Choosing safe and natural skin care products can be difficult.   It isn’t that companies don’t “claim” to provide them.  It’s just that the companies claims are not always completely honest.

Safety is truly the big issue here.  If you are like most people, you would like naturally occurring compounds, because you believe they are safer than artificial compounds.   In many cases, you are right.   But, there are a few exceptions.

Lead, mercury, cadmium and other heavy metals are found in nature.   They may not be on the list of ingredients in your favourite skin care products, they can be present as contaminants in natural plant extracts.

1000’s of contaminants exist in tap water, which is why water must be refined before it is used in cosmetics.   Purified water is not a naturally occurring substance.   You can see the contradictions and the confusion. 

We should be able to believe in the cosmetic companies’ ability to produce the safest all natural skin care creams.   How can you find a company worthy of your trust?

Look for a proud signer of the “Compact for Safe Cosmetics”.  Companies signing the compact have agreed to adhere to the European Union’s higher standards for cosmetic ingredients.  Big companies were given the opportunity to sign.  Not one has agreed to sign.  

The EU has banned or strictly regulated 1000’s of ingredients, because they are known to cause birth defects, cancer or genetic mutations.  The US has controlled only a few compounds.  

The latest article from the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics is warning against fragrance ingredients.   Both chemical or naturally occurring, fragrances can trigger asthma attacks, allergic reactions, headaches and shortness of breath.   They are also common allergens. 

By law, skin care companies are not allowed to sell any product that can cause injury to the health of the user.  But, there is no requirement to prove the safety of the ingredients they use.   Any company that uses chemical preservatives is actually breaking the law, because they have been proven to cause allergic reactions.  That is harmful to the user’s health.

As you continue your search for anti aging skin care products, remember to look for companies that have signed the compact.   That way, you’ll be safe.