Growing accessibility to skincare and beauty products has enabled them to become a common element in modern teenage lifestyles. While a lot of these products may be beneficial, others contain chemicals that can cause lasting harm. Many consumers overlook these chemicals and the consequences of exposure to them, which, according to the National Library of Medicine, has been linked to cancer and other serious health problems.

A range of companies have popularized and industrialized products like deodorant as the solution to body odor, but some not-so-clean secrets lie behind the colorful containers and convincing commercials. Studies show that many popular chemicals found in these bars, such as parabens and phthalates, can interfere with the hormone system and become “endocrine disruptors.” 

Endocrine disruptors are chemicals that enter the body through the skin, inhalation, or ingestion and block or interfere with the body’s hormones. This can cause health issues because hormones regulate many of the body’s critical functions, such as metabolism, development, and reproduction. 

Bolinas resident and small business owner Megan Gould experienced the effects of chemical-filled deodorants and decided to take action. She founded Apology deodorant in 2014, a completely natural alternative deodorant balm that eliminates odor without causing harm to the body.

“For years, I worried about the long-term health effects of rolling this stick into my armpits every day, knowing that most conventional deodorants on the market contain aluminum, parabens, propylene glycol and other harmful ingredients,” Gould said. “I wanted to make something that was chemical-free, that actually worked. I named my formula Apology because I feel we owe our armpits an apology for all the chemicals used upon it for all those years.”

Two of the most common hormone-disrupting chemicals found in products are parabens and phthalates, according to Consumer Reports. Parabens are a preservative that prevents mold and bacteria in products and have been shown to disrupt the hormone balance. Phthalates are a group of chemicals that make plastic more flexible and scent last longer on the skin. They also cause interference to hormone production and are linked to cardiovascular issues and asthma. 

When systems in the body are thrown off balance, it can cause disruptions in the vital processes that the body undergoes. These disruptions include mimicry (copycatting), antagonism (opposition), altering production, interfering with receptor binding, and epigenetic changes. Once these chemicals enter your body via your bloodstream, pores, or inhalation, they have harmful effects on the body.

Natural products have also found their way into some common Marin practices, such as acupuncture. Lifelong resident of Marin County and licensed acupuncturist Mary Norton has always stuck to natural products for all of her clients. 

“Using natural products on our skin is very similar to putting a product into our mouth. Our skin is porous and absorbs what we put on it,” Norton said. “One of the most common misconceptions that I see is when someone tries a product, and it doesn’t work as fast as a medication, then they misconceive that the product doesn’t work at all. Natural products commonly do heal a patient’s condition, albeit slowly, opposite to a medication that might just clear the symptoms without helping the patient’s immune system to heal the underlying condition.”

Students at Archie Williams have gained awareness of these harmful chemicals. Junior Holly Hovey uses all-natural products in her day-to-day life, as it was part of her upbringing and now is something that she plans to hold onto in the future. 

“Growing up, my mom always made sure we stuck to liking natural products. It’s really important to her and I think that awareness got passed down to me too,” Holly said. “I’ve found some super good alternatives to some of the common products, and some of them, I think, work even better. Personally, I just feel so much better when I’m using products that don’t have weird chemicals and make me feel good.” 

Being aware of what’s in products can go a long way when it comes to long-term health. As new studies come out along with cleaner, natural alternatives to products, more opportunities will become available to choose products that support the body instead of damaging it.