Warning: Things Can Change
Beware of Greenwashing
Everything Natural isn't Safe, and Vice Versa
Learn to Read the Labels
Routes of Exposure
Essential Oils - Tips & Cautions

Warning: Things Can Change

There are thousands of ingredients used in the types of products covered in this guide. Product formulations change frequently. Scientific understanding of the hazards of various substances is constantly developing. The products we have included in the Guide are ones which, on the basis of information available at the time of writing, were less toxic than most of the other products of the same type. Changes in product formulation or scientific knowledge could make the information contained here out of date.

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Beware of Greenwashing

Natural, Green, Eco-friendly, Botanical. You will find these words on many product labels. But in fact, there are no legal definitions for these words. Often manufacturers of hazardous products dress up their containers with pretty pictures of flowers and fruit to play on our desire for more natural products. A company may promote one healthy sounding ingredient (“With Goat’s Milk”, “With Vitamin E”) in a product whose other ingredients are not healthy at all.
Some companies will list ingredients as being derived from plants, like coconut or corn. But the plant may have gone through so many chemical processes, sometimes involving toxic solvents, that the resulting ingredient bears little resemblance to the original plant material.

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Everything Natural isn’t Safe, and Vice Versa

Natural is not always non-toxic. Some natural ingredients have proven harmful effects. For example, d-limonene, found in orange peels, is a powerful solvent. It has been found to be a sensitizer and causes severe reactions in some people. Sodium lauryl sulfate, often derived from coconut, is a known skin irritant which enhances allergic response to other toxins and allergens. Sodium laureth sulfate may be contaminated with 1,4-dioxane, a carcinogen. The U.S. government has warned manufacturers of unacceptable levels of dioxin formation in some products containing this ingredient. In some cases petrochemical ingredients, particularly those which are not volatile, can be good less toxic choices.

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Learn to Read Labels

It’s important to know how to read a label. Although we are providing brand names of less-toxic products, our list is by no means complete. And the formulation of a product could change for better or for worse at any time. If you know the hazards of some key ingredients, you are better equipped to evaluate for yourself the products on store shelves.
In Canada and the US, ingredients are listed in order of quantity. The first ingredient in the list makes up the greatest amount of the product, the last ingredient is present in the least quantity.
Note: Ingredient lists may not contain all ingredients. On some product only the “active” ingredients, those whose primary purpose is to achieve the main objective of the product, may be listed. Other ingredients which may have harmful health effects may not be listed at all.
Manufacturer’s Safety Data Sheets (MSDS), which are another source of ingredient information, are not required to list ingredients which make up less than 1% of a product.
In Canada, manufacturers are not required to list ingredients on labels of personal care products or household cleaning products. Many companies using less-toxic ingredients are eager to make their ingredients known, and provide this information on labels or on information sheets or posters in stores.

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Routes of Exposure

The route of exposure is the pathway by which a chemical enters the body. There are three principal routes of exposure: through the skin (absorption), through the lungs (inhalation), and via the mouth to the digestive tract (ingestion). The type of exposure can affect the impact a chemical has.
A chemical which is not volatile (thus is not inhaled) but can be absorbed may be a good choice in a furniture polish, but more hazardous in a skin crème. A chemical which is less toxic as a liquid may become more toxic when it becomes a spray, or a vapour when heated or mixed with hot water.

Absorption
Many people believe that the skin is an effective barrier to toxins. But what we put on our skin all too often passes through the skin and into the blood. From there it is carried to various organs including the brain, liver and kidneys, where it may have immediate or long term effects. Absorption can be a significant source of exposure to the chemicals in personal care products, since they may be applied to the skin frequently and in large amounts. The scalp is an especially absorbent part of the body.
The skin is one of the most common routes of exposure. If a chemical can penetrate the skin, its toxicity depends in part on how much absorption takes place. The greater the absorption, the greater the potential for a chemical to exert a toxic effect. Although chemicals are absorbed much more readily through damaged or abraded skin, chemicals can penetrate intact, healthy skin.
Skin irritation is a common result of skin contact with certain chemicals. But of greater concern are effects which result from substances which are absorbed and circulated throughout the body and can damage many body systems.

Inhalation Another source of exposure is inhalation. Unlike the skin, lung tissue is not meant to be a protective barrier against chemical exposure. Lung tissue is very thin and allows the passage not only of oxygen, but also of many other chemicals directly into the blood. Once in the blood, inhaled chemicals pass to the heart and are then distributed to other organs without first passing through the detoxification process of the liver. In addition to causing systemic damage, chemicals that pass through the lung surface may injure lung tissue and interfere with its vital role of oxygen supply.

