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Petroleum and Cosmetics: What are the Potential Health Risks?
What is petroleum? Crude oil, sometimes called petroleum, is a fossil fuel that was produced deep in the earth through a process that took millions of years to complete. Millions of years later, almost all of us come into contact with a derivative of petroleum every day. Through a process called fractional distillation, petroleum refineries break petroleum into many of its smaller components. Each of these smaller components is made up of molecules called hydrocarbons. The world is full of products that come from petroleum. For example, gasoline, styrofoam, lubricating oils, and many other items are all derivatives of this raw material. How are petroleum and cosmetics related? The two seemingly unrelated items, petroleum and cosmetics, are indeed closely related in our modern world. Mineral oil and petroleum are the basic ingredients in many cosmetic products today. Both mineral oil and petroleum have the same origins in fossils fuels. Cosmetics such as foundations, cleansers, and moisturizers often contain mineral oil. By locking moisture against the skin, mineral oil sits on the skin's surface and can potentially block pores. This may cause the appearance of pimples because the skin cannot properly 'breathe'. Fragrances in lotions, shampoos, and many other cosmetic products are composed of aromatic hydrocarbons. Perfumes and products containing fragrance can contain many hundreds of chemicals to produce a distinct scent. A significant number of these aromas are derived from petroleum. One popular chemical additive that carries moisture in cosmetics is propylene glycol. It is also a derivative of petroleum. Some products that list propylene glycol as an ingredient include: - anti-freeze - laundry detergent - paint - shampoo - conditioner Past research links propylene glycol to serious health problems as liver and kidney damage as well as respiratory irritation or nausea if swallowed. An antiseptic, isopropyl alcohol, kills bacteria on the skin. You can find it on the ingredient list of cleansers, toners and other cosmetic products. Unfortunately, this derivative of petroleum dries the skin and may cause miniature cracks in the skin that allow bacteria to enter, potentially causing irritations or pimples. Do these petroleum-derived products affect your health? Your skin covers your body and acts as a physical barrier to many of the pollutants in the atmosphere. When you use products on your skin such as cosmetics, lotions, and shampoos, the ingredients in these products come into direct contact with your body's largest organ; your skin. You may ask yourself, where do the ingredients in the products go? Modern research at the Herb Research Foundation found that the skin absorbs up to 60% of the chemicals in products that it comes into contact with directly into the bloodstream. Today, hormone therapy treatments and smoking cessation medications are often prescribed as patches that you apply directly to the skin. The medication passes through the skin and directly enters the bloodstream. For pregnant women, the risk is not only for her body but also for the developing fetus. If the chemicals found in cosmetics readily enter the bloodstream when applied to the skin, then they will also reach the developing baby. Researchers at the Brunel University in England are looking closely at a family of preservatives called parabens. Their research has recently linked parabens to the possibility that male babies will have lower sperm counts. These preservatives are derived from petroleum and help to maintain the freshness and integrity of the product. Currently, many manufacturers add parabens to cosmetics to allow a minimum of 3 years shelf life. Therefore, the parabens kill any bacteria that could potentially enter the product. If these chemical ingredients can kill the bacterial cells, what are they doing to your skin cells? In most cases, there is no conclusive answer to this question. However, the research mentioned strongly suggests that the synthetic ingredients may have a significant impact on our bodies. In many cases, the long-term effects of many of the chemical additives in our cosmetics are not known. However, other chemical additives are known carcinogens. These types of chemicals can cause cancer in humans. Such chemicals include some artificial colours in cosmetics. The effects of chemicals and other synthetic ingredients in cosmetics may lead to mild allergic reactions causing rashes and minor skin irritation to more significant problems such as lesions on the skin. What are your alternatives for cosmetics? Luckily, there are alternatives to cosmetics filled with synthetically produced ingredients. Increasingly, cosmetic manufacturers are answering the public's demand for alternatives to the chemically loaded beauty and grooming supplies. The Organic Make-up Company is one such company that is leading the way in producing high-quality, organically manufactured cosmetics! As a consumer, you have the ability to decrease the number of preservatives and chemical additives your skin comes into contact with and therefore, that may enter your body. To avoid using the synthetically derived fragrances, look for products containing essential oils. These are pure oils derived from flowers and other plants in nature. All you have to do is make the simple choice of purchasing cosmetic products with all-natural, organic ingredients. Whether you continue using cosmetics that contain petroleum-based ingredients or not is a personal choice. What is the most important is to get the facts and to know that you have a choice when it comes to buying organic or synthetic cosmetic products. References: - Fairley, Josephine. Organic beauty: look and feel gorgeous the natural way. Dorling Kindersley : London, 2001. - http://www.hans.org/web_articles/h07drugschemicals/h0799whatisreallyinyourhbprods.aspl, accessed Oct. 3, 2004. - http://www.naturalmakeup.ca Lori Stryker has been researching and developing all natural skin care and make-up for the purpose of offering men and women safe, natural cosmetics for everyday use. She brings to her research a specialist in human biology from the University of Toronto, coupled with a professional home economics degree and an education degree from the University of British Columbia, fusing chemical and biological knowledge with food, family and textile sciences. You may use this article but any modification or publication of this article for fiancial gain must be approved of by the author. The author's name, Lori Stryker and her company's name, The Organic Make-up Company, needs to by noted when used.
