DID YOU KNOW

It is thought that the Queen of Sheba and Cleopatra all used shea butter for skin care. It would have been regular daily care. would. Also used by the tribal kings and queens for millennia over the rest of Africa too.

Every week give your skin a work out by exfoliating with a body Salt Sea rock salt or sugar scrub mixed with a little of our shea butter soap. Shea butter firms the skin and you will notice this after a few weeks if you are using over whole body. Scrubbing your body gently, will invigorate it (stimulating blood circulation) and help slough off dead skin and helping further in keeping it firm.

TIP If your exercise involves a lot of walking or running rub some shea into your feet and between toes before slipping into your trainers.

TIP Use only gentle organic products which has no SLS, parabens, Lanolins artificial colours or perfume (unless derived from added natural herbs and organic oils).

You can use shea as a TREATMENT FACE MASK:

• Just put a good quantity of shea on your face and neck (or area you want treatment) till you face/body looks really shiny
  
• Then leave on for at least 15 minutes (if relaxing or working at home you can keep it on for as long as you like)
  
• Massage your face and neck gently
  
• Then rinse off with warm water and diluted natural chemical free soap (use one of ours) or just warm water. Just once. Then dry.
  
• Apply a little shea to the area, if necessary. This will be absorbed in less than two minutes.
  
• Your skin will feel well moisturised, firmer and invigorated.

Both Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES) and its close relative. are commonly used in many soaps, shampoos, detergents, toothpastes and other products that we expect to "foam up". Both chemicals are very effective foaming agents, chemically known as surfactants.

Unfortunately, both sodium laureth sulfate and its cousin are also very dangerous, highly irritating chemicals. Far from giving "healthy shining hair" and "beautiful skin", soaps and shampoos containing sodium laureth sulfate can lead to direct damage to the hair follicle, skin damage, permanent eye damage in children and even liver toxicity

Although sodium laureth sulfate is somewhat less irritating than SLS, it cannot be metabolised by the liver and its effects are therefore much longer-lasting. This not only means it stays in the body tissues for longer, but much more precious energy is used getting rid of it.

A report published in the Journal of The American College of Toxicology in 1983 showed that concentrations of SLS as low as 0.5% could cause irritation and concentrations of 10-30% caused skin corrosion and severe irritation. (National Institute of Health USA) of chemical ingredients lists over 80 products that contain SLS and SLES. Some soaps have concentrations of up to 30%, which the ACT report called "highly irritating and dangerous".

Shampoos are among the most frequently reported products to the FDA. Reports include eye irritation, scalp irritation, tangled hair, swelling of the hands, face and arms and split and fuzzy hair. This is highly characteristic of sodium laureth sulfate and almost definitely directly related to its use.

So why is a dangerous chemical like sodium laureth sulfate used in our soaps and shampoos?

The answer is simple - it is cheap. The sodium laureth sulfate found in our soaps is exactly the same as you would find in a car wash or even a garage, where it is used to degrease car engines.

In the same way as it dissolves the grease on car engines, SLES also dissolves the oils on your skin, which can cause a drying effect. It is also well documented that it denatures skin proteins, which causes not only irritation, but also allows environmental contaminants easier access to the lower, sensitive layers of the skin.

This denaturing of skin proteins may even be implicated in skin and other cancers.

Perhaps most worryingly, sodium laureth sulfate is also absorbed into the body from skin application. Once it has been absorbed, one of the main effects of SLS is to mimic the activity of the hormone Oestrogen. This has many and may be responsible for a variety of health problems from PMS and Menopausal symptoms to dropping male fertility and increasing female cancers such as breast cancer, where oestrogen levels are known to be involved.

Products commonly found to contains this harmaful SLS or Sodium Laureth Sulfate and parabens

Soaps

Shampoos

Bubble-baths

Tooth paste

Washing-up liquid / dish soap

Laundry detergent

Childrens soaps / shampoos

Stain Remover

Carpet Cleaner

Fabric glue

Body wash

Shave cream

Pet shampoos/cleaner

Mascara (most masscaras do not list ingredients! see "Dying to be Beautiful" in my blog

Mouthwash

Toothpaste

Skin cleansers

Moisture lotion / Moisturiser

Sun Cream and more...

