Every day women expose themselves to around 168 different chemicals hidden in products like deodorants, shampoos and cosmetics, which are quickly spread over every inch of skin.
These chemicals don't just stay on our face - the average woman ingests 0.057 mg of lippy daily, around 1.248 kilos of the stuff over sixty years.
Because of facts like this, a recent survey of Kiwi women has shown they are buying natural beauty products because they want to avoid these kind of toxins and synthetic ingredients.
More than 80 per cent of the women who participated in the NZ Natural Beauty Survey said this was one of the key reasons they looked for chemical-free products.
The survey was undertaken by New Zealand natural fragrance producer Purity Fragrances, and company founder Debbie Cope says it’s no longer just women with skin allergies or sensitive skin who opt for natural beauty products.
“In fact, only a third of those surveyed gave allergies or sensitivities as the reason they buy natural products,” she says.
Debbie says there has been more information available on the dangers of toxins in recent years, which has served to increase the popularity of natural beauty products.
Parabens were considered the number one ingredient to avoid by those surveyed, with 80 per cent of women looking for paraben-free products when shopping for skincare or other beauty products. More than 70 per cent seek products that are completely synthetic-free.
Studies have linked parabens, which can mimic the activity of the hormone estrogen in the body’s cells, to an increased risk of breast cancer.
In other reports, researchers found more than 75 percent of products listing the ingredient “fragrance” contained phthalates, which have been shown to disrupt hormone activity, reduce sperm counts, and have been linked to liver and breast cancer, diabetes, and obesity.
Here are some of our top picks when it comes to buying natural beauty products:
Living Nature Balancing Day Lotion
Nude by Nature Liquid Mineral Foundation
Dr.Hauschka
Primal Earth Natural Active SPF 15 Moisturiser
Trilogy
LUSH
Absolute Essential
Swisse
Goodness
