Natural Skin Care Secrets - Day 6
" Use A Free MSDS Online Chemical
Database To Become An Expert Cosmetic
Ingredient Detective Almost Instantly"
Today we're going to talk about the one thing that many people find confusing when researching ingredients in personal care products. Hint: I'll let in on a little known resource that does all the work for you.
Have you ever bought a skin care product that you assumed was natural only to find out that you couldn't pronounce half the ingredients on the label. This is a common problem for people who are starting the process of checking the ingredients/chemicals on products they already use.
There is a little known source of information freely available online that comes direct from the chemical manufacturer. It is a free MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) online chemical database. MSDS's are a summary of critical information on chemical substances regarding product information, hazard identification, first aid measures, exposure limits and precautions when using the chemical.
Why Is This Important?
The chemical manufacturers must provide a duty of care to their employees and other people who may handle the raw chemicals. This is legally required by the OHSA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) through the HCS (Hazard Communication Standard).
This law requires an MSDS be prepared for all chemicals that are hazardous according to the criteria described in HCS. A free MSDS resource to start researching the chemicals used in your skin care and other products is Hazard.com/msds
This will take you to the SIRI (Safety Information Resources Inc.) free MSDS website. As you can see below you are given three search options.
1) Search by manufacturer, which in most cases you probably won't know (unless you are chemist).
2) Search by entering the chemical name, in most cases this will be enough to pull up a match.
3) Search a secondary chemical database for chemical toxicity data not found in the free MSDS section.
An Example Search
Let's use the database search (2nd option) to look for information on PHENOXYETHANOL. This chemical is used as a preservative in many so-called natural skin care products. As you can see below there are 5 MSDS's on file.
Now let's click the third file by Fisher. The first section details MSDS name, catalog numbers, synonyms and company ID.
Even though it looks like a lot scientific mumbo jumbo there is a lot of meaty information if we scroll down a little further. The following sections are word for word from the database on PHENOXYETHANOL.
Section 3 - Hazards Identification
Appearance: colorless, oily liquid.
Warning! Causes severe eye irritation. Causes skin irritation. May cause respiratory and digestive tract irritation. May be harmful if swallowed. May cause central nervous system depression. May cause kidney damage.
Target Organs: Kidneys, central nervous system.
Potential Health Effects
Eye: Causes eye irritation.
Skin: Causes skin irritation.
Ingestion: May cause gastrointestinal irritation with nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. May cause central nervous system depression, characterized by excitement, followed by headache, dizziness, drowsiness, and nausea. Advanced stages may cause collapse, unconsciousness, coma and possible death due to respiratory failure. May cause kidney failure. May be harmful if swallowed. Lesions may appear in the brain, lungs, liver, meninges, and heart.
Inhalation: May cause respiratory tract irritation.
Chronic: Chronic ingestion may cause effects similar to those of acute ingestion.
Animal Testing Data
Please note: Lethal Dose 50 (LD50) indicates the quantity of the chemical necessary to kill 50% of the animal test subjects and is measured in units per kilogram of the animal's body weight.
Oral, mouse: LD50 = 933 mg/kg;
Oral, rat: LD50 = 1260 mg/kg;
Skin, rabbit: LD50 = 5 mL/kg;
Skin, rat: LD50 = 14422 mg/kg.
Action Step:
Use this free MSDS database to check the ingredients on the labels on the products you currently use. By arming yourself with independent information from this free MSDS database about the many toxic chemicals in today's skin and personal care products, you can make an informed decision to protect the health of you and your family.
Tomorrow's Issue:
"The Dirty Dozen Declassified Documents:
Uncover The Top 12 Skin Care and Cosmetic
Companies You Must Avoid At All Costs"
Yours for Natural Skin Care,
Adam Waters
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