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      News — Aleavia

      Harmful Chemicals And Cosmetics - What You Should Know

      Let us start with some good news: Prebiotic skin care is what Aleavia does best. In fact, providing folks looking for an organic, plant-based skin care brand is pretty much all we do!

      But the term “prebiotic skin care” is not a commonly known one yet. If you happen to have found our blog and website by researching the term “prebiotic skincare,” or something to that effect, then we tip our collective hats to you! Soon, however, the term will become as much of a 21st century household name as probiotics and “gut health” have become over the past few years.

      Why do we think so? The two ideas go together, really. Probiotics refer to adding good bacteria (to your gut, usually), whereas prebiotics, or prebiotic skin care, is about nourishing the beneficial bacteria that already exist — whether it be in your digestive tract or on your skin’s microbiome, the living ecosystem of trillions of microorganisms that affect your skin’s health.

      Feeding the good microbes offers the byproduct of starving the harmful microorganisms that exist. When you apply to your skin organic ingredients like Acadian Sea Kelp, aloe vera, Dead Sea Salt, citric acid, soy lecithin, and extra virgin coconut oil, the benefits are many:

      • Anti-aging
      • Detoxifying
      • Healing burns, sunspots, scars, wounds, and blemishes
      • Brightens skin.
      • Balances skin’s pH levels
      • Softens skin.
      • Moisturizes skins through the natural promotion of hyaluronic acid production.

      Again, this is a high-level description of what is happening on the cellular level when using Aleavia prebiotic skincare products. For a more thorough description of prebiotic skin care in particular, simply follow the resource linked above!

      Chemicals In Cosmetics

      As we have stated before, we are an organic skin care brand that has a passion for providing people with the most healthy, radiant skin they’ve ever had. Another passion of ours is to provide our customers, and readers at large, with the knowledge they need to make informed decisions about what they put on their face and body. A cousin of the skin care industry, cosmetics get our attention in today’s post because we want folks to know that many popular products contain harmful chemicals that include hormone disruptors, carcinogens, reproductive toxins, and beyond.

      In today’s post, we will take a look at a few of these chemicals and detail what you need to know about them along with the cosmetic products they are commonly found in.

      Coal Tar Dyes

      That is right, coal-tar derived colors are commonly used in cosmetics for no other reason than to make a product look more appealing. You can identify them by a five-digit Color Index (C.I.) number, but they are also at times labeled as “FD&C” or “D&C” preceding a specific color’s name and number.

      But should we really care? Yes, we absolutely should, as coal tar is an official human carcinogen. Coal tar colors, both synthetic and natural, are strongly linked with a potential to cause cancer. Moreover, these colors often include metal compounds that have been determined to be toxic to the brain. Many of these aluminum compounds and metals are banned as food additives but are found in cosmetic products like lipstick — certainly, something that can be ingested. And while we understand that there are rebuttals about the amount of these substances that need to be ingested for adverse possibilities to come to fruition, we would rather err on the side of caution.

      Lead

      You might be like us and would have figured that because people figured out that lead was bad enough to be removed from pencils back in the day, that major cosmetic brands would be decent enough to not put it into lipsticks, foundations, or toothpaste. Well, we all thought wrong.

      Almost a decade ago, the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics discovered that lead could be found in more than 50 percent of the 33 different brands of lipstick that they tested! And, no, we don’t think these cosmetic brands are evil incarnate by any means, as evidenced by the fact that lead enters these products through manufacturing contamination rather than them being intentionally infused with lead. Regardless, the fact that you can easily ingest lead is alarming; it’s a neurotoxin that’s connected with diminished fertility, hormone imbalance in females, and even miscarriage. Again, we’ll err on the side of safety and go with companies that produce controlled, small batch products rather than trusting the name brands.

      Parabens

      We have arrived at the chemical that most people are familiar with, parabens. We wouldn’t be surprised if a cursory understanding paraben lead you to research more, which in turn has led to this blog and learning more about organic, prebiotic skin care from a plant-based skin care company!

      We digress.

