Looking after your Skin naturally!

The key thing to remember when applying anything to our skin is that it will absorb into our body and enter our bloodstream.  This is why it is important to avoid personal care products containing questionable ingredients/chemicals.  We need to be just as careful with what we put on our skin as we are with what we eat.  Possibly more so, as our gut has the added benefit of being able to filter toxins that our skin does not.

I believe that if you wouldn’t put an ingredient in your mouth then you shouldn’t put it on your skin.  Many skin care products today contain one or more potentially dangerous ingredients, with unrecognizable and unpronounceable names.  Why do these companies do this?  Because these ingredients are cheap, readily available and easily diluted.  No handwork is involved in having to find a stable and safe formulation for their customers i.e. you.  

Below is a list of the most common suspicious ingredients found in many moisturizers, cosmetics and fragrances today:

These ingredients coat the skin like plastic, clogging pores, therefore creating a buildup of toxins which over the long term can lead to irritating skin problems, and earlier signs of aging.  As well as this they are a suspected cause of cancer and believed to disrupt hormonal activity.

Used as preservatives, studies have shown a connection with cancer, as well as have hormone-disrupting qualities mimicking estrogen, interfering with the body’s endocrine system.

Shown to cause circulatory collapse, paralysis, convulsions, cam and death from respiratory failure.

Shown to cause dermatitis (eczema), kidney and liver abnormalities, skin irritations and possibly inhibit skin cell growth.

Linked to breast cancer/tumors.

Found in Engine degreasers, Car washes, Garage floor cleaners.  Shown to break down the skins moisture barrier allowing penetration of viruses, bacteria and other chemicals to be easily absorbed into our bloodstream.  Sometimes disguised as an ingredient where it will have the additional label beside saying “derived from coconut”.

Toluene is commonly known as a poisonous and if swallowed is fatal.  Toluene is found if most synthetic fragrances.  Long term exposure is linked to anemia, lowered blood cell count, liver and kidney damage, and possibly affect your growing baby in utero.  Other names to look out for that toluene goes by are Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) or Benzoic and Benzyl.

Dioxane’s carcinogenicity was first reported in 1965 and it was later confirmed in studies including 1 in the “National Cancer Institute” in 1978, with the most affected areas being our nasal passages and liver.  Dioxane is found in compounds known as: PEG, Polysorbates, Laureth, Ethoxylated alcohols, and they are all easily absorbed through the skin.  Another trick is that they are often described in brackets beside the listed ingredient as “being derived from coconuts”.

So read, read, read all ingredients on the products you purchase, whether it be internal or topical use.  We have made it a little easier for you by listing the more commonly known harmful ingredients.  My mother who has worked in garden stores was one to make me aware that any chemical that is used in the garden if it is found to be toxic and too harmful for our use, they will take it off the market but the sad thing is they bring it straight back on but with a brand new name, and because this newly named product has no history, it also means it has no known toxic history which is used to the sellers advantage!!

At Naturalus we list all of our ingredients within each and every product, we will take the time to formulate a product that is 100% Natural/Organic without resorting to anything harmful.  We will never resort to cheap harmful, synthetic, artificial ingredients.

To have healthy skin we need to make sure that we feed our bodies with proper & balanced nutrition inside and out.  If our diet is poor this is always seen in our skin, hair and nails.  We need to look first and foremost at our diet, to include a varying range of fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes, proteins and fats.

Your skin has a multitude of tasks that it performs on a daily basis:

– Protects our internal organs from injury.

– Providing a defense barrier against infections be it viral, bacterial or fungal.

– Produces and stores Vitamin D.

– Protects our body from sunburns.

– Detoxifies i.e. gets rid of, waste through perspiration.

– Protects us against extremes of temperature.

– Allows us to be aware of our surroundings i.e. hot/cold, soft/harsh etc to allow us to react accordingly for self preservation.

– Protects us from dehydration.

If our skin is not as smooth as a baby’s behind, it’s a strong indication that we are lacking in Omega 3 (fats).  That said though, caring for our skin is not just an internal job, it’s an external one as well.  Our skin becomes dry when it loses natural skin oils and water.  When you wash with synthetic/chemical based cleansers you end up washing the protective layer of oil/acid off.  This causes dryness and tightness.  Adding synthetic/chemical based moisturizers can temporarily relieve the dryness, but it doesn’t replace the protective layer.  This lack of barrier makes our skin more vulnerable to infections.

One of the many ingredients that I would like to highlight today is coconut oil.  I don’t want you to get it mixed up with the synthetic ingredients mentioned earlier, the only coconut oil you should use is where it is whole coconut oil (not a derivative) and the best coconut oil of them all is Organic Virgin Coconut Oil.

(Cocos nucifera)  Organic Virgin Coconut oil is very well known for its skin benefits.  It is considered to be an antioxidant, due to its high nutrient content and long shelf life (this long shelf life shows that when you choose high quality natural ingredients you don’t need to add synthetic preservatives to ensure they last even longer, as they do this naturally, all by themselves).

Coconut oil helps with exfoliating dead skin cells, making our skin smoother, more supple, lessens the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.  Not to mention its amazing benefits internally helping with maintaining:

– a healthy heart.

– proper thyroid function.

– a healthy metabolism.

– aiding in weight loss.

– supporting our immunity….

…Coconut oil has a high level of lauric acid.  The other source of lauric acid is “Breast Milk”.  Breast milk is not only a source of nutrition for our babies but it is also important for building our children’s immunity so they can fight infections.  When lauric acid within breast milk/coconut enters our body it is converted into monolaurin which has anti-viral, anti-bacterial, anti-microbial and anti-protozoa properties.  

At Naturalus we use Organic Virgin Coconut Oil.  It helps to protect us against free radical damage, lessening skin blemishes, signs of aging, relieving stressed and tired muscles.  Keeping your skin strong and supple, giving a youthful appearance due to its fantastic exfoliating actions making your skin even softer to the touch.  Shown to penetrate into the deeper layers of our skin, strengthening the underlying tissues, helping to repair, rather than just mask over as most synthetic lotions do.  As well as working wonders for dry and damaged skin, it’s anti-microbial action helps to heal cuts and bruises, speeding the healing process while fighting infection, as well as helping to improve dry and damaged hair.  

All of our creams are handmade, made on the day that you purchase to ensure the freshest, best, long lasting quality that we strive for.  We hope that you will love using our Coconut Oil products as much as we love making them for you: