Alaffia: National Women's Health Week

Today is the close of National Women’s Health Week, a time to raise awareness of the importance of women’s health, and to be in community with one another. One of our goals at Alaffia is to promote the health of our communities of women in West Africa, here in the US, and around the world.

Awareness of what we put into our bodies, and how it affects our health is increasing, however, many of us don’t realize that what we put ON our bodies is just as important. The skin is our largest organ and effectively soaks whatever we put on it-directly INTO our bloodstream within thirty seconds.

THIRTY SECONDS!

Man, that’s fast! Our skin is programmed to absorb, and there is no shut-off button. When we spread toxin- laden products on our skin, those are almost instantly assimilated into our bloodstream and pumped throughout our bodies. Safeguarding our internal health begins with our external health.

Here are some of the common, yet toxic- ingredients found in most skin care products that you will NEVER see on an Alaffia label:

Parabens: These serve no purpose in a product beyond preserving the other ingredients. Parabens have the ability to mimic estrogen, an increase of which has been linked to cancer development in women.

Sulfates: Used as industrial grade cleaners and engine greasers, they are the lowest cost, most powerful cleaning products available-and the most common cleansing ingredient in skin care products.

Propelyne Glycol: This is toxic to the immune system, and can cause acceleration of chemical absorption by the skin.

Alaffia continues to provide products which are paraben, sulfate, and fragrance free. We don’t include harmful dyes in our products, because we value the health of women, and recognize the importance of safeguarding the welfare of all in our communities.
In contrast, we use botanically derived ingredients that are beneficial to the skin and well-being such as our hand-pressed and unrefined Neem Oil, which is valued for its high level of anti-oxidant and anti-microbial properties. Rich in fatty acids, unrefined Neem oil is an excellent moisturizer, effective for treating skin conditions and dryness.

All of our products are made by hand in small batches with whole ingredients sourced sustainably. We will never place financial interest above public health, and we will remain committed to the empowerment of women worldwide, through equality, education, and HEALTH.