Harmful Ingredients that May Be in Your Health & Beauty Products

Many consumers today are adapting to health conscious roles and trading their chemically manufactured products for all natural brand names. Although the chances of these ingredients affecting an individual are slim, I understand the concern. Nobody wants to discover that the products they have been using for years can lead to other potentially harmful health issues. As I point out each ingredient, check your household products...it is likely they include one of the below.

Harmful Ingredient #1: Gluten: Gluten is one of the top concerns in the health and body industry today. In fact, nearly all natural and organic brand names have already eliminated this ingredient from their products. Gluten is a protein complex found in grains such as wheat, barley, and rye. Recent studies have shown that it is linked to Celiac Disease. Although it has long been a significant ingredient in foods such as bread, pasta, chips, etc.; gluten can cause those with Celiac Disease to symptom side effects such as constipation, vomiting, and weight loss among many more. The reason is due to gluten eating away at a vital part of the small intestine and interfering with our digestive process. Take a look at your hair/skin care products, as they may contain gluten as a protein source as well.

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) or Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES) is considered to be one of the most harmful ingredients in our health and beauty products today. They are known as surfactants, the ingredients that create the suds while shampoo/conditioning your hair. They are also known to degrease car engines and other hard surfaces. But why do we use it on our skin? Easy....it's cheap. While it may clean the skin of perspiration and dirt, it is also opening the pores to other harmful ingredients. It is known to cause skin irritation and interfere with other nutrients the body needs to replenish. Ensure to toss out anything containing this.

The next harmful ingredient on my list is Propylene Glycol. This type of mineral oil can be found in brake fluids and engine anti-freeze products. But in hair and skin products it is used as a humescent; otherwise known to retain moisture the personal care products provide. It too, can be found in most natural skin/hair care products and has known side effects such as skin irritation, skin drying, and may even threaten organs such as the kidney and liver.

I have included a link for other harmful ingredients below. While the purpose of this article is to inform you of dangerous ingredients found in most personal care products today, it does not list them all. In fact, while individuals have different reactions/allergies to a number of ingredients, the few listed above are merely the most common. Next time you shop personal care, be aware of the possible side affects harmful ingredients induce.

Aroma-Essence. Are these harmful ingredients in your personal care products. Retrieved Oct 27, 2009 from http://www.aroma-essence.com/harmful-ingredients.html