Summers gone and the suntans are fading fast. Now is the time when many women are reaching for the bottle of fake tan. If you are one of these women, have you taken the time to consider what chemicals you are exposing yourself to?
Below I've listed some of the harmful ingredients that are common in fake tans and their side-effects.
- Octyl Palmitate - skin irritant, acne producing
- Propylene Glycol - also found in antifreeze, skin irritant even in low concentrations
- Fragrances - all artificial fragrances contain toxic ingredients
Propylene Gycol is particularly bad, having been shown to cause liver abnormalities and kidney damage in laboratory animals. All of the above ingredients are toxic.
There are healthy alternative brands. When buying your tan in a bottle make sure the active ingredient is dihyroxyacetone (DHA). This is known to be safe. Otherwise you could be doing damage to your skin.
In case you were thinking of swapping your lotion for something else - beware of tanning amplifiers, accelerators, promoters, enhancers and especially pills! Many of these products interact with the sun and accencutate the damage done to the skin. Some have been found to cause cancer in mice. The pills have been associated with hepatitis and urticaria (itching and skin eruptions). Some brands of over-the-counter pills have been shown to cause cancer and been banned in America.
Every day of the week we cover ourselves in a a cocktail of chemicals from shampoos, conditioners, soaps, gels, creams and all the stuff that makes us smell nice, deodorants, perfumes, aftershave, antiperspent, moisturizers. All the lotions and potions. We are sourunding ourselves with potentially harmful toxens. All of these things combined over long periods of time cannot be good for the body. The cocktail effect of mixing chemicals like this for long periods of time is unpredicable and potential harmful. Is glowing skin really worth it?
We should learn to embrace our pale skin and say no to the bottle for the sake of our health.
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About Christina:
I am a freelance mobile holistic therapist serving the Greater Dublin area of Ireland. For more information on my qualifications and services please see my main website.
Return to the Holistics Reference.More information about my therapy services.