      We digress because there are serious issues that need to be addressed regarding parabens. Did you know that the European Commission on Endocrine Disruption has determined parabens to be a “Category 1” priority substance due to the body of evidence that shows they disrupt hormone function? The body easily confuses parabens with estrogen, and that is not the half of it. They can also cause disrupt the nervous system, the immune system, and the reproductive system — three systems we would like to be left to their own, natural devices, thank you very much!

      A final note about parabens: Do not be fooled by phenoxyethanol, a commonly used paraben replacement that actually delivers many of the same problematic effects as parabens. Japan has already banned the use of phenoxyethanol, while the U.S. FDA has stated that it can “depress the central nervous system and may cause vomiting and diarrhea” in infants. Suffice it to say, do not use it in your skin care or cosmetic products!

      BHA & BHT

      The final two ingredients we would recommend being mindful of, and probably just avoiding in general, are BHA and BHT, or butylated hydroxyanisole and butylated hydroxytoluene, respectively. Both are synthetic antioxidants that are found in skin moisturizers, lipsticks, and many other cosmetic products. Used as preservatives, they can cause allergic reactions, have been determined to be a possible human carcinogen, and there is substantial evidence that BHA and BHT can interfere with regular hormone function. Not to harp on the negatives here, but there is more. Rodents that have been tested with long-term exposure to BHT have contracted liver, kidney, thyroid, lung, and blood problems. There is more, but we hope you get the idea. However, in the name of fairness, a United Nations Environment Program assessment noted that BHT was safe for human use. We are not sure about you, but when the jury is still out, again, we prefer the route of organic caution.

      Why It Matters

      These chemicals have no business being in or on our bodies. At the end of the day, many name brand companies are only concerned about what they can get away with insofar as it affects their bottom line. The good news, however, is that it leaves room for cosmetic and skin care companies that genuinely care what they put in their products. Here at Aleavia, we believe in the power of organic, plant-based purity. Our vegan skin care products work to rebalance your skin, helping it do what already wants to do.

      Instead of using antibacterial products or something similar, prebiotic skin care nourishes your skin in an incredible way. Say goodbye to polar extremes of oiliness and dryness, and shop Aleavia Plant-Based Skincare today!

      Written by: Aleavia

      The views expressed in this article intend to highlight alternative studies and induce conversation. They are the views of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of Safe & Chic, and are for informational purposes only, even if and to the extent that this article features the advice of physicians and medical practitioners. This article is not, nor is it intended to be, a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment, and should never be relied upon for specific medical advice.

       

      What are prebiotics and why is Aleavia Skin Care so beneficial to vital skin health?

      We have all heard about probiotics for years, right?  They are in vitamin form, powder form and even in our food.  Each day millions and millions of people take probiotics as a healthy food source for the beneficial microbes we all have in our guts.  By feeding the “good bacteria” you promote a healthy digestive tract, prevent illness and maintain a healthy immune system.

      So what about taking care of our largest organ, our skin?  We bombard our face and body daily with chemically derived products that absorb directly into our blood stream every time we use them!  Over time, not only are our insides being jeopardized by all these chemical and environmental pollutants, it also breaks our skin down and we get unbalanced and problematic skin.  Acne, rosacea, psoriasis, eczema, dry-red skin, and the list goes on.

      Aleavia Skin Care was created exclusively to be pure “super food” for the beneficial bacteria on the skin to achieve a beautiful and glowing complexion, 100% naturally. This super food is called prebiotics.   But exactly how does it work?

      * Aleavia’s prebiotic formulas act as an alkaloid- based bio-stimulant that feed a variety of “friendly bacteria” on the skin that we ALL have. Think of Aleavia as your skins daily food source for optimal skin health.

      * When prebiotics feed the microorganisms, it strengthens the super ecology system on the skin. This results in the body effectively and naturally producing hyaluronic acid, which helps slow the aging process and gives skin a more radiant and youthful appearance.

      * Over a very short period of time the “friendly bacteria” will completely overwhelm any harmful bacteria, promoting a beautiful and glowing complexion.

      * Aleavia’s exclusive formulas also balance the pH level of the skin, helping to accelerate and repair the skin of problematic skin, aging skin, scars, acne and wounds.

