".... We've focused on facial moisturisers this time, in the end. But so as not to disappoint, we've also included a brief round-up of some baby products. The natural beauty sector, it turns out, is clearly much bigger business than the other categories we have looked at before. As you will see, we have looked at a very wide range of products, and still we have probably only scratched the surface. There are many, many other brands out there other than these here. One word of caution though - "natural" and "organic" don't guarantee you a formulation free of controversial chemicals. The only way to be sure you are happy with a product is to look at its list of ingredients. Here at least, we hope to provide you with enough information to at least look at lists of ingredients and make an informed decision. And of course, you also have our brand and source listings, and our reviews to help you. And for those of you who don't use facial moisturisers, the ingredients referred to in our main article also appear in other product categories, so don't feel left out! We have covered ingredients used as emollients (helping the skin retain moisture), and preservatives.

SLIPPERY CHARACTERS LURKING

Recent studies have shown that we may actually acquire more toxins through skin absorption and inhalation than through the foods that we eat. This isn't actually surprising, because the skin is the largest organ in the body. It is a substantial surface area through which toxic chemical migration may occur. When you rub chemicals onto your skin, they can pass straight through and enter your bloodstream within minutes. We are all quite happy to accept that nicotine patches and birth control patches work this way, and yet we forget that the same applies to other chemicals that we apply to our skin. In fact, personal care products should be as pure as the foods we eat.

So, when did you last look at the label on your skin cream? (That's what we're going to focus on here, but many of the ingredients also appear in other products). I went to the supermarket and picked up a couple of packages. The lists were unbelievably long, and totally chemical. There is an example at the end of this article. Without a doubt, the best way to read a personal care product ingredients listing is to read each product ingredient as if it were something that you might put in your mouth. Remember, these ingredients are absorbed into your body through the skin. Here is a brief guide to some of the ingredients found in skin creams, including which are truly natural and which are synthetic. It is also worth bearing in mind that many so-called natural products can be called "natural" simply because they are predominantly water, and water is natural! Of course, it's everything else that needs looking at. When evaluating unfamiliar chemical ingredients you should know that, according to the Environmental Defense Group's ongoing research, "78% of the chemicals in highest-volume commercial use have not had even 'minimal' toxicity testing."

So, remember our friend propylene glycol? The one that can cause contact dermatitis, kidney damage and liver abnormalities? With tests on humans that have shown that it inhibits skin cell growth, damages cell membranes, and causes rashes and dry skin and surface damage to the skin. And with major associated effects related to its absorption into the body leading to gastro-intestinal disturbances, nausea, headache, vomiting and central nervous system depression. (All according to the manufacturers' material safety datasheet.) And with studies showing that it causes a significant number of reactions and is a primary irritant to the skin even in low levels of concentration. Well, yes, despite all this it is a popular ingredient in skin creams because it gives a nice glide. New findings suggest that using propylene glycol actually ages the skin prematurely as it absorbs moisture from the skin, robbing from the lower layers and bringing this natural moisture up to the surface. This is because it acts as a humectant. A property it has in common with many synthetic emollients used in skin creams (see examples below).

Another common effect of the emollient ingredients used in many skin creams is that they suffocate the skin. Mineral oil for example (also known as petrolatum, I believe), is in many moisturisers and is just refined crude oil. It puts a film on the skin that suffocates it. As your skin is a living breathing organ it needs to take in oxygen and then respire and give off carbon dioxide, moisture and toxins. Ingredients like collagen, elastin, glycerine, lanolin, liposomes, mineral oil, do nothing but clog the pores, suffocate skin, hold toxins in and keep oxygen out. Even though your skin may feel softer just after you apply creams with these ingredients, the long term effects combine to age the skin much faster than if you didn't use anything. Remember, the body is primarily comprised of water. Imagine a bowl of water and you pour some oil into it. The oil sits on the top and that's exactly what happens to your skin. This is known in the industry as the plastic bag effect and as we all know, plastic bags suffocate.

Emollients are liquid substances which help prevent drying of the skin by providing a barrier to trans-epidermal water loss. Some emollients are humectants as well, in that they attract water from their surroundings. This means that in dry conditions, they can draw moisture away from the skin.

Certified organic fixed or base oils are always cold-pressed (crushed under low-heat conditions) from fresh fruit and seeds/nuts to preserve the beneficial phytonutrients that are vital to human health. Cold-pressed oils and natural waxes have been safely used by humans for thousands of years. Examples of these natural emollient ingredients are almond oil avocado oil, coconut oil, hazelnut oil, jojoba oil, olive oil, palm oil, pumpkin seed oil, safflower oil, sesame oil, sunflower oil, tamanu oil, wheat germ oil, beeswax, cocoa butter, shea butter.

In contrast, synthetic emollients are modern chemicals and most are created under very energy-intensive conditions that involve extremely high temperatures (250-500 ºC) for 12-24 hours, along with very high pressure and/or vacuum. Many synthetic emollients also require toxic or carcinogenic catalysts or reactive agents in their manufacture. These conditions are required to transform or split the natural vegetable oil molecules into new molecules that are typically not found in nature. What delicate, vital nutrients could survive these destructive conditions? Indeed, new research shows that these industrial processes can cause the formation of trans-fatty acids or trans-isomers which have been linked to the creation of free radicals and other harmful substances. Ingredients that are synthetic emollients include butylene glycol, cetearyl alcohol, cetyl alcohol, stearyl alcohol, stearic acid, isopropyl myristate, cyclomethicone, dimethicone.

You will find many of these emollient ingredients towards the top of the ingredients lists, but there are also some controversial chemicals lurking towards the bottom of them. These are normally the preservatives, and usually include our other friends, the parabens. These, you may remember, are oestrogen-mimics and have been linked with fertility problems (male and female) and with cancer. It is not unusual to find more than one of these in a listing. Were their weights added together, they would no doubt appear higher up the lists.