Why Clean Skincare Products Matter

Choosing consciously clean skincare products is important in terms of lowering our toxic load, as well as supporting our immune system – which our skin is a part of.

Every day, our body churns out toxic metabolites as part of cellular processes, and just being a human. It’s then up to our detoxification and lymphatic system to change and sweep away these metabolites, expelling them from our body.

There are genetic components as to how effectively we’re able to metabolise and excrete these toxins, with each of us being unique.

When we add to our internal toxic load, external toxins – through the products we put on our skin, hair and body, we increase the pressure on our liver, kidneys, lymphatic system, and digestive system.

This added pressure can often see a slowed excretion process, with a build up of toxins driving fatigue, inflammation, autoimmune, allergies, lowered immunity, nerve disorders, hormonal imbalances, and so so much more.

So, the less toxins we expose to our skin (which also absorbs 80% of what we put on it) the less work we’re adding to our already heavy detoxification schedule.

And it’s about small changes, slowly but surely, swapping out products that contain;

Phthalates – act as plasticisers and have been shown to decrease the amount of collagen and elastin in our skin, and also disrupt our hormonal balance.

Parabens – accelerate the signs of ageing, and have been linked to hormone related cancers.

SLS’s/sulfates – drive skin irritation and break down our skin’s epidermal barrier (important if you have sensitive skin to avoid)

Fragrance/parfum – are derived from petrochemicals, are toxic to our nervous system.

Oxybenzones, Formaldehyde, DEA – It's not difficult to find studies providing information on the frightening effects of using these beasts in your products..... known to be carcinogens. They have also been linked to reproductive disturbance as well as liver and kidney toxicity 

Obviously this is not an exhaustive list, there are thousands of ingredients used in personal care, cosmetics, domestic cleaning products, toys and more that can be harmful.

If you’re serious about cleansing your environment of these damaging ingredients, we recommend starting to take a really good look at the labels on the products you use. Are the ingredients freely available? Any honest company lists the ingredients on their label, whether the law requires them to or not. All cosmetics sold in Australia, by law, must show all ingredients on them at the time of purchase so you have the choice as a consumer. 

There are some amazing brands stocked by Go Vita Tanunda that are clean and effective:

Check out our skin care brands HERE

For more info about any product ingredients, check out the Environmental Working Group’s awesome search engine that ranks products by ingredient. https://www.ewg.org/skindeep

To compliment your new, clean products and optimally support your hair skin and nail health your body needs key nutrients. These nutrients should be available from our diet, however our extremities are often the last place that receives adequate amounts, hence why nutrient deficiencies can be easily seen in our skin, nails and hair. So, achieving your dream hair, skin and nails can really be improved with supplementation support. Our body needs these key nutrients and we’re not always going to be able to get adequate amounts from our food. 

• Selenium – to support thyroid metabolism, and thus the extraction of nutrients from our food
• Silica – for collagen synthesis, as well as helping to prevent hair loss
• Biotin B7 (with all the B vitamins really) B vitamins work as a family, with biotin in particular being highlighted to improved hair and nail growth and strength.
• Zinc – is required for cell replication, which we need when we’re wanting more hair, new healthy skin cells, and stronger hair follicles.
• Collagen (for skin particularly)
• Vitamin A – like zinc, is required for proper healthy cell replication
• Iron – a deficiency in iron has been shown to reduce the production of skin cells, slowing wound healing, driving inflammation, as well as causing dry, brittle nails and hair

And as much as we can utilise these nutrients to help our skin, deficiencies in these nutrients are also correlated to having hair, skin and nail disorders/imbalances. So whether you’re trying to treat, or to just boost, your hair, skin and nails, these nutrients need to be consumed on a regular basis.

It also takes a few months of consistent use to see substantial differences, so be patient. Additionally, managing stress and getting enough sleep play major roles in reducing inflammation that would be taxing your nutrients and obstructing your digestive system from utilising and pumping these nutrients to your hair, skin and nails. Very rarely is it just a one directional fix. You need to be assessing what else may be driving your hair, skin and nail imbalances.

Leaky gut and nutrient absorption are also super important, because you could be taking these supplements, and not actually absorbing them. So along with managing stressors and optimising sleep, working to heal your gut is also a priority to improve hair, skin and nail health.

If you’re doing your best without seeing results, consider an appointment with our Naturopath, Peter Balogh, to determine what is lacking and why.

Information presented is for information purposes only and is not intended to replace advice or treatment from qualified healthcare professionals. The information is not intended to treat or diagnose. Always consult your healthcare professional before taking nutritional or herbal supplements. If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, have any allergies or diagnosed conditions, or are taking prescription medications, always consult your healthcare professional before taking nutritional or herbal supplements.