Green Beauty Queen

Parabens-What are they and why are they so darn irritating?

PARABENS:
 The paraben family includes methylparaben, propylparaben, butylparaben and ethylparaben. Parabens are synthetic (aka chemical) preservatives commonly used to increase the shelf life in cosmetics and personal care products like shampoos and conditioners, conditioners, cosmetics, facial masks, body lotions, deodorants and even children’s products. So if they are so commonly used they must be safe right?

Parabens have been known to cause skin irritation, rash, contact dermatitis, eczema, or allergic skin reactions. In laboratory testing parabens have been found to mimic the hormone estrogen. It is a well known medical fact that estrogen stimulates breast cancer. Scientists in the UK analyzed 20 breast tumors and found high concentrations of parabens in 18 samples! Do we really want anything to use anything that messes with our hormones?

Parabens also have been found to disrupt your body’s endocrine system (i.e., hypothalamus, ovaries and thyroid). These chemical preservatives typically enter the body by being absorbed through the skin where they bind to the body’s estrogen receptors and encourage the growth of cancer cells. Anything that enters the body through the skin may be as high as 10 times the concentration of an oral dose.  

Do you put on 5 pounds worth of chemicals a year on your skin?

Women absorb up to 5lbs of damaging chemicals a year thanks to beauty products

By FIONA MACRAE
Last updated at 21:10 19 June 2007 

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An expert has questioned the contents of skin care products

It takes cleanser, moisturiser, make-up and a favourite lipstick to ensure the average woman is ready to face the world.

But a daily routine like this leaves her with more than a polished appearance.

She also absorbs almost 5lb of chemicals through her skin every year.

Some of the man-made compounds have been linked to cancer, while others may irritate the skin or even cause it to age prematurely.

Biochemist Richard Bence warned that the chemicals found in everyday beauty products could be doing untold damage.

Mr Bence, who has spent three years studying the ingredients in cosmetics and toiletries, said: "There is a growing amount of research questioning the ingredients found in conventional beauty products.

"We really need to start questioning the products we are putting on our skin and not just assume that the chemicals in them are safe.

"We have no idea what these chemicals do when they are mixed together. The effect could be much greater than the sum of the individual parts."

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Among the chief chemical suspects are parabens - preservatives widely used in skin and hair products, including soap, shampoo, deodorant and baby lotion.

Capable of stopping bacterial growth, parabens are also thought to mimic the effects of the female sex hormone oestrogen, which is known to help tumours grow.

Traces of the chemical have been found in breast tumour samples but the link with cancer is, however, hotly disputed.

Sodium lauryl sulphate, which helps soap, shampoo, shaving foam, toothpaste and bubble bath lather up, can irritate skin.

Other potential irritants include benzyl alcohols, which are used to scent and preserve perfume, makeup and hair dyes.

Cocamide MEA, which binds the ingredients of many moisturisers, is also a suspect.

The average woman absorbs 4lb 6oz of chemicals from toiletries and make-up every year, the industry magazine In-Cosmetics recently reported.

Mr Bence, who last year founded a website which specialises in organic beauty products, said absorbing such chemicals is more dangerous than swallowing them.

"If your lipstick gets into your mouth, it is broken down by the enzymes in saliva and in the stomach.

"But if the chemicals get straight into your bloodstream, there is no protection."

Sodium lauryl sulphate is among chemicals banned from health and beauty products certified as organic by the Soil Association.

Soil Association spokeswoman Clio Turton suggested beauty enthusiasts should try to reduce the number of products they use each day.

"Many women are using over 20 different products a day, bombarding themselves with hundreds of different chemicals - is that eyelash conditioner really essential?" she said.

The warning follows research showing nine out of ten women apply make-up past its use-by date.

The Royal College of Optometrists warned that old ipstick or mascara could be a "hothouse" for bacteria. Cosmetic and toiletry manufacturers insisted that their products are safe.

Dr Christopher Flower, of the Cosmetic, Toiletry and Perfumery Association, said: "There is no reason at all to be worried about the safety of any products.

"They are all covered by EU-wide regulation which requires them to be safe - there are no ifs and buts about it.

"The cocktail effect of chemicals is an urban myth.

"We do know how different chemicals react individually and can predict how they interact with each other and this is taken into account when the safety of products is assessed."

Mikey is Walking

After several weeks of standing like a champ.  My Mikey is finally walking. He just turned 13 months a few days ago.  We're excited but as I'm sure you know... once they start walking they get into EVERYTHING! So the babyproofing is up once again and we're saying NO alot.

