As we all know, the human skin wraps and protects our fragile bodies.  It constitutes a living, dynamic tissue system that has the remarkable ability to absorb, partially or completely, into the bloodstream.  In fact, did you know that up to 60% of the products we use on our skin are absorbed and deposited into the circulatory system.

Now, new esthetic techniques take that even father by using applied technologies such as forced application methods to make up for the other 40% claiming this allows for maximum absorption and benefits.  For the most part, many say anything that sounds good to our ears...

For instance, the average woman absorbs 30 pounds of the ingredients contained in moisturizers over sixty years as noted by the renowned Dr.Hauschka.  That means 30 pounds of contaminated substances are lingering about that could be creating many serious health related side effects, not to mention the washed off residues which is anywhere upwards of 10 times that found in the human system, now to be found in our food chain and environmental water supplies.  Some recent studies of the environmental eco-system have shown many of these common cosmetic ingredients are leaving traces in fish, fowl and vegan.  Some researchers also have found these contaminates could be creating mutants in nature and impacting the environmental evolution.

These new understandings of how the skin functions reveal concerns about the possible long term effects due to the combination of chemicals used in cosmetics, often termed the "chemical cocktail effect".  Several chemicals which are used in common, popular cosmetics are known irritants and carcinogens as well as environmental hazards. Concern stems from the knowledge that most of these ingredients are derived synthetically or from petroleum.  Avoiding these substances serve to decrease overall exposure to harmful or irritating cosmetic ingredients for one.  For centuries, the wisdom of nature has been used over and over, and it is by nature that one can find healthier alternatives to not only skin care and skin care products, but many parts of our lifestyle can bring even new meaning to life on this earth.

Does that mean we are being used as toxic waste dumps in the name of science and skin care?  Yes, and most of us don't even realize just how toxic it really is.

We at IntelCosmet are about to change that and more by doing are part to offer fresh natural & healthy cosmetic products.  Making claims to being natural is not something we state as simple marketing hype, nor do we take the term natural as for simple claims for un-just rewards.  We don't mass produce nor do we stock our products for one, secondly our products are made at time of order FRESH for you and only you.

When making choices on the ingredients we use, many of the select ones we today develop with have taken many years to find just the right cultivation and quality that can make our claim as being natural a fact and not fiction.  The claim from a supplier or cultivator as to quality and purity is verified with extreme diligence to insure total integrity to its natural, bio and certified claims.  Being certified does not mean this is the best that nature has to offer by any means nor does that of mass cultivation either.  Equitable and Bio-cultivations as are found on a handful of artisans using methods that have been used and proven for over hundreds of years.   As a matter of fact, a sense of " coming clean " towards a healthier you and environment is integrated within each product developed and carefully handcrafted within IntelCosmet just for you.  Our products are also offered on a more personalized offering as well starting with ICSDiag.

There are real concerns today about not only cosmetics, but many other products as well.  In concerns for that of cosmetics the following list is by far complete as science churns out new chemical additives on a regular basis, but these common unnatural ingredients are to Avoid in Cosmetics due to Possible Negative Side Effects to both Humans and our Mother Earth :

Aluminum

• Thought to contribute to Alzheimer's Disease.
• Found in almost all antiperspirants.
• Works by blocking pores so sweat cannot be released by the skin.

Artificial colours

• FD&C, derived from coal tar.
• For example, Azo dyes are a risk to asthmatics, eczema sufferers and people sensitive to aspirin.
• Causes hyperactivity in children, severe headaches, blurred vision and itchy/watery eyes and nose (Antczak, 2001).

Benzoates

• Benzoates Benzoic acid, sodium benzoate or parahydroxy benzoate.
• Used as a preservative in cosmetics and fizzy drinks. Causes gastric irritation, numbing of the mouth and aggravates asthma (Antczak, 2001).

Certain essential oils

• Rosemary is harmful to epileptics. Sage is not recommended for pregnant women. IntelCosmet uses only the safest of essential oils. Each clients profile is part of insuring total comfort and final results.

DEA, MEA, TEA

• Causes allergic reactions, irritating to eyes and dries out hair and skin (Fairley, 2001).
• Dibutyl phthalate
• Found in all persons tested by the CDC (Center for Disease Control, USA) in a 2000 Fall study.
• Highest levels were found in women of reproductive age.
• Causes birth defects in animals, and damaging to the male reproductive system (ABC News, Internet Ventures 2000).
• Used in cosmetics to assist the absorption of other ingredients.

Formaldehydes

• A preservative. (used in preparation within the morgue for example)
• Causes skin reactions.
• Imidazolidinyl urea is the second most identified preservative causing contact dermatitis ( American Academy of Dermatology: Fairley, 2001).
• DMDM hydantoin
• Quaternium 15
• Diazolidinylurea
• 2-bromo-2-nitropropane-1
• 3-diol

Fragrances

• Can contain up to 200 undeclared substances (Fairley, 2001).
• Major cause, in addition to artificial colours, of skin irritations and allergies (Antczak, 2001).
• May cause dizziness, skin irritation and hyper pigmentation (Fairley, 2001).

Genetically Modified Organisms

• Soy, Corn
• Effects still undetermined.
• IntelCosmet only use certified organic Soy  (absolutely no modified ingredients are used) 

Isopropyl Alcohol

• Drying agent, from petroleum.

Keratolytic chemicals

• Such as hydroxyl acids, retinoic acid.
• Corrosive, used in skin peels.
• Dissolves the stratum corneum of the epidermis (outermost layer), making skin more sensitive to sun damage.
• Accelerates production of dead skin cells; the skin thickens to repair its surface so that vulnerable skin cells underneath are protected from the effects of skin peeling.(Antczak, 2001).

