top five toxic teen product trades
Cosmetic and personal care products are gravely underregulated in the United States. The U.S. beauty industry isn’t subject to many rules and some of the ingredients manufacturers use to cut corners and protect their profits could make you sick.
Hormone disrupting chemicals are rampant in conventional products, especially products marketed to teens and often misleadingly marketed as “natural” or “organic,” giving the illusion that they are safe. Synthetic fragrance and preservatives, harsh antibacterial ingredients, and chemical sunscreens all have links to hormonal disruption and have lasting effects. Endocrine disrupters like phthalates, bpa, and pesticides can affect children’s and teens’ development, including weight gain and obesity, early onset puberty in girls, and delayed puberty in boys.
If you have a teen in your household, you know that there’s no reasoning with them when it comes to doing what they want. But as a parent, it’s up to you to review what your teen uses and scan for harmful ingredients, and then ditch the toxins and shop safe products to protect your family.
Which products should you trade out first?
- skin care: Often skin care products geared toward teens contain harsh cleansing agents meant to control oil production but end up drying out their skin. These products may also include harmful petro-ingredients, silicones, and artificial fragrance (even in products that claim to be unscented!). Your teens’ delicate skin requires a gentle cleanser that helps them wash away excess oil, dirt, and debris without stripping their skin of natural oils or moisture that helps it stay healthy.
- acne treatments: As mentioned above, harsh ingredients meant to control oil production in acne-prone skin can end up causing excessive dryness. Additionally, strong antibacterial ingredients can irritate skin, often leading to redness and irritation. Instead, opt for gentle products made with innovative, naturally derived ingredients to help your teen achieve a smooth, clear complexion.
- bath and body: Teens love super-scented bath products, but those smelly products contain synthetic fragrance with damaging health effects. A legal loophole allows manufacturers to protect their fragrance formulas as trade secrets, so this one ingredient is actually composed of any number of undisclosed chemicals. Its ingredients can have detrimental health effects. They include:
- acetaldehyde (potential carcinogenic, adverse effects on kidneys, reproductive, nervous, and respiratory systems)
- benzophenone (endocrine disruptor and organ system toxicant linked to tumor growth, possible human carcinogen)
- toluene (organic system toxicant, developmental and reproductive toxin, skin irritant)
- phthalates (known endocrine disruptors with links to developmental and reproductive toxicity, even cancer)
- deodorant: A common ingredient in most deodorants is aluminum, which is absorbed through the skin and accumulates in the body. Aluminum absorption has been linked to dementia and frequent use of aluminum antiperspirants may increase the risk of breast cancer in those who start using it at a younger age. Choose a non toxic deodorant that harnesses the power of safe, natural ingredients to control odor.
- sunscreen: In addition to being harmful to the planet, chemical sunscreen ingredients like oxybenzone and octinoxate absorb into skin and can potentially lead to long-term skin damage like skin cancer. They’re also linked to hormonal disruption. Mineral sunscreens with zinc oxide and titanium dioxide are a much safer alternative.
Let your Pure Haven Consultant help you pick out the right non toxic products for you and your teens’ needs. They can provide a wealth of knowledge and a one-stop-shop for all the non toxic products you need for you, your family, and your home.