Alcohol Denat – Produced by the fermentation of starch or other carbohydrate sources, this ingredient is used as a solvent for extracts and various ingredients. It has a refreshing, astringent effect that promotes clarity in skin care products, including aftershaves and perfumes. It also is used medicinally as a topical antiseptic, astringent and anti-bacterial.
Phenoxyethanol is an organic chemical compound, a glycol ether often used in dermatological products such as skin creams and sunscreen. It is a colorless oily liquid. It is a bactericide (usually used in conjunction with quaternary ammonium compounds), often used in place of sodium azide in biological buffers as 2-phenoxyethanol is less toxic and non-reactive with copper and lead. It is used in many applications such as cosmetics, vaccines, and pharmaceuticals as a preservative. 
It is also used as a fixative for perfumes, an insect repellent, a topical antiseptic, a solvent for cellulose acetate, some dyes, inks, and resins, in preservatives, pharmaceuticals, and in organic synthesis. It is moderately soluble in water. It is used as an anesthetic in the aquaculture of some fish.[1][2]
It is also listed as an ingredient for many United States vaccines by the Center for Disease Control.[3] In Japan its usage level in cosmetic products is regulated.[4] 
Phenoxyethanol is an excellent alternative to the standard, potentially harmful formaldehyde-releasing preservative.[6]
source: http://en.wikipedia.org
Aqua – A common sense word, but you never know with these wonderful ingredients list what they really mean.
So far so good, they mean the compound water 🙂
Sodium Palmate: the salt found in palm oil used as a gentle cleanser and a by-product of the soap making process.
Used as a base ingredient in soap making and cosmetics. Sodium palmate is a core ingredient in many types of soap and is made from palm oil.
It is often combined with sodium cocoate, coconut oil sodium salt and the sodium salt of animal fat, sodium tallow. Together these three are one the major constituents of modern soap base. Base soap is the pure soap that has had no additional ingredients like color and scent added to it yet.
As base soap ingredients the hardest formulas use a mix of all three (sodium palmate, sodium cocoate, sodium tallow) in various combinations
source: www.fourstiks.com, http://en.wikipedia.org
To read more on the changes environmental groups are trying to make to the farming of palm oil, try this site http://www.voxy.co.nz/business/food-and-grocery-council-joins-roundtable-sustainable-palm-oil/5/52642. There are various debates on the impact of farming palm oil. There are vastly different views and so many opinions that I can’t tell who’s done the most research.
I feel it is import for us to informed and know what the impact our product choices have on the planet. It doesn’t hurt to be educated, some food for thought 🙂
So confused
Before we moved into our house, I did a vast amount of shopping, stocking up from October last year on toilettries etc. I did the stock piling to ensure that when we not run out of essentials while in a state of unpacked chaos.
This means that I have unfortunately a stock pile of very unfriendly chemicals in my linen cupboard, which slowly we are using and replacing with homemade, natural alternatives. A few nights ago, my hubby, Mark asked for a new soap, which I fetched from the bottom of the linen cupboard.
Well known SA soap brand with germ fighting things and classed as “gental” is what I gave him before reading the lable. I had never heard of the first ingrediant, let alone many of the rest. Here is the list of ingrediants.
A few we should all have heard about at some stage, but many were a bit confusing. Those that have already been word of the days will not be duplicated, the others, I’ll be researching over the next few days:
What a mouth full! The 100g bar needs more printing for the ingrediants list then for the anufacturers contact details, weight, bar code and logo. The one good thing I did find on the packaging was a small logo with detailing a charity that the manufacter supports.
Goodness me, you need to read this WotD (Word of the Day) – this ingredient is listed in Johnson’s Baby aqueous lotion…
Sodium hydroxide (NaOH), also known as lye and caustic soda, is a caustic metallic base. It is used in many industries, mostly as a strong chemical base in the manufacture of pulp and paper, textiles, drinking water, soaps and detergents and as a drain cleaner. Worldwide production in 1998 was around 45 million tonnes. Sodium hydroxide is a common base in chemical laboratories.
Pure sodium hydroxide is a white solid; available in pellets, flakes, granules and as a 50% saturated solution. It is hygroscopic and readily absorbs water from the air, so it should be stored in an airtight container. It is very soluble in water with liberation of heat. It also dissolves in ethanol and methanol, though it exhibits lower solubility in these solvents than does potassium hydroxide.
Molten sodium hydroxide is also a strong base, but the high temperature required limits applications. It is insoluble in ether and other non-polar solvents. A sodium hydroxide solution will leave a yellow stain on fabric and paper.
Uses:
Soap production 
Sodium hydroxide is traditionally used in soap making (cold process soap, saponification).It was made in the nineteenth century for a hard surface rather than liquid product because it was easier to store and transship.
