06/08/2025
This has been on my heart all weekend. 💚
You know when something shakes you, not because it's new, but because it hits you from every direction at once?
That was me this week.
As you all know, I work in wellbeing. I’m a women’s health coach, and every day I talk to women who feel exhausted, inflamed, disconnected from their bodies. Women who are told “this is just what happens with age.”
It’s not.
I see it all....
Hormone chaos.
Gut issues.
Weight issues.
Autoimmune flare-ups.
Mood swings that make them question their sanity.
Teenage girls with endo.
Women with no energy, no libido, no answers.
The stories are different, but the root causes often aren’t.
Then, this week, something happened that hit me harder than I expected…
I was watching a live event run by Tropic (the skincare brand I partner with) and thousands of Ambassadors were watching along. This year’s chosen charities include two cancer-focused ones.
Whilst watching, I was reading the comments...
“I’ve just finished chemo.”
“I lost my sister last year.”
“I’m living with cancer now.”
One after another. Hundreds of them.
It honestly left me speachless 🙁
These aren’t strangers. They’re women I work alongside, women who are already choosing cleaner, safer skincare... and yet still, so many are affected.
It made me even more determined to keep talking about the things we don’t talk about enough.
We are living in a world that’s making us sick ... slowly, silently, systemically.
One of the ways it’s doing that is through the everyday things we use without even thinking: what we eat, breathe, clean with… and what we put on our skin.
Your skin is your largest organ. It absorbs what you feed it, and those ingredients don’t just sit there .. they go in. They affect your hormones, your cells, your immune system, and some are linked to serious long-term health risks.
The beauty industry is still one of the least regulated. Most people have no idea what’s in the bottle ... just that it smells nice or comes in pretty packaging.
So whether you use Tropic or not, I’m sharing this list, because I wish I’d had it years ago.
💥 10 Ingredients I Now Avoid — and Why
(These are all still used in UK products today.)
1. Parabens – Synthetic preservatives that mimic oestrogen. Found in breast cancer tissue. Mess with hormones (especially during perimenopause/menopause).
2. Phthalates – Usually hidden as “fragrance.” Linked to infertility, early puberty, hormone disruption, and even miscarriage.
3. Triclosan – An antibacterial agent (actually a pesticide) that disrupts thyroid hormones and harms the environment.
4. Petroleum derivatives – Found in baby oil, lip balm, body creams. May contain 1,4-dioxane (a probable carcinogen) and block skin from breathing.
5. Synthetic Colours (FD&C / D&C) – Made from coal tar. Linked to skin sensitivity and long-term cell damage. Still found in bubble baths and makeup.
6. Oxybenzone – A chemical sunscreen that disrupts hormones and may reduce birth weight in babies. Still in many SPFs. Also kills coral reefs.
7. Methylisothiazolinone (MIT) – Found in some shampoos and body washes. Linked to eczema, skin reactions, and brain cell damage in animal studies.
8. Benzoyl Peroxide – Used in acne treatments. Can irritate the skin and may promote tumours in high doses (animal studies).
9. Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) – The foaming agent in many cleansers and toothpastes. Harsh on sensitive skin, especially during hormonal changes.
10. Formaldehyde-releasing preservatives
These include ingredients like DMDM hydantoin, imidazolidinyl urea, and quaternium-15, which slowly release formaldehyde over time to prevent mould. Formaldehyde is a known carcinogen (cancer-causing substance) and can trigger skin irritation, allergies, and even hormonal disruption. Still found in some shampoos, nail treatments, and liquid soaps.
What does this actually mean?
These aren’t just long chemical names on a label.
They’re tied to:
- Heavy, painful periods
- Mood swings, PMT, or anxiety that feels out of control
- Midsection weight gain that won’t shift
- Perimenopause symptoms that hit like a truck
- Infertility
- Early menopause
- Acne, eczema, rosacea
- Thyroid issues
- Even hormone-related cancers
- Brain fog, and brain diseases
If you’re seeing any of this in yourself or the people you love, this isn’t about fear, this is about awareness.
We’re NOT meant to accept all this as normal. We’re meant to wake up and choose better.
Tropic will never use any of those ingredients. That’s why I’m proud to be part of it, but even if you never buy a single thing from me, please 🙏 check your labels. Ask questions. Protect your body.
If you ever want help, I’ll happily check your products with you. No judgement. No pressure. Just support.
Because now more than ever, we deserve better.
Emma x 💛
