Here Are the Top 4 Most Toxic Ingredients Hidden In Body Lotions

Winter weather equals winter skin. And for many people, winter skin means loading up on lotions and body creams to replenish the moisture that the dry, cold winter air has stripped away. This makes perfect sense, of course, as these products can effectively revitalize dull, dry skin. Unfortunately, however, not all lotions and creams are actually good for you. Lots of these products contain toxic ingredients that can irritate the skin and cause other significant health issues.

Here’s a list of the four worst ingredients in lotions and body creams that should be avoided at all costs — plus the best all-natural alternative for your moisturizing needs.

The Top 4 Ingredients to Avoid in Lotions & Body Creams

#1 Fragrance

Many companies rely on fragrances to add an extra layer of special, or even a sense of luxury, to everyday personal care products. It’s just too bad that those special scents are often delivered via toxic compounds. In fact, it’s hard to determine exactly what those fragrances are made of — and that’s exactly why they’re so dangerous.

On labels, the word “fragrance” is a catch-all term that can apply to a number of ingredients mixed together in various combinations and amounts to create different scents. Though the manufacturer doesn’t have to disclose which ingredients are listed in their fragrance, The International Fragrance Association has cultivated a list of 3,059 compounds that could be used in fragrances. Of those compounds, a significant number have been linked to cancer, reproductive toxicity, allergies and sensitivities, and other health issues.

#2 Alcohols

Let's talk about alcohol in your skincare.

Alcohol acts as a solvent, preservative, emulsifier, and foaming agent. It is often used to make creams and lotions feel lighter, preserve the overall product and to help ingredients penetrate our skin.

Certain alcohols are known to break down your skin’s protective barrier and leave your skin dry. This only exacerbates oil production & removes the skin's ability to retain moisture. And in addition, with dry skin often comes breakouts.

With how much misleading information there is online in regards to alcohol in skincare, it’s easy to see why some people believe it really isn’t all that bad for skin. However, the research makes it perfectly clear: Alcohol harms your skin’s protective surface, depletes vital substances needed for healthy skin, and makes oily skin worse. To put it simply, it’s pro-aging. Given the hundreds of skin-friendly alternatives that are available, it’s a no-brainer to abstain from products front-loaded with the skin-damaging forms of alcohol.

#3 Parabens 

Take one trip around the drugstore, read a few product ingredient lists, and you’ll see that there’s a war against parabens, with many products claiming to be paraben-free. There’s good reason for it, of course. Though parabens do have some beneficial use — they can prevent the growth of bacteria, fungi, and yeast that can cause products to spoil — their long-term impact on human health is largely unknown. 

Meanwhile, while the FDA notes that scientists are staying abreast of studies that examine paraben safety, what we do know about these chemicals isn’t good. A 2004 study found traces of intact parabens in human health tissue, proving that they can penetrate the skin and, because they are not metabolized by the body, wreak untold havoc.

Additionally, the EWG notes that parabens can disrupt hormone function and production while also causing skin irritation.  

#4 Phthalates

Like parabens, phthalates are nearly impossible to avoid. Case in point: in two separate biomonitoring studies, phthalates were detected in 96% and 99% of people tested. 

Phthalates enter the body via lipsticks, plastics, and even the food we eat. These chemicals are also found in lotions and body creams, as they are used to help create the product’s creamy consistency and help increase the longevity of any added fragrance. In the end, though, none of these benefits are worth the danger that phthalates pose.

Much worse than mere skin irritations, phthalates have been shown to penetrate the skin and work its way into the bloodstream where it can impact nearly all aspects of human health. One 2009 study showed that phthalates can be linked to early puberty in girls, while other research has shown that phthalate exposure can contribute to obesity, insulin resistance, and related health issues in men. Among women, phthalates can break the placental barrier, affecting fetal development. Children who have been exposed to these chemicals (whether in or outside the womb) are at greater risk of developing allergic diseases, including asthma and eczema, as well as “autistic-like” behavior.

The Best All-Natural, Nontoxic, Hypoallergenic Moisturizer

At Bend Soap Company, we understand that moisturized skin is healthy skin, but we also know that toxic lotions and creams can directly interfere with the body’s natural healing processes. With that in mind, we created our goat milk lotion to soothe and nurture all skin types — even the sensitive ones! — with only all-natural ingredients. There are no parabens, phthalates, or other ingredients that will irritate and dry out the skin. Instead, the goat milk and hydrating oils contained in our lotions replenish the skin’s natural moisture.

And if you’re someone who wants their skin to look, feel, and smell good, you can trust that no Bend Soap Company lotions contain any mystery fragrance ingredients that may or may not harm your health. To achieve our delightful scents like Sweet Orange, Almond Delight, and Island Coconut, we use natural and organic ingredients to create an aroma that’s potent but not overpowering.

Back to You

Your skin needs moisture year-round, but when the frigid winter weather envelopes your skin — leaving it dry, chapped, and flaky — it can be especially tempting to slather on the first lotion or body cream you find. But we encourage you to skip these toxic tubes. When you moisturize with all-natural ingredients like aloe vera and lactic acid, your skin will thank you. And so will the rest of your body.  

Need help choosing an all-over body lotion that’s safe and free of toxic ingredients? We’ve got you covered. Shop our collection of goat milk lotions and experience softer, smoother skin without compromising your health. 
 

Continue Reading

• Blog Post: 7 Uses for Bend Soap Company's Unscented Goat Milk Lotion
• Blog Post: How to Step Up Your Moisturizer Routine
• Blog Post: Parabens: What are they and should you care?
• Blog Post: This Is How Your Orders at Bend Soap Company Are Changing Lives