The Cosmetic Revolution – Beauty and the Beast

We have known for a few decades about the dangers and the toxicities of modern toiletries and what it does to our skin, cells and hormones. Topical cosmetics are widely used for skin care, maintenance and beauty. There are entire industries that are dedicated to providing skin care products, because for the most part everyone desires healthy skin. But can we trust that these companies have our health in mind?

What we now know is that so many of our modern skin care regimes suppress the beauty of this symbiotic system that we have with our microbes. Our skin is alive with beneficial bacteria! The physiology of the skin is complex and we are just beginning to understand the microorganisms of the complex relationships with our bodies in addition to the cosmetic and drug products we apply to our skin. With revolutionary research about the microbiome we get to see there is a whole new level of danger with toxic cosmetics and an opportunity for smarter cosmetics. The bacteria that domesticate our dermis are altered by what we apply topically. Anything from shaving creams to deodorants, shampoos to cleansers, lipsticks to foundations; our daily diets of chemical creams and cleansers is really devasting our bacteria population on our skin.

Our skin is an amazing sentinel. It is our defender, protector, and biosensor to the world around us. We need to know that bacteria are our beautician! By out sourcing our beauty routines to bacteria we let the microbes’ micro manage our skin. Ultimately this is what unplugs pores not the aesthetician’s extractor or plastic exfoliating beads. So a thriving microbiome is your best friend and works like the best beauty cream ever. When you have a healthy microbiome on your skin it truthfully does the things that all those beauty ads say their creams do (but they don’t).

Microbiome: the microorganisms in a particular environment (including the body or a part of the body. “We depend on a vast army of microbes to stay alive: a microbe that protects us against germs, breaks down food to release energy, and produces vitamins.

A healthy microbiome:

• regulates collagen
• prevents infections
• improves vascularisation
• regulate innate immunity
• prevents cell abnormality
• regulates lipids, peptides, sebum
• maintains moisture
• help heal burns, scars and wounds
• reduces sensitivity to UV 
• communicates with guts, brain, hormones and nerves

Only a millilitre of skin separates us from the outside world yet this multilayered microbial design really provides the perfect protection. However the skin can only protect itself from what nature intended it for. If the skin is disturbed regularly, like with daily exposure to soaps, foaming detergents, synthetic alcohols and chemicals, it creates an ongoing health deficit, inflammatory issues, abnormal cell growth, and if that’s not enough to “ pause” it allows the entry of allergens and toxins into the body.

In the very thin top layer of our skin called the Epidermis there are 4 layers as follows:

1. Stratum Corneum – outer most protective layer it is our anti-aging layer and its our anti-infectious layer. It is our gate keeper of beauty. When this layer is intact and healthy, it is full of natural antibiotic and anti-wrinkle properties as well as a natural sunscreen.
2. Stratum Granulosum – hyrolipid barrier. This is our water proof seal, comprised of protective dead cells, ceramides, sebum, proteins, enzymes, and antibacterial peptides.
3. Stratum Spinosum – it is immunologically active and provides a net like layer for the stratum Basale.
4. Stratum Basale– where carotene and melanin cells are produced and are pushed up to the stratum Corneum every 14 days. This continually process of cellular renewal and regeneration leads to the loss of 40,000 skin cells every minute of our lives.

The Stratum Corneum is mainly comprised of dead skin cells and this has lead to the practice of chemical peels and excessive exfoliation. However our skin actually needs those dead skin cells for awhile. When we over exfoliate we create a situation where cell loss exceeds cell production and the young cells left underneath are stressed and vulnerable because they don’t have that top layer of cells and the top layer of dead skin cells is also food for your bacteria! Regular scrubbing of the face is removing the food source, and essentially eliminating our skins first responders.

On top of this dilemma we are exacerbating the situation with our soapy squeaky clean cleansers, anti-aging creams, toxic cosmetics and chemical laden hair, body and face products. Consider reading your cosmetic labels, researching the ingredients and come up with your own conclusions. Just because it smells good doesn’t make it safe to apply to your skin. Studies show that the surfactants that we are using in soaps, foaming cleansers are lodging themselves into the Stratum Corneum and this creates a lot of side effects that you really don’t think is related to your cosmetics. Maybe its time to rethink clean skin, and to simplify your skin care.

Basic architecture of commercial cosmetics

Side effects of Surfactants

• Impaired Lipid barrier-redness. The moisture and special fats of our skin get depleted.
• Inflammation-dry, itchy
• Oxidative Stress-clogged pores, acne
• Impaired Cell Signalling-irritation, premature aging

Preservatives
Paraben to Isopropyl Alcohol

Side Effects:

• Microbe Mutators
• Alter ph
• Skin irritant
• Disturbs Micro biome food supply
• Severely drying
• Endocrine Disruptors

Emollients
Petroleum to Polymers, Silicone to Soy

Side Effects:

• Free radical damage
• Plugs pores
• Blocks breathability
• Imbalances bacteria
• Fungal infections
• Endocrine Disruptor
• Inflammation
• Stiffens cells

Surfactants
Sulfates to Cocamide DEA

Side Effects:

• Microscopic particles inserted in skin
• Removes lipid barrier
• Disrupts acid mantle
• Imbalances sebum production
• Drying
• Makes skin permeable

Emulsifiers
Propylene Glycol to Polysorbate

Side Effects:

• Destroys microbes and acid mantle
• Stays on skin for days
• Removes Stratum Corneum

Our present day perception of beauty is parched. It focuses mainly on the external while bottles of so called magic promise to make your skin healthy and you beautiful. True beauty is not applied to the face it comes from within. Nature and the life force of flowers and plants (these included essential oils), the sun and clean water, whole foods, replenish our beauty. Explore the possibilities of your beauty care products and what you are eating to see how you can simplify your self-care rituals. The result is radiance and without putting your body at harm.

“The loose hair strands of beautiful women don’t have to be combed.” – Rumi

Elysia Samarodin
The Raw Beautician