Can you tell us about the research findings
At Nourished Life we talk to thousands of health conscious Aussie women every day, women who are extremely diligent about everything they apply to their skin and what they bring into the family home. But we really wanted to understand how broad this conscious community was. To find that almost 70% of Australian women had little to no knowledge of what they apply to their bodies every day was a huge shock to me, a real eye-opener that more education is needed in this area.
Why is there such a lack of understanding of toxic chemicals in beauty products?
I believe this is because women we are incredibly busy. As a mum of 4, I know very well how difficult it is to stop and read the back of the label for everything we add to our shopping trolley while wrangling children and thinking about what to cook for dinner. So often we just grab the product based on the front of the label or an ad we have seen on TV and this is where it gets confusing. A moisturiser can say organic on the front and still contain potential toxins in the ingredients listed on the back!
What advice do you have for people who use mainstream cosmetics?
My advice is to finish up what you are using and rather than replacing it with the same product, look for a natural alternative then. At Nourished Life we have an on staff naturopath that can provide free advice on over 3,000 great natural alternatives to almost every mainstream beauty or cleaning product. The other advice I have is to start swapping those products that we apply over the largest areas of the body, for example fake tans and body moisturisers, if products can be absorbed via the skin these are the products to change first!
What are the top 5 chemicals you find in your home that are most damaging to your health?
Chemicals such as Parabens, commercial fragrances & perfume which may contain Phthalates, Triclosan (which can be found in antibacterial soaps), harsh cleansers such as Sodium Laurel/Laureth Sulfate and Petroleum By-Products such as mineral oils & Petrolatum can all be easily avoided by switching to natural alternatives.
What are the three chemicals we should get rid of right now and why?
Parabens & artificial fragrances containing Phthalates which may have endocrine-disrupting effects and Triclosan which can be irritating to the eyes, respiratory system and the skin.
What are the benefits of detoxing your cleaning and beauty routine?
I find there to be a great cost savings to be made as natural and organic products tend to be cheaper than many of the mainstream products and a little goes a long way as they are not full of fillers like mineral oils. The other key benefits I have found personally are clear skin, more energy and an overall healthy glow.
What are the top products that are doing you and the environment the most harm?
Harsh chemicals which are not healthy for us, as mentioned above and being washed down the drains and into our water ways. Combined with nasties like micro beads that can be very harmful to our eco-system.
Do we really need all these chemicals in our beauty products?
No! I do not believe so, green science has come so far, in terms of anti-ageing, fake tans, hair care, anything – there is a natural product that works just as good, I’d even say better!
Where can people go for more information?