The world is sick. We have an epidemic of corporate interests negatively impacting almost every facet of human life in this country today. Skincare products are in no way shape or form immune to this. The impact that these byproducts have on the body are severe, and continue to damage the skin in many different ways. Lets talk about it.
Lets start by going waaaaaay back, taking a short visit to the past.....
In 1859 a bright and ambitious young chemist Robert Chesebrough discovered petroleum jelly while working in an oil patch in Pennsylvania. The workers at the site noticed a byproduct of the extraction process they began to call "rod wax". The substance seemed to work well for protecting and allowing recovery of cuts and scrapes. Interested, young Robert took this back to his lab and began experimentations on it, discovering how to refine it into a more usable form. By the time 1870 rolled around he had patented the process for creating "petroleum jelly" which he branded Vaseline.
Vaseline caught on like wild fire and quickly became a household name. If you had a medicine cabinet then you likely had a jar somewhere. I remember seeing it all the time as a kid in the 90's.
Just as fast as it caught on in the medical products field, the same happened for the cosmetic industry. Appearing to help lock in moisture and help prevent dehydration of the skin, companies left and right started introducing it to their products in some form or another. The massive success of Vaseline led to the production, sale, and introduction to a host of new, refined petroleum based additives. These additives have huge impact on human health and biology. Mineral Oil, Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs), Formaldehyde/Formaldehyde Releasers, BHA, BHT, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, along with Sodium Laureth Sulfate, all of these come from petroleum byproducts. Some of the effects of absorbing these chemicals into your skin (the largest organ in.... or should i say ON the human body) may include, but not limited to: Many different types of cancer and tumor cell growth, disrupting your endocrine system which is how your hormones are produced effectively, especially the production of estrogen in women causing reproductive issues and developmental issues. Over extended use it will weaken the skins barrier function making it easier to get burned, cut, or its ability to function properly, leaving your skin ultimately worse than when you began using the product. Much more to be looked at, but just google the stuff i left hear and you will see for yourself.
So why do we keep putting this crap on our bodies and our families bodies? I mark it down as lack of education around this stuff. Big skincare has a ton of huge marketing budgets. They hit you with as many signals as possible. Breaking down human psychology to sell you sickness designed as a cure. Flashy colors, sounds, lights, all coming at you like a dopamine spiking casino, attacking insecurities to get you to by their new "rejuvenation formula"
The buildup of these chemicals from our products, food, and environment are destroying our health and feeding us to the slaughterhouse that we call the American medical system. The bullshit that we call medicine in this country is an abomination. Being so passionate about health, tattooing, and my clients, I began making my own. We are done watching our clients, family and friends alike fall victim to these scam campaigns. Our goal is to help rid all the garbage products from our industry, and the big skincare space. How do we do that? By working together, taking massive action, and sticking to our morals and values. We change it by making alternative options that are such a high quality, effective, and safe, and educating as many people who will listen to us about the benefits of changing what we put on and in our bodies. If we can get our neighbors switching to pure products, maybe they will help their friends make a change. That wave of change could become a TSUNAMI, and next thing you know, our unsafe brands will be forced to create something better. Something safer. They will be forced to actually care.
The revolution of properly caring for your human machine is here. More and more people every single day are discovering the actual benefits they get not using chemical based products. More people are checking those labels, more people have become aware, thankfully. Building a tattoo company, seeing the ins and outs of the industry, and reflecting on my own personal health journey, sparked a fire in me to provide something to the industry that didn't exist. A pure, organic, plastic and petroleum free option of a tattoo balm. So i did tons of research. Months. Creating a product with a specific purpose, and getting it right is pretty challenging it turns out. After a few formulations, I am proud to say, we landed on a solid formula. It is one of the best healing balms you will ever put on your skin. But we are just a thread in the fabric of people providing clean, safe options for humans in the skincare space. And I am happy to be a part of it, humans with a common goal, moving forward we will absolutely keep creating and growing and educating on the benefits of changing your products, your mind, your lifestyle.
Changing what we use everyday sometimes is hard. Start with one product at a time. Soap, shampoo, where your meat is sourced, replacing your tap water, or changing your moisturizing routine, or a healing balm for a tattoo.