Cleaning agent
Sodium hydroxide is frequently used as an industrial cleaning agent where it is often called “caustic”. It is added to water, heated, and then used to clean the process equipment, storage tanks, etc. It can dissolve grease, oils, fats and protein based deposits. The sodium hydroxide solution can also be added surfactants to stabilize dissolved substances to prevent redeposition. A sodium hydroxide soak solution is used as a powerful degreaser on stainless and glass bakeware. It is also a common ingredient in oven cleaners.
A common use of Sodium Hydroxide is in the production of Parts washer detergents. Parts washer detergents based on Sodium Hydroxide are some of the most aggressive parts washer cleaning chemicals. The Sodium Hydroxide based detergent include surfactants, rust inhibitors and defoamers.
A parts washer heats water and the detergent in a closed cabinet and then sprays the heated sodium hydroxide and hot water at pressure against dirty parts for degreasing applications.
Sodium Hydroxide used in this manner replaced many solvent based systems in the early 1990s when triclor was outlawed. Water and Sodium Hydroxide detergent based parts washers are considered to be an environmental improvement over the solvent based cleaning methods.
Tissue digestion
This is a process that was used with farm animals at one time. This process involves the placing of a carcass into a sealed chamber, which then puts the carcass in a mixture of sodium hydroxide and water, which breaks chemical bonds keeping the body intact.
This eventually turns the body into a coffee-like liquid, and the only solid that remains are bone hulls, which could be crushed between one’s fingertips. Sodium hydroxide is frequently used in the process of decomposing roadkill dumped in landfills by animal disposal contractors.
Sodium hydroxide has also been used by criminals to dispose of their victims’ bodies.
Food preparation
Food uses of sodium hydroxide include washing or chemical peeling of fruits and vegetables, chocolate and cocoa processing, caramel coloring production, poultry scalding, soft drink processing, and thickening ice cream. Olives are often soaked in sodium hydroxide to soften them, while pretzels and German lye rolls are glazed with a sodium hydroxide solution before baking to make them crisp. Due to the difficulty in obtaining food grade sodium hydroxide in small quantities for home use, Sodium carbonate is often used in place of sodium hydroxide.
Sodium hydroxide is used in the home as a drain cleaning agent for clearing clogged drains. It is distributed as a dry crystal or as a thick liquid gel. The chemical mechanism employed is the conversion of grease to a form of soap.
Soap is water-soluble, and can be dissolved by flushing with water. This conversion occurs far more rapidly at high temperatures, so commercial drain cleaners may also contain chemicals that react with water to generate heat. Sodium hydroxide also decomposes complex molecules such as the protein that composes hair.
Such drain cleaners (and their acidic versions) are highly caustic and should be handled with care.
Sodium hydroxide has been used as a relaxer to straighten hair. However, because of the high incidence and intensity of chemical burns, chemical relaxer manufacturers have now switched to other alkaline chemicals. Sodium hydroxide relaxers are still available, but they are used mostly by professionals.
Safety 
Solid sodium hydroxide or solutions of sodium hydroxide will cause chemical burns, permanent injury or scarring if it contacts unprotected human or animal tissue. It will cause blindness if it contacts with the eye. Protective equipment such as rubber gloves, safety clothing and eye protection should always be used when handling the material or its solutions. 
Dissolution of sodium hydroxide is highly exothermic, and the resulting heat may cause heat burns or ignite flammables. It also produces heat when reacted with acids. It is corrosive to glass and some metals. Keep away from aluminum.
source: http://en.wikipedia.org
After reading all of this I am quiet certain I will not let any product containing Sodium Hydroxide anywhere near my house! Educate and read product labels, you will be shocked to find out how many products contain this harsh chemical!
Propylparaben, the propyl ester of p-hydroxybenzoic acid, occurs as a natural substance found in many plants and some insects, although it is manufactured synthetically for use in cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and foods. It is a preservative typically found in many water-based cosmetics, such as creams, lotions, shampoos and bath products.
Other namesParabens are a class of chemicals widely used as preservatives in the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries. Parabens are effective preservatives in many types of formulas. These compounds, and their salts, are used primarily for their bactericidal and fungicidal properties.
They can be found in shampoos, commercial moisturizers, shaving gels, personal lubricants, topical/parenteral pharmaceuticals, spray tanning solution and toothpaste. They are also used as food additives.
