| "Beauty is a glorious gift of nature." | | | | health of the consumer is completely |
| Homer | | | | disregarded. |
| What you put on your skin is absorbed | | | | The trend for natural products is |
| through your skin. To be more precise, | | | | growing because the educated consumer is |
| the skin absorbs approximately 60% of | | | | now demanding these for face and body |
| any substance applied to it. Hence the | | | | care. Making the decision to use only |
| success of trans-dermal skin patches | | | | natural products is easy. Incorporating |
| prescribed by physicians to deliver | | | | this decision into your everyday life |
| medications. | | | | becomes more difficult as you try to |
| Unfortunately, most of the skin care | | | | practice it. It is nearly impossible to |
| products mass produced for the market | | | | find completely natural and organic |
| today, even those claiming to be `all | | | | personal care products on the commercial |
| natural' and/or `botanically based' | | | | market. It is offensive to see large |
| products, contain harsh, toxic and even | | | | numbers of chemically laden personal |
| possibly carcinogenic ingredients that | | | | care products lining the shelves of |
| actually contribute to disorders of the | | | | natural health and food markets. |
| skin and accelerate the aging process. | | | | Marketed as "Natural", these products |
| There is a growing concern from | | | | contain harmful synthetic chemicals; |
| consumers about the ingredients in the | | | | however, few of us have the time to |
| personal care products they use daily. | | | | peruse the ingredient lists of our |
| In a recent study by the US General | | | | moisturizer, deodorant, body lotion and |
| Accounting Office (GAO), 125 ingredients | | | | any of the other products we apply |
| found in cosmetics are suspected of | | | | daily. We trust that the products sold |
| causing cancer. Twenty ingredients have | | | | in these "natural health stores" are |
| been implicated in causing birth | | | | safe for the entire family, and so we |
| defects. Twenty ingredients may cause | | | | believe the advertised claims on the |
| adverse neurological symptoms, such as | | | | bottles of shampoo, lotion, facial care, |
| headaches and convulsions. Most of these | | | | etc. |
| toxic chemicals are so inexpensive that | | | | According to industry estimates, on any |
| they are used in extremely high | | | | given day a consumer may use as many as |
| concentrations in many personal care | | | | 25 different cosmetics and personal care |
| products. | | | | products containing more than 200 |
| These toxic chemicals provide no | | | | different chemical compounds. If a |
| benefits or nutrients to the skin. They | | | | product claims to be organic and /or |
| are the inexpensive alternatives | | | | natural, its ingredients should be |
| employed to achieve the "feel" or "slip" | | | | easily recognizable as natural |
| to the skin that occurs naturally using | | | | components. Also, the ingredients should |
| pure, nutritious, essential oils and | | | | be listed in descending order with the |
| vegetable oils. The chemicals used to | | | | most prominent factors listed first. |
| replace the nutritious components are | | | | Nature offers all that is needed for |
| used in significant concentrations in | | | | healthy, radiant and beautiful skin. |
| most skin care products. Their only | | | | "In all things of nature there is |
| purpose is to increase the profit | | | | something of the marvelous. |
| margins for the manufacturers. The | | | | |