"Mamma? Can I eat your sugar scrub?" says my 5-year-old daughter. Bewildered, I ask, "What? Why???"
Her response? "Because it's yummy."
...I wonder how she knows it's "yummy." Hm, suspicious.
I pride myself in making products so clean you could eat them, but that doesn't mean that's what was intended. Although, that would explain the four people (yes, four people) who, to my shock and horror, ate my soap at the farmers' market. I supposed it does look like cheese. But, I digress.
An experiment was done to see the effects of pesticide build-up in the body. For the next two weeks, this family decided to eat only organic and measure the effect. Before they begin, the family takes urine samples and discover they have a number of insecticides, fungicides, and plant growth regulators inside their bodies.
I'm not merely talking about the amount of exposure one may succumb to by eating my soap... or sugar scrub. I'm referring to the old adage, "what goes into the pot, must come out." Or, maybe it's, "what goes up, must come down"?
The point is, if I put oils and herbs that contain pesticide residue into the soap pot, you can be sure that the pesticide residue is going into the soap in some way, shape, or form.
What do I mean by "in some way, shape, or form"? Good question. I'm glad you asked.
In short, some pesticides react with lye, while others do not.
A pesticide that does not react with lye will simply remain in the soap unaffected. You will get the - uh, pleasure? - of dousing bathing in these pesticides. Granted, soap is a wash-off product so it's not going to remain on the skin very long to soak in like a lip balm, tallow balm, or deodorant would, right? Right. Well, except for the trace amount in the oils that are left behind on the skin because of superfat which I explain in the post I Want A Moisturizing Soap With Lots Of Bubbles.
A pesticide that does react with lye will do two things to the soap. First, it takes the precious lye away from oils resulting in higher superfat -- this is minuscule (I hope). Second, the chemical reaction can create a by-product that's even more toxic than the initial pesticide that was added (source).
In both cases, whether the pesticides are reacting with the lye or not, it's going to end up on your skin.
A study on the toxic effects of pesticides on skin done collectively by Cornell University, Michigan State University, Oregon State University, and University of California at Davis states,
"Many pesticides can be absorbed through the skin into the blood, and can cause toxic effects [in the body]... In addition, pesticides can also injure the skin directly, a process known as cutaneous toxicity. Skin irritation and skin rashes produced by irritating chemical substances are a very noticeable type of chemical toxicity."
The more common symptoms of skin toxicity are primary irritant dermatitis and allergic contact dermatitis.
Primary irritant dermatitis is caused by the chemical substance directly irritating the skin. Symptoms can range from minor itching, pain, and redness to more severe symptoms such as blisters, with peeling and open wounds (ulcerations). This is why field workers cover up from head to toe when using pesticides. Not to mention that a splash of the pesticide on one's skin is enough result in death (source 1, source 2, source 3).
Allergic contact dermatitis is an allergic reaction that develops over time. Some may become allergic immediately after initial exposure while others develop an allergic reaction years later. I wonder how many people develop a rash without changing their routine and are left baffled at what could be causing such ailment. Also, how unfortunate it would be, in an attempt to soothe the irritation, to apply a pesticide-laced skin cream on the rash caused by pesticide residue in the first place.
Granted, the residue is in trace amounts. However, it's the same "trace" amounts that is on our food which accumulates in our body, and in our cosmetics which is absorbed through our body. While these may be the immediate effects of pesticides on the skin, the long term effects are still unknown. We can see how pesticides can build up in the body overtime and constant exposure (both inside and out) make it difficult, if not impossible, to detoxify. By choosing organic skincare, in addition to an organic, real food diet, we can reduce toxic intake and pamper the skin that keeps us looking healthy and youthful!
Thanks for reading!
Related Posts
How To Use A Shampoo Bar -- And Why You Should
The Lowdown On (So-Called) "Tear-Free Soap"
I had a dreamlike beginning to my Bitcoin journey. The success stories and the notion that cryptocurrencies could transform how we invest and accumulate money enthralled me. I made a sizable investment in Bitcoin after doing extensive research and planning in the hopes of securing my financial future. Everything seemed ideal for a while, and my investment seemed to be yielding positive results. However, everything came crashing down. My Bitcoin was taken due to a huge hacking attack and a succession of missteps, which saddened me. My hard-earned savings and investments were gone in an instant. My loss was unbearably heavy. I not only lost a lot of money, but I also felt like I had failed myself and my future. I was overcome with regret, fear, and helplessness. Every attempt to get access to my cash failed, and the prospect of ever seeing my money again became increasingly distant. In my efforts to look for a helping hand, I contacted various so-called “recovery services,” but they all revealed to be scams or failed to deliver any meaningful remedies. I was frantic, terrified that my money had been lost forever, and I was sinking more into despair. The prospect of irreversible financial devastation worried me, and I felt worthless. That’s when I found ( Folkwin Expert Recovery ). At first, I was hesitant. After all, I had already been burned by false promises. But after reading about their track record of successful recoveries and their professional, transparent approach, I decided to give them a chance. It felt like my last shot at recovering what I had lost. After weeks of persistence, I received the incredible news that my stolen Bitcoin had been recovered. The relief I felt was overwhelming. What had seemed like a hopeless situation had been reversed, and my financial future was no longer in jeopardy. I couldn’t believe it—I had been given a second chance. Thanks to ( Folkwin Expert Recovery ), I was able to overcome the devastation of losing my Bitcoin and begin to rebuild my financial security. They showed me that with the right team and the right approach, even the most devastating losses can be turned around. Contact Folkwinexpertrecovery (AT) tech-center (DOT) com or W-h-a-t-s-A-p-p; +1 (740)705-0711 for help.
Regards,
Edward H Macnamara.