Do you ever read the back label of your favorite lotion? You should. We hear more and more about reading food labels and being aware of what you put IN your body, but it is just as important to be aware of what you are putting ON your body.
For example, Neutrogena Body Lotion is a popular name brand. Look on the back of this simple bottle and check out the ingredients:
Water, Sesame Seed Oil (Sesamum Indicum), Isopropyl Myristate, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG 100 Stearate, PEG/PPG 18/18 Dimethicone, Tetrasodium EDTA, Acrylates/C10 30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Xanthan Gum, Triethanolamine, Methylparaben, Ethylparaben, Propylparaben, Diazolidinyl Urea, BHT, Fragrance.
That's a lot of information. But what does this mean? What do these ingredients actually do? There are some skin softening ingredients listed, but most of these ingredients are in there to extend the shelf life of this product. And they can cause a whole host of problems like endocrine disruption, cancer, organ toxicity - more on all of that in another post!
I always cross-reference ingredients that I am unsure about with the EWG Skin Deep Cosmetic Database. Click here to see how EWG rates Neutrogena Body Lotion and what ingredients contribute to this rating.
What is the solution to this problem? Try a body moisturizer with amazing nourishing ingredients and natural or plant based preservatives. San Clemente Bath Company's Body Butter and Healing Balm are all-natural choices for smooth and soothed skin.
