You’re Putting WHAT On Your

Face?!
A Practical Guide to the Safe and Sensible
Purchasing of Body Care Products

Prepared by: Herbalix Restoratives, LLC

Herbalix Restoratives
 Face, Arms, Hands, Back, Legs;
Your Entire Body
• What goes on the skin, goes into the body,
in varying degrees.

• Organic is as important for the outside of

you- as it is for the inside!

• Toxins can enter the body through the

skin, and are not limited to air, food and
water only.
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How Do I Know What I am Looking
For- and What to Avoid?
• Do you know what is in your body care
products?
• Do you know how to find out?
• Read your product labels, and be able to identify
toxins!
• Ingredients are listed in the order they appear in
the product formulation. As you read to the end
of the ingredient list, be aware that this is usually
where the bad stuff hides.
• If the bad stuff is in there- the good stuff is
canceled out!
 Skin Absorption vs. Ingestion
• The skin is the largest organ of the body. What
goes on the skin can, molecularly from one
degree to another, enter the body.
• What we eat can actually be less harmful to us
than what we apply to our skin, because organs
such as the kidneys and liver can filter toxins
before they enter the bloodstream. That’s often
not so with topically applied chemicals.
• Some chemicals can act as hormones by
replacing our existing hormones and altering
growth patterns.
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 Where Do We Find These
Chemicals?
• Prescription Drugs
• Over the Counter Drugs
• Cosmetics
• Body Care Products
• Baby Care Products
• Food
• Pet Products
• Household Cleaners
• Home Furnishings, etc.

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 Who Can You Trust?!?

• The FDA operates under serious time constraints,

manpower shortages and the pressure to approve. They
only monitor the cosmetics industry AFTER so many
injuries have been reported!
• The FDA also will not allow claims for healing from any
source or substance they do not approve. This disallows
claims that pertain to essential oils, herbs and other
non-traditional methodologies.
• Universities receive money/subsidies from companies to
fund research. How can they remain unbiased or ethical
in their studies?
• Chemical Companies provide fast, cheap and easy
synthetics but with added risks and side effects…

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 What Toxic Ingredients are Found
in Body Care Products?
• Parabens • Carbomers
• Phthalates • Aluminum
• Petroleum • Other Heavy Metals
• Petrolatum • Talc
• Mineral Oil • Paraffin
• Glycols • FD&C Synthetic Coloring
• Urea • Synthetic Fragrances
• DEA, MEA & TEA
• BHA, BHT • -to name just a few!
• Sodium Laurel and
Sodium Laureth Sufates
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 Parabens: Not a ‘Natural’ Choice!

• Butyl-, Ethyl-, Methyl-, Propyl-, inhibit the growth of microbes and

extend the shelf life of products- but at a cost.

• They act like growth hormones in the body and also mimic estrogen,
which disrupts normal hormone function.

• Due to hormone mimicking, they may alter hormone levels in

humans, increasing the risk for certain cancers, impaired fertility and
recent studies indicate they alter the development of fetuses in the
womb.

• They have been found in breast cancer tumors.

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 Phthalates: Unstable and
Dangerous
• Found in cosmetics, nail polish, perfumes, hair products,
lotions, baby toys, food, paint, shower curtains, plastic
wrap, medical supplies, drugs, straws, toothbrushes, car
seats… they are ubiquitous.

• They are regulated as toxic substances under

environmental laws that limit their discharge into the air,
land and water.

• European Parliament prohibits the use of Phthalates:

DEHP and DBP in cosmetics. Yet there are no limits on
the amount used in consumer products in the US and
Canada.

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 Phthalates: Still Unstable and
Dangerous…
• They have been identified as a family of hormone-
mimicking chemicals.

• Health effects include: damage to the liver and kidneys,

decreased sperm count, testicular cancer, early onset of
puberty in girls, early breast development in both girls
and boys, reproductive disorders and reduced fertility.
• Permeates body tissues easily.

• Does not show up listed in product ingredients, other

than in letters as in: DBP, DEP, etc.

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 Petroleum
• Can be addictive to skin tissues. It has no
curative benefit to skin tissues, and can
actually create the very condition it is
intended to correct, thus perpetuating the
problem.
• Can cause sensitivities.
• Interrupts respiration of body tissues.
• Plugs pores.
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 Petrolatum and Mineral Oil
• Is a petrochemical that forms a barrier on
the skin, makes lipsticks shine and creams
smooth.
• A derivative of crude oil

• Hinders normal skin respiration.

• Slows down normal cell development,

resulting in premature aging of the skin.
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 Glycol
• Known as: PG, PEG, BG and EG
• Is used in anti-freeze, brake fluid, paint, floor
wax, detergents, tobacco- AND SKIN CARE!
• Petroleum derived
• Inhibit cell growth and damages cell membranes
• The EPA warns factory workers to avoid skin
contact with Propylene Glycol to prevent brain,
liver and kidney damage.
• It is used to carry the ‘active’ ingredients in
transdermal patches deep in the skin.
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 More Glycol Facts…
• Is known to cause eye, skin and gastro-intestinal
irritation, allergic reactions and rashes, nausea,
vomiting, headache, and central nervous system
depression.

