What’s Really in Your Body Care & Why It Matters

If you had asked me a few years ago about skincare ingredients, I would’ve confidently said, “Oh, I know my stuff.” And honestly, I thought I did.

Then I spent the last two years developing a skincare line from the ground up, and it completely changed how I look at body care. I went down the rabbit hole of water-based vs. oil-based formulas, the difference between supportive and drying alcohols, and why preservatives are necessary in some products, and avoidable in others.

We obsess over the few drops of serum we put on our faces, but rarely question the lotions we spread over most of our bodies, every single day.

Your Skin Isn’t a Brick Wall

Your skin is your largest organ, and it is far more permeable than most people realize. Research shows that what you apply topically doesn’t just sit on top, it can be absorbed into your bloodstream.

This is especially true when:

• You cover large areas: Applying lotion to your arms, legs, and torso provides a massive "entry point" for ingredients.

• The "Shower Effect": Applying product to damp skin after a warm bath (when your pores are open and skin temperature is elevated) can increase chemical permeability.

• The Cumulative Dose: The average woman uses 12 products a day, exposing her body to an average of 168 unique chemicals before she even leaves the house.

While not all ingredients in skincare products are inherently dangerous, some are associated with irritation, hormone disruption, or bioaccumulation when exposure is frequent and prolonged.

Again, this isn’t about fear. It’s about awareness.

Common Body Care Ingredients Worth Paying Attention To

We don’t believe in alarmist clean living, but we do believe in informed choice. Based on what we know, here are a few categories worth understanding.

1. The “Fragrance” Catch-All

On an ingredient label, the word “fragrance” (or “parfum”) is legally protected as a trade secret. This allows companies to hide a mixture of up to 3,500 different chemicals—including phthalates (potential endocrine disruptors)—under that one vague word. That means brands are not required to disclose the individual components that make up a scent.

Independent testing by EWG has shown that fragranced products contained on avearge 14 hidden chemicals in "fragrance" that were never listed on the label.

The takeaway: fragrance isn’t automatically bad, but transparency matters.

2. Alcohols: Not All Are Created Equal

This one surprised me, too.

Some alcohols—like isopropyl alcohol or SD alcohol 40—are volatile and fast-evaporating. They’re often used to create a lightweight feel but can disrupt the skin barrier with frequent use.

Others—like cetyl, stearyl, and cetearyl alcohol—are fatty alcohols derived from plant sources. These actually help soften skin and stabilize formulations and are widely considered safe and beneficial in dermatology.

Reading past the word “alcohol” makes a big difference.

3. Water-Based Products & Preservatives

If water (often listed as aqua) is one of the first ingredients in a product, preservatives are required to prevent microbial growth.

Some commonly used preservatives, including certain parabens, have been studied for potential hormone-mimicking activity. Parabens (like Methylparaben) are often used because they are cheap and effective, but studies have linked them to hormone disruption. A 2025 study found that regular lotion users had 2 to 3 times higher concentrations of parabens in their system than non-users.

The Good News: Change Can Happen Quickly

You can lower the chemical load in your body almost immediately.

In the famous HERMOSA Study, researchers found that when people switched to "clean" products for just three days, the levels of hormone-disrupting chemicals in their bodies dropped by up to 45%.

That’s not a lifetime overhaul. That’s a long weekend.

Clean body care is one of the easiest, highest-impact swaps you can make. This is why we are so passionate about anhydrous, oil-based formulas like the Kate McLeod Lotion Stones. They deliver deep moisture without the water, without the plastic bottle, and without the need for heavy synthetic preservatives.

If This Feels Overwhelming, We've Got YOU!

If you’re reading this and thinking, “Okay… now I feel like I need a chemistry degree just to buy lotion,” take a breath. 

This is why Free Living Co exists.

Every product we carry has been vetted ingredient by ingredient, and yes, we test them all to make sure it's something you'll love. We don’t expect you to memorize ingredient lists or decode labels in the aisle. We’ve already done that work for you.

Clean living isn’t about getting it perfect or swapping everything overnight. It’s about having trusted options, asking better questions over time, and knowing you have a resource when you’re unsure.

And if you ever find yourself wondering:

• Is this ingredient actually okay?

• Is this product a good fit for my skin or lifestyle?

• What does “clean” even mean?

We’re here. Think of us as your more fun, built-in research department.

Sources & Research

The HERMOSA Study: UC Berkeley & Clinica de Salud del Valle de Salinas. 

Chemical Exposure Stats: Environmental Working Group (EWG) Skin Deep Database. 

Dermal Absorption Research: Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology (2025).

Fragrance Transparency: EWG’s "Not So Pretty" Report. 

Skin Permeability: International Journal of Cosmetic Science.