Dove is one of the most well-known beauty brands in the word. It is likely that you use their products without even giving them a second thought; most people think that just because it is sold in stores that it is safe. I am sorry to say that, that just is not the case.
Their advertisements appear to work hard at portraying a more natural image. This is something they do in order to set them aside from the other companies. Their commercials often show makeup-less women and boast about ‘real beauty.’ The sad truth is that this is simply a marketing technique, there is nothing natural about Dove products.
Ever since its launch back in 1957, Dove has tried to appear ‘better’ for you than other soaps on the market. The truth is, however, that dove contains many of the same ingredients found in other mass produced cosmetics. While they want to trick you into thinking you’re opting for a better more natural product, you really are not. Dove Deep Moisture Body Wash contains these ingredients:
- Water (Aqua)
- Cocamidopropyl Betaine
- Sodium Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate
- Lauric Acid
- Sodium Lauroyl Glycinate
- Sodium Lauroyl Isethionate
- Hydrogenated Soybean Oil
- Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil Or Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil
- Sodium Chloride
- Glycerin
- Fragrance (Parfum)
- Guar Hydoxypropyltrimonium Chloride
- Dmdm Hydantoin
- Stearic Acid
- Citric Acid
- Bht
- Tetrasodium Edta
- Methylisothiazolinone
- Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate
As you can see almost all of these ingredients sound far from natural, but just what kind of adverse effects can using these chemicals in our products cause? Surely not all of them are bad, right? Lets take a look at a few.
- Sodium Laureth Sulfate- Thousands of studies have been done on this chemical alone and have linked it to things like skin and eye irritation, organ toxicity, reproductive toxicity, endocrine disruption, and even possible mutations.
- Methylisothiazolinone- This has been found to contribute to the development of neurodegenerative disorders as well as seizures.
- Sodium Tallowate- this is something that comes from the fatty tissue in cows. Thus meaning it is not something vegans would want to be using.
- Fragrance/Parfum- Is a known irritant and actually is the leading cause of dermatitis from cosmetic use. This has been linked with skin sensitivity among other things.
- Tetrasodium Edta- This is made from formaldehyde, need I say more? Formaldehyde is a carcinogen. This chemical is something known as a penetration enhancer that means that it works to break down the skin in order to allow the other chemicals to access the blood stream quicker. Does that sound natural to you?
While Dove markets a message that we should love ourselves and respect our bodies using their products does not appear to be a way in which we would be respecting our bodies. Beauty shouldn’t hurt, it shouldn’t hurt our skin or our bodies. Please check the ingredient list before you buy anything, these days anything can be marketed in a way that makes it seem healthy. The only way to truly know what you’re getting is to know what is being put into it.
Dove isn’t the only ‘beauty’ company that uses these ingredients. For more information on toxic ingredients and which brands are actually creating products that are healthy for your body please watch the videos below. Enjoy!