Their efficacy as preservatives, in combination with their low cost, their long history of safe use and the inefficacy of natural alternatives like grapefruit seed extract (GSE), probably explains why parabens are so commonplace. They are becoming increasingly controversial, however, and some organizations which adhere to the precautionary principle object to their everyday use. 
source: http://en.wikipedia.org/
Cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and foods can all spoil if they do not contain a preservative. Consequently, propylparaben has become the preservative of choice, especially for cosmetics that are water-based – like moisturizers, shampoos, shower cleansers, conditioners, and sunscreens. It is even used in lipsticks, foundations, mascaras, and eye shadows – sometimes at levels approaching 25%. On its own, there are recommendations for how much propylparaben should be found in a particular product.
The problem arises when a product contains multiple parabens – such as propylparaben and methylparaben – then, there are not any recommendations for an individual user.
In the pharmaceutical industry, propylparaben is a common preservative for certain drugs. As a result, it is administered to humans in several ways: injections, orally, or through suppositories. However, it is almost always in concentrations of less than 1%.
The dangers of propylparaben are yet to be specifically identified. However, studies have been conducted that have created fear in some consumers. For example, a group of British researchers tested breast lump tissue samples that were taken from women who had cancerous breast tumors. The researchers found traces of parabens in the lumps of all 20 women. This has caused some people to wonder whether the parabens caused the cancer.
Other examples that cause concern include a September 2008 study of 20 girls between the ages of 14 and 19. The girls used multiple cosmetics products every day – from moisturizers to deodorants to make-up. In that study, propylparaben was found in every girl. The fear is that parabens mimic estrogen in the body and thereby increase a woman’s risk for breast cancer. Yet, there is no evidence that parabens cause cancer and further research must be conducted.
Since there is increased awareness and concern, some cosmetics manufacturers, specifically those that are organic in nature, are looking for ways to prevent their products from spoiling or for inhibiting microbial growth.
Shorter shelf lives and new formulas are all being explored by some manufacturers, as well. Until more research is conducted, the safest bet is to limit the amount of parabens that is absorbed into the body.
source: http://www.wisegeek.com
Methylparaben is an anti-irritant agent and water-soluble anti-microbial. It is an anti-fungal and very commonly used as a preservative for cosmetics, drugs and food items.
It functions as a preservative as well as a bacteriostatic agent. Methylparaben is extracted from the benzoic acid that is derived from benzoin tree gum. It is considered both to be a phenol as well as an ester. A lot of times, methylparaben is used in skincare and beauty projects for rejuvenation purposes.
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Considerations
types and is gentle and non-irritating.source: http://www.ehow.com
Cetostearyl alcohol, cetearyl alcohol or cetylstearyl alcohol is a mixture of fatty alcohols, consisting predominantly of cetyl and stearyl alcohols and is classified as a fatty alcohol. It is used as an emulsion stabilizer, opacifying agent, and foam boosting surfactant, as well as an aqueous and nonaqueous viscosity-increasing agent.
It imparts an emollient feel to the skin and can be used in water-in-oil emulsions, oil-in-water emulsions, and anhydrous formulations. It is commonly used in hair conditioners and other hair products.
It is not really an “alcohol”, such as rubbing alcohol, which would dry the skin, but it is an emulsifying wax, made by combining fatty alcohols from vegetable sources, such as coconut alcohol. It can also be made artificially.
It is used often in cosmetics as an emollient, thickening agent, moisturizer, emulsifier, stabilizer, opacifier as well as a carrying agent for other ingredients. It is a substitute for making lotions if you don’t have emulsifying wax as well.
source: http://en.wikipedia.org 
When compared to Cetyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Alchol offers enhanced viscosity building effects as well as improved penetration of other ingredients. Cetearyl Alcohol has long been known as a “carrier” and “penetration enhancer”.
This widely used fatty alcohol is often employed as the sole conditioning agent in crème rinse or hair conditioner formulations, as it adequately moisturizes and improves wet/dry combout.
Liquidum Paraffinum – Interesting I found this ingredient in many of my skin care products at home. Besides the idea of an oil by-product been used on my boys’ skin, I want to eliminate our dependency on non-renewable resources. I will be looking for an alternative for our skin care now…
Petroleum by-product that coats the skin like plastic, clogging the pores. Interferes with skin’s ability to eliminate toxins, promoting acne and other disorders. Slows down skin function and cell development, resulting in premature aging. Used in many products (baby oil is 100% mineral oil!) Any mineral oil derivative can be contaminated with cancer causing PAH’s (Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons). Manufacturers use petrolatum because it is unbelievably cheap.
sournce: www.health-report.co.uk/ingredients-directory.htm
Paraffinum liquidum
Purpose: Lubricant, emollient
Adverse effects: Aka mineral oil, this cheap ingredient produces a temporary moisturising effect. Penetration enhancer,can cause skin (scalp) dryness. Can be contaminated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Some PAHs are potential human carcinogens linked with an increased risk of breast cancer.
source: http://www.theecologist.org
