Omani herbs offer natural alternatives to toxic beauty products
Published: 03:05 PM,May 21,2024 | EDITED : 07:05 PM,May 21,2024
The main culprit behind many of the health issues plaguing people and leading to chronic diseases is frequent contact with environmental toxins. Despite investing significant resources in enhancing the quality of their diet to promote better health, a lot of people are stuck in a perpetual cycle of suffering. This is often due to the presence of toxins in their home environment.
'Many of the chemical preservatives used in products affect the function of our cells and distort our body’s natural biochemical pathways. The body’s systems are so interdependent that it is impossible to isolate the causes of some diseases, so these chemicals remain unquestioned,” explained Dr Zaaima Al Jabri, Assistant Professor of Microbiology and Immunology at SQU.
“Most high-street skincare products, for example, contain some very nasty chemicals that can be very disruptive to the thyroid gland and wreak havoc with your hormonal health,” she shared.
Some very commonly used chemicals are particularly problematic, therefore, make sure to check your daily routine products and make sure that they are free from toxic substances.
“Parabens, a preserving agent, for example, is used in many conventional skincare products. What a lot of people don't know is that it can mimic estrogen in the body,” she shared. Most spray products, she added, “include PVP/VA copolymer, which can damage the lungs when inhaled and then travel around the body through circulation. Synthetic fragrances often cause rashes and lung problems and disrupt the precious thyroid gland.'
Next time you go to buy shampoos, shower gels, soaps, and other kinds of toothpaste, as she noted, “Make sure that they are free Sodium Lauryl/Laureth Sulfate which is a foaming agent that can cause rashes, skin problems, and deeper disruptions in the body, such as the endocrine system. Synthetic Colours as well are often listed as FD&C or D&C and are followed by a number; these make products look pretty but can be carcinogenic.”
The fresh and nice scents in your favourite product are likely to be caused by chemicals such as Phthalates. 'Sadly, they don't have to be declared by the manufacturers, so they are just labelled as ‘fragrance’. A study by Parlett (2012) found that women who used perfume 24 hours before the experiment had phthalate urine concentrations 2.9 times higher than those who hadn’t. It makes you wonder about those advertisements with beautiful women looking sensual as they spray themselves with hazardous chemicals,' she pointed out.
Be careful not to put antibacterial products in your shopping cart. Triclosan is a substance found in antibacterial soap, but a lot of other products are now carrying this ingredient too, including makeup, deodorants, clothing, and kinds of toothpaste. “This antibacterial and antifungal agent gives a lot of cleaning products their ability to boast about killing germs and bacteria, though the ingredient does not affect viruses. According to an FDA report, there is no evidence that antibacterial products protect people any better than regular soap and water. It’s known to disrupt the thyroid, and the endocrine systems and be the cause of many allergies,' she explained.
If you are happy because your favourite deodorant makes you sweat less in the hot summer, make sure it is aluminium-free, which gives it this privilege. 'Aluminum is an antiperspirant, and it is a heavy metal that the body has trouble eliminating. It has also been linked to breast cancer in women,' she shared.
There are always natural alternatives that smell good and make you feel as luxurious as the chemical options. If you visit your local health shop product, as she warned, 'Do not be misguided with labels like “organic” or “natural” because they can be made of a few organic ingredients but still have parabens (as an emulsifier), phthalates (as fragrance) added to them. Therefore, ingredients still need checking.”
The herbs available in the Omani environment, which Omani women relied on in the past, are useful, healthy, and can be an ideal alternative. 'For example, you can make a natural Sidr (Ziziphus spina-christi leaves) shampoo at home by simply mixing three tablespoons of Sidr powder with 500 ml of water. Then strain the ingredients together to get a frothy mixture that can be immediately used to shampoo the hair. Adding a few drops of Luban (frankincense) essential oil would make the perfect antidandruff shampoo,' she mentioned.
You can also use Waras herb (scientifically called Curcuma aromatica) to restore the balance of your skin. 'Mix Waras powder with oil like olive, al-Shu', or sesame oil, then keep the mixture in a bottle and use it from time to time by applying it to the entire face. The Omani brides in the past used to apply it to the whole body and were kept unwashed for four to five days to give the body a white colour and a good smell,' said Maryam Al Kharousi, Omani researcher and author of the book Recipes and Documentation from the Omani Heritage, The Omani Woman's Decoration of Plants.
Sandalwood powder (scientifically called santalum album) as well is used for face care by mixing it with rose water. “These scrubs are still used by Omani women for the skin because they whiten its colour, reduce dark spots, treat acne and skin melasma, and give a pink colour to the cheeks naturally,' Maryam mentioned.