Take time to know what's in your favorite beauty products

The old saying "beauty is only skin deep" often rings true when it comes to someone's looks. But when you're dealing with beauty products, it's the polar opposites.

Many beauty- and skin-care products can be extremely hazardous to not only your skin, but also your entire body. The skin is just a portal for cancer and other maladies — such as mutation and birth defects — when it comes to some of the components of these products.

Valerie Mason-Robinson, owner of the Eden Organix salon in Highland Park believes the time is now for rampant change in the beauty- and skin-care industry, and her store — which opened June 30 — is at the forefront of that movement, providing "green," healthyalternatives to the mainstream ones that can cause trouble.

"I test and evaluate every product before it hits the shelf," Mason-Robinson says. "I guess you can say I am a serious skin care junkie."

Mason-Robinson has done plenty of research in this area. Here are just a few of the harmful ingredients she has found to be prevalent in mainstream beauty- and skin-care products:

Parabens.

Recently detected in breast tumors, this preservative has been shown to disturb hormone function. Parabens are most commonly found in lipstick, blush, eye shadow and foundation. Also, they can cause contact dermatitis for those who are allergic.

Sodium lauryl sulfate.

This chemical probably is the most common harmful substance found in beauty- and skin-care products. It is used to create lather in many shampoos, soaps and hair-care products. It is a strong degreaser that dries skin and hair. It can cause contact eczema in some individuals and has been known to cause severe inflammation of the derma and epidermal tissue.

Sodium laureth sulfate, or SLS.

When combined with other chemicals, SLS can create nitrosamines, which are a potent class of carcinogens. They also are a potent skin and eye irritant. The phrase "made from coconut" often is a way to conceal the use of this chemical.

Propylene glycol, or PG.

This is a petroleum derivative. It penetrates the skin and can weaken protein and cellular structure. PG is strong enough to remove barnacles from boats. The Environmental Protection Agency, or EPA, considers PG so toxic that it requires workers to wear protective gloves, clothing and goggles and to dispose of any PG solutions by burying them in the ground. Because PG penetrates the skin so quickly, the EPA warns against skin contact to prevent consequences such as brain, liver and kidney abnormalities. However, there isn't even a warning label on products such as stick deodorants, where the concentration is greater than in most industrial applications.

Diethanolamine, or DEA, and Triethanolamine, or TEA.

These chemicals already are restricted in Europe because of their carcinogenic effects. TEA causes allergic reactions including eye problems, dryness of hair and skin and could be toxic if absorbed into the body over a long period of time.

These are just a few of the potentially harmful ingredients that very well could be in the soap, shampoo, face cream or foundation you use. So be sure to take a look at the ingredients found on the back of your favorite product, and unless they are certified all-natural or organic, you might want to try something else.

More information about all-natural, organic products is available by visiting www.edenorganix.com or edenorganix.typepad.com.

Jeff Weber: (732) 565-7327; jweber@mycentraljersey.com

Congress Ready to Act on Safe Cosmetics

This article is from the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics below check it out...

In recent months, we've shared with you information about the toxic ingredients in aftershave, anti-aging cream, shampoo, antibacterial soap, lotion and lipstick. Name any type of personal care product, and the same concerns pop: toxic ingredients - sometimes unlabeled - linked to cancer, infertility and other health effects, and ingredients that have never been tested for safety.

And it's perfectly legal.

The FDA is in charge of cosmetics, but it doesn't have the same regulatory authority over these products that it has over pharmaceuticals, medical devices and foods. Instead, the $50 billion cosmetics industry regulates itself through its industry-funded Cosmetic Ingredient Review Panel. The cosmetics industry is one of the least-regulated industries in this country - and the cosmetics industry has been fighting to keep it that way.

It's time for serious change.

Right now, the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee is drafting a bill that would overhaul food, drug and cosmetic safety, but the current cosmetics provision isn't as strong as it should be.

We need your help reaching the committee chairman, U.S. Rep. John Dingell (D-MI), and the subcommittee members! Sign our online petition telling them that you support strong health and safety standards for cosmetics. It shouldn't be left up to consumers or the cosmetics industry to figure out what's safe and what's not.

Sign the petition to Congress »

 

 Environmental Working Group, a founding member of the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, just released a consumer guide for avoiding triclosan, an ingredient common in liquid hand soap, toothpaste and other cosmetics and consumer products. Triclosan is a hormone disruptor that can end up in breast milk and poses potential danger to fetal and childhood development. A recent Campaign for Safe Cosmetics action alert targeted triclosan, which isn't any better than plain soap and water at preventing the spread of infections.

