SKIN FOOD - THE IMPORTANCE OF NATURAL SKINCARE
Some people say that if you aren’t prepared to eat a product, then don’t put it on your skin. This may be a bit far-fetched when we consider the potential taste of some essential oils used in natural personal care products, however the point is that our skin is actually the largest organ of our body and it both absorbs and excretes substances through its vast surface area. Loving the skin you
are in is vital for good health and wellbeing, and an essential part of self-care is ensuring you are not loading up on toxic substances because of the products you are using.
Natural skincare has been in the spotlight for many years now, and indeed it continues to be a fast-growing market. Consumer awareness has broadened to include considerations around the impact products they are using have not only on their bodies, but also environmental and sustainability factors. Clean and green is the catch phrase.
So why is the argument for natural self care products so compelling?
Numerous studies are showing some ingredients that have long been used in personal care products such as preservatives, fragrances, thickeners and humectants are detrimental to our health, particularly with long-term use.
Parabens are well-known endocrine (hormone) disrupters that mimic estrogen in our body. Estrogen can be both our friend and foe and doesn’t like being messed with. Our breasts are particularly vulnerable to the detrimental interaction between parabens and estrogen, with studies showing a correlation between the two in the development of some breast cancers.
Propylene glycol and butylene glycol are used as humectants – agents that help pull water into the skin and keep it there. The down-side here though is that as they penetrate the skin, they can weaken the protein and cellular structure to such a degree that they start working directly against the beautiful, healthy skin we are aiming to achieve.
The list goes on and the news doesn’t get any better. Many argue that a small amount of a bad thing won’t really cause any harm. But when we consider the wide array of potentially toxic substances our skin, and subsequently our body, is exposed to daily – think soaps, face creams, body lotions, sunscreens, deodorants, perfumes, shampoo, conditioner, topical medicines, clothes washing powders, home cleaning products, not to mention environmental pollution we have no control over- it is pretty obvious that we will eventually reach saturation point.
The availability of natural and non-toxic products
Fortunately, there are natural options widely available for every type of personal care and cleaning product. No longer the domain of alternative or exclusive shoppers, high quality, functional products are easy to source and are affordable.
The Raglan Herbal Dispensary manufactures a range of skin and beauty products designed for the New Zealand climate, in addition to stocking some leading brands including Antipodes, Living Nature and Weleda. We have natural deodorants, sunscreens, makeup ranges, hair products, and cleaning
products available in bulk for self service with reusable containers.
We like to help make it easy for you to do your bit for the planet, while also ensuring you are in great health to enjoy life to the fullest!
All our products are available online through our website and instore.