Latest News:Site: Yahoo! News Search Results for news Myanmar's Suu Kyi to get family letters, news mags (Reuters via Yahoo! News) Detained Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi has managed to wring small concessions from the ruling generals in the form of letters from her family and some international news magazines, her lawyer said on Friday. JCDecaux in talks for News Outdoor Group in Russia (AP via Yahoo! News) French outdoor advertising firm JCDecaux SA said Thursday it is negotiating to buy Russian rival News Outdoor Group from global media company News Corp. News Corp tightens grip on Premiere with new CEO (Reuters via Yahoo! News) Rupert Murdoch tightened his grip on German pay-TV broadcaster Premiere by appointing News Corp executive Mark Williams as CEO in a move to get the company back on track. SEC Looks Into UAL Stock Scare; Implications For Online News? (CBS News) A ton of digits have been devoted to this in other spots but the SEC's decision to investigate takes it to another level. The backstory: a six-year-old news story about UAL declaring bankruptcy made it into the Tribune-owned Sun-Sentinel 's current news flow, was picked up by a Google (NSDQ: GOOG) News bot and, via a reporter for a newsletter, made it onto Bloomberg News. After a lot of buck ... JCDecaux and News Corp. in talks to combine outdoor ad groups (International Herald Tribune) The News Corp. chief executive, Rupert Murdoch, has recently expressed nervousness about investments in Russia, where News Outdoor generated the bulk of its revenue last year. SEC Looks Into UAL Stock Scare; Implications For Online News? (paidContent.org via Yahoo! Finance) A ton of digits have been devoted to this in other spots but the SEC's decision to investigate takes it to another level. The backstory: a six-year-old news story about UAL declaring bankruptcy made it into the Tribune-owned Sun-Sentinel's current news flow, was picked up by a Google News bot and, via a reporter for a newsletter, made it onto Bloomberg News. JCDecaux in talks to buy News Corp. billboard unit (AP via Yahoo! Finance) In a deal that would create the world's largest outdoor advertising company, French conglomerate JCDecaux SA said Thursday that it is in talks to buy Russian rival News Outdoor Group from global media company News Corp. Phila. mayor to announce grim budget news (The Philadelphia Inquirer) The Nutter administration is expected to announce grim budget news today, which is all but certain to lead to significant spending cuts - perhaps as high as 10 percent - in some city departments, according to three sources familiar with the budget. News Corp says Mark Williams interim Premiere CEO (Reuters via Yahoo! News) News Corp. executive Mark Williams has taken over as chief executive of German pay-TV broadcaster Premiere in an interim capacity, News Corp. said after the move led to renewed takeover speculation. DIVA TALK: Chatting with In the Heights ' Mandy Gonzalez Plus News of Fraser, Testa and Bundy (Playbill) News, views and reviews about the multi-talented women of the musical theatre and the concert/cabaret stage. Site: news - Google News Palm Shares Soar As New Smartphone Wins Wall Street Praise - CNNMoney.com
MORE RESOURCES: Site: Yahoo! News Search Results for beauty Documentary on beauty hits Napa; local couple get their message out (Napa Valley Register) Is America obsessed with beauty? It?s a question a Napa couple have helped answer in a highly-decorated documentary film about to play in Napa. Fashion Beauty Music (Scoop.co.nz) Drawing only the best crowds, providing a party atmosphere like no otherand always raising the bar, FASHION BEAUTY MUSIC has established itself asa premium high profile event with a reputation of quality. First Beauty Contest for Hybrid Falcons to be Held in Capital (Khaleej Times) abu dhabi ? The International Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition ? Abu Dhabi 2008 ? will host the first beauty contest for hybrid falcons, organisers of the event said on Thursday. Beauty from the inside out, outside in (Midland Daily News) They were already, all of them, beautiful young women. But on the stage at Coleman High School early Saturday afternoon, they positively glowed with a new awareness of the unique beauty each possessed. From the audience, cheers, whistles and applause confirmed their newly heightened confidence. FALLING FOR FALL BEAUTY TRENDS (Las Vegas Review-Journal) The fall runways were good to the beauty industry. Rather than send out looks that let the clothes do all the talking, designers collaborated with beauty artists to capture a complete vision. Audience members didn't know which to glue their eyes to, the garments or the hair and makeup. Flaming Gorge: Beauty and variety (The Salt Lake Tribune) Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area - A guy like Emmett Heath, who has spent much of his adult life hanging around Flaming Gorge Reservoir and the Green River, might be excused if he took the area's beauty and wildlife for granted. Real beauty at Palace (Redditch Standard) HIGHLY acclaimed European Ballet presents classic and enchanting ballet Sleeping Beauty at Redditch's Palace Theatre this Sunday (September 14, 5.30pm). Robber strikes beauty supply store in Merced (Merced Sun-Star) Merced police are on the lookout for a man who committed a robbery at Sally's Beauty Supply store on Tuesday. Beauty Therapist (Maternity cover) (World Leisure News) Nuffield Proactive Health has a great opportunity for a Beauty Therapist to work within one of Europe?s largest corporate Wellness facilities in Canary Wharf. This Corporate Club of the Year 2005 is 41,000 sq. ft in size and has a team of 24 members of staff. Delgado's late run a thing of beauty (MLB.com) Delgado's late run a thing of beauty Site: beauty - Google News OQO OLED Notebook Is A Luminous Beauty - Wired News
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