Some ingredients in personal care products, and many ingredients in household cleaning products become airborne and become part of the air we breathe at home, at work and in schools. Any substance which is airborne can have an impact through inhalation. Some substances are volatile in any state, others become airborne when heat is applied, and still others become airborne when used as sprays. Aerosol sprays are of particular concern, as the particles they produce are very small.
Chemicals can become airborne either as tiny particles, as gases or as vapours. Inhalation of particles depends upon their size and shape; the smaller the particle, the further into the respiratory tract it can penetrate. Gases and vapours, being smaller, are more deeply inhaled. Some of the particles breathed in will enter the gut directly and may affect the gut by reacting with it chemically. Chemical laden particles may be absorbed from the gut and cause effects in other parts of the body.

Ingestion Chemicals which are ingested enter the body via the mouth, either directly or when cleared from the lungs. Obviously, chemicals can be ingested when they are on or in products we eat or drink. They can also be ingested from substances which are applied near the mouth, eg. lipstick or lip gloss. Or they can be transferred to the mouth through hand to mouth activity. Children, who put their hands everywhere including in their mouths or chew on a variety of objects, are particularly likely to ingest chemicals this way. Chemicals that are ingested enter the body by absorption from the gastrointestinal tract. Absorption of chemicals can occur anywhere along the digestive tract, from the mouth to the rectum, but the major site for absorption is the small intestine.

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Essential Oils - Tips & Cautions

Essential oils are extremely concentrated plant derivatives, and if used should be used with caution. Here are some basic tips.

Do not use essential oils undiluted or in too high a concentration. Essential oils are very concentrated. If some is good, MORE IS NOT BETTER. Using too much can result in sensitization, and may burn or irritate skin or mucus membranes.

Oil and water does not mix. Recipes with essential oils must include an emulsifier to make sure the oil is dispersed equally throughout the product. If not, there is danger of sensitization. Shaking up an essential oil in water does not disperse it sufficiently. Some recipes are still circulating from a time before this was understood, and should not be used.

SaSalts, fat or alcohol can function as emulsifiers. Vodka, witch hazel, aloe vera gel, cornstarch and vinegar can also be used. Sea salts are especially good for bath products. Add oils to the salts first and let sit. Then add salts to bath. Whole milk can also be used as an emulsifier (not skim, its the FAT that is needed for the oil to mix with.) Fractionated sweet almond oil is a good emulsifier, and is available at most health food stores and stores which sell essential oils.

Essential oils used incorrectly can become sensitizers. Any essential oil used undiluted on the skin can have sensitization effects. Essential oils can become sensitizers over time if they are used without an emulsifier, and so are not actually dispersed in water. This can be true for essential oils used in baths, cleaners, or any product used on the skin or in the mouth. Undispersed oils can also burn skin and mucus membranes. No essential oil should be used on open cuts, to avoid oils entering the bloodstream directly.

Some oils are more powerful than others. Tea tree oil is very powerful and has to be properly blended. If not fully diluted, or used at concentrations which are too high, it can cause sensitization. Some essential oils are known sensitizers and should not be used at all. These include sweet birch, benzolin and cajuput. Other oils have known health hazards. Lemon and orange oil contain d’limonene which is a sensitizer and neurotoxin. Sage (salfia officinalis) can tend to be sensitizing and can be a problem for people who are pregnant, as well as those with high blood pressure or epilepsy. (Clary sage is less toxic.) Cinnamon oil can be irritating to skin. Although they are natural products, oils need to be used carefully.

Many people with chemical sensitivities are sensitive to even small quantities of essential oils, especially the stronger smelling ones including tea tree, lemon and patchouli. Others find they can tolerate them. Strong smelling scents, even natural ones, are not appropriate for scent-free workplaces.r>
Essential oils come in different grades. Therapeutic grade is the most pure and will not have pesticide residues or contain any synthetic oils. Cosmetic grade oils may contain pesticide residues and may be diluted with synthetic chemicals.

Equivalencies: Although each oil is different, on average 20 drops equals 1 mil, and 100 drops equals 1 tsp.

Thanks to Casaroma Wellness Centre, Dartmouth N.S. for assistance with this section.

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