 Check out the growing list of companies that have signed theCompact for Safe Cosmetics, a commitment to make personal care products free of carcinogens, mutagens and reproductive toxins. You can also use Skin Deep to find safer alternatives.

We are committed to protecting your privacy, so your email address will NEVER be sold or exchanged. If you would like to unsubscribe from this newsletter, please visithttp://action.safecosmetics.org/unsubscribe/.

Foot & Hand Balm

All-natural Highland Park salon brings green movement to realm of beauty products

BY JEFF WEBER • STAFF WRITER • JULY 15, 2008

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When you go to the store to purchase beauty and skin-care products, does reading the empty promises scattered across the purposefully eye-catching artwork on the box influence your decision whether or not to buy?

Do you go after brand names just because of that name, not taking the time to look and see if the product has any potentially life-altering side effects?

If you answered yes to either of those queries, you likely are a victim of a sneaky-yet-successful marketing campaign. And if you answered yes, local businesswoman Valerie Mason-Robinson has plenty of relatively inexpensive, high-quality, "green" alternatives for you.

Mason-Robinson owns the newly christened Eden Organix salon in Highland Park, which boasts being "au naturel" in everything from its beauty- and skin-care products to the very floors its customers walk on.

"Everything in the store is organic," said Mason-Robinson, who hosted a grand opening for the store, located at 215 Raritan Ave., on June 30. "Eden means paradise, so we wanted to make sure everything is natural."

The first thing you notice upon entering the store is its unique wood-like floor. That's bamboo. The bags in which you receive your products? They're 100 percent natural, too — made out of recycled paper. But the products themselves are the true gold mine of "green."

To the left of the entrance is the moms and babies section, featuring babywraps made of organic cotton, natural nursing creams and holistic medicines. Considering the target age of Mason-Robinson's clients is women 26 to 45, that's a good place to start.

Go a little to your right and you'll find a slew of facial creams, perfumes (not just for the body, but for homes and linens, too), soaps and more. From big brands such as Juice Beauty to smaller names such as Essensa, Eden Organix has it all — and not just for women.

"We're catering most to women — moms — but we'd like to attract other clientele, too, even men," she said.

Men are not too inclined to fret about makeup or beauty products, but they might have interest in the salon's massage services, skin-care products, nutrition and wellness experts and seminars. Health is a concern for everyone, not just women.

And that's where the "green" aspect of Eden Organix really kicks into high gear. According to Mason-Robinson, being responsible about your own health not only helps you live a better life, it can be an example for others to follow suit in domino fashion.

"It's about being conscious of what you can in your everyday life," said Mason Robinson, who gives 10 percent of the salon's proceeds to help needy women's, children's and environmental groups. "What you can do in life (for yourself), you can do in the environment. You can learn to be more sustainable in your lifestyle. What you do can make a difference."

Eden Organix certainly made a difference and eye-opening first impression on Carla Gathers, a resident of the Somerset section of Franklin who popped in for the grand opening. Gathers enjoyed a sample of the salon's services, including chair massage and skin foundation for her face.

"I was very interested in the whole organic concept after seeing report on how makeup can do damage," she said. "I want to preserve my skin so I can be around a lot longer, and I was pleased (with my Eden Organix experience)."

Walking Gathers through the lavish process was one of Eden Organix's five-person staff, spa director Donna Spinelli of Bloomfield.

"We want to provide the utmost luxuries, so we need to show people how we can do that while still preserving Earth's resources," she said. "Everybody's gonna jump on this boat soon. We're just pioneers in it right now."

While Mason-Robinson hopes her pioneering spirit leads to increased visibility for both her store and the "green" cause, her ultimate goal is to help others so they, in turn, can help even more people.

She maintains that giving back to the community isn't just about 10 percent charity profits, freebies or helping your neighbor. Those are valiant ideals, but saving the world — everyone's community — one small step at a time is of utmost importance.

"It's not just about making you look beautiful and fabulous," she said, " but about helping those who can't help themselves. It's about leaving a legacy not just for you but for your kids and everyone who comes after."

Jeff Weber: (732) 565-7327; jweber@mycentraljersey.com

Study on Organic Beauty Products from Organic Spa Magazine

New Beauty Product Study

Ninety-three percent of all women might or would be willing to try a new beauty brand if it earned the USDA Organic Seal, according to The Benchmarking Company’s groundbreaking new beauty consumer study released today, The Age of Naturals.  When asked to check reasons (among many) why women buy natural/organic beauty products, 80% said they were better for their skin and 64% cited they didn’t want chemicals on their skin as their top two reasons. Another 27% cited that the ingredients in traditional beauty products were harmful to her health.

