You influence the amount of environmental toxins
March 11, 2018 – Marina Engervik
The smoking law was implemented long after we learned how harmful smoking is. We see a similar trend regarding environmental toxins, and therefore we as consumers must make conscious choices to protect ourselves and the environment.
We all know how harmful tobacco smoke is and we make the choice ourselves whether we want to smoke or not. Before the smoking law came to Norway, you were often exposed to second-hand smoke even if you were a non-smoker. It's a bit the same with environmental toxins, I myself choose not to use ingredients that are environmentally harmful or that contain environmental toxins, but I can't avoid it, because it's everywhere around us, in the drinking water, in the air we breathe and the food we eat.
As a manufacturer, I always make conscious choices to keep the products as clean and safe as possible. When I developed the products, I myself had skin that seemed to be plagued by harmful chemicals. My skin was simply in chaos with both dry eczema skin and deep acne. After much trial and error with various products, I took matters into my own hands and developed a complex facial oil that balanced and treated my skin, 100% natural and completely free of harmful chemicals. This oil quickly earned the nickname 'the miracle oil' and that is why we are now called Marina Miracle. Now, 4 years later, and with 11 products in our skincare line, we guarantee that all of our products are free of harmful added chemicals and environmental toxins.
It is important to me that no skincare products I put on the market burden health and the environment. I do what I can both as a consumer and as a manufacturer of skincare. I believe it is incredibly important that we are aware of what we are actually putting on our skin, because it affects everything around us, but in order to make an informed choice you need to be informed. I hope and wish that more and more people will become better informed.
Does your skincare contain environmental toxins?
Have you heard of fluorinated substances (PFOA)? They can be added to cosmetics to make the products oil and water repellent or can act as a binder, anti-caking agent, emulsifier or solvent. These toxic substances hide behind the ingredient names " PTFE", "Polytef", "Perfluoro" and "Polyfluoro" on the ingredient lists of skin care and cosmetics.
Fluorinated substances are carcinogenic and endocrine disruptors , they can cause birth defects, they are as difficult to biodegrade as plastic and accumulate in living organisms, which in turn has serious long-term effects on health or the environment. When it comes to fluorinated substances in skin care and makeup, it is especially harmful because we wash this off and the harmful substances get into the water and become part of the food chain and our drinking water.
I just became a mom, and my 2 week old daughter is getting this through the water we drink, the air we breathe, and soon the food we eat. And I can't avoid it. I can't do anything about it even though I do what I can both as a consumer and as a producer.
Scary test results
The Consumer Inspectors, in collaboration with Framtiden i Våre Hender, had a broadcast on NRK, Wednesday 7 March 2018, about environmental toxins in cosmetics, where they tested different brands and their products for fluorinated substances. The results were very startling and I recommend watching this program on NRK nettTV.
Harmful and toxic chemicals are not always discovered until they have caused great damage and it is not until then that the law steps in to make changes. We know very well that fluorinated substances are very harmful to health and the environment, so why don't manufacturers make an immediate change? From 2020, the EU will set a law that regulates the limit values, meaning that the substance is still legal, but manufacturers must use smaller quantities and pay fees. But it is still legal. This is where we as consumers must be aware and make conscious choices when we buy our next skincare or makeup product.
Is there a solution?
I spoke with the distributor of the makeup brand Hynt Beauty about how they thought about bringing this brand to consumers here in Norway. Owner and CEO, Anne Trogstad, of Spa Elixir says:
''I am an avid outdoor enthusiast myself and have been diving for almost 40 years. I love the ocean and nature and am very concerned about the environment and how we can best preserve our environment. That is why I focus on ensuring that the products Spa Elixir distributes are free of harmful environmental toxins. I have worked with certified organic skincare ranges since 2011 and after searching for a natural and organic makeup range, I found Hynt Beauty that satisfies my strict requirements for what is safe for the consumer, safe for the environment and that the ingredients are fair trade.
Hynt Beauty is 100% natural, based on organic ingredients. Which are completely free of dangerous environmental toxins and everything that is or can be thought of as harmful to us, the environment and animals. No synthetic perfumes or colors, no parabens, no environmental toxins. The packaging is made of recycled material.''
Fluorinated substances are just one of many environmental toxins that we ingest, including through skin care and makeup. A solution to this problem is that we can make proven choices both as manufacturers, distributors and consumers. That we all choose those who make safe, healthy and completely non-toxic products. The more people who become aware and mindful of their choices, the bigger the difference we can make.
Written by Marina E. Engverik - Founder of Marina Miracle
