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Last week Patty, one of my staff members here at the Wellness Center, was helping me out with some painting. It was a messy job. Paint splatters ended up on her hands and arms, and even her legs. Patty emailed me the next day and said, “You know, when I tried to wash the paint off, it didn’t budge. Then when I went to shave my legs… well, the shaving cream stripped me like turpentine. Have you ever heard of anything like that?” I’ve been writing about the toxic soup that makes up most commercial beauty products for years. What Patty experienced is just more evidence of the chemical solvents hidden in your bath products. What’s in shaving cream can strip paint, but also age and irritate your skin. I’m going to show you in just a minute. Plus, I’ll show you how these things age your skin. I’ll show you what to avoid and what’s safe to use so you can go through your daily routine without worry. Here’s why it’s important for you to have this information. The FDA does little to regulate personal care products like shaving cream. Manufacturers are free to pack it with chemical preservatives, fillers, dyes, and fragrances. It’s not just soaps and cosmetic creams and lotions. Shaving cream is something we don’t rub in our skin or put in our mouths so it’s easy to forget it gets absorbed by the body. The chemicals can clog pores, trap toxins, and slow skin cell growth. They can do a job on your hormone balance. Some ingredients even raise cancer risks. Most shaving cream ingredients have never been tested for safety in humans. Here are just three chemicals that are probably in your shaving cream. If you see any of them on the label, steer clear. 1. Triethanolamine (TEA) is an emulsifying agent. It helps keep the oil and water in shaving cream from separating. TEA can be very irritating to your skin. It causes allergic reactions and eye problems. TEA often contains nitrosamines. Studies commonly link these contaminants to cancer risks. And nitrosamines are toxic if absorbed by your body over a long period of time. Manufacturers of TEA warn consumers not to use it too close to the mouth or nose. And they advise rinsing it thoroughly from your skin. No wonder… TEA is used for:
Besides shaving cream, you may find TEA in your shampoo and conditioner, soap, bubble bath, and hair dye. It’s also in eyeliner, mascara, eye shadow, and facial cleansers. 2. Sodium Lauryl Sulphate (SLS) and Sodium Laureth Sulphate (SLES) are chemicals found in most shaving creams. They create sudsy lather. Sneaky manufacturers will try to make you think these chemicals are “natural.” The label may claim SLS comes “from coconut,” or is “coconut derived.” Don’t be fooled. SLES contains a known carcinogen called dioxane. And laboratory studies prove SLS promotes skin peeling and dehydration.1 It penetrates your skin’s moisture barrier and allows dangerous chemicals into your bloodstream. SLS ages your skin by robbing it of precious moisture.2 Every time you use commercial shaving cream you add years to your skin. It can also cause eye irritation, hair loss, and allergic reactions. 3. Isobutane is a propellant. It helps shaving cream squirt easily out of the can. Isobutane is made from petroleum and natural gas. The National Institute for Safety and Health describes it as “a colorless gas with a gasoline-like or natural gas odor.” You’ll find it in hairsprays, chemical refrigerants, cigarette lighters, and cooking sprays. I found a report by the Centers for Disease Control that isobutane targets the central nervous system. It can cause drowsiness, unconsciousness, and asphyxiation. It’s also extremely flammable. Unfortunately, shaving cream makers don’t have to tell you a thing about it. Studies also show that sniffing isobutane from a cigarette lighter can cause sudden death from cardiac arrhythmia and suffocation.3 And in lab tests it’s been linked to cancer. The good news is, you can find shaving cream without natural gas or refrigerator coolant. It’s not easy to read the labels and tell which ingredients are natural and which aren’t. But now that you know at least those three you’ll be able to avoid them. Also, it’s a good idea to stick with products that contain natural shea butter, glycerin, or sesame or olive oil. I like to use plain coconut oil. In Jamaica, they have coconut oil in every bathroom because they use it for so many things. While I was there I even learned to make my own coconut oil. It doubles as a moisturizer and has built-in anti-bacterial properties if you happen to nick yourself. But if you really love the whipped cream look and feel of your shaving cream, you can make your own natural version at home. When I was in Bali, my friend Lelir, a fifth-generation herbalist who makes and sells shea butter in her shop in Ubud, Bali, taught me how. It’s easy to whip shea butter into a fluffy cream. It also works with coconut oil. Here’s how:
It’s that easy. Store your shaving cream in an airtight container in a cool dark place. It should keep about a month. When you’re ready to shave, just smooth it on and let your razor do the rest. To Your Good Health, 1. Atrux-Tallau N, et al. “Effects of glycerol on human skin damaged by acute sodium lauryl sulphate treatment.” Arch Dermatol Res. 2010;302(6):435-41.
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