The body care industry is filled with many companies, products, and philosophies. Nature Balance Wellness would like you to be able to make informed decisions regarding the body care you use. Below you will find information about chemicals we don’t use as well as ones we do, why we use them and why we need them. Please call 1.888.809.9197 or email info@nbw.ca if you have any ingredient questions.
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A Paraben is an artificial preserve used in 95% of all cosmetic and skin care products. NBW does NOT use Parabens.
Parabens are used to stop the growth of bacteria, fungus, micro organisms, yeast and mold.
Parabens are know to trigger skin irritations. Parabens may play a role in falling sperm counts and rising breast cancer rates (Farley, 2001). Traces of Parabens have been found in breast cancer tumors.
E-coli and salmonella have been found in unpreserved body creams. Manufacturing standards require a preserve for consumer protection.
NBW does not use Parabens.
In NBW body butter, hydrating lotion and hand & body wash we preserve using Optiphen. Our creams contain 0.1% preserve which is 85% less than required to effectively preserve with parabens.
Fungus, Bacteria, Mold and other Micro Organisms can not grow without water. As such, if a skin care product does not contain water, preservatives are not essential.
NBW believes in 100% preservative free body care whenever possible. 100% preservative free body care in NOT SAFE when water is present in the product because of the possibility of growing and spreading infectious disease.
The preservatives we use were chosen specifically because they are recognized low level preservatives that have been used safely for years without recall. We are convinced they are safest and best option for consumers seeking safe and natural body care.
Sodium Benzoate
Sodium Benzoate is a food grade preservative and is also used in body care. NBW has specifically decided not to use this alternative preserve because there are concerns about the combination of sodium benzoate and vitamin C. When the two are mixed, they can form the chemical benzene which is carcinogenic. This means, when Sodium Benzoate is used to preserve products containing fruit, or vitamin C based ingredients, a carcinogenic by product may also be present in the product.
Grapefruit Seed Extract(GSE)
Though many companies have turned to GSE as a natural preservative, there are conflicting scientific reports on its effectiveness. Suspicions about the true nature of the active compounds in GSEs arose when synthetic additives were found in commercial products. Suspected counterfeit grapefruit seed extracts were adulterated with synthetic alternatives. When preservatives were not present in some of the extracts, laboratory tests found the natural extracts had no natural antimicrobial attributes of their own.
Sodium Borate
Sodium Borate combined with bee's wax is the only natural emulsifier for oil and water creams. When Sodium Borate is mixed with bee's wax the harmful chemical compounds in Sodium Borate are neutralized. Accoding to the FDA and health Canada when Sodium Borate goes through this process it doesn't need to be listed as an ingredient due to the fact that essentially the finished product isn't really Sodium Borate anymore. The concerns that are mentioned on various sites about Sodium Borate are real, however the danger occurs when ingested or the actual chemical is rubbed into the skin.
NBW believes that the only health sun block is a Physical Block that is not absorbed into the pores. Physical blocks include minerals such as Zinc Oxide. NBW's Sun Lover's formula contains 25% Zinc Oxide in a 100% natural blend of preservative free Hemp Oil, Shea & Mango Butters in a soft cream formula.
The bodies of North Americans are contaminated with the sunscreen chemical Oxybenzone (also known as Benzophenone-3).
On March 25, 2008; the U.S Centers for Disease Control (CDC) released a study of 2,500 participants aged 6 and up.
The chemical Oxybenzone was detected in the urine of 97% of study participants. This study links Oxybenzone to:
- allergic reactions
- cell damange (aging)
- hormone disruption
- low birth weight in baby girls from exposure in utero
- free radical formation
- environmental and water contamination
Oxybenzone is also a penetration enhancer, a chemical that helps other chemicals penetrate the skin.
Most insect repellents contain DEET. While DEET is widely presented as the only safe guard against insect bites, heavy exposure to this chemical can have the following ill-effects:
| memory loss |
headaches |
| weakness |
fatigue |
| muscle and joint pain |
tremors |
| shortness of breath |
brain cell damage |
| behavioral changes |
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(Source: July 2002 Duke University Dr. Mohamed About-Donia, PhD)
Many harmful perservatives, chemicals, colours and fragrances can be found in today's lip care. Because of these chemicals, products meant to be healing and helpful have many adverse side effects to our bodies. With our lips being the gateway to our mouths we should be aware of what we are ingesting. Two common chemicals found in lip care:
D4 and D5 Siloxanes - are toxins frequently used in lip care and other personal care cosmetics. In January 2009 they were declared toxic by the Canadian Government. Research indicated that they, cause uterine tumors in animals, damage the female reproductive system in animals, and accumulate in the food chain.
Oxybenzone - is a chemical not only in lip care and personal care, but also in sunscreen. This chemical absorbs through the skin in significant amounts. It contaminates the bodies of 97% of North Americans according to the Centers for Disease Control research. On March 2008 a study from the U.S Centers for Disease Control links Oxybenzone to:
- allergic reactions
- cell damange (aging)
- hormone disruption
- low birth weight in baby girls from exposure in utero
- free radical formation
- environmental and water contamination
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