The marketing system and advertisers are well aware of the impact of the tempting promises of eternal youth, the intoxicating aromas and the pretty packaging offered daily by cosmetic products.

Little by little, the population is becoming aware of the harmfulness of chemicals in food and the importance of transparent labels. But what about the cosmetic products we apply to our skin and hair?

What real consequences can these products have on our bodies and our health?

More and more, researchers are advancing and demonstrating that the ingredients in skin care products can cause damage to the hair and skin, but also to the immune system, the eyes and can even cause much more serious degeneration.

Overview of industrial and mass-market cosmetics to watch out for

• Eye makeup products that are applied very close to the mucous membranes and can be absorbed by the very sensitive skin in these areas.
• Hair sprays, perfumes and facial powders that are volatile and therefore often inhaled, but are anyway irritating to the respiratory tract.
• Lipsticks that are constantly licked and swallowed, as well as toothpastes.
• Face, body and sun creams and lotions, as well as shampoos, conditioners and other hair lotions all contain toxic and harmful substances that are absorbed by the skin.
• Let's not forget about household detergents or laundry products, which even when used in small quantities, are in permanent contact with the skin through our clothes.

Studies conducted over long periods of time and on a wide range of populations estimate that there are more than 10,000 different ingredients present in skin care products. They conclude that the average adult uses nine personal care products daily, these contain an average of 126 different chemicals. Women's average use of cosmetics can be as high as 15 products per day.

Know now that what you put on your skin can be more dangerous than what you eat. In fact, when we eat, the enzymes in our saliva and stomach are already working to neutralize or evacuate certain harmful substances. On the other hand, when chemicals are applied to the skin, they are directly absorbed and enter the bloodstream, without filtering, quickly reaching precious organs.

These chemicals tend to build up over time because the body usually does not have the enzymes to neutralize or flush them out. Despite the abundance of chemicals, about 70,000 commonly used throughout the world, and the harmfulness (cancer risk of one in five) of chemicals used in cosmetics, health authorities do not see the need for mandatory testing before they are sold.

The United Nations Environment Organization estimates that nearly 1,000 new chemicals are introduced into cosmetic products each year, of which some independent organizations estimate that nearly 90% are toxic.

Why be more vigilant about your skin?

Our skin is much more than just the boundary of our physical body, it is also the largest organ in the body and performs many essential functions.

1. It protects your internal organs from injury and is the first and most important defense against infection.

2. It helps to eliminate waste through perspiration.

3. It participates in the immune system by constituting a protective barrier against viruses and bad bacteria, preventing the penetration of infectious factors.

4. It is covered with a flora made up of "good" bacteria. This healthy skin flora constitutes an effective immune barrier.

5. The skin also plays a thermoregulatory role in order to maintain an optimal body temperature whatever the environmental conditions.

6. The skin is also responsible for maintaining the water balance, a delicate balance that is essential for maintaining health.

7. It supplies the body with vitamin D, which is increasingly considered essential for good health.

8. Very rich in receptors, it sends sensory and proprioceptive information (heat/cold, pressure, pain) to the brain to allow the body to react and adapt to the possibly dangerous conditions around us.

Our skin is essential to our health

And just as making healthy, non-toxic food choices helps us optimize or maintain good health, it is vital to be judicious in the choice of products we coat or come in contact with.

Choose your "natural" cosmetics with full knowledge

Currently, there is no regulation on beauty products and the installation of a label with the word "natural" which would inform the consumer that it is a quality product, is not a guarantee at all since it is not a label or a quality control.

According to some "organic" consumer associations, the word "organic" is not properly used in body care products as it is in food products.

Indeed, some "organic beauty products" contain only a very small percentage of organic ingredients and some brands use ingredients that are simply derived from natural sources that are completely processed and ultimately contain a lot of synthetic and petrochemical compounds.

So, how do you navigate this blur of cosmetic product labels? And how can you be sure of the veracity of the information contained therein?

Let's first focus on a compound called "sodium lauryl sulfate" (LSS), "sodium laureth sulfate" (LESS) or "ammonium laureth sulfate" (LSA), a chemical very commonly used in the cosmetic industry.

It is a surfactant, detergent and emulsifier used in thousands of cosmetic products, as well as in industrial cleaners. It is present in almost all shampoos, scalp treatments, hair coloring or bleaching agents, toothpastes, liquid soaps (body and hand), make-up removers, liquid laundry products, as well as in bath oils and salts.

Although sodium lauryl sulfate is originally derived from coconuts, the finished product in cosmetics is chemical and not natural.

Indeed, the manufacturing process of LSS consists in an ethoxylation and results in a contamination of this agent by a molecule of 1,4-dioxane, to form a salt, carcinogenic by-product. All derivatives of sodium lauryl sulfate, the emulsifier used to make foaming products, are considered to be of more or less "moderate" risk.

More detailed studies on these substances have highlighted certain more or less harmful effects that they cause, namely skin and eye irritation, neurotoxicity, endocrine disruption and repercussions on reproduction, organic, biochemical or cellular toxicity with possible mutations towards a cancerous state.

