Know the Ingredients in your Lotion [and how they affect you]

Is it time to break up with your pump lotion? Ask yourself:

• Do you love your pump lotion because of the scent and fragrance?
• Do you love that it's so easy to use?

BUT...

• You're watching the ingredients that you EAT, and you feel like you should watch what you're putting on your skin.
• Or, your skin is reacting to various ingredients (either what you're eating, or the ingredients in your skin care)
• Or, you've had your liquid lotion spill in your handbag or purse.
• Maybe you're frustrated that you can only bring so many liquids on board with you when you travel (thanks TSA!)

WORST OF ALL...

• No matter how often you use your liquid lotion, your skin is still dry.
• And so you have to re-apply. Again. And Again.

It's time to break up with your liquid lotion!  

(Scroll down to watch the entire presentation by video)

WHY IS SOLID BETTER FOR LOTION?

There's no water.

WHY IS WATER SO BAD?

If a skin care product contains water, then bacteria, mold and yeast can grow. You need to add something to the product that kills microorganisms, waterborne bacteria, and prevents the growth of bacteria, mold and yeast.

DO HYDROSOLS, FLORAL WATER OR ALOE VERA JUICE COUNT AS WATER?

Yes they do! If you have these ingredients in your skin care, you must have a preservative.

WHAT'S SO BAD ABOUT PRESERVATIVES IN SKIN CARE?

Preservatives can irritate the skin.

For example, a common one is formaldehyde. Yup.

Look for "quaternium-15", it's a preservative that releases formaldehyde.

These also release formaldehyde:

• bromonitropropane diol
• diazolidinyl urea
• DMDM hydantoin
• hydroxymethyl nitromethane
• imidazolidinyl urea

WHAT ARE SOME OTHER COMMON PRESERVATIVES?

• Tocopherol acetate (vitamin E derivative; is also an emollient and antioxidant).
• Propylene and butylene glycols (also humectants)
• Disodium and tetrasodium EDTA
• Diazolidinyl and imidazolydyl urea
• Parabens (Methylparaben, polyparaben, butylparaben, etc.)
• Phenoxyethanol
• Methylisothiazolinone
• Ascorbyl palmitate (a derivative of vitamin C)
• Benzoic acid
• Benzyl alcohol

WHAT ELSE IS IN YOUR SKIN CARE PRODUCT THAT CAN IRRITATE THE SKIN?

Other common allergens in skin care is FOOD. Yes, if you're allergic to eating it, you shouldn't be wearing it. Examples: wheat based Vitamin E (we only use a gluten-free Vitamin E in our soap), tree nuts (shea butter IS a tree nut but not a common allergen), eggs, dairy.

TOPPING THE LIST AS AN ALLERGEN IN YOUR SKIN CARE IS THE FRAGRANCE.

It's in just about every skin care cream, lotion, body butter and has fragrance blends that make you want to use it.

BUT, they're the top allergen.

20% of the population gets an allergic reaction (contact dermatitis) to the chemicals in fragrances.

And it gets worse the longer you use it.

HERE'S AN EXAMPLE: JERGENS ULTRA HEALING LOTION HAS 28 INGREDIENTS.

28 Ingredients!

Which of these do you recognize?

INGREDIENTS: WATER, GLYCERIN, CETEARYL ALCOHOL, PETROLATUM, STEARIC ACID, C12-15 ALKYL BENZOATE, ALUMINUM STARCH OCTENYLSUCCINATE, DIMETHICONE, LAURETH-3, CETEARETH-20, DMDM HYDANTOIN, ALLANTOIN, METHYLPARABEN, ARGININE, SODIUM HYDROXIDE, PROPYLPARABEN, CARBOMER, FRAGRANCE, PANTHENOL, PENTYLENE GLYCOL, LECITHIN, ALCOHOL, ASCORBYL PALMITATE, TOCOPHEROL.

With an illuminating HYDRALUCENCETM blend and Vitamins C, E and B5.

The main ingredient is WATER.

WHY ARE WATERLESS SKIN CARE PRODUCTS BETTER?

Anhydrous (water-free) products generally don’t require preservatives as they are not prone to microbial contamination. This includes products like lip balms and anhydrous whipped body butters, and lotion bars.

(Exception: if it's an anhydrous product that might come in contact with water ... like a body scrub)

WHAT'S A GREAT SOLUTION FOR WATERLESS SKIN CARE (ESPECIALLY IF I STILL WANT A SCENT?)

How about a 3-ingredient lotion bar? With essential oils added, that might make it a 4-8 ingredient lotion, but it's far healthier than a 28 ingredient pump lotion!

3 IMPORTANT INGREDIENTS FOR WATERLESS SKIN CARE:

• Shea Butter: it's the ingredient I would keep and use if I could only have one ingredient for my skin. It's incredibly nourishing, easy to apply, and works on various skin issues like eczema and psoriasis.  But it's even better when combined with:
• Coconut Oil: it's already great to consume so why not use it on your skin? It's 76 degree melting point makes it ideal for absorbing right in when applied.
• Beeswax: it's the ingredient that makes the lotion last longer in the skin without frequent re-application, it makes the lotion bar solid, and it creates a barrier for the skin to protect it from the environment. 
• Essential oil(s): optional, but if you crave your favorite scent, or you want the therapeutic benefits, it's fine to add an essential oil that's safe for the skin!

WHERE DO I FIND WATERLESS LOTION?

You are in the right place, my friend. 

SCENTED HARD LOTION BAR

https://store.hardlotion.com/collections/all-products/products/scented-lotion-bars

https://store.hardlotion.com/collections/all-products/products/beesilk-bar