Natural Preservatives: Fact, or Fiction?

I recently stumbled across this article, which brings up some interesting points about organic skin care products and the concept of "all natural" preservatives. The fact is? They really don't exist. Though vitamin E and rosemary extract may be potent antioxidants and keep oils from going rancid, they do not inhibit the growth of microbes and fungi in water based products (or even oil-based ones if they are left in a germ and bacteria friendly environment). So, in an effort to remain natural, we may be inadvertently exposing ourselves to illness and infection. It's alarming how many products I see from homegrown businesses, usually of the small and unregulated Etsy/eBay varieties, who claim that they do in fact act as broad-spectrum preservatives in their products. But it isn't just the "ma and pa" shops that are perpetuating these myths.

One of the most popular of the "natural" preservatives, grapefruit seed extract, an ingredient widely used by many large-scale "organic" companies such as Jason, is actually about as far as you can get from being naturally derived, or even a preservative for that matter! To produce it, chemical manufacturers take leftover grapefruit pulp, a waste by-product from grapefruit juice production, and in an intensive, multi-step industrial chemical process, change the natural phenolic compounds into synthetic quaternary ammonium compounds. Yes, SYNTHETIC. Even worse, studies done on the extract have found that while some samples did have mild preservative qualities, this was almost entirely due to trace contaminants, including benzethonium chloride (a synthetic antimicrobial commonly used in disinfectants) and methylparaben (just about the worst form of parabens out there). Yuck!

Although I wish I could say that I will be forever free from preservatives, unfortunately I do still use some water-based products that contain Optiphen, a phenoxyethanol-based preservative (it doesn't release formaldehyde or contain petrochemicals/parabens), which the author of the previously mentioned article uses in her products as well. It's not an ideal product, but the fact is, as long as skin care products contain water (unless you don't mind tossing out your toner and lotion every week or so), they will also require some form of preservative to keep the nasties away. What's a chemical-free girl to do?

Once you have been reading labels and scanning the Cosmetics Safety Database for a while, you will learn more and more about the preservatives to avoid, but be careful! Some companies are now using trade names to disguise the more common "red flag" preservatives that consumers are familiar with. Always, always, always research any ingredient that you don't immediately recognize - in my case, for an extra $5 a month I purchase internet access on my phone, and it's been a great tool whenever I'm out shopping and buying new products. If there is anything I cannot identify, I type it in to the Cosmetics Safety Database and decide whether or not it's something I feel comfortable purchasing. Definitely worth the extra 17 cents a day!

Recipe: Natural Aluminum-Free Deodorant

For those of you who haven't heard, there has been some speculation that aluminum compounds readily found in many popular anti-perspirant brands can potentially contribute to all sorts of maladies, including Alzheimer's (something I'm sure none of us want to get). Ingredients like aluminum chlorohydrate and aluminum zirconium are common "sweat blockers" nowadays, but we really aren't sure whether or not these can work their way into the bloodstream and cause some major problems later on in life. In my case, I'm not taking any chances for the sake of what Americans think should be the standard in armpit dryness. The fact is, if aluminum is entering your blood (whether through direct application or even cooking ware), it can be absorbed and accumulated in the body over time. For this reason, I've always used what can be exclusively called "deodorant", without any of the aluminum-based sweat blocking ingredients found in most anti-perspirants. Besides, sweating is supposed to release all the waste products and toxins from my body - why would I want to keep them in?

Now I'm taking this one step further. You see, it seems that deodorants are a problem too. They contain a lot of nasties as well, including parabens and other carcinogenic ingredients such as benzyl alcohol. I'm just not willing to take that risk any more for the sake of dry pits (it sounds silly even saying it), so I'll be whipping up this cost-effective recipe I found recently on the Everyday Minerals community boards:

2 T cornstarch (absorbs water)
2 T baking soda (deodorizes)
1 T coconut oil (softens)
a splash of witch hazel (to get the desired consistency)
5-8 drops tea tree oil
5-8 drops lavender oil

According to the original poster, she just mixed the ingredients together into a thick paste and put it in an empty deodorant dispenser. It has a pasty consistency, so you should store it in the fridge to keep it from turning too mushy. I can't wait to give it a try!

Product Comparison: Fresh and Easy vs. Johnson's

Though I didn't originally plan to post anything regarding baby products, as of last night I've felt a desire to help dispel the concept that Johnson's baby products are gentle, natural, or even anything approaching safe. Many makeup users advocate using their shampoo to cleanse brushes, and doctors still use their products on newborns in hospitals, as well as recommending their use in the home. Unfortunately, as with many of today's pharmaceutical and cosmetics corporations, they prey on the fact that a majority of US consumers are ignorant of the chemicals placed in their products.

Case in point - here is a product I stumbled across yesterday at the local Fresh and Easy grocery store. Sure, it's not a fancy brand name, but just take a look at the ingredients it contains: Olive Oil, Beeswax, Shea Butter, Jojoba Seed Oil, Oak Kernel Oil, Safflower Seed Oil, Aloe Leaf Extract, Lavender Extract, Chamomile Flower Oil, Ylang Ylang Flower Oil, Bitter Orange Flower Oil. That's it! No unnecessary fillers, all natural ingredients. And at $3.99 for a generous 2.5 oz. container, I couldn't help but buy it for myself - despite the packaging, it's proven to be an effective, light, and fragrant moisturizer for my dry hands.

By comparison, let's take a look at the ingredients list for Johnson's Bedtime Lotion, a product that I found camped out right next to Fresh and Easy's natural baby balm, and priced only 40 cents less:

• Water
  
• Propylene Glycol - a suspected carcinogen and skin irritant
• Myristyl Myristate - yet another suspected carcinogen and skin/lung irritant
  
• Oleic Acid - derived from animal fat
  
• Glyceryl Stearate
• Stearic Acid - a fatty acid also derived from animal fat
  
• Polysorbate 61
  
• C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
• Dimethicone
• Isopropyl Palmitate
• Sorbitan Stearate
• Cetyl Alcohol - derived from sperm whales or dolphins
  
• Stearyl Alcohol
• Synthetic Beeswax - cheaper than its natural counterpart, and less beneficial as well
  
• Benzyl Alcohol - rated as a high hazard by the EWG, listed as a known neurotoxin
  
• Carbomer
• Methylparaben - rated as a high hazard by the EWG, banned in the European Union due to its known toxicity in humans
  
• Propylparaben - potential endocrine disruptor, carcinogen
  
• Butylparaben - potential endocrine disruptor, carcinogen
  
• BHT - rated as a high hazard by the EWG, possible carcinogen and known toxicant
• Fragrance - includes any synthetic fragrances placed in products, listed as a high hazard due to lack of ingredient disclosure, allergic reaction risk and neurotoxicity potential
  
• Sodium Hydroxide - potential neurotoxin
  

And so, what are young mothers across the country to do with this chemical-ridden concoction? Here's what the folks at Johnson's have to say: "To help your baby sleep better at night, gently massage Johnson's Bedtime Lotion over your baby's entire body as a part of his or her nightly routine. The calming aromas and your soothing touch will relax your baby for bed."

Am I the only one who finds this disturbing?