Health and ingredient guides: what's in your bottle, and on your plate
Plain-language guides to everyday health and to the ingredients on the back of the bottle or the packet: what each one does, what the research actually says, and what's worth changing. We cite the primary studies and the regulators, and we say so when the evidence is thin or when something is less dangerous than the internet claims.
Ingredient guides, A to Z
- Cocamidopropyl betaine (CAPB): the foaming agent in sulphate-free and baby washes. Named Allergen of the Year in 2004, and probably not the real allergen.
- Diethanolamine (DEA) and cocamide DEA: the foam booster with the nitrosamine problem.
- Diazolidinyl and imidazolidinyl urea: formaldehyde-releasing preservatives.
- Methylisothiazolinone (MI): the preservative behind Europe's contact-allergy epidemic.
- Parabens: the preservative everyone replaced, and what replaced it.
- Phenoxyethanol: the paraben replacement in most "paraben-free" creams and wipes, and why it's mostly fine.
- Phthalates: the plasticisers hiding behind the word "fragrance".
- Triethanolamine (TEA): the pH adjuster in 40% of beauty products.
Food ingredients
- GMOs in South Africa: what's in your food, what the label means, and what the evidence says.
- Sugar: the daily limit in teaspoons, and where it hides on South African labels.
- 6 common food additives worth knowing about
Reading a label
- Commercial soap ingredients: what's really in your bottle
- Harmful ingredients to watch out for in body lotions
- Hidden hormone disruptors in your daily skincare routine
Skin reactions and sensitive skin
- Skin rash from commercial body soap: a guide for sensitive skin
- Perioral dermatitis: how chemical-laden products trigger this stubborn rash
- Supporting a healthy skin microbiome
- 7 essential tips for caring for your baby's skin
The natural alternatives
- Why switching to natural soap is the best skincare alternative
- Why natural soap is better for your skin and the environment
- Raising the bar on soap
- 10 benefits of natural body lotions
- Plant-based toothpaste and mouthwash
- Shea butter for skin and Shea butter for hair
- Neem oil: uses for skin, hair and plants
- Castor oil for skin and hair, Hexane-free castor oil, Castor oil for pain relief, Castor oil packs: how to make and use them, Castor oil compresses, Benefits of cold-pressed castor oil and A deep dive into castor oil
- Bath bombs with pure Dead Sea salts and DIY beauty with bicarbonate of soda
The short version
True soap needs no preservative, no foam booster and no pH adjuster. Dr Bronner's certified organic castile soaps are saponified plant oils with every ingredient on the label; 1 bottle replaces hand soap, body wash and shampoo. See the range → Free delivery on orders over R800.
Everyday health
Body and daily habits
- How sleep improves your health, and 7 habits that help
- Staying hydrated: 6 real benefits, and how much water you need
- Fasting: what intermittent fasting can and can't do
- How to exercise safely in a heatwave
- Foods that support your immune system
- NSAIDs: what anti-inflammatory painkillers cost you, and when they're worth it
Mind and stress
- How to reduce stress naturally: 5 habits that hold up
- How breathing better can improve your health: 3 simple techniques
- Does what you eat affect your mental health?
Digestion, diet and bicarb
- What to drink for acid reflux: 5 drinks that help, and what to avoid
- The alkaline diet: what it can and can't do
- Bicarbonate of soda: facts, health benefits and safe uses
- Bicarbonate of soda and athletic performance
- Celtic sea salt
Partner content
Articles are general information, not medical advice. If you have a skin reaction that doesn't settle, or a health concern, see a doctor and ask about the right tests for you.