Why All Natural?
A few years ago I became aware of a new method of metabolizing prescription drug therapy. The medicine was prepared in a pharmacy where the drugs were crushed into a powder and then mixed into a prepared cream. This cream was then applied in a specific dose to the skin. The idea is that the skin is more efficient at metabolizing drugs than the traditional method where the medicine would first pass through the digestive system. If you think about it, we already know this, as exampled by the wide use of skin patches for everything from smoking cessation to pain relief and birth control. According to Dr. David Suzuki, up to 60% of what we put on our skin is absorbed into our bloodstream.
But this got me to thinking... if prescription drugs could be metabolized by the skin and into the bloodstream, then what else is being metabolized by our skin, which is after all the body's largest organ? I went to have a look and was shocked by the myriad of chemicals on the ingredient list of my current skin creams. Why was I applying all these potentially harmful chemicals to my skin every day? My idea to make all-natural body products was born, with the philosophy that if you are not prepared to eat it, maybe you don't want to put it on your skin either. Get Creamed Body spa products are therefore made with only the best natural ingredients such as fruit and vegetable-source oils and natural antioxidants. We are proud of our ingredients and list them on our website for every product so consumers know exactly what they are buying.
I call it simply health-conscious beauty.
- N. Dean, Founder, Get Creamed Body Inc.
For more information and articles about chemicals commonly used in skincare and why you may want to avoid them, please visit our PRESS page.
The truth about common Preservatives: Why you should read labels...
Does your skincare, bath and body products contain any of these ingredients? You may be surprised to learn many chemical preservatives which may have negative health effects are widely and commonly used in cosmetics and skin products.
Parabens are a class of chemicals widely used as preservatives in the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries. They are becoming increasingly controversial, however, and have been linked with certain types of cancers. Common parabens include methylparaben, ethylparaben, propylparaben, and butylparaben. Less common parabens include isobutylparaben, isopropylparaben, and benzylparaben.
Another common preservative is phenoxyethanol. Along with PEG, rose esther, propylene glycol, and ethylene glycol, it is more commonly known as Antifreeze. As antifreeze is a known neurotoxin, you may want to avoid putting it on your skin. And then there are the formaldehyde releasers: dimethicone, diazolidinyl urea, imidazolidinyl urea, methenamin, and others. Commonly found in a wide range of skincare products, they are known to release a slow and continuous amount of formaldehyde, a known human carcinogen (cancer-causing agent).
But if they are considered safe by the government, they must be safe, no? Consider the examples of asbestos, hydrogenated oils, and most recently BPA (bisphenol A) in plastics... all were deemed safe and widely used for decades before they were proven to be hazardous to our health.
Allergic reactions, immunotoxicity, endocrine (hormone system) disruption, organ system toxicity, biochemical or cellular level changes, neurotoxicity, irritation of skin, eyes, or lungs, rosacea, and hives are examples of additional known possible effects of these preservative chemicals.
That being said, we encourage everyone to do their own research and make their own decisions about their health and their body. We simply provide an option to those consumers who choose chemical-free in a market where it can be difficult, if not impossible, to find.
COPYRIGHT GCB Inc 2011-2012
