What’s In My Deodorant?

What’s In My Deodorant? - Part One

Category: Natural Medicine

Written by Hugs & Kisslings, Feb 27, 2012

Recently, we’ve had some questions relating to our deodorant. In response, this is the first article in a three part series on why we’ve decided to make our own deodorant and why we think everyone should find a deodorant that's free of Aluminum, Propylene Glycol and Paraben’s.

Propylene Glycol - Part One

Did you know?

Propylene Glycol is an ingredient in most deodorants (including most so-called “healthy” deodorants)

Propylene Glycol is:

A cosmetic form of mineral oil found in automatic brake and hydraulic fluid and industrial ANTIFREEZE. In the skin and hair, propylene glycol works as a humescent, which causes retention of moisture content of skin or cosmetic products by preventing the escape of moisture or water. The Material Safety Data Sheet(MSDS) warns users to avoid skin contact with propylene glycol as this: strong skin irritant can cause liver abnormalities and kidney damage.

The question you should be asking is, What’s Anti-Freeze doing in my shampoos, deodorants, cosmetics, lotions and toothpaste?

Yes, the main ingredient in anti-freeze is in many of the following products.

Propylene Glycol has many different names which companies use to disguise it in their products:

propylene glycol, α-propylene glycol, 1,2-propanediol, 1,2-Dihydroxypropane, methyl ethyl glycol (MEG), methylethylene glycol, PG, PEG, Sirlene, Dowfrost)

Propylene glycol is often found in:

makeup
shampoo
deodorant
detangler
styling mousse
cleansing cream
mascara
soap
skin cream
bubble bath
baby powder
conditioner
toner
after shave
baby wipes

Also in:

Tyre sealant
Rubber cleaner
De-icer
Stain removers
Fabric softener
Degreaser
Paint
Adhesive
Wallpaper stripper

The MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) for Propylene Glycol says: May be harmful by ingestion or skin absorption. May cause eye irritation, skin irritation. Chronic exposure can cause gastro-intestinal disturbances, nausea, headache and vomiting, central nervous system depression.

Propylene glycol is also used as a solvent in acrylics, stains, inks and dyes, and in cellophane and brake fluid. It is used as a preservative in flavored coffees. PG can have an anesthetic effect. Other side effects on animals exposed to PG include heart arrhythmia, stunted growth, decreased blood pressure, and even death.

We could go on for a while giving you all kinds of reasons why Propylene Glycol is bad for you, but you probably get the point, Don't use products that have Propylene Glycol in them!

Sources:

http://antiagingchoices.com

http://www.natural-health-information-centre.com

http://en.wikipedia.org

http://www.msds.com