One thing I learned very quickly after launching Garden Girl is that there are TONS of women out there who are challenged by sensitive skin.

Did you know that more than 60% of women believe that they have sensitive skin? But the interesting thing is that it’s estimated that scientifically speaking, really only about 20% of women technically do have sensitive skin, and of this, only 2 to 5 percent can attribute the sensitivies to cosmetic ingredients. (Source: Milady’s Skin Care + Cosmetics Ingredients Dictionary – Second Edition, by Natalia Michalun) Interesting isn’t it?

The way skin becomes irritated is when the stratum corneum (top layer of skin) is damaged and products can penetrate deeper into the epidermis and/or dermis. Also – your own skin’s bacterial content can react with chemical components of a product and cause a reaction. The irritation typically appears as redness, burning, itching and/or some type of a rash.

The most common ingredients in products that cause reactions are fragrances (which, as I have mentioned before, can have hundreds of ingredients but are simply listed as “fragrance” or “parfum” or “perfume”), preservatives, and some of the chemical sunscreens. Other common irritants are sodium lauryl sulfate and sodium laureth sulfate. But every person is different and what bothers some, may not bother others.

If your skin becomes irritated, be sure to think about whether you have tried any new products – these could be skin care, bath care, laundry, dishwashing soap etc. Also – check ingredients and see if you can narrow down any commonalities that could be causing problems. To be safe, it is always a great idea to avoid products with any chemical fragrances as this is often the cause. Here is a link to a great list of the most common fragrances that can cause allergies. And of course, have any irritations checked out by a doctor to be safe!

The reality of that all is that there are many many women out there who are afraid of trying new products for fear of getting a terrible reaction. So as you can imagine, people with sensitive skin are incredibly happy to find products that work for them! This is why Garden Girl has focused on providing products that work for sensitive skin – and why we exclude parabens, sulfates, petroleum products and phthalates. Nearly all of our products are designed to work well for sensitive skin, and we have some products that are specifically formulated for even the most sensitive skin – like like Oasis for Faces face wash and No Worries face cream.

To be honest, if Garden Girl used synthetic fragrances for all of our products, it would be far easier. Working with essential oils can be tricky – they can be inconsistent, and it is challenging to get the exact same scent each time. This is why our Alive lotion, just as an example, can smell more like peppermint one time and a little more like basil another. Even though we use a specific proportion each time, the individual oils can be stronger batch to batch. So it isn’t easy – but we make the extra effort for good reason. Fragrances are typically jam packed with all kinds of ingredients – mostly chemicals and petroleum products.

Did you know that the word “fragrance” is all that needs to be listed on a label even though it can contain hundreds of ingredients on its own? One of the most concerning issue with fragrances is phthalates. You have probably heard me rant about phthalates before – they are of deep concern because they are considered to be key factor in birth defects in the reproductive system of male babies, plus there is a possible link to breast cancer, along with numerous other potential issues.

Fragrances are also considered to be one of the top five known allergens (again, likely due to the fact that there are so many components) and also a potential neurotoxin. According to EWG, “as far back as 1986, the U.S. National Academy of Sciences identified fragrance ingredients as one of six categories of neurotoxins (chemicals that are toxic to the brain) that should be thoroughly investigated for impacts on human health. However, this research has not been demanded or funded. The FDA has taken no action on a petition submitted to the agency in 1999 requesting fragrance components to be listed on labels.”

Doesn’t sound so great, does it? That’s why we have decided that the quirkiness of essential oils are a small price to pay to ensure the safety of our products.

Phthalates – it may look funny but that’s all that’s funny about it. Pthalates (pronounced THAYlates) are found in many products and have been found to be highly toxic. According to “Not too Pretty” – the CDC found 7 different types of phthalates in 289 people tested. Every single person had dibutyl phthalate (DBP) in his or her body. DBP is the most toxic – and all phthalates are linked to birth defects in the male reproductive systems.

Women aged 20-40 were found to have the highest levels of DBP in their bodies. Yep – that’s right. Highest levels of this toxic chemical that can cause birth defects in males and impact their reproductive system. And this is found in women in peak childbearing years.

So where are these coming from? Well – they did a lot of research on why women would have the highest levels. DBP and other phthalates are found in things like vinyl shower curtains and are responsible for the “new car smell”. But that wouldn’t explain why women have the highest levels. Of course, it turns out that the reason is that they are found in cosmetics. Nail polish was the biggest culprit, but it is also found in other products ranging from shampoos to deodorants.

In “Not Just a Pretty Face”, it states: “In 2005 there were more than 57,000 nail salonsin the US, employing more than 380,000 licensed nail technicians – 95% of these workers are women, and 59% are women of color. The average age of the workers is 38.”

EWG reported in their 2002 Not Too Pretty report that they found phthalates in “72% of personal care products, including fragrance containing shampoos, deodorants and hair gels. None of the products listed phthalates on the label.” Seems a little scary to me…