Last updated on December 13th, 2017

Take a minute to think about all the body care products you use daily. Now that you have them all in your mind, stop and think for a minute about the ingredients in those products. Do you even know what they are? What if you found out that many of the ingredients in common name-brand and even some “natural” body care products contain ingredients that are known to mimic estrogen in the body? Some are known carcinogens, linked to causing cancer. Would you still use these products if you knew the truth? Maybe, but what if you also knew there are products that contain a lot less, or none of the toxic ingredients? The fact is, healthier products are out there and many grocery stores are beginning to sell them.

The average American uses 12 body care products per day. How many do you use? How many are major brand names? How many are organic? How many are labeled natural? How about organic?

Check off how many you use daily. Now count that up. Now, reconsider what the labels on all those products say. How many toxins are you putting on your body each and everyday?

Xenoestrogens Are Harmful to Hormonal Balance

Some ingredients in body care products may cause estrogen dominance in the body. They do this by mimicking your natural hormones, known as endocrine disruption. Endocrine disruptors cause hormonal imbalance. Many fertility problems in women are linked to an over abundance of estrogen in the body, including early onset of puberty and menstruation in young girls, endometriosis, uterine fibroids, ovarian cysts, PCOS, breast cancer, irregular menstrual cycles, endometrial hyperplasia, and low progesterone levels. For men it can be hormonal imbalance with testosterone, low sperm count and poor sperm health.

How do xenoestrogens cause fertility problems? Long-term use and exposure to xenoestrogens creates an overabundance of estrogens in the body. Xenoestrogens have the ability to bind to our estrogen receptor sites; disrupting the function of the endocrine system. Not only can they mimic our natural hormones, but they can block other hormones from binding to receptor sites. While the xenoestrogens are occupying the body, the body still is creating its own endogenous estrogen; this creates a situation in which too many estrogens are circulating in the body. Many of the excess estrogen is being stored in fat cells. This is confusing to the body, as it is not able to metabolize and excrete the overabundance of estrogen quick enough to the rate of exposure.

The Leading Toxic Culprits

Parabens
Parabens are commonly found in deodorant, shampoo, soap, toothpaste, lipstick and many other products. Parabens are known xenoestrogens. Parabens are fat-soluble, which means that their estrogen mimicking is readily stored in the body; mainly body fat.

Phthalates
Phthalates are used to plasticize products; mainly to be used as an emulsifying agent. Phthalates are in most liquid body care products, think lotion, liquid soap, perfume, hair products, ect. Phthalates have been linked to birth defects in the reproductive systems of boys. Low sperm motility in adult men has also been linked to this endocrine disruptor.

According to the Environmental Working Group, three quarters of 72 products they tested contained phthalates, even though that ingredient wasn’t listed.

4-Methylbenzylidene
4-Methylbenzylidene known as 4-MBC is used in sunscreen lotions to help protect the body from UV rays; mainly UV B rays. This organic camphor derivative has been shown through studies to be an endocrine disruptor as a xenoestrogen. One study showed that when this chemical was applied to the skin of rats, in a base of olive oil, the rate of uterine growth doubled, even in female rats that had yet to begin puberty. “That was scary, because we used concentrations that are in the range allowed in sunscreens,” says Margaret Schlumpf from the Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology at the University of Zurich, Switzerland. Schlumpf goes on to say, “Nobody knows if doses are high enough to create problems for people.” Yet, this shows there can be detrimental actions on our hormonal system. While these rats were exposed to the same amount a human would use, it gives rise to the question? What can happen to humans with long-term exposure due to regular use?

This is quite scary for me personally; I have very fair skin and have used gallons of sunscreen through my lifetime. Only until about the last 10 years have I really tried to use more natural sunscreens. For years though, I have slathered this stuff on my body. I guarantee I am not alone. How much sunscreen have you used?

Petrochemicals
Did you know most body care products contain petroleum by-products? While gas prices remain high in the United States, the cost of petroleum by-products to the cosmetics industry remain low. These chemicals are cheap and are widely used in commercial body care products. Ethoxylation is a process used to make products less harsh to the skin, but requires the use of Ethylene Oxide, which makes 1,4 Dioxane as a by-product. 1,4 Dioxane is known to cause cancer. This chemical is found in other ingredients listed on products, but will not be listed by name. It is found in polyethylene, polyethylene glycol, polyoxyethylene, oxynol, PEG, myreth, oleth, laureth, and ceteareth. Sodium laureth sulfate is the most well known ingredient in products to contain 1,4 Dioxane.

You might think that 1,4 Dioxane is not in “natural” body care products, but you are wrong. A study released in 2008 by the Organic Consumers Association, showed that over 40 percent of products that claim they are “natural”, contains 1,4 Dioxane. The good news here is that all USDA-certified organic brands tested dioxane-free.

Lead
A majority of lipstick contains lead. The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics found that 61 percent of name brand lipsticks contained lead in 0.03 to 0.65 parts per million. This seems relatively low, but that same study also showed that one-third of the lipsticks contained more lead than the USDA allows for candy, yet we often lick off and/or absorb most of the lipstick we wear. Basically, you may be accumulating unsafe amounts of lead over a lifetime of lipstick use.

Lead may cause miscarriage and infertility in some cases. Pregnant women exposed to lead or with a high tissue concentration of lead may cross the placenta can cause developmental problems in the fetus.

Triclosan
Antibacterial soaps, some toothpastes and mouthwash brands contain the chemical triclosan. Triclosan is an antibacterial agent, which also inhibits growth of bacteria. It has been shown to be an endocrine disruptor in animals; causing hormonal imbalance and decreased gene activity. It has also been found in human breast milk, showing how deeply it is stored and absorbed into the female body. Other research has shown triclosan to increase the potency and impact of thyroid hormones, which may cause a cascade of endocrine and body system problems.

