Thin Skin

The scariest thing with Halloween coming up, and major holidays being just around the corner, comes the realization that so many people will be applying so much makeup and other products to their skin.

“So what? That’s perfectly normal!” would be a common response, but that is coming from a lack of understanding regarding some fundamental concepts about skin.

What Is On It Goes In It

Contrary to the generally accepted notion that skin is waterproof, that idea is only relatively true.

Skin is, by nature, merely water repellent to the extent that even a sponge can only absorb so much water at once as well.

The most comprehensive statement about skin is that it is not only not waterproof, but skin absorbs virtually everything it comes into contact with.

That’s right, skin does not protect the body, but more accurately skin is a conduit into the body.

Consider this; by experience one can observe that skin just barely protects the body internals from external traumas.

Skin is only a barrier and protects only against exposure to the most vapid substances, and even then; only somewhat.

The Skin Absorbs Virtually Everything

If that concept is hard to fathom for anyone, try this as an experiment:

Take a non-toxic marker and make a smiley face on a part of the body that will not be covered or rubbed for the next several hours.

Check on it periodically, and observe that the face fades and may perhaps even be entirely gone!

Where did it go?

The short answer? The Skin “ate” it. Just gobbled it up. Took it into the body to who knows where.

The reason for this is simple biology – cells of an organism exchange nutrients and waste through a process called osmosis.

For those that do not remember their biology classes, osmosis is most simply explained as an exchange of materials through cell walls on a molecular level.

Of course, the cells in body or skin do not really know the difference between a nutrient or anything else, with selective exceptions generally based on the mass or size of the molecules of a substance.

With the advent of new understandings of how the substructures of the skin likely exist as in an interstitium, or an extracelluar matrix, along with its connection to the lymphatic system there should be a heightened sense of awareness regarding what substances we expose our bodies to.

So What Does This Mean?

Candidly, what goes on the body goes into the body, and yeah that means pretty nearly everything. What does not rub off, rubs in, and so forth.

These facts are worth considering to the extremes.

The consequences of overlooking any one of these can result in autonomic responses in the form of reactions ranging from allergies to any degree, to rashes, hives, inflammation, to cancer.

Realize that those reactions can occur randomly and sporadically anywhere in the body once a substance has infiltrated past the outer layer of skin.

How Do We Protect Ourselves And Loved Ones?

Selection of products with minimal or no toxins, and at least some amount of potential nutrients, is most advisable in general.

Heed with caution, a combination of inert or desirable substances mixed with toxic ones can fake out the body into accepting things into cells that it normally would not allow past it’s nominally self-protective systems.

Also, along those lines another important idea is that mixing various compounds have unknown chemical properties.

That implies that possibly a substance like a perfume, applied over a skin cream creates an unknowable substance that is fixated to the skin before it is absorbed in part or in whole into the body.

That is not to say that the inhalation or ingestion of some compounds will not be a two-sided attack on the body’s immune system, from the inside and outside.

This can happen even if either or both compounds were inert to begin with, but recognize the threat as potentially multiplied if either and or both had toxic ingredients.

Overall, much thought should go into other applications of this knowledge, such as cleaning supplies, furniture, building materials, clothing etc.

Less is more to much effect.
Yes, indeed, it is scary to think about it too long.

Consider The Alternatives

That will not serve as a guarantee of immunity by any means but will be a simple indication of what direction is easiest to incorporate in everyday living.

Get saavy about truth in labeling and how deceptions can be hidden in plain sight, as they are frequently in coded labels by manufacturers.

For instance, many people are sensitive to MSG but that qualifies as “natural flavoring”, and so it becomes a loaded term.

Similarly true is the term ‘fragrance’ is used in many cosmetics and personal care product labels which is an encoded-word for a wide range of hazardous ingredients.

There are now many products becoming available that are rated environmentally friendly, even cosmetics.

BEAUTYCOUNTER has an entire line of cosmetics and even made a movement on this premise.

They are taking their demand for safer cosmetic products and more stringent regulation of their ingredients all the way to Washington, D.C.

That will not be nearly enough, but it’s a step in the right direction.

Any Little Thing We Do Is An Improvement

Voting with your pocketbook does work, case in point; the cost of organic foods has dropped dramatically over the past several years because of increased demand causing increased supply.

Nevertheless, organic can be a deceptive term in and of itself, but that is a different article altogether.

We can all make a difference if we make up our minds to do so, individually and as a whole.

Get On It – Don’t Let It Get On You

Remember: If it goes on you it likely gets in you to some variable degree.

Thinking about this, in the home, in the store when selecting products or even gifts, and costumes for the kids will hurt nothing.

Not thinking about it when it actually might matter can have unexpected, unexplained and even detrimental or catastrophic consequences.

As a matter of full disclosure: we do receive commissions on Beautycounter products sold from this site. Good diet and exercise are great additions to a healthy lifestyle.

That being said, make the most of today, just remember to love what skin you’re in.