Even conventional brands are beginning to steer away from some ingredients
Soap is something we use every day , but rarely consider its ingredients . Above , a handmade , natural soap is used
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ShopEco are truly eco-friendly . There is currently no regulation in Canada regarding self-care products which call themselves eco-friendly , natural or green . This adds to the confusion about whether or not a product and its ingredients are natural and completely safe to use on your skin .
“ The term green or ecofriendly is abused a lot . Many companies will take one element that is ecofriendly , ’ paraben free ’ for instance , and call it green , while the rest of the product is completely not ecofriendly ,” said Debra . “ Ecofriendly and green are the same . Ecofriendly and natural are not the same . Something can be natural but also bad for the environment and for your skin .”
Debra said she believes that as the nature-focused lifestyle becomes more mainstream , regulation will follow . And she is probably right . On January 1 , 2004 all natural health products sold in Canada became subject to the Natural Health Products Regulations requiring all natural health products to have a license before they can be sold in Canada . To get a license , applicants must give detailed information about the product to Health Canada , including : medicinal ingredients , source , dose , potency , non-medicinal ingredients and recommended use .
The added chemicals in self-care products were always on Debra ’ s mind but she didn ’ t start researching the issue heavily until she took ownership of ShopEco . Now , all of the products she uses on her skin and sells in her shop are natural and she believes that regulation in this industry is on the horizon .
“ What you put on your body can have a bigger effect on your health than you may realize ,” said Debra .
Her main concern when it comes to chemical ingredients in self-care products are endocrine disrupters . The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety recognizes these chemicals as being dangerous to the human body . These chemicals interfere with development and reproduction and they may also cause serious neurological and immune system effects . This happens because these chemicals act like natural hormones in your body , including the