I agree that saccharine is not toxic.  I used it when I was young and
dieting, and it did not make me sick, and if it does not make me sick
it's probably OK.  (I am chemically sensitive).  However, aspartame is
dangerous and I gave it up after brief use.  I do not do awfully well
with stevia.  However, I use nothing to sweeten now except honey or
real sugar, as I am not diabetic and I need some "glucose".

I agree strongly that the stuff we put on our skins is largely bad for
us, and I know it absorbs--I have proven it as described below.  One
chemical which is ubiquitous is propylene glycol.  You can find it in
many drugs, especially in generics, and in many many products to put on
your skin.  I have to buy our skin lotions at the health store.  I use
primarily shea butter and Aubrey lotions, although there are other good
ones.  I mix up the heavy shea with the lighter Aubrey to make the
right consistency.  I have dry itchy skin and it is necessary, although
expensive, to buy proper lotions.  The only sun lotion I use is Earth
Sciences SPF l5, and I cover my skin with cloth that is sun resistant. 
I have to avoid sun, and I take enough D3 by mouth to make up for it,
at least 600 units a day, usually more than that, up to 800 or 900.

Now, how is it that I have proven that things are absorbed through
skin?  This way:  I have to take l/4 aspirin a day but cannot take it
by mouth because of extreme stomach irritation from doing it.  So I
grind up a regular aspirin (not the enteric coated) and mix it with
cream.  This means I have enough aspirin cream to rub into my skin for
four days.
My signs and symptoms, for which I take the aspirin (red feet, red
palms), will go away under this regime if I keep it up.  If I quit the
regime, they come back, very painful red soles of my feet, red palms
with even the creases redder than the rest--this is from the
myeloproliferative syndrome I have, which causes high platelets in the
bloodstream.  These symptoms would not happen to many people, but it is
how I proved, and my doctors completely accepted, that I can absorb
aspirin through my skin.  I still get some stomach pain from this but
not as bad.  I have to take Tums for the stomach pain, which isn't very
healthy, but I have to work by patching things together, not always the
ideal things.

I would of course be happy for the Great Physician to work this out!

Mariel, the Newsome Dove