Many so-called 'natural' skin products are not really natural at all and contain harmful chemicals masked by a pleasant, 'natural' fragrance. It is important to recognize that the cosmetic and skin care industry is a multibillion dollar industry and is poorly regulated. It is therefore up to you as a consumer to discover the potential risks of what you put on your skin. The skin is the largest organ of the body and absorbs a lot of what we put on it.

The more products containing preservatives and other chemicals we put on our skin, the more we overload our bodies with toxins and compromise our immune systems. Our bodies are being stressed by modern diets, polluted air and chemical exposure through skin (cosmetics and skin care products) and lungs (fragrances). Changing to natural skin products will reduce your exposure to these toxins and take stress off your immune system.

To fully understand the benefit of using natural skin products, you need to understand the risks attached to mainstream commercial brands. Here is some important information you need to know about common ingredients in personal care products:

These products use fragrances which are typically produced by one or more of six hundred possible chemicals, some of which are quite dangerous. Natural skin products, on the other hand, use natural fragrances (often essential oils).

Commonly used preservatives in personal care products contain or form formaldehyde which can make you sick. These include quarternium-15, diazolidynal urea, polyethylene glycol, imidazolidynal urea and bronopol. Natural skin products are, on the other hand, completely safe.

Formaldehyde, which is commonly used in the manufacture of pesticides, is known to cause cancer and trigger other ailments including gastrointestinal problems, respiratory illnesses, immune deficiency diseases, male and female infertility and nervous system disorders. Natural beauty skin care would limit our exposure to such risks. Changing to natural skin products therefore makes sense in the face of such overwhelming and devastating health problems.

Parabens are also included in many personal care products as preservatives and can produce skin irritations and affect hormonal balance. British researchers find high concentrations of parabens in ninety percent of all breast tumors they examined. Natural skin products and other natural personal care products do not contain parabens and do not expose consumers to the risk of cancer.

Sodium lauryl sulphate is used in personal care products as either a frothing, cleansing or bulking agent. Unfortunately, it has a "degenerative effect on the cell membranes because of its protein denaturing properties." (Journal of American Toxicology) Sodium lauryl sulphate is absorbed into the body through the skin and is stored in the lungs, liver, heart and brain cells. When natural skin products are absorbed through the skin, they do you no harm.

These are a few of the risks posed by commercial personal care products and are reasons to convert to much safer natural skin products. As mentioned earlier, there are many products on the market that masquerade as natural skin products but are really nothing of the sort. There is a growing awareness of the risks posed by the high levels of chemical contact we have in our society and many consumers are seeking natural beauty skin care alternatives. Unfortunately, they are often fooled by clever marketing into thinking they are purchasing natural skin products when in fact they are not.

Know what you are putting on your skin by carefully reading the label. Discover what the different chemicals are and their associated risks. The ingredients are listed in descending order according to the quantity of them in the product. Research natural skin products on the internet to find out what choices are available to you. There are a number of organic, natural beauty skin care brands that offer you a wide choice of products.

If you try one brand and you don't like it, don't give up on natural beauty skin care products, just try another brand. If you make a decision to only put safe, natural skin products on your skin as well as in your body, you will experience many health benefits and avoid a lot of the health problems associated with our modern western lifestyle.