I find it more and more annoying and repulsive every time I see shops on Etsy that state how "Eco-Friendly", "Green", "Detergent Free", "All Natural" etc they are, when their items are filled to the brim with nasty, seething chemicals. It is false advertising and if people don't know better, they will just say but they say they are "Eco-Friendly" why would they be using chemicals?! That's just it. Why are they using chemicals and then lying to the public about what their brand actually stands for?
So I'm talking a stand (tho it be a small one) to point out some of these ingredients that are in over the counter (at your box stores) and also handmade items (on Etsy and at markets) to bring awareness that just because a company says they are All Natural - it means nothing. Ingredients say it all. So always check the label!
So here we go.. bad word of the day number one..
Propylene Glycol
What is it?
A skin conditioning agent, solvent, humectant.
It is widely used as a moisture-carrying ingredient in place of glycerine because it is cheaper and more readily absorbed through the skin.
Where is it found?
Propylene glycol is used in many skin products, including moisturizers, facial cleansers, foundations, and anti-aging products, as well as mascara and hair color products.
The Risk:
It is related to polyethylene glycol (PEG) and is known to cause contact dermatitis even at very low concentrations. It is recognized as a neurotoxin by the US National Institute for Occupational Health and Safety, and it may cause kidney damage. The Material Safety Data Sheet for propylene glycol warns workers handling this chemical to avoid skin contact.
A few "natural" companies using this ingredient:
- Tom's of Maine
- Kiss My Face
- Aveeno
- Jason
- LUSH
My Opinion:
There are also smaller shops on Etsy that I know that use this ingredient in their products that are trying to advise their customer's they are "all natural". I am being nice not exposing them. I am leaving this to the reader to read the ingredients and find them out for yourselves. Maybe they feel, 'hey large "all natural" companies do it, so what's the harm.'
The harm is that this ingredient is anti-freeze. It is used at the airport as a de-icing fluid! Employees are advised if they get this chemical on their skin to wash immediately.
So yeah, common sense would say, hey lets add this hazardous chemical to our soaps that we put in direct contact with our skin on a daily basis?
...Interesting.