      All of Aleavia’s exclusive prebiotic formulas are plant-based, organic, chemical, and toxic and GMO free.  Free of all fragrances and dyes and always cruelty free!  

      So quit cleaning your skin and start FEEDING your skin for a beautiful complexion and optimal skin health for everyone in your family! 

      (Shop the entire line by clicking the image below)

      Introduction to Aleavia Skincare

      1. Are your products tested on animals? Never! We are a 100% cruelty free company.
      2. Do your products contain parabens? No
      3. Are your products non-gmo? Yes
      4. Is the Soy Lecithin, that is only in your sprays, non-gmo? Yes, we only source out non-gmo ingredients for our products.
      5. The facial wash and body wash have the same ingredients. What is the difference? Our facial and body washes begin with the same prebiotic base. Our body washes have 30% more coconut oil added to them compared to our facial wash. Our only scented formula, our Prebiotic Lavender Body Wash, has lavender essential oil added to it to give it even more healing benefits for the skin and a wonderful light natural fragrance. If you are more dry and need more moisturizing, your best option is to use one of our prebiotic body washes on the face and body. If you are oilier, our Prebiotic Facial Cleanser is your best option.
      6. What is the pH level of your products? Our facial and body washes range from a 6.4 - 6.8. Our topical sprays are set at 4.0.
      7. What are the best products for rosacea, eczema, psoriasis and skin problems of this nature? The best products for these skin conditions are our Prebiotic Skin Restoration Kit. It comes with our Prebiotic Facial Cleanser and our Prebiotic Restore Soothing Mist. The kits work in synergy with each other and will give you the best results!
      8. Do your products contain Sodium Lauryl Sulfates? All our products are free of sodium lauryl sulfates, dyes and artificial fragrances.
      9. Is it normal for my condition to get worse before it gets better? We have a small group of people that will have a worsening phase when using Aleavia products. This is the prebiotics pulling the toxins and chemicals out of the skin in order for your skin to begin to properly pH balance and become alkaline. You may notice a 3 phase process of healing. First, a worsening phase, second, a drying phase and third, new smooth skin that is pH balanced and healthy. Once this happens, your skin will look and feel fabulous! This process can take some time - anywhere from 2 weeks to 30-60 days, depending on your individual skin type.
      10. How come the prebiotic sprays light brown in color? Is this normal? This brown color is perfectly normal! This is the very high level of Kelp we put in these exclusive formulas. Kelp has an abundance of iodine properties, hence why the formulas are a brownish color! Not to worry, just shake the bottle before each use and spray away! You may see a faint brownish color when you apply to the skin, but it will quickly absorb into the skin! Remember, this slimy seaweed is packed full of amazing anti-aging benefits to heal and restore beauty to the skin!
      11. Are your products good for fresh scars from surgery? Yes! Our exclusive prebiotic formulas are perfect and completely safe for fresh scars from surgery or an accident. We have seen scars and burns heal 2-3 times faster using our products.
      12. Can I use on burns or fresh cuts on the skin? Yes! Our prebiotic formulas are perfect to speed up the healing from fresh cuts and burns and to minimize any scarring.
      13. If my skin is drier, which product or products should I use? For dry skin, one of our prebiotic body washes works best for the face and body. These formulas have 30% more coconut oil than our Prebiotic Facial Cleanser and provide the extra moisture dry skin needs.
      14. If my skin is oily, which product or products should I use? For oily skin, our Prebiotic Facial Cleanse works best, it has the least amount of coconut oil and is perfect to bring balance back to the skin. If you suffer from oily and acne prone skin, our Prebiotic Acne Kit is optimal to control oil and pull the acne out of the skin.
      15. Are your ingredients organic? All of our ingredients are natural (plant derived) or certified organic.
      16. Are your products safe during pregnancy? Yes! All of our products are perfectly safe before, during and after pregnancy!
      17. Are your products safe for babies and children? Yes, our products are perfectly safe for infants and children.
      18. Is your water filtered? Our water is filtered and deionized
      19. Does your products remove make-up? Yes! Not only will it remove your make-up with ease, it also removes all water proof make-up off with ease! Just keep eyes closed tightly as the sea salt can burn the eyes.