When it comes to being healthy, we’re always keeping track of the food that enters our system, whether it means sanitising products till they are squeaky clean or skimping on junk food. But do you know the effects of the products that you are using on your body? Well, some of everyday beauty products are secretly filled with ingredients that are wreaking havoc with our hormones.
Everyday toxins and pollutants affect your endocrine system, through which all your hormones are secreted into the blood. These pollutants disrupt our hormonal functions, act in unnatural ways and hence are called endocrine disruptors. These changes can cause birth defects, illnesses, hormonal breakouts, irregular periods and even cancer.
As part of their clean beauty philosophy, Kiro has a list of no-nasties — toxic ingredients that have been eliminated from their entire line-up of products. Some of these include endocrine disruptors that we’ve listed out, to make sure they’re checked off your beauty shelf.
Triclosan is an antibacterial ingredient that is currently registered as a pesticide and can pose risks to our health and the environment. It is suspected of causing cancer.
MDM Hydantoin and Diazolidinyl Urea can release formaldehyde – a proven carcinogen. Exposure to this toxin can cause infections, fatigue and dizziness.
Phthalates are linked to birth defects and miscarriages, while parabens used in alot of skincare products micic estrogen hormones, and are closely linked to breast tumors. They also cause hormonal imbalance and early puberty.
While it is probably impossible to avoid all endocrine-disrupting chemicals, simply staying away from the most harmful ones such as parabens and phthalates is a pretty big step in curbing toxin exposure. So the next time you’re picking up a new product, make sure you are well aware of the ingredients that make up the product, thereby staying cognizant of your beauty choices.