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The Sneaky Beauty Toxins That Trigger Inflammation
- Debbie Roppo
- Jul 11
- 4 min read
I’ll be honest — before I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis, I wasn’t doing all the things I knew would support my health.
I knew better. I had the information. But I wasn’t acting on it.
And when the diagnosis came, it was like something cracked open.
I started making changes. Food. Movement. Stress. I began cleaning things up where I could.
But there was one sneaky area I hadn’t looked at at all: the stuff I was putting on my skin.
Lotions. Perfume. Shampoo. Lip gloss. Body spray.
Products I had used for years without a second thought.
And honestly? It wasn’t on my radar. I just assumed if it was sold in stores, it had to be fine.
But once I started looking more closely, I found a quiet storm of hidden chemicals. Ones I couldn’t pronounce, ones I hadn’t researched, ones I didn’t realize were impacting my health.
That was the beginning of my education in environmental health — and more specifically, obesogens.
So, what are obesogens?
Obesogens are a type of chemical that could disrupt your hormones and metabolism.
But they don’t just mess with weight — they mess with your body’s ability to self-regulate. These chemicals mimic estrogen, interfere with your endocrine system, and add to the invisible pile-up of inflammation that many women feel… but can’t quite name.
I didn’t know any of this until I had to.
And once I knew, I couldn’t un-know it.
But here’s the piece that surprised me even more:
Even when I learned what to avoid — I still didn’t always make the switch.
Because knowing what to do is only part of the story.
The real question is — do you believe you're worth the effort?
For me, that was the deeper root.
And it’s why I started teaching about something I call Soul Inflammation.
Soul Inflammation: The Part No One Talks About
It’s not just about toxins or diet or skincare routines.
It’s the disconnection between the woman you really are — and the version of you that you’ve had to become to get by.
It’s the disconnection between the woman you really are — and the version of you that you’ve had to become to get by.
That’s what I was living inside of: the pressure to perform, please, push through, stay small, smile anyway.
Even as I cleaned up my food and body products, I was still fighting myself on the
inside.
And that kind of misalignment?
It’ll pull you right back into old habits.
Not because you’re weak — but because deep down, you don’t fully believe you deserve better.
That’s Soul Inflammation.
And it’s the reason most of us don’t stick with healthy changes for long.
When I started healing that — the self-talk, the patterns, the beliefs I’d carried for decades — it got easier to make better choices. Not because I had more discipline. But because those choices finally felt true.
.... it got easier to make better choices. Not because I had more discipline. But because those choices finally felt true.
5 Beauty Product Toxins That Were Hiding in My Routine
Here are a few of the ingredients I started phasing out — gently, over time — once I realized what they were doing inside my body:
1. Phthalates
Found in synthetic fragrances and perfumes. They’re linked to hormone disruption and
inflammation.
Baby step: Choose “fragrance-free” or “phthalate-free” products — and avoid labels
that just say “fragrance” or “parfum” without explanation.
2. Parabens
Used to preserve products, but they mimic estrogen in the body — not helpful if you’re
already inflamed or hormonally sensitive.
Baby step: Look for “paraben-free” on the label. Common ones to spot:
methylparaben, butylparaben, propylparaben.
3. BPA (Bisphenol A)
This one’s mostly about packaging — especially plastics — but it still matters. BPA
leaches into products and disrupts your hormones.
Baby step: Opt for glass containers when you can, or look for “BPA-free” packaging.
4. Triclosan
Often found in antibacterial soaps and some toothpastes. It affects thyroid hormones
and your healthy microbiome.
Baby step: Skip the antibacterial soaps. (A 2022 update from the FDA confirms that antibacterial soaps offer no added benefit over regular soap and water for preventing illness in everyday settings.)
5. PFAS (“Forever Chemicals”)
Found in waterproof and long-wear cosmetics. These chemicals accumulate over time and are hard for your body to detox.
Baby step: Choose clean makeup brands and avoid products labeled as “long-lasting” unless the ingredients are fully transparent.
One Shift at a Time
This isn’t about throwing out everything you own.
It’s about noticing. Getting curious. Making one swap at a time.
The truth is, our environment does affect our health.
But so does the environment inside of us — our thoughts, our beliefs, the pressure we’ve been taught to carry.
If you’ve been trying to get healthy and it just isn’t sticking — look there.
Not because it’s your fault. But because there’s likely a story you’ve been living that’s no longer yours to carry.
The good news?
You don’t have to fix it all.
You just have to be willing to see it — and take one true step forward.
You are absolutely worth the effort it takes to move toward your health—because the vibrant, radiant woman within you is ready to rise.
You are absolutely worth the effort it takes to move toward your health—because the vibrant, radiant woman within you is ready to rise.
Meet the expert:
Debbie Roppo is a Board-Certified Health and Wellness Coach who founded Debbie Roppo Health Coach in 2018 after reversing her Rheumatoid Arthritis in 2013. With advanced training in Integrative Nutrition and Emotional Eating Psychology, she empowers women to heal and thrive. She created the Soul Inflammation Method to help women realign mind, body, and spirit, bridging the gap between who they are and who they want to be.
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