I start this blog with a warning: Please check all of the ingredients of the products you are using on your body. Especially the ones you leave on overnight or all day long.
A lot of my clients in San Jose, California are either like me, children of people who got cancer and died too young or cancer survivors who don’t want to get it again.
Retinol is the biggest anti-aging ingredient in traditional skin products. It is SUPER toxic and is also a hormone disruptor. Environmental Working Group says, one cancer causing culprit is retinyl palmitate or retinol, which can make your skin more sensitive to the sun. It should be used in limited amounts at night and avoided in daytime products. Another ingredient you need to watch out for is parabens like propylparaben, which disrupts the “endocrine system.”
Here is the key to deciphering the ingredient list; when it says pregnant women shouldn’t use it, this means it is a hormone disruptor and is very bad for people who have hormonal cancers in their family. The truth is, a lot of the expensive products that they carry in the dermatologist office are full of bad ingredients that cause a host of problems besides aging. The best way to not age is to wear sunscreen. Wearing sunscreen is our number one defense against aging. Sunscreen can also be extremely toxic so please avoid oxybenzone in sunscreen.
You should be using a physical sunblock like titanium dioxide. All of the sunscreens that I carry are non-toxic.
Another hint when looking at ingredients is, “reef safe.” Oxybenzone is killing the coral reefs around the world. If it says reef safe, then it does NOT have the oxybenzone ingredient. Hawaii has banned the use of this type of sunscreen which is great for our health and the planet!
There are also treatments you can get at a med spa that can help and are not toxic like an Ultrasound Facelift. It is expensive, around $600 but it helps to stimulate the growth of collagen in the dermis layer of the skin (the deepest layer.) The most effective thing that retinol does is stimulates growth of collagen in the dermis of your skin.
I have been researching non-toxic products that can help without the harmful effects and what I have discovered through a Naturopath Doctor, who is also my client. It is an ingredient called bakuchiol. It is phyto retinol (plant based) that is safe to use. I have been researching this new ingredient and believe I have found the perfect replacement to the toxic retinol. During my research, I am happy to report that there are a lot of products being sold now that contain phyto retinol. Also, taking collagen internally is very helpful. I am looking forward to start taking collagen myself and I am actively searching for a clean one. As soon as I find one that is suitable, I will share it with you along with an exciting product announcement that is coming soon!
As I always recommend, check EWG.org for ingredients and great information.
Please message me if you have any questions about this blog!
Sheila Gall
Social Butterfly Beauty
Non-toxic Beauty Expert