The use of sodium laureth sulfate in childrens products is particularly worrying. It is known that, whether it gets in the eyes or not, skin application DOES lead to measurable concentrations in the eyes of children. This is known to affect eye development, and the damage caused in this manner is irreversible.

Do not believe that just because a product is labeled as natural" it is free from SLS or sodium laureth sulfate or other harmful chemicals. ("This is just greenwashing in many cases - for you to put faith in the product). Most common brands of "Natural" or "Herbal" shampoos and cleansers still use these harmful chemicals as their main active ingredient - check your labels!

There are some highly reputable companies have been producing such products for years. These products not only do not contains no sodium laureth sulfate, they are also free of other harmful chemical colourings, preservatives and even flavourings.

Skin Irritation

SLS is used routinely in clinical studies. This may suggest a level of comfort, however, the way in which it is used is disturbing. Despite being the number one active ingredient in virtually all soaps, shampoos and cleansers, the sole purpose of using SLS in clinical studies is to cause skin irritation that can then be used to identify the properties of other chemicals!

Amazing isn't it? For years, we have been applying known irritants to our skin on a daily basis. To quote the ACT report "The abbreviated symbol for Sodium Lauryl Sulfate is used around the world in clinical studies as a skin irritant. SLS is the universal standard, by which a measured percentage is evaluated to promote a given level of irritation and reaction. By this SLS standard level of irritation, it is then possible to evaluate the healing or modifying characteristics of any ingredient or formula used on the SLS irritated skin."

Most worryingly, irritation has been shown to occur at concentrations of 0.5%, which is 1/60th the concentration found in some hand soaps. Caveat emptor! (BUYER BEWARE)

Hormone Imbalance

In the last 100 years or so, many new health problems have come to light. These include PMS / PMT, the so-called "menopausal symptoms" which never used to exist, and more recently a massive drop in male fertility which threatens our continued existence in many western countries. SLS is most likely a major contributor to all of these problems due to its oestrogen mimicking activity.

Oestrogen is a hormone found quite normally in both men and women. Like all other hormones, it's circulating levels are rigidly controlled by the glands of the body due to the potent effect of its presence on virtually all cells. Not only does SLS irritate the skin, it is also absorbed through the skin (high levels of skin penetration may occur at even low concentration). Once in the body, the SLS molecule attaches to oestrogen receptors, mimicking the effects of the hormone in various body systems.

The result is hormonal chaos. The body can no longer control it's own oestrogen levels (or at least, what it sees as it's own oestrogen levels - it can't tell the difference between endogenous oestrogen and SLS) and therefore loses control of many normal endocrine (hormonal) functions.

In men, whose oestrogen levels are normally extremely low, this massive increase causes breast enlargement, reduction of male hormone levels and a massive drop in both sperm count and sperm motility (ability of the sperm to fertilise an ovum). Gender confusion may also be related to SLS levels, either in the male himself or in his mother during pregnancy.

In women, the reproductive system, which is totally controlled by oestrogen and progesterone, goes haywire. Rapidly shifting oestrogen levels and their effect on progesterone levels mean that the body is totally confused, leading to menstrual problems, menopausal symptoms and potentially infertility. Because this subject is so important, we have devoted a whole section of this site to womens health.

Eye Irritation / eye deformities in children

Have you ever got shampoo in your eyes? Yes, so have I - not pleasant is it? However, the potential effects of SLS on the eye are much more worrying. In animal studies, 10% SLS caused acute corneal damage. However, it is not just direct eye contact that is the problem. According to the American College of Toxicology, "tests show permanent eye damage in young animals from skin contact in non-eye areas". In other words, because SLS is absorbed through the skin, it can cause PERMANENT eye damage WITHOUT ever directly coming into contact with your eyes. As a result, you would expect that childrens products would be SLS-free. Unfortunately not, most childrens shampoos contain just as much SLS as those for adults.

Thankfully,alternatives DO exist, though you would be hard-pressed to find them in your local chemist or supermarket.

Protein Denaturing

Our cells are made from protein. The development of those cells is strictly regulated by the reproductive processes that are continually at work removing damaged and old cells and replacing them with healthy new ones. Virtually every cell in the body is replaced at least every 7 years.

SLS exerts its effects on proteins by forming a chemical bridge between the fat-soluble and water-soluble parts of the protein molecule. This disrupts the hydrophobic forces needed to maintain the protein structure and the molecule collapses, rendering it useless. This effect is usually irreversible.

