12/10/2007 by Joanna.

So did you see the programme last night on Channel 4 ?   Sarah Beeny presented a documentary called How Toxic Are You ?.  It looked at our lifestyles and how we are subjected to hundreds of man-made chemicals every day.  The program mainly focussed on our cosmetics, toiletries and cleaning products and was really quite alarming.  Many chemicals were mentioned and the main ones were:-

Sodium Lauryl/Laureth Sulphate (SLS), a foaming and degreasing agent, in most shampoos, toothpastes, shower gels and bath foams.   

Triclosan, an anti-bacterial chemical used in most toothpastes and handwashes.  

Phthlates, a chemical which makes plastics flexible.  This is found in many day to day objects like credit cards and shower curtains, however, it is also used in many shampoos, nail polishes, hair sprays and moisturisers.  A common one to look out for is DEHP (di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate).

and Parabens, a synthetic preservative which can come in many forms and again is in most shampoos, shower gels, creams and lotions. 

I’ve been looking at ingredients on items I’ve personally purchased for a couple of years now and it’s hard to find products without these chemicals in from the large manufacturers.  Even products which imply they are natural, often show a long list of chemicals on the back. 

At Essential Oils Online, we’ve managed to successfully remove all the SLS’s from our base product range and I’m also pleased to say that this week all of our products are now Paraben free as well.  None of the base products have ever included Phthalates or Triclosan so this has not been as issue.  

 Our soaps are hand made with natural ingredients and our pure floral waters can make excellent toners and cleansers.  We also sell Organic base products to which you can add essential oils, to create your own unique blends.

All of our raw materials are 100% pure, which means you can make your own chemical free cosmetics and toiletries straight away.  There are many recipes available on the internet for home made products, many of these are quite easy to do and they are all very rewarding. 

 So if you feel like a change, even a small step can make a difference.  Good luck with it and we’d love to hear what ideas and tips you may have in the battle to reduce your chemical intake.

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12/10/2007 by Joanna.

Well hello everyone, we’re finally up and running on the blog after a very busy summer.  Since I set up this blog, we’ve moved into new premises and also got our first employee !   Rachel has joined our team and helps us deal with all the orders which keep coming in.  Thanks for your patience everyone with waiting for the blog,  I will now try and keep it updated regularly and if you’d like any particular subject covered please let us know.  We can cover everything from essential oils to lifestyle subjects.  Anyway must get on, I’ve got my first subject to write about - How Toxic Are You ?

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