What’s the big deal?  Potato vs. P₄O₂TAT₂O₂

Have you ever read the list of ingredients on the back of a shampoo, moisturiser, deodorant or soap? If you have you will likely have been bamboozled by the extensive list of chemicals, synthetic fragrances and many other incomprehensible additives. It’s fair to say that most of us don’t know what is really in a lot of the products that we use every day – so what’s the big deal?

The scary answer is no one really knows! The reasons are two-fold – 1) The longer-term effects of many of the chemicals and importantly the combination of those chemicals, have not been studied extensively enough. These types of long-term studies are expensive and not in the interest of the manufacturers to undertake. 2) In perfume, the formulation is proprietary and as such manufacturers are not required by law to disclose all the ingredients, like they are in food for example.

Background

Not only is your skin the largest organ in the body, but it also absorbs 60% of whatever we put on it – bad and good. Chemicals that enter the bloodstream will eventually be filtered out by the kidneys and liver. However, this means your body needs to work extra hard to get rid of all the nasties absorbed through your skin.

We believe that transparency and greater information leads to good decisions, so we’ve cut the bull. If you are looking for a cheap product whose smell lasts for longer – then synthetic is probably right for you. If you are conscious of what you put into your body and you are willing to invest in yourself without compromising, then we believe all natural is best.

Central to our decision to use all-natural ingredients are the health benefits. We believe in harnessing the power of nature to help you cope with the stresses and strains of modern life.

While the brainy scientists have figured out how to synthesize smells, health benefits cannot be synthesized. Our hand-picked essential oils have powerful antimicrobial, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties to help with a range of ailments – including sleep, stress, fatigue and aches & pains.

Here comes the science

Many synthetic fragrances are derived from petrochemicals and contain parabens, phthalates or synthetic musk. We explore some of the potential side effects to using these cheaper alternatives.

The International Fragrance Association [IFRA] sets the standards for fragrance manufacturers. The IFRA has published a list thousands of ingredients currently used in fragrances. The list includes problematic ingredients, including styrene, naphthalene, di-isononyl phthalate and oxybenzone. These are known to cause cancer and hormonal imbalances.

Phthalates are a common fragrance ingredient, appearing on IFRA’s ingredients list numerous times. For males the chemical imbalance can affect fertility in a number of different ways. In females, phthalate exposure can cause early onset puberty, which is associated with breast cancer later in life. In both sexes, phthalate exposure can increase the risk of asthma.

Synthetic musks like galaxolide, tonalide and ethylene brassylate are common fragrance ingredients linked to hormone disruption. Synthetic musks can build up in our bodies, and traces can be found in blood, body fat and even breast milk.

Traceability for wellness

Nowadays we are generally more conscious of the food we put into our bodies. We want to know where the food has come from, if the farming is ethical and if there are any chemicals or preservatives in it. Most people wouldn’t choose a chlorinated chicken, even if it were cheaper!

Our mission is to raise awareness and demand the same standards for our wellness products. Make the switch today, we think you deserve a natural, healing and relaxing bath to help wash away your strife.