The things they say they are, but aren't.

Greetings, from my tiny wee tubby. No worries I won't electrocute myself. I've got this blogging while in the bath thing figured out. The hard part is coming up with things to say. But tonight I've got a bone to pick with labels. Yep, that's right - labels. And the things they claim to be but aren't, or claim to contain (or not) and don't.

A little background about all of this. I have some weird allergies. Stuff that makes my skin itchy, makes me feel icky and well, generally interferes with my well being. Some of that stuff is found in products we use every day and it has been a real challenge trying to find other things to use that don't contain these products. I've blogged about this before - it was on another blog site and I will likely post something similar here just in case you didn't get to read it before. But the biggest, baddest thing I need to avoid is SLS (sodium laureth sulfate). This particular ingredient is in body wash, shampoo, conditioner, laundry detergent,  dish soap and toothpaste. And it is particularly nasty stuff. And to find out the scoop on this bubbly, nasty additive you can read all about it here because David Suzuki lays it out in plain English.

My issue is actually two-fold. The first being that some of the things that are in the products we use every day are toxic to us and, because there is no real regulation on these items (particularly in beauty products) they are used with abandon. The second is that some of the products we use to get away from all the harsh chemicals that are added to these particular products claim to be something they are not. How was that? Clear as mud, right. Let me put it this way.

There is a huge push to be green right now and to move away from petroleum products, toxins and move toward natural and organic. At least there is for me, primarily because of my allergies, and you almost have to assume there is a push toward the natural and organic because nearly every huge brand name has come up with some green/organic/natural alternative to the products they already have on the market. The problem is what they claim to contain and what they actually contain don't mesh. And to top it all off it is the consumers responsibility to be chemists so that we can determine what is harmful and what is not. The government and the watchdogs that are supposed to regulate these things - don't.

So what is a buyer to do. Well, I guess - be informed. Understand what it is that you are putting in and on your body. Our skin is our largest organ and everything we put on it or use to clean it is absorbed into our skin and sent directly to our bloodstream. This of course means that all that nasty stuff they put into our shampoos, body washes and make up to make us smell, look and feel pretty is actually poisoning our bodies from the outside in. Add to that all the additives and other preservatives they put into our food and we have a nice little toxic cocktail roaming around our bodies. Is it any wonder that allergies and other illness, like cancer, are on the rise? Mmmmm, not so much.

I try to shop in a simple way - if I can't pronounce it or I have no idea what it is - it doesn't go on or in. Period. Which of course is easier said then done because labels can be so deceiving. Not following? Don't believe me? Check it out for yourself. CBC's Marketplace did a segment on it - Lousy Labels. I thought I was an informed consumer but I had a few OMG moments when I watched. Maybe you will too.

Blowing non-toxic bubbles your way. Night nite.