http://www.akamuti.co.uk/content.php?33
Chemical Free!
Here are just a few of the ingredients you won't be finding in any of our products. As the skin absorbs up to 60% of what we rub into it, we feel it is imperative to use only pure & natural ingredients & so reduce our intake of toxic substances. The majority of skincare products hold a whole host of chemical ingredients that you would probably rather avoid. At the bottom of this page there is an A-Z list of ingredients commonly found in the cosmetic world.
Parabens:
Parabens are synthetic preservatives which can be found in most skin & hair products. They are usually derived from petrochemical sources & are easily absorbed by the skin. They are known skin irritants & have been shown to disrupt hormone activity & lower male fertility. They mimic the actions of the hormone oestrogen. Parabens come in the form of methyl, ethyl, butyl & propylparabens.
Preservatives:
Apart from parabens, there are many other preservatives to be found in your average skin & hair product. These include alcohol denat, BHT, EDTA, polythene glycol, propylene glycol & many more. Many are known skin irritants & very toxic to the body. Some preservatives enhance the skins absorption of other poisonous substances.
Petrochemicals:
Petrochemicals are the by-products of the petroleum industry. This includes paraffin wax (see below). Petrochemical ingredients include perfume & fragrances, emulsifiers, petrolatum, propylene glycol & mineral oil. Mineral oil is manufactured from crude oil.
Paraffin:
This common ingredient comes in the form of a wax or a liquid, derived from the petroleum refining process. Paraffin wax is a grey sludge which needs to be bleached & processed before it is deemed suitable to work with. It forms the base of many creams. It is used to work as a lubricant & emulsifier.
Phthalates:
Phthalates are a group of synthetic chemicals used in cosmetics as solvents & fragrance enhancers. They have been found to be toxic & have been linked to cancer. Two phthalates have now been banned for use in cosmetics by the EC Directive because of their toxicity to the human reproductive system. If phthalates are added to a product as perfume enhancer there is no requirement by law to list them as 'ingredients' on the label.
Perfume:
Perfumes can very easily be inhaled & absorbed through the skin. However, they take a very long time to be removed from the body once they enter. They accumulate in fatty tissue & are toxic to many of the body's internal organs. Most perfumes are toxic solvents with volatile compounds, that are as common in the garage as they are in your face cream. In fact the same solvents used to make perfume/fragrance are found in glue. In concentration these scents are addictive. Cosmetic companies do not need to disclose the chemicals they use to make up their fragrances. Perfumes are environmental pollutants, carcinogenic & damaging to the central nervous system. Many are now labelled by the Environmental Agency as 'hazardous waste'.
Ingredients Tested on Animals:
None of our products or their ingredients, have ever been tested on animals. Be aware of claims such as "Not tested on animals. This can mean that the finished product is not tested on animals but the individual ingredients may very well have been.
A-Z List of Commom Cosmetic Ingredients.
Acetone - a chemical component found in fragrances, termed a hazardous waste.
AHAs (Alpha-hydroxy-acids) - chemical antiaging exfoliant that burns away the top layer of skin.
Alcohol denat- used as a solvent & preservative.
Bentonites -
BHT - a carcinogenic synthetic preservative & antioxidant which release formaldehyde.
Benzaldehyde - a chemical perfume found in skin & hair preparations.
Benzyl acetate - a chemical component found in perfume, a known pollutant & carcinogenic. Benzyl alcohol - found in perfume, soaps & shampoo it is a respiratory tract irritant.
Benzophenones - chemical fixatives which slow the rate of perfume evapouration.
Carbomer - A synthetic gelling agent which also increases shelf life.
Collagen - animal derived insoluble protiens which suffocates the skin.
Cetearyl/cetyl alcohol - isn't actually an alcohol but a thickner & emulsifier.
DIA (Diethanolamine) - readily absorbed chemical which reacts with preservatives to form highly carcinogenic substances, called nitosamines.
EDTA (ethylene diamine tetra acetic acid) - a toxic preservative.
Ethanol - Listed as 'hazardous waste' it is found in many perfumed products.
Formuldehyde - a poisonous colourless gas used as a preservative. Carcinogenic & neurotoxic.
Nitosamines - these are not intentionally added to cosmetics, but form when certain chemical ingredients are blended together, particularly 'amines' family. (eg. Diethanolamines)
Propylene glycol - a cosmetic form of petroleum oil, used in antifreeze. A preservative, fixative, solvent & surfacant.
SLES (Sodium laureth sulphate) The alcohol form of SLS see below. *
SLS (Sodium lauryl sulphate) A rapidly absorbed detergent which is reatined in th body's organs.*
*Both SLES & SLS are potentially carcinogenic if they react with other chemical ingredients.
Talc - (magnesium silicate) is often contaminated with asbestos.
This list is constantly being updated & is by no means exhaustive!