By S Mason Dip Nat, Dip Herb, Dip Ayur.

   

DEAD SKIN EQUALS GREAT SKIN

Guess what? Your skin’s smoothness and beauty, its radiant glow and stunning nature only exist because the living cells at the base of your skin, heroically commit a kind of poetic sacrifice. The basement layer of skin where your blood delivers nutrients and removes waste, slowly moves upward toward the outer visible layer and along the way is programmed to kill itself, turning its innards into a fatty/oily substance as well as exuding a glue-like material to create a waterproof barrier.

By the time the skin cell emerges at the top layer of your skin, all sign of life is gone. If it received all the correct nutrients while alive and the pores and glands in your skin have been kept clean and free of toxins, the dead skin cells create wonderful glowing complexions. 

What has this got to do with using makeup wipes?

A whole lot...

NUTRITION AND APPLICATION

Two things affect the health of your skin, the nutrition it receives, and what substances and chemicals you slap on the outside. Nutrition for the skin is a focus for another article, so let’s consider of the estimated 500 odd chemicals women can put on their body every day, what effect that can have on skin especially as a lot of commercial make up wipes are filled with chemicals.

The surface of the skin is dotted with pores, sebaceous glands and hair follicles. Each of these are an opening into which substances applied to the skin can be absorbed deeper. Some of the chemicals used in skincare may be easily absorbed into the bloodstream. The average skin can cope with a handful of low toxicity chemicals every now and then, but a constant drip over a long period of time may not be healthy. They can create irritations, redness, swelling and breakouts.

Here are some chemicals likely to be found in chemical makeup removers:

Diazolidinyl Urea, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Mineral Oil, Cyclopentasiloxane, Benzalkonium Chloride , Benzyl Alcohol, Ethylparaben.

The range from low toxicity to mild, are antimicrobial agents, fragrances, emollients, and cleansing agents. Chemical makeup removers are quick and convenient but over time can leave toxic residue which to a susceptible person may adversely affect their health and their skin.

And, a lot of wipes contain polyesters, polypropylene, wood pulp, rayon fibres and a bunch of plastics, making as equally as unhealthy as the chemical cocktail they contain and basically hard to break down once discarded.

Living skin cells (the ones found at the bottom of skin) like a pure environment where they can absorb plenty of vitamins and minerals from the bloodstream to complete their task of creating a waterproof, glowing outer layer. If, over time, an influx of chemicals leech down to their layer, the living skin cells will now have to work overtime to detoxify the foreign chemicals, which will affect their ability to create the supple, soft outer shell we call our skin.

As a general rule of thumb, if it is safe enough to put in your mouth, it’s okay to put on your skin.

SKIN AS THE THIRD KIDNEY

In Chinese medicine, the skin is considered a third kidney as it can also act as an excretory organ, releasing urea-containing sweat. Clogged pores, damaged skin and constant harsh cleansing with chemical wipes may affect the skin’s natural ability to self cleanse itself. When perspiring, toxins that have become lodged in the skin are removed and flushed away. Clogged or damaged pores reduce this function.

SKIN ACIDITY

The skin should be slightly acidic. This acidity helps keep bacteria on the skin under control and prevents them from infecting the skin and the body, though some of the bacteria are needed for healthy skin. The skin also secretes antimicrobial substances to help with this balance. And, guess what? Yes, non-natural chemicals can affect the acidity of the skin and adversely affect the production of its antimicrobial substances.

REUSABLE COTTON MAKEUP REMOVER PADS

When it comes to removing eyeshadow and makeup, reusable cotton pads offer many benefits over their chemical cousins and, in the opinion of this writer, are even superior to the chemical free, throwaway towelettes.

Cotton Makeup remover pads are:

• Reusable
• Soft
• Non-irritant & gentle on skin
• Fragrance free
• Chemical free
• Washable
• A natural fibre
• Breathable
• Hypo-allergenic
• Do not soak up all of your make up remover.
• Do not leave a chemical residue
• Leave pores and glands unclogged.

See more on how to clean makeup off the cotton remover pads here.

BIODEGRADABLE VERSUS THROWAWAY

Yes, throwaway cotton pads can be biodegradable, but why make them as single use when an altogether simpler, more elegant product exists that can save you money in the long. Reusable cotton pads can do everything throwaways ones and chemical ones can do, and you save money because they last a long time. According to makeuperaser.com and eco-age.com, 1.3 billion wipes end up in the landfill every year, kill marine wildlife and pollute water ways, and clog up hundreds of drains. Why would anyone want to be a part of that when cotton pads can be purchased and reused over and over and over again and again? It’s like using a towel to dry yourself once and then throwing it away – does not make sense.

Your skin, as has been shown needs a clear pathway, free of chemicals to turn living cells into the amazing, glowing barrier that can be your skin.

If you value natural skincare, want your skin to stay fresh, keep its natural acidity, act as an efficient detoxifying third kidney, don’t want chemicals affecting how your outer skin develops, want to keep your pores and glands unclogged, want a natural solution to eye shadow removal and makeup removal then look no further then reusable cotton pads.

They may just save your skin and be another step toward saving our planet.

 

https://www.verywellhealth.com/skin-anatomy-1068880

https://www.thelist.com/25291/happens-face-stop-wearing-makeup/

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/makeup-remover-wipes_n_4239214

 

 

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