More and more research is showing that antibacterial soaps do not protect you from infection, any more that good ‘ole regular soap hand washing does. So ditch the added chemicals and opt for a natural ingredient derived soap instead.

Body Care Products Toxins are Easily Absorbed and Stored in the Body

I have only listed some of the toxic ingredients in body care products, there are hundreds more. While these other toxins may not affect your fertility directly, they may contribute to asthma, cause cancer, skin irritation, cell death, nervous system disorders and more. The human stomach has a long line of defense to help protect the body from toxic chemicals, so you are more likely to absorb toxins through your skin and/or inhalation, compared to ingesting toxins through the foods you eat. Just think, you have enzymes in your saliva and gastric juices to help break them down and remove them from the body. Each time you slather on a body care product, you run the risk of some of its ingredients possibly being absorbed via the skin into the bloodstream. Perfume is inhaled directly into the lungs, absorbed by the blood and then passed right to the heart to be pumped to the rest of the body.

Women are at the greatest risk for toxin build-up, but why? Fat. The female body, by design, contains more fat than the male body. Body fat cells, called adipocytes produce estrogen, store excess estrogen and toxins. Estrogens are primary female reproductive messengers. Estrogen is essential for healthy bone formation, healthy gene expression, maintaining healthy cholesterol levels, and is vital for a healthy menstrual cycle. Too much estrogens in the body due to xenoestrogens can cause estrogen dominance, which may contribute to fertility problems including the development of PCOS, endometriosis, uterine fibroids, hormonal imbalances, and even estrogen responsive cancers. Estrogens are pro-inflammatory; excess estrogens can cause, or make inflammatory conditions worse, including autoimmune diseases related to chronic inflammation. This includes autoimmune related conditions like Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and even immunologically induced recurrent miscarriage and some cases of premature ovarian failure. Chronic inflammation is associated with PCOS, endometriosis, adenomyosis, PID and uterine fibroids as well.

Studies have shown that during pregnancy and lactation the mother uses up her fat stores and those toxins are directly passed on to her children through her fat rich breast milk. Don’t get me wrong here, I still feel breastfeeding is best; I breastfed both my children for 2 years each. We need to wake up! These toxins are being directly passed on to our children. Other studies have come out recently showing that young girls are going through puberty at an ever increasingly younger age. Girls that are 7 and 8 years old are beginning to grow breasts and beginning to menstruate. Early onset of menstruation is linked to a variety of fertility issues, the main one being PCOS.

A smile is the best makeup and girl can wear. – unknown

What to Look for on the Label of Products

The time is now to make the simple switch to natural body care products! When I say natural, you need to read labels! If you cannot pronounce the ingredients and know for sure the hard-to-pronounce name is not the latin name of a plant, try to find another product that is better. If the product is certified organic, make sure it is at least 95 percent organic. Products that are nearly 100 percent organic are best. Natural ingredients should be listed first. If your products list all the most natural ingredients last, that means most of what makes up the product is not natural. If you choose products with fragrance, be sure it is scented with pure essential oils.

Did you know that it is quite easy to make your own body care products at home? You can use coconut and almond oil as a moisturizer. Just add some of your favorite essential oils for a delightful scent and added benefits. A dab of some pure essential oil like lavender, chamomile, vetiver, or rose geranium can be used instead of perfume. Pure crystal salt can help prevent bacterial growth in your underarms; making it a natural deodorant. Peppermint essential oil and 100 proof vodka makes a great mouthwash. Last, cut down on the amount of products you use each day. Do you really need all those products?

Need some ideas on products?

Our team is all about taking care of our health and the health of our families, in the most natural way possible. Because of that, we all wanted to share some of our favorite natural body care products with you!

If you would like to know how safe your products are, check out the Environmental Working Group’s website Skin Deep Cosmetics Database. They have ratings on over 77,000 body care products.

• Toxic Substances from Cosmetics – in Cosmetics – Ingredients in Make Up. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://healthdefine.com/medical-advice/the-list-of-toxic-substances-from-cosmetics
• Bodycare. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.organicconsumers.org/bodycare/index.cfm
• Phthalate. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phthalate
• Environmental Science and Technology, “Germ fighter works as endocrine disrupter,” October 24, 2006, http://pubs.acs.org/subscribe/journals/esthag-w/2006/oct/science/jp_triclosan.html
• Dioxane. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dioxane
• Bell, L. Early Arrival: Premature puberty among girls poses scientific puzzle. Science News. December 1, 2012; Vol.182 #11.
• Konkel L. Early puberty? Girls exposed to household chemical menstruate earlier, CDC study finds. August 2012.
• Newman, AA. A Younger Group for Feminine Products. New York Times Advertising Section. April 14, 2011.
• Your Personal Care Product Bin: Botanical Bonanza or Toxic Wasteland? PDF. Dr. Mercola, www.mercola.com
• The Impermeable Facts of Skin Penetration and Absorption, Nathan Rivas, 2011. http://personalcaretruth.com/2011/01/the-impermeable-facts-of-skin-penetration-and-absorption/

Dalene Barton-Schuster - Certified Herbalist, Birth Doula

Practicing natural health and herbalism since 2000, Dalene received her training and certification under the guidance of Lynn Albers at Yarmony Mt. Herbal College in Colorado. She went on to become a Certified Birth Doula at Birthingway College of Midwifery in Portland, Oregon in 2007.

Related Articles

• Fertility Health: Reasons Why You May Not Be Ovulating
• Tonic Herbs Known to Support Ovarian Health
• Fertility Q&A: The Proper Use and Application of Progesterone Cream
• Video: How To Tell If You’re Ovulating and What To Do If You’re Not
• Endometriosis and Its Link to The Microbiome