• Other side effects include: heart arrhythmia,

stunted growth, decreased blood pressure and
death.

• Actually causes dry skin but is commonly used

as a humectant to help retain moisture.

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 UREA; Imidazolidinyl and
Diazolidinyl
• The second most commonly used preservatives
next to parabens.
• The primary cause of skin irritation.
• Releases formaldehyde at very low
temperatures.
• Not effective in inhibiting fungal growth and thus
they must be combined with other
preservatives.
• Used in: skin care, hair products, moisturizing
products, perfumes, deodorants, etc.

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 DEA, MEA, TEA: ICK!
• Listed also as: Cocamide DEA/MEA, Cetyl phosphate,
DEA Oleth-3, Phosphate, Myristamide DEA, Stearamide
MEA, Lauramide DEA, etc.
• Used as emulsifiers and foaming agents. They are
popular in bubble bath, body washes, shampoo and
soaps.
• Can cause eye and skin irritation, are easily absorbed
through the skin and accumulates in body organs, even
the brain.
• 1998 study by the Nat’l. Toxicology Program showed a
link between cancer in lab animals and DEA related
ingredients when topically applied.

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 BHA/BHT
• Both are used as preservatives in cosmetics,
personal care products and in food.
• BHA is absorbed into the skin and is stored in
body tissues.
• BHT is harmful if ingested, inhaled or absorbed
through the skin. Causes eye and skin irritation.
Is known to be irritating to mucous membranes
and the upper respiratory tract.
• BHT can also cause severe destruction of body
tissues.

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Sodium Laurel and Sodium Laureth
Sulfates
• Found in shampoos, toothpastes, mouth rinses, soaps,
body washes, etc.
• Provides a foamy, bubbly texture.
• Causes irritation on contact with skin, eyes and mucous
membranes.
• Long-term exposure may cause mutagenic effects.
• Is rapidly absorbed –and retained- in the eyes, brain,
heart and liver.
• Alters skin structure, allowing other chemicals to
penetrate deep into the skin, increasing the amount of
other chemicals that can then reach the bloodstream.

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 Carbomers

• Used in cosmetics as emulsifying,

thickening, suspending and dispersing
agents.

• Used in medical products, such as

transdermal patches.

• Associated with skin and eye irritation,

coughing and possible skin rash.
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 Aluminum/Heavy Metals
• Used to absorb moisture.
• Found in blush, eye shadow, powders,
deodorant/antiperspirants, etc.
• Linked to cancer development in men and
women.
• When used in antiperspirants they prevent
the body from releasing toxins, by blocking
the sweat glands.
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 Paraffin

• A waxy crystalline substance that in its

pure form is white, odorless and
translucent. It is obtained from petroleum
and is purified by solvent refining.
• Is used in cold creams, wax depilatories,
eyeliner and eyebrow pencils, mascara,
protective creams.
• Is not a true wax but is sometimes added
to beeswax.
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 Synthetic Fragrances
• VOC’s -or Volatile Organic Chemicals- can
contribute to poor indoor air quality, and are
associated with a variety of adverse health
effects.

• Can cause: headache, irritation to the eyes,

nose and throat, rashes, hyper-pigmentation,
nausea, vomiting, forgetfulness, loss of
coordination, dizziness, neurotoxic symptoms,
etc.

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 FD&C Synthetic Color
• Used to make products more attractive, they
offer no real benefit to the skin.
• Usually are listed as: FD&C or D&C and are
accompanied with a color and number. (i.e.:
FD&C Yellow No.5)
• Typically derived from petroleum or coal.
• Lab tests prove that high doses of most
synthetic dyes -which are approved by the FDA-
are capable of causing various adverse
reactions, including cancer.

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 Dodging the Chemical Bullet
• Most chemicals used in body care and
cosmetic products are harmful to body
tissues in some way. They add nothing of
value and actually serve to reduce the
quality of the product.
• Chemicals are cheap for cosmetic
chemists to use- but the consumer pays
the price, oftentimes with their health.

Herbalix Restoratives
Dodging the Chemical Bullet (cont.)
• Herbalix Restoratives offers a safe, clean and
cutting-edged alternative to the toxic world of
body and hair care!
• We offer: the highest quality ingredients, the
purest methods of manufacture and the
cleanest, most potent formulations available.
• We use absolutely NO: parabens, phthalates,
petroleum, synthetic fragrance or colors,
binders, emulsifiers, metals or
Refined/Bleached/Deodorized oils.

Herbalix Restoratives
 Herbalix Restoratives Corp.
Contact Information
• Customer Service can be reached:
• Monday-Friday 9-5 PST

• Call: (866) 387-4222

• Fax: (866) 794-4222

• Mail: P.O. Box 65346

Port Ludlow, WA 98365-0346

Ship: 125 South Point Road

Port Ludlow, WA 98365
Herbalix Restoratives