 “Consumers have been inundated with headlines focusing on lead in lipstick, off-label uses of pharmaceuticals in cosmetics, the potential perils of parabens and other ingredients, Chinese productrecalls and global warming caused by manmade toxins.  But nowhere has the fear of ingredients been felt more acutely than in the beauty industry,” said Alisa Marie Beyer, president and CEO of The Benchmarking Company.  “Consumer demand for natural and organic beauty brands may just be the single most important issue to impact the beauty industry in its history.” 

The wide-ranging report, the first of The Benchmarking Company’s Pink Reports™ of the year and the most comprehensive of its kind, covers women’s natural and organic beauty brand motivations, fears, attitudes, purchasing habits, marketing preferences, willingness to explore inside/out beauty offerings, believability of manufacturer’s claims, overall trust factors, shopping habits, and specific reasons  why certain brands are purchased and certain brands are overlooked, as well as comprehensive buyer profiles. More than 80 natural and organic skin care, makeup and hair care brands were tracked for this study. “Our goal in developing this study was to offer a complete blueprint for beauty brands that market natural or organic products to women. Too often, studies are one-dimensional, offering a sea of sales data or limited consumer points of view,” explained Beyer.  “The Age of Naturals explores not only a well rounded picture of women who are natural beauty buyers already, but we offer valuable data from non-naturals buyers to arrive at a clear view of why women do and do not buy a brand or trust a manufacturer.   When a brand has both sides of detailed consumer viewpoints, marketing changes can be made to keep current buyers while gaining new ones.”

Highlights of the report include:
• 61% of all women agree it is difficult to tell which beauty brands are natural or organic and which are not.

• 93% of all women might or would be willing to try a beauty brand if it has earned the USDA Organic Seal.

• Women want to feel safer, and 89% of them feel that companies should be more forthcoming about which products are truly natural and which are not. Ingredients she’s particularly leery of include artificial fragrances (54%); silicone (43%) and gluten (34%).

• Parabens are not wanted in cosmetics by a quarter of naturals buyers and only 15% of traditional buyers; and hydroquinone is unwanted by 21% of natural buyers and 11% of traditional buyers.

• When thinking about beauty products, the term “-FREE”, (meaning free of harmful chemicals, etc.) was her top choice as most appealing terminology on a beauty label at 73%.  Terms like clean, antioxidant, natural, and hypoallergenic followed. Her least favored terms, from a list of 17 choices, are: therapeutic 40%, radiant 37%, dermatology 32% and science, dead last at 9%.

• Women were asked to rank their believability of 7 actual beauty brand claims. The claims she felt were most believable were those with a clear explanation of nature’s benefits to her skin using soothing, fresh and natural language. Claims using clinical terms and  statistics left her cold and she found them least believable.

• Women are very in-tune to the socially and ethically responsible activities of corporate America, and she is becoming more interested in how responsible her beauty manufacturers are as well.

• When considering purchase decisions, she places great importance on a company’s stance on animal testing, recycling, and the use of sustainable products, below. Most women (87%) have never read a
Corporate Social Responsibility report from a beauty manufacturer.

• When asked which manufacturer’s product she would be more likely to trust as natural or organic between a new product made from a small company that ONLY makes natural or organic beauty products and a new natural/organic beauty product made from a well-known maker of traditional beauty products, 29% of all respondents said they would more readily trust the smaller natural/organic only product maker. Thirty-one percent of respondents would trust both types of companies equally, 22% would trust a well-known maker of traditional beauty products and 18% would be skeptical of both types of companies.

• Women are most eager to try (74%) a consumable beauty product that can be eaten “on the go” and 72% would prefer a beauty supplement in a pill or capsule form. The least favored delivery system for a nutricosmetic was a drink made from a powder, with 52% of women saying they would not be willing to try it.

 

Random Acts of Fun

I can't even begin to tell you what a week this has been like. Tonite was the 1st Grand Opening Event for Eden Organix, YIPPPPPPEEE!  We sold a number of products and people were praising us about the design and look of the store.  Anyway, I have to say, it was nothing but the Lord b/c at the beginning of this week  I was literally crazy b/c I kept wondering how the heck I was going to pull this off by Thursday.  On Monday,  I was being told my furniture, and fixtures were backordered or would arrive next week.  Miraculously they came this morning and last night. 

Then my general contractor got in a car accident and of course I started thinking of Plan B b/c we