Hidden Toxins In Popular Soap, Shampoo, And Body Wash Brands
Today’s Topic Highlights:
Most personal care products are loaded with dangerous chemicals. Many of the toxins found in soaps and shampoos are just as bad for our health as those found in processed foods.
Any substance applied to the skin is absorbed directly into the bloodstream. Whereas the kidneys and liver can help filter the unholy ingredients found in processed foods, the skin cannot.
A 2020 study found that 37% of commercial soaps were found to be toxic to the main cells of our skin’s outer layer. Using these soaps can worsen preexisting skin conditions.
“Fragrance” is a blanket word used to mask an undisclosed mixture of 20, 50, or even 100 chemicals from an available roster of about 3,500 chemicals that, by law, do not require transparency.
Neutragena, Dove, Head & Shoulders, Irish Spring, L’Oreal, and Pantene are among a long list of big names to avoid.
Most personal care products are loaded with dangerous chemicals. While the bulk of public health attention has been focused on foods and beverages, soaps and shampoos have largely gone under the radar. People tend to downplay the negative impacts of chemicals found in personal care products. In reality, many of the toxins found in soaps and shampoos are just as bad for our health as those found in processed foods.
Any substance applied to the skin is absorbed directly into the bloodstream. The skin is a dual functioning organ which both protects and absorbs. The vulnerability of its absorption function is that toxins have no way of being filtered out. Whereas the kidneys and liver can at least help filter the unholy ingredients found in processed foods, the skin cannot.
A 2020 study found that 37% of commercial soaps are toxic to the main cells of our skin’s outer layer. Using these soaps can worsen preexisting skin conditions. The very products meant to clean our skin can damage its protective barrier, leading to dryness and irritation.1
A 2023 cosmetics survey conducted by Environmental Working Group (EWG) showed that about a third of respondents use shampoo every day, and another third use shampoo one or more times a week. Stretch that out over a lifetime. This adds up to thousands of repeat exposures to toxins that most people are completely unaware of.2
For those who are hairless or do not bother with shampoo much, don’t think that puts you in the clear. Soaps and body washes contain many of the same toxic chemicals as shampoos and conditioners. Every major brand including Neutrogena, Dove, Irish Spring, and L'Oreal contain toxic ingredients.
If you think about it we are basically cleaning ourselves with poison. Fortunately, there are ways to avoid these landmines. Step 1 is to educate yourself on some of the most common and dangerous toxins. Step 2 to is to start reading labels more closely, and identifying those toxins which are likely in the products you currently use. Step 3, most importantly, is to find alternative brands who do not use them.
Below is a list of several common toxic ingredients found in soaps and shampoos. Additionally, there is a list of brands to avoid and brands to use. Links are provided to the healthier, toxin free alternatives at the bottom.