The result of this is two-fold. Firstly, existing proteins are damaged, leading to an increase in the amount of healing required by the body. Secondly, new proteins can be damaged and cells disrupted while they are under construction. It is exactly this type of activity that can lead to the early stages of skin cancer.  In the skin, this process can be so severe, that skin layers may separate and inflame due to its (SLS's) protein denaturing properties.

Carcenogenicity (Cancer causimg)

Quite apart from it's potential to cause pre-cancerous conditions by denaturing proteins, the oestrogen mimicking effects of SLS also offers massive potential to cause cancer. It is known that many cancers, not least breast and ovarian cancer are directly related to oestrogen levels, in fact some cancer cells actually secrete their own oestrogen, which contributes to the growth of the tumour.

Clearly, by disrupting normal oestrogen levels AND by causing similar effects at a cellular level as endogenous oestrogen, SLS exhibits MASSIVE potential to both cause and worsen cancerous states. The incidence of breast cancer has increased several-fold in the last 50 years, both in women and in men. Currently, according to the American Cancer Society, men account for approximately 1% of all breast cancer cases. This subject is discussed in more detail in our section. Natural Health Information Centre

There is also a third way by which SLS can potentially cause cancer. Carcinogenic nitrates can form in the manufacturing of Sodium Lauryl Sulfate or by its inter-reaction with other nitrogen bearing ingredients within a formulation utilizing this ingredient (many shampoos contain nitrate compounds). A single shampooing can produce more cancer-causing nitrates in the body than eating a pound of bacon, which is VERY high in nitrates!

Whether it is by these means or not, SLS in a known mutagen - it is capable of damaging the genetic material found every cell in your body. As mutagenicity has been strongly linked to cancer, this is a major concern.

We will do our best to help and advise you on ways to limit both your exposure and your risk.

Take control of your health and exchange your toxin-filled household wiith chemical-free products SEE MORE HARMFUL CHEMICALS IN OUR INGREDIENTS PAGE

HERE'S A SURPRISE!

"Can toothpaste contribute to canker sores? (Mouth ulcers) Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) is the detergent found in most toothpastes. But research from Oslo, Norway indicates SLS may precipitate canker sores in people already prone to get them

Oral surgeon Paul Barkvoll found a 70 percent decrease in occurrence of canker sores (mouth ulcers) when susceptible persons switched to a toothpaste that did not contain SLS. Barkvoll suspects the ingredient dries out the protective mucous layer lining the mouth, leaving the gums and cheeks vulnerable to irritants like acids in foods.

Until recently, the only U.S marketed toothpaste without SLS was Rembrandt’s Natural. But others are now following suit.

Wall Street Journal 1993"

Why not try natural toothpaste which can often found in health food stores and some good pharmacies

HOW TO STORE   Shea butter has a long shelf life can last up to two years! However it is quite delicate and requires storing in warm to cool dry place or at room temperature. Never in a cold place and DO NOT REFRIGERATE (has olieac acids in it which does not like cold and will compromise the shea).

"There are over 10,500 ingredients found in the skin care products used by men, women and children on a daily basis. Only 11% of those products have been tested for safety. Regulations for the cosmetic industry are lax at best. A recent study by the Environmental Working Group found that:

Approx. 33% of those products contain ingredients that are linked to cancer. 60% have ingredients that can act like estrogen, or disrupt hormones. And 45% contain chemicals/ingredients that may be harmful to our reproductive systems or to a baby's development.

The facts don't lie. Chemicals in our cosmetics and skin care items contain toxic ingredients linked to poor health and diseases. Some scientists are even saying that these chemicals may be causing the increased numbers of children with ADHD, some cancers and more. The National Cancer Institute reports that women who dye their hair have a 50% higher risk of developing non-hodgkin's lymphoma (cancer). The FDA released a report that 40% of the tested talcum powders contain asbestos.

Many chemicals used in the U.S. have been banned in Europe because they are toxic to the human body.

What we need to do is to find products that are using safe ingredients, companies that are using green manufacturing. Companies that have signed the Compact for Safe Cosmetics and meet the EU formula standards. That means you can be assured that the formulation standards are free of chemicals known to, or strongly suspected of causing

mutations, cancers, birth defects and more.