Free From Dangerous Toxins



It is my privilege to get a lot of questions from the readers of this blog.

Lots of the questions I get are (understandably) about what's safe and what's not safe – in commercial brand products, in small company products, in someone else's DIY products, and in your own DIY products.

I love your questions and am constantly inspired by them, but I do get a little worried when you write things like:
"I want to live a preservative-free life because of the dangerous toxins" 
"I am trying to switch to a toxin-free lifestyle, so I need to find/make products without preservatives"

But here's the thing.

The toxins aren't in the preservatives.

The toxins happen all by themselves in the products you're making when you leave the preservatives out.

Really and truly.

So, please, for the sake of your health - don't associate preservatives with danger. It's the lack of preservatives that create danger.

So, How Can I...?

I totally understand wanting to 'find an alternative way', to 'go all natural' and to 'go all plant-based'. I've been on that route for years!

But if you want to go preservative-free, there is only one SAFE way to go:
make only enough product for a single use, then use it up in its entirety immediately.

Otherwise, ALL of your lovely infusions, extracts, deconcoctions, creams, tonics, lotions, and anything else with WATER in it, are going to turn into a toxic cocktail before you wake up tomorrow.

I'll bet you think I'm exaggerating.

I really wish I was.

You would be floored if you could witness how fast bacteria grows in preservative-free products containing water - even more so when they are plant-based.

Think you can smell or see if an unpreserved product has gone bad?

Sorry, but you can't.

Check this post at Personal Care, Truth or Scare for an illustrated example.

No 2 Ways

If you are buying someone else's DIY and they tell you their (water-containing) products are preservative free - trust this: you are buying a bacteria bomb that might give you all kinds of unpleasant reactions.

There are no 2 ways about it.

If a commercial brand company tells you their body lotion is preservative-free 'because they use super-refined aloe vera' then you have my permission to guffaw at them – loudly, because they either are lying their heads off or they are dumb as dirt and will be shut down by the authorities for endangering the health of their customers any day now.

If they aren't dumb as dirt, then they are in all likelihood hiding the preservatives under terms such as 'parfum' on their ingredients list.

There are no 2 ways about it.


Dangerous Toxins?

Finally, a bit of semantics: I keep hearing and reading the phrase 'dangerous toxins'.

Really?

Can someone please point me to some safe toxins?


End of rant.


Do Tell

Are you passionate about preservatives? (against or for?) Speak up!


Comments

Unknown said…
I think this link pretty much explains it all:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPjoOQDyQMo
LisaLise said…
spot on Chris. Thank you for sharing this
María said…
Safe toxins? OMG, I loved that!! Please let me LMFAO because that was brilliant.
It never surprises me how people cab beloved no matter what they find on the internet without researching a little. Like the "dangerous toxins". It's like saying that you should be careful about the dangerous poisons (of course, safe poisons are not counted...) I can imagine where you have found that about the" dangerous toxins", buy maybe it's better not to say in public... XD
María said…
Safe toxins? OMG, I loved that!! Please let me LMFAO because that was brilliant.
It never surprises me how people cab beloved no matter what they find on the internet without researching a little. Like the "dangerous toxins". It's like saying that you should be careful about the dangerous poisons (of course, safe poisons are not counted...) I can imagine where you have found that about the" dangerous toxins", buy maybe it's better not to say in public... XD
María said…
Safe toxins? OMG, I loved that!! Please let me LMFAO because that was brilliant.
It never surprises me how people cab beloved no matter what they find on the internet without researching a little. Like the "dangerous toxins". It's like saying that you should be careful about the dangerous poisons (of course, safe poisons are not counted...) I can imagine where you have found that about the" dangerous toxins", buy maybe it's better not to say in public... XD
LisaLise said…
teehee- Thanks María :)
Rikke said…
Hej Lise

Jeg nyder stadig at følge din blog. Altid spændende at få fyldt lidt på, når du øser ud af din viden.

Det var bare det, jeg ville sige.

Hej hej og god weekend.

Kh Rikke
LisaLise said…
Ih tak Rikke!! Håber du stortrives :)
I love your sensible, straightforward, and evidence-based approach to preservation! Your posts on preservatives are so clear and illuminating, and you succinctly correct so many misconceptions. In my humble opinion, the above post and the guest article you wrote on preservation for Beaut-e should be required reading for all green beauty formulators and bloggers. Thanks for sharing such valuable knowledge!
LisaLise said…
Hi Melissa - Thank you kindly for your comment. I really appreciate your input!