Nanotechnology

This is a pretty complicate topic, but I am going to try to keep it as simple as possible. I promise it wont read like a scientific manual!

So what is Nanotechnology well, according to a scientific report in April 2009 Nanotechnology is…

…actually no that definition was like 10 pages long. I am going to give you my own definition, it wont be quite as scientific, but it might actually make sense! Nanotechnology, in the cosmetics industry is the way that we absorb things through our skin.

For example, you know when you rub sunscreen into your skin, and it just sits on the top, making this ugly white, greasy layer, well that is because the particles that make up the sunscreen are too big. That’s where Nanotechnology comes in, it is a scientific way of making the particles smaller, and so the sunscreen soaks into the skin, making you look less like a pale ghost.

Ok….so how is this bad, you might ask, Well, here is the catch; The particles can become so small that they don’t just soak into the first layer of your skin, they can keep going, and we have no way of knowing (yet) where they actually stop. The nano-particles are so small there is a huge risk of these nano-particles integrating into your blood stream and cell structure, potentially playing havoc with your DNA! Eek!

A European study, showed that 5% of cosmetic companies are already using this technology and even promoting its benefits, but without the proper scientific research on its long-term effects, we don’t really know what it is doing to us.

Again, its the beauty industry self-regulating, for maximum profit, they really do do things backwards, until a ingredient or in this case technology proves to be harmful, it can stay on the market, and doesn’t even have to be stated on the pack! Frighteningly (there is always one of these), A UK-based consumer group, published a report titled “Small Wonder? Nanotechnology and Cosmetics” in November 2008. In this they contacted a number of cosmetics companies about their use of nanotechnology. Only eight companies agreed to give details of their product! Hello does that not scream “DO NOT USE NANOTECHNOLOGY!”

The SCCP (EU Scientific Committee on Consumer Products) have called for changes to be made to legislation, with more research and nano-particles being listed as an ingredient mandatory, however this will not come into effect until 2012, so until then, be very careful!

Companies known to be using nanotechnology:

Boots,

Avon,

The Body Shop,

L’Oréal,

Nivea

Unilever.

for brands with real natural content log onto www.rawpolish.com, and check out what we have rated as the best natural products.

See even cosmetics companies you though were safe, like the Body Shop aren’t, because not everything is as it appears; the Body Shop is owned by L’oreal, so of course they are sharing ingredients and technologies.

Hope this article made sense! I'll keep you posted

Love,

    Raw Polish