Methylisothiazolinone

• Causes allergic reactions and irritations (Fairley, 2001).

Parabens

• Petroleum product.
• Triggers skin irritations and may be an xerestrogen (Fairley, 2001).May play a role in falling sperm counts and rising breast cancer rates (Fairley, 2001).Used in 99% of all cosmetics (Fairley, 2001), and in many so-called 'natural' products.

Parraffin

• Derived from petroleum.
• In the form of wax, mineral oil or petrolatum.
• Comedogenic, i.e.blocks pores.

Propylene Glycol

• Derived from petroleum.
• Increases the amount of acid in the body, resulting in metabolic problems.
• Large amounts are needed to produce this effect (Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry or ATSDR, 2003).

Sodium laureth sulfate, sodium lauryl sulfate

• Forms carcinogenic nitrogen compounds when combined with specific ingredients.
• Irritating to eyes, skin and lungs (Antczak, 2001).
• Harmful if swallowed and may cause damage to eyes (Antczak, 2001).

Tallow

• Animal fat.
• Not suitable for vegans, and may be a skin irritant.

Toluene

• Found in many nail products and nail polish removers.
• Produced during the process of making gasoline and other fuels from crude oil or coal.
• Evaporates into the air when products containing toluene are opened.
• May affect the nervous system, and/or cause tiredness, confusion, weakness, nausea, or loss of appetite.
• Symptoms disappear when exposure is eliminated (ATSDR, 2003).

In Canada, not all cosmetics list their ingredients on their labels, but most have toll free telephone numbers or contact information which link you to their customer service departments, where inquiries about ingredient lists can be made.  Reading labels and recognizing problematic ingredients are necessary skills for a consumer who intends to choose products that are completely natural.  The cost of a cosmetic is not a reliable indicator of either its quality or natural characteristics.  Most cosmetics, from the lowest priced, to the most costly brands, are composed of identical base ingredients (Begoun, 1991).

Cosmetics do not stay on the surface of the skin without penetrating to some degree. Lipstick wearers, for example, consume 1.5 to 4 tubes in a lifetime (quote - Aveda).  If one considers the ingredients being internalized by the body, absorbing plant oils and waxes, mineral pigments or essential oils is a healthier alternative than absorbing petroleum by-products and synthetic chemicals.  The ability to choose the right cosmetics for you depends on accurate ingredient knowledge, personal needs and market choices.  Caring for one's whole body includes skin care choices that support and contribute to a healthy lifestyle.

Natural cosmetic products and make-up are safer, healthier alternatives especially when these products are composed of all natural ingredients.  A natural product is described as one that contains mostly or completely naturally derived ingredients (Antczak, 2001).  It also indicates that the product is free from, or contains minute amounts of artificial chemical additives.  Caution is required when products claim to be natural. For instance, they may contain small amounts of plant extracts, but the bulk of the product is petroleum based and loaded with fragrances. Instead, consider switching to completely natural products, which perform to the same standard as their non-natural counterparts.  IntelCosmet offers a wide range of simple, affordable and high quality natural cosmetic products.

IntelCosmet's cosmeceutical products are carefully formulated from plant waxes, plant oils, essential oils from flowers, barks and spices, as well as natural colored mineral pigments only, nothing more, nothing less.  Only those ingredients that are certified natural, therapeutic, bio and environmental safe go into products developed by IntelCosmet's very own Certified Dermo-Hygienist and founder, Nathalie Van Eeckhoudt.

Nathalie has researched for over 20 years to find some of the best natural ingredients from around the world.  There are many so-called naturals of various degrees of qualities, those that in turn are cultivated in abusive forms, genetic-altered, chemical enhanced growth, for the most part are either harming the environment or using exploited human and even child labor.  Many of these naturals are now showing in bulk stores and other commerce and are far from being 100% pure or of therapeutic quality for the most part.  Many of these bulk stores buy anything they can group together sometimes buying up whole crops even before cultivation.  End-result  : inferior quality and sometimes even contaminated ingredients leaving the consumer unknown from these aspects. Only an expert in the field of botanics would be able to note the difference, thus the old term - Buyer Beware becomes very real in the market of naturals not just for you, but for us as a developer.

Part of our mission is to not only produce the finest natural cosmetics known today, but to also insure that these products are 100% Earth Safe~Human Safe in all aspects - from plant cultivation to bottle!

Switching to all natural cosmetics or other natural products and make-up can help you to avoid feeding your skin and our earth harmful chemicals.  Many skin problems, such as acne, contact dermatitis, irritations and allergies may disappear once petroleum or synthetic ingredients are removed from your skin care regimen.  Using fully natural products can contribute to healthy skin and a healthy body in the long term. One other key aspect of using natural Earth Safe products is if one takes into mind the use of cosmetics and were they finally end up in that of our very own water supply is a statement on its own.  Doing our part to help keep Nature Earth clean, not only insures the life on earth as we now know it, but also allows humans on earth to use her precious essences like that of those in the products we develop and handcraft today.

We invite you to give our natural products a try. They are completely natural, vegan and an excellent alternative to conventional cosmetic skin care.

To view more our products, please visit our online  ICStore

Nathalie Van Eeckhoudt  has been researching and developing all natural skin care products for the purpose of offering men and women safe, natural cosmetics for everyday use.  You can find more on the history of Nathalie Van Eeckhoudt by following :

Nathalie Van Eeckhoudt, her story, her passion...