Many of the chemicals commonly found in non-natural skincare products and cosmetics that we use on a daily basis can have a great impact on our health and hormonal balance.
Although there are thousands of chemicals that are currently being used in the cosmetic industry, only a small percentage of them has been tested for their impact on the human body and the environment. This lack of studies – particularly on long-terms effects – is one of the main reasons for the divergent opinions around this topic and over the acceptable concentration levels of these elements in commercialized products.
Nonetheless, it is proven that our body absorbs the substances applied on the skin. The skin is the largest organ of our body, and the chemicals contained in the beauty products enter in our system through dermal exposition. Recent studies affirm that the average woman applies over 500 chemicals on her skin every day by using cosmetics and skincare and, due to the same reason, absorbs over 2 kg of chemicals per year.
Many women are disinformed about the key ingredients contained in the toiletries that they use (more than one third of the participants according to a 2009 study conducted by Bionsen). According to the same study, more than 70% of the interviewed women said that they were not concerned by the number of chemicals that they apply on their skin.(1)
However, it is scientifically proven how the presence of some of these ingredients in the body is connected to health issues such as skin allergies, irritations, cancer, infertility and reproductive problems, birth defects and learning disabilities.
