Organic In Style

Did You Know…

• An average size adult has 5 to 8 pounds of skin
• If your skin was stretched out, it would cover roughly 17-20 square feet
• One inch of skin has the following: 65 hairs, 9,500,000 cells, 19 yards of blood vessels, 650 sweat glands, 78 yards of nerves

Skin Basics

Before we can talk about taking care of skin or, more specifically, why to use organic products to take care of skin, it is important to understand a little about the skin itself.  As most of us know, it is the largest organ in our body.  It has several important features such as maintaining our temperature, metabolizing and storing fat, and preventing the loss of minerals, just to name a few.  There are three layers: epidermis (the top and thinnest layer which shows your wringles, sunburns, and freckles) the dermis (is a tough layer of connective tissue that has an abundant blood supply and holds together your internal organs, bones, etc.) and the subcutis (the fatty later that is beneath your dermis and connects to the muscle tissue).  

Types of Skin

There are different skin types as well and it is important to treat them accordingly:

• Dry (lacks moisture or natural oil, flaky, scaly)
• Normal (neither oily or dry, no blemishes, some blackheads)
• Combination (oily in t-zone, dry or normal on cheeks)
• Oily (large pores, overactive oil glands, acne)
• Sensitive (overreacts to products, sunlight and temperature)
• Mature (loss of tone, crepelike in texture)
• Environmentally Damaged (lifestyle reflective - premature lines, wrinkles, age spots)

With all of these different types of skin, treatment is varied.  There are a few things that it is important to remember: 

• Always wash your skin before bedtime, especially if wearing makeup
• Clean your phone regularly as a huge amount of germs are transmitted that way
• Use a gel or lotion based soap rather than a bar of soap.  If you must use a bar, make it fat based, goat-milk based, or a glycerin bar. 
• If working with paints, herbicides, or any type of chemicals, it is imperative that you wear protective covering and cleanse your body regularly as these chemicals can easily get into your bloodstream through your skin 

Organic Skin Care Products

Okay, so now we have the basics down and a lot of them are probably things that we are already doing.  So why do we need organic products?  According to Myra Michelle Eby, founder of MyChelle Dermaceuticals, said, “The use of irritating and possibly toxic chemicals in natural skin care products just didn’t make sense to me,” Myra states. “The body absorbs at least 40 percent of whatever is applied topically to the skin. We need to pay close attention to ingredients.”  These chemicals can do bad things to our bodies.  Here is a list of ingredients to watch out for:

• Parabens - an estrogen mimicker and chemical preservative that can cause rashes in some people as well as allergic sensitivities
• DMDM Hydantoin, Imidazolidinyl Urea, & Quaternium 15 - can release traces of formaldehyde that can lead to contact dermatitis and joint problems
• Triethanolamine (TEA) - can cause reactions, dryness and eye irritations
• Artificial fragrances - strip the skin of its natural protection and can cause headaches and asthmatic complications
• Synthetic colors (FD&C or D&C) - can be carcinogenic
• Phthalates - found in hairsprays, perfumes and nail polish can accumulate and cause reproductive abnormalities

Personal Experience

Wow, there are some scary sounding things on that list!  I would imagine that some of the problems would be caused after accumulated use or in extreme sensitivities, but still, one can never be too careful.  I’ll give you an example.  Last year my then fiance had a special week planned for us across the country in lovely San Francisco.  He had planned the whole thing himself - we ate at great restaurants, stayed at beautiful hotels (including the Ritz Carlton on Half Moon Bay - highly recommend!) and saw all of the sites.  Oh, and of course, we got engaged!  So needless to say, it was a big week for us. 

Two days before we left, I decided to get my eyebrows waxed for the big event.  No big deal, right?  I’ve had them waxed before of course and I’m always careful to set aside time to recouperate afterwards as my skin is rather sensitive.  This time, however, I let the technician talk me into getting them dyed a bit darker.  I figured, special occasion, why not?  Word of advice: any time you have something big planned or aren’t sure how your skin may react, just SAY NO.  Well, I didn’t say no and needless to say, I paid for it for the next week.  My eyebrows formed a bright red band from one temple to the other.  They itched like crazy and swelled to abnormal proportions.  Not only was it embarrassing and unsightly, but it was painful and uncomfortable.  So for me, lesson learned.  The hard way.  Take care of your skin.  Read labels and know what you’re trying before putting it on.  After all, it’s the only skin you’ve got. 

Related Posts:

Introduction

Organic Beauty Care Series Part II - Hair

Sources:

Eby, M. MyChelle Dermaceuticals.com

Tourles, S. Organic Body Care Recipes.  Storey Publishing.  2007.