Most people couple their daily showers with a complex regimen of body exfoliators, acne treatment products and other harsh skin care products. But are you cleaning too well?
Scientists say there is such a thing as being too clean. Shampoos, soaps and other products can actually wreak havoc your body’s natural oils, or sebum, which protect you against dangerous microbes, provide vitamin E and moisturize your skin naturally. It also provides you with pheromones and antioxidants.
Alkaline, antibacterial soaps or other harsh ingredients in skin care products can strip your skin the more you scrub. This means your skin will lack moisture, beneficial bacteria and germ and sun protection.
Constant hand sanitizing may not be doing you any favors either. A study in 2009 actually showed that the skin’s natural bacteria can actually reduce inflammation around damaged or injured skin.
Shampooing too often can damage your hair health as well. Natural oils actually keep your hair shiny and hydrated, and shampooing daily can actually strip these oils and make your hair worse, costing you even more to buy products that repair the damage.
As uncomfortable as people feel admitting it, you need bacteria to maintain your health. Avoid antibacterial soaps and excessive shampoo use and let your body regulate itself the way it was made to. Healthy sebum levels can even keep your skin looking younger longer, saving you money on anti-aging skin products.
Obviously staying clean and hygienic is still important, so if you still feel the need to clean frequently, consider switching to natural skin care products or shampoos. These will often be gentler on your skin and provide it with crucial nutrients. Homemade remedies made from cocoa or shea butter can work wonders without damaging your skin, and aloe vera gel can make a great natural hair gel.
Right now, there are about 258 cosmeceutical skin care businesses in the US employing about 6,756 people, and the industry’s only growing. If you take the time to shop around, you’re sure to find hair and skin care products that work harder to protect your body.