It is obvious that the animal research is carried out by ingestion or deposit (in the eyes) of the product alone, pure and not mixed or diluted as it is in cosmetic products. Any substance, even natural ones, such as essential oils for example, used pure and in this way can cause damage. This is obviously not a "normal" use of this type of product.

One fact is that a number of studies conducted on human volunteers using LSS daily in mouthwash or on the skin have reported damage or irritation of the oral mucosa and skin. The researchers found scaling, burning, and increased mouth ulcers in the oral mucosa. Dermatologists have reported skin irritation that persists for up to 3 weeks, as well as depletion of skin flora and disruption of skin moisture levels. Accidental ingestion of product could even lead to nausea and diarrhea in some cases.

Be careful not to swallow any part of your toothpaste if it contains LSS

Damage to cellular DNA or carcinogenic effects are more difficult to measure because of the scarcity of scientific studies. But what is certain is that the ethylene oxide present in "sodium laureth sulfate" (LESS) presents "high risks", and that 1,4-dioxane, a by-product of ethylene oxide, is described by some specialists as "probably carcinogenic to humans", toxic to the brain and central nervous system, kidneys and liver. It is also a groundwater contaminant.

Is it in order not to take sides or not to panic the population that the organizations publishing the results of these studies hide behind sentences such as: "These substances present real risks for health. These vary according to the level of exposure and individual sensitivity to the substance. "

In conclusion, man is still playing the sorcerer's apprentice in relation to the lack of hindsight and the long-term consequences that could be caused by the repetitive and cumulative use of this kind of chemical substances for the generations to come.

In any case, if you want to avoid 1,4-dioxane and ethylene oxide, do not use products that contain derivatives of the ethoxylation process, i.e., all those with the following suffixes in their ingredient list: "myreth", "oleth", "laureth", "ceteareth", any other "ETH", "PEG", "polyethylene glycol", "polyoxyethylene" or "oxynol".

In view of this abundance of chemical components, the only certainty is that biochemistry is very complex and that we do not know how to really estimate the long-term consequences of the "chemical cocktails" contained in the various cosmetic products. Indeed, one can possibly test and evaluate the risks or safety of individual ingredients, but when they come into contact with each other, new random molecular bonds develop that give rise to other new chemicals whose long-term effects are often unknown and certainly underestimated.

Some of these unintentional chemicals are known to belong to the nitrosamine family.

How to evaluate the toxicity of care products?

We have already mentioned that women's average use of cosmetics can be as high as 15 products per day. For your information, we can add that on this daily basis, the annual body absorption of chemicals and toxins is estimated to be about 5 kilos.

On the surface, the daily use of products such as shampoo, toothpaste, shower gel, day creams and body lotions may not seem like a big deal to you, but in fact they expose you directly through your skin to thousands of chemicals that remain in your body for years. This toxic load accumulating over time can become a real factor contributing to more or less important health problems, even serious illnesses. These risks will obviously be increased if you don't take care of your food and life hygiene in general.

Doctors note that diseases such as fibromyalgia, thyroiditis or multiple sclerosis are much more common in women. And although it is very difficult to establish a direct link between these daily exposures to cosmetic chemicals and the health problems experienced by women, one cannot help but consider the connection between these two factors.

If our conscience is awakened, we cannot help but think of the consequences of these multitudes of chemicals on future generations. It is important to know that many animal studies on toxins now show that some manifestations appear after two or even three generations. It is obvious that it can be the same for the human race.

Suggestions and tips to guide you in your cosmetic choices and avoid harmful chemicals as much as possible

1. First of all, do you really think you need that many products to start your day? There is certainly a way to simplify your life and at the same time, relieve your wallet.
2. Then look for the "BIO" or "Genuine Organic Products" labels.
3. If the list of ingredients contains unpronounceable names, it is already not a good sign...
4. Ask yourself if you would eat what is mentioned in this list?
5. Choose fragrance-free products. Be aware that an "artificial fragrance" alone can contain hundreds, if not thousands, of chemicals, and fragrances are the cause of many allergic reactions.
6. Pay attention to the order in which the ingredients are listed. In fact, manufacturers are required to list ingredients in descending order and proportional to the quantities of products used. This means that the first ingredients listed are the most important in this preparation.
7. Buy products that come in glass bottles rather than plastic bottles to avoid some of the chemicals that can be released from the plastics themselves, including Bisphenol A, which is also a serious health concern.
8. If you choose a plastic bottle, make sure it is labeled "BPA-free".
9. Drink plenty of purified water daily to help your body eliminate toxins.
10. Eat plenty of organic quality vegetables and fruits, especially brightly colored ones that will help you maintain a healthy and functional body thanks to the antioxidants and other numerous nutrients and minerals they contain.
11. If you are truly concerned about the respect and future of the human race and its beautiful planet earth, you may want to look for products made by fair trade or companies with an ecological philosophy or working for the well-being of the earth, animals and ecological objectives. You can also avoid products that have been tested on animals.

In conclusion, the best way to be sure of obtaining quality skin care products is to make them yourself using simple or "homemade" ingredients that are all natural and whose origin you can be sure of.

This new approach is currently very popular and the recipes are easily found on the Internet or in books that you can buy in health food stores or stores selling natural and organic products.