Ingredients to avoid

COMMON NAME: PERFUME/FRAGRANCE

If you see the word "PERFUME” on the list of ingredients you should be cautious. It means the product contains artificial perfume and consequently is harmful and irritating for your sensitive skin. That's why extracts from plants as well as plant essences combined with essential oils are chosen over artificial perfume in our products.

The Environmental Working Group, an authority on the subject, has performed numerous tests to build its database on the toxicity of beauty products, and the results show that “the average product contains 14 different perfumes, including chemical components which are associated with hormonal disruptions and allergic reactions."

We don't develop 'average’ products. We want what's best for you and your environment, we're all worth it!

COMMON NAMES: PROPYLPARABEN, BUTYLPARABEN, METHYLPARABEN AND ETHYLPARABEN

Parabens are anti-microbial and anti-fungal preservatives allowing product life to be increased and which stop the spread of bacteria. However, this comes at a cost. They've been associated with a possible risk of breast cancer and could act as an endocrine disruptor by imitating estrogen in the human body.

The dermatological risks are real, and premature ageing of the skin when exposed to sunlight may be increased. Stay tuned and take care with the list of ingredients in your products!

COMMON NAME: METHYLISOTHIAZOLINONE

MIT is an allergen preservative unknown to the public but often used by the skin care product industry. This allergen that replaces parabens is methylisothiazolinone or MIT. This preservative, declared by the American Contact Dermatitis Society as an allergen in 2013, is found in most Canadian households. It's hidden in shampoos, soaps, creams, foams, detergents, makeup, dish washer detergents, etc. Burns and swelling can occur when a product containing this ingredient is placed in direct contact with the skin, and some individuals can develop eczema from contact, while it's also toxic for aquatic organisms causing long term harmful effects.

Health Canada recently informed the industry that it was considering a ban on the use of methylisothiazolinone in products that are not rinsed off afterwards (facial and body creams, makeup, etc.) and reducing the maximum concentration allowed in certain products which are rinsed off (body cleansers, shampoos, etc.). We've taken the lead and have decided to eliminate it from our products because for us health comes first. Our skin is our largest organ, let's take care of it!

COMMON NAME: DIETHANOLAMINE

DEA is what they call a “wetting” agent and is primarily used in shampoos and lotions to provide lather. It can also be found in brake fluid, degreasers and antifreeze. Now there is something we don’t want to put on our body in the shower. Supposedly this chemical is not too harmful all by itself; but it reacts none-too-nicely with other chemicals in our products and can create a very potent carcinogen called nitrosodiethanolamine (NDEA), which is readily absorbed through the skin and has been linked with stomach, esophagus, liver and bladder cancers.

And according to some studies, DEA directly inhibits fetal brain development in mice by blocking the absorption of choline, a nutrient required for brain development and maintenance. DEA is also associated with miscarriages in laboratory studies. This gets better by the minute!

COMMON NAMES: DIBUTYL PTHALATE or DBP, DIETHYL PHTHALATE or DEP, DIETYLPHTALATE

Phthalates are also prominent in cosmetics: perfumes, deodorants, hair sprays, gels, nail polish, aftershaves and lubricants. They're also used as binding agents. We should be wary of them because just like with parabens, phthalates are suspected of being endocrine disruptors (risks for reproduction, fertility and the development of the foetus) and are also accused of increasing the risk of diabetes, a disease which seems to increase hand-in-hand with our exposure to phthalates.

WARNING! Many cosmetic products containing perfume may hide the phthalates without clearly indicating their presence. In this case, to limit the risk, it's better to choose products which have perfumes stated to be from 100% natural sources or from essential oils, as is the case with all of our products.