The 'Waras' plant is also used to perfume clothes. 'The Omani women in the past soaked their clothes in 'Waras' oil for days to absorb it and wear it in the high summer heat,' Maryem noted.
'Many of the chemical preservatives used in products affect the function of our cells and distort our body’s natural biochemical pathways. The body’s systems are so interdependent that it is impossible to isolate the causes of some diseases, so these chemicals remain unquestioned,” explained Dr Zaaima Al Jabri, Assistant Professor of Microbiology and Immunology at SQU.
“Most high-street skincare products, for example, contain some very nasty chemicals that can be very disruptive to the thyroid gland and wreak havoc with your hormonal health,” she shared.
Some very commonly used chemicals are particularly problematic, therefore, make sure to check your daily routine products and make sure that they are free from toxic substances.
“Parabens, a preserving agent, for example, is used in many conventional skincare products. What a lot of people don't know is that it can mimic estrogen in the body,” she shared. Most spray products, she added, “include PVP/VA copolymer, which can damage the lungs when inhaled and then travel around the body through circulation. Synthetic fragrances often cause rashes and lung problems and disrupt the precious thyroid gland.'
Next time you go to buy shampoos, shower gels, soaps, and other kinds of toothpaste, as she noted, “Make sure that they are free Sodium Lauryl/Laureth Sulfate which is a foaming agent that can cause rashes, skin problems, and deeper disruptions in the body, such as the endocrine system. Synthetic Colours as well are often listed as FD&C or D&C and are followed by a number; these make products look pretty but can be carcinogenic.”
The fresh and nice scents in your favourite product are likely to be caused by chemicals such as Phthalates. 'Sadly, they don't have to be declared by the manufacturers, so they are just labelled as ‘fragrance’. A study by Parlett (2012) found that women who used perfume 24 hours before the experiment had phthalate urine concentrations 2.9 times higher than those who hadn’t. It makes you wonder about those advertisements with beautiful women looking sensual as they spray themselves with hazardous chemicals,' she pointed out.
Be careful not to put antibacterial products in your shopping cart. Triclosan is a substance found in antibacterial soap, but a lot of other products are now carrying this ingredient too, including makeup, deodorants, clothing, and kinds of toothpaste. “This antibacterial and antifungal agent gives a lot of cleaning products their ability to boast about killing germs and bacteria, though the ingredient does not affect viruses. According to an FDA report, there is no evidence that antibacterial products protect people any better than regular soap and water. It’s known to disrupt the thyroid, and the endocrine systems and be the cause of many allergies,' she explained.
If you are happy because your favourite deodorant makes you sweat less in the hot summer, make sure it is aluminium-free, which gives it this privilege. 'Aluminum is an antiperspirant, and it is a heavy metal that the body has trouble eliminating. It has also been linked to breast cancer in women,' she shared.
There are always natural alternatives that smell good and make you feel as luxurious as the chemical options. If you visit your local health shop product, as she warned, 'Do not be misguided with labels like “organic” or “natural” because they can be made of a few organic ingredients but still have parabens (as an emulsifier), phthalates (as fragrance) added to them. Therefore, ingredients still need checking.”
The herbs available in the Omani environment, which Omani women relied on in the past, are useful, healthy, and can be an ideal alternative. 'For example, you can make a natural Sidr (Ziziphus spina-christi leaves) shampoo at home by simply mixing three tablespoons of Sidr powder with 500 ml of water. Then strain the ingredients together to get a frothy mixture that can be immediately used to shampoo the hair. Adding a few drops of Luban (frankincense) essential oil would make the perfect antidandruff shampoo,' she mentioned.
You can also use Waras herb (scientifically called Curcuma aromatica) to restore the balance of your skin. 'Mix Waras powder with oil like olive, al-Shu', or sesame oil, then keep the mixture in a bottle and use it from time to time by applying it to the entire face. The Omani brides in the past used to apply it to the whole body and were kept unwashed for four to five days to give the body a white colour and a good smell,' said Maryam Al Kharousi, Omani researcher and author of the book Recipes and Documentation from the Omani Heritage, The Omani Woman's Decoration of Plants.
Sandalwood powder (scientifically called santalum album) as well is used for face care by mixing it with rose water. “These scrubs are still used by Omani women for the skin because they whiten its colour, reduce dark spots, treat acne and skin melasma, and give a pink colour to the cheeks naturally,' Maryam mentioned.
The 'Waras' plant is also used to perfume clothes. 'The Omani women in the past soaked their clothes in 'Waras' oil for days to absorb it and wear it in the high summer heat,' Maryem noted.