You are what you eat.

With that in mind, many of us take extra care in the food we eat but are you aware that the same line couldn’t be any more relevant to personal skin care? As we meticulously read each and every label of food packaging before they are even added to our shopping cart, little could be said in inspecting the label of the skin product applied to the skin, caring more about the brand than its ingredients.

In a recent U.S. health research, one in eight of the 82,000 ingredients used in personal care products are carcinogenic, toxic to the reproductive system, have traces of pesticide and/ or have hormone disruptors. Many of these components are masked in scientific terms unfamiliar to the ordinary person that is why it is important that we are just as diligent in selecting beauty products as well as be familiar with these toxic chemicals.

Below are some of the major harmful chemicals that you should avoid.

Parabens

Parabens are preservatives that are used to prevent the growth of microbes in cosmetics products and can be absorbed through the skin, blood, and the digestive system. Parabens have been found in biopsies from breast tumors at concentrations similar to those found in consumer products. Parabens are said to mimic estrogen that affect hormones in our body which could then lead to breast cancer. This is an alarming concern especially when these are commonly found in shampoos, conditioners, lotions, facial and shower cleansers. Look out for other common names for parabens, namely: ethylparaben, butylparaben, methylparaben, propylparaben, other ingredients ending in –paraben.

If you use any of these products on a daily basis, particularly on a large area of your body, you should seriously consider using organic alternatives that do not contain such preservatives. Biosmos Moisturizing Products such as the Multi-function Cream for Face and Body Aloe Vera contains aloe vera, jojoba oil, chamomile extract, and wheat proteins and is paraben-free.

GMO (Genetically Modified Organisms)

GMO’s are living organisms which genetic material has been artificially manipulated in a laboratory through genetic engineering or GE. This relatively new science creates unstable combinations of plant, animal, bacteria and viral genes that do not occur in nature or through traditional crossbreeding methods. The use of GMOs have given a boost to the agriculture industry but to the detriment of the consumer since GMOs have been found to cause a number of skin problems have been associated to GMOs, which include Margellon’s Disease. A wide range of skincare products has GMO in their ingredients, unlike Biosmos skincare products which are certified non-GMO.

Mineral Oils

Mineral oil is an extremely common ingredient in personal care products from moisturizers to the foundation to lip balm, and it is also an ingredient in a myriad of hair products. Although relatively harmless to the skin, it doesn’t really provide any nutritious benefits and its production has negative effects to the environment. In some cases, it was even found that that mineral oils caused acne and other skin irritations. Biosmos only uses organic essential oils in all its products, making them both safe to your skin and the environment.

Alcohol

Alcohol is a very common ingredient in skin care products, but it actually causes free-radical damage to your delicate skin. One form of alcohol widely used in beauty products is propylene glycol, a small organic alcohol used as a skin-conditioning agent. It’s classified as a skin irritant and penetrator which causes dermatitis as well as hives in humans. Unfortunately, these are found in moisturizers, sunscreen, makeup products, conditioners, shampoo and hair sprays so be extra careful in choosing these items for your regimen.

Sulfates

Sulfates such as Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) / Sodium laureate sulfate (SLES)are also common in hair and skin care products and are often presented in a way that it comes from coconut oil. This surfactant are known to be skin, lung, eye irritants and even found to be carcinogenic. It could be found in more than 90 percent of the personal care and cleaning products (think foaming products) such as shampoo, body wash/cleanser, mascara and acne treatment.

With all these ingredients to be wary of, we should be as watchful to what we use on our body as we are when it comes to what we eat. It’s worth the investment to take care of your looks, skin and well-being as early as possible. Make sure you go for natural ingredients in skin, hair, nail care and cosmetic products like Biosmos.