Its beauty month here at Fertile Ground! We’re giving you lots of information on how and why to upgrade your products. Consider taking a few steps towards optimal and safe body care and upgrading your beauty products.
Our skin is our largest organ, it interacts with the environment constantly protecting us from the environment and sheltering our delicate organs. Even though it is our largest and best protector, it is highly absorbent; the things we use topically can be in our bloodstreams in under a minute and can interfere with our body’s hormone balance.
Many products on the market today contain known carcinogens that contribute to hormone disruption and some cancers. Educating ourselves about our products will help us and future generations to maintain better health.
I met with Constance Walker of Constance Marie Aesthetics, a Denver esthetician who helps women look their best using 
natural products and techniques. Her products are safe for humans and for the environment and she believes in educating patients about products to help them become more savvy and safe. She further uses gentle techniques during her facials that have her clients leave her office with a healthy glow rather than reddened skin from aggressive treatments.
I asked her how often we should get a facial to retain our healthy glowing skin. She recommends once per month to keep up with the skin’s needs for a boost in cell renewing exfoliation that will help maintain and improve elasticity of the skin and reduce breakouts.
I sampled a facial with Constance in her lovely Cherry Creek office. I relaxed in her beautiful treatment room and left with greater knowledge about how to care for my skin and an amazing glow that has lasted for days! My skin is bright, clear and incredibly soft!
She recommends at home that a cleansing routine is established and exfoliation is done once per week to remove old skin cells along with adding a masque once/week. She further recommends we avoid any products containing parabens, synthetic preservatives, or products listing parfum on their ingredient list.
Contact Constance at 303-995-1344 or constance@constancemarieaesthetics.com to make an appointment for an amazing facial and to discuss the types of products that are right for your skin type.
The following is a list of known hormone disruptors and harsh chemicals that have been shown in laboratory studies to cause ill effects. Consider taking a look at your products and adding a few new things to your beauty routine. Don’t forget to check out Aillea online, at Cherry creek mall or in Lodo to have their wonderful staff help you find some lovely new product that actually perform well and are safe for you and the environment.
- Sodium lauryl sulfate:Found in shampoo, body wash, foundation, face wash, mouthwash, and toothpaste SLS has been known to cause/contribute to symptoms like: skin irritation, canker sores, disruption to the skins natural oil balance, and even eye damage
- BHA: Found in exfoliates and perfume. The National Toxicology Program classifies BHA as “reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen”. It has been known to cause skin depigmentation, liver damage, and even some stomach cancers, as well as interferes with the normal reproductive system development and thyroid hormone levels. The EU considers this to be an unsafe chemical.
- Triclosan and triclocarban: Found in toothpaste, deodorant, and antibacterial soap. The FDA agrees that there is no health benefit to humans who use triclosan and mandated that manufacturers demonstrate that there are no long term effects to those who do use them. This chemical has been linked to hormonal disruptions, bacterial resistance, impaired muscle functions, impaired immune functions, and increased allergies.
- Aminophenol, diaminobenzene, phenylenediamine (Coal Tar): Found in hair dye, and shampooThis is a known human carcinogen.
- Parabens: found in makeup, moisturizer, shaving gel, shampoo, personal lubricant, and spray tan products. The FDA acknowledges studies linking parabens (which mimic estrogen) to breast cancer, skin cancer, and decreased sperm count but has not ruled it harmful yet. They may disrupt the endocrine system and cause reproductive and developmental disorders.
- Polyethylene/Pegs: Found in scrubs, body wash, makeup, and toothpaste. You may also know them as those tiny little plastic beans in face or lips scrubs which are used because they are gentler on the skin compared to natural exfoliants. Plythethylene has been noted as a skin irritant and should not be used on broken skin. These small beads are also not filtered by our sewage systems, meaning they can collect pollutants and travel into waterways where they are consumed by fish.
- Retinyl palmitate, retinyl acetate, retinoic acid ad retinol: Found in moisturizer, lip products, sunscreen, and anti aging products. These products become carcinogenic in sunlight, making it extra important to only use at night
- Petroleum distillates: Found in mascara
- Petroleum extracted cosmetics: may cause dermatitis and are often contaminated with cancer causing impurities.
- “Fragrance”: Found in moisturizers, deodorant, lotion, face cream, shampoo, and conditioner. Under federal law, companies do not have to list the ingredients used in their fragrance mixture. Often times the chemicals contained the fragrance mixture are hormone disruptors, and are among the top 5 allergens in the world.
- Oxybenzone: Found in sunscreen. This is one of the highest risk chemicals found in sunscreen. It acts like estrogen and alters sperm production in animals and is associated with endometriosis in women. Studies have shown this to be a hormone disruptor.
- Dibutyl phthalate, toluene and formaldehyde: Found in nail polish and other nail products. Also known as the “toxic trio”, these chemicals have been linked to birth defects, endocrine disruptors, headaches, and respiratory problems. Brands like OPI and Zoya have pledged to remove these chemicals from their products.
- Hydroquinone: Found in skin lighteners This skin bleaching chemical can cause skin disease called ochronosis with “disfiguring and irreversible” blue and black lesions on exposed skin.