Soap?

The answer is both yes and no. Though both have the same goal, each is different from the other, depending also on the situation. And even if the hand sanitizer that is alcohol-based kills more germs quickly than many hand soaps, it is not as effective as the liquid soap in removing contaminants.

Lately, people saw the coming of the hand sanitizer, and it gained popularity due to outbreaks such as the spreading of the swine flu. A hand sanitizer is an antiseptic that does not require rinsing with water. Thus, it is very convenient to utilize anywhere. Easy to use, it is applied and spread all over the hands like regular lotion. Its varieties are the alcohol wipes, and the gels which are alcohol-based, oil-based, or triclosan-based.

Meanwhile, the hands must be washed thoroughly many times during the day, not just before eating. It is an uncomplicated way to prevent illnesses from germs like fungi, viruses and/or bacteria that are all around. These microorganisms are on contaminated surfaces, infected people, particular animals, and even in some foods. They are easily transmitted especially to children who love playing outdoors. Transmission generally occurs from getting in contact with a source to a mere touch of the nose, eyes, or mouth.

Most of the time, even plain tap water is not free from these harmful microorganisms. Therefore, careful and thorough washing of the hands must be done not only with such water alone, but also with soap, most especially before and after eating, using contact lenses, treating wounds, preparing food, or touching an ill person. Also after going to the comfort room, handling trash, changing nappies, blowing the nose, etc. In between these, it is advised that hand washing be done at intervals.

These days, more people like using foam soap than the traditional solid or liquid soap. This is because it gives smooth foam that is silky to the touch. This creamy feel encourages kids to wash their hands often even without being told to. More so, this foam soap cuts washing time without cutting on the benefits of washing either with a solid or a liquid one. And, in dispensing foam soap, only a reasonable amount is released into the hand/s, unlike the liquid version that tends to flow down quickly, dispensing more than what is needed.

A foam hand sanitizer is a portable hand-cleaner and disinfectant which has the creamy-feel benefit of the foam soap. It efficiently works on hands which are not visibly dirty; even clean hands have germs. And though a hand sanitizer does not have the same benefits of thorough cleaning and scrubbing with water and soap, it is also effective in eradicating germs anytime.

Beeswax Vs Paraffin Wax - Which is Better?

Beeswax is a natural wax produced in the bee hive of honey bees. It is the worker bees, the females, that create this wax, to build honeycomb cells for three purposes; raising their young, storing honey, and pollen. It takes eight times the consumption in honey to create the wax. It is estimated that bees fly 150,000 miles to create one pound of bees wax.

It is the type of flowers gathered by the bees that determines the color of the wax, from a white to brown, most often a shade of yellow. The color of beeswax is at first white and then darkens with age and use. This is especially true if it is used to raise the young bees. The color has no significance as to the quality of the wax (other than its esthetic appeal). Formerly, bees wax was bleached using ozonisation, sulphuric acid, or hydrogen peroxide which resulted in the addition of chemicals into the wax. Bleaching has now been stopped by reputable candle manufacturers and other suppliers of this natural wax.

60% of total beeswax is used to make candles, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. It is also used in polishing materials for shoes, furniture, models, pool table filler, and as a protective coating for aging cheese. Bees wax can be softened with vegetable oil to make it softer and more workable.

The most important aspect of bees wax, besides the naturalness, is that they burn brighter, longer, and cleaner than any other candle! The flame virtually emits the same light spectrum as the sun and in the process of burning, negative ions (which is a positive thing) are released to clean the air and invigorate the body. The negative ions is what the air smells like after a storm.

This 100% natural fuel created by bees is naturally scented by the honey and nectar of flowers packed into the honeycombs and gives off a subtle fragrance as it burns. If the bees wax has a medicinal smell, chances are that it has been chemically altered or bleached. Always check for 100% beeswax, for the legalities on labeling these candles states that a mere 55% content can be called 'beeswax', and for soy candles, a minimum amount of 20% soy wax can allow for those type of candles to be called 'soy'.

Beeswax vs. Paraffin:

Beeswax is a 100% natural fuel created by bees;

- burns cleaner than any other,
- burns longer than others and do not drip,
- emits a bright light that has the same light spectrum as the sun,
- emits negative ions that actually clean the air and invigorate the body,
- are naturally scented by the honey and nectar of flowers packed into the honeycomb within the beehive.
- come from a renewable resource.

Paraffin candles come from a nonrenewable resource: petroleum, a.k.a. crude oil;

- give off many of the same toxic fumes as are found in auto exhaust,
- are relatively short burning and drip excessively,
- is a toxic byproduct of the oil industry.
- produce a disorganized light spectrum very similar to old-fashioned incandescent bulbs,
- produce toxic petrol-soot that eventually stains all interior surfaces,
- typically contain artificial fragrances and colors which also produce toxins and stains when burned.

The wick is just as important as the type of wax. When you burn a chemically processed or metallically reinforced wick, it can release large amounts of soot into the air you breathe, possibly causing harmful health side effects. The metals and chemicals in these wicks are bleach, petroleum products, lead and zinc, which are released into the air for you to inhale.

Also look for 100% unbleached cotton wicks. One way to test the wick is to drag it or rub it on a piece of white paper, any metals will leave a mark on the paper.

Bees Wax is often used in soap making as well. Put the wax in with the oils at the beginning as this natural wax has a high melting point and may not fully melt if added at trace. Usually this amazing wax is added to soap for the added hardness of the final bars. The scent of honey is an added bonus! Add only 1.5 percent of wax to your total of oils and fats. Too much wax could make a sticky and gummy bar.