The Bite:
Good idea. Say "sayonara" to formaldehyde while you are alive - another preservative found in many personal care products like perfume and nail polish.
Only want to soak up formaldehyde when you're six feet under?
09.26.2006
Submitted by idealbite on Tue, 09/26/2006 - 5:00pm.
The Benefits:
- Stay healthy. Formaldehyde's classified as a possible carcinogen by the EPA and can cause itching and burning of the skin. It's already been banned for use in cosmetics in Japan and Sweden.
- There are plenty of natural preservatives (think essential oils), so why go with something used in embalming dead bodies?
- Protect wildlife. Formaldehyde washed off your skin and down the drain might not be broken down in the water treatment process.
Personally Speaking:
Heather's happy to report that her (many) beauty products are now 90% paraben- and formaldehyde-free (no easy feat - just check your bathroom labels)!
Wanna Try:
- Just check the label. The following preservatives may break down into or release formaldehyde:
- Diasolidinyl urea
- DMDM hydantoin
- Imidazolidinyl
- Quaternium-15
- Ideal Bite's Personal Care Library - our past recommendations for natural personal care products.
- Skin Deep - the Environmental Working Group's comprehensive guide to the ingredients in personal care products.
- Speaking of being "six feet under," check out our Eco-Burials tip.
Tamar Chansky.
Cocktail Fact
(In)famous mummies: Vladimir Lenin, Eva Peron, Mao Zedong, the head of Mata Hari and a headless King Charles I.
Bang For The Bite
Formaldehyde's easier to avoid in personal care products than parabens (that is, if you can remember the long names of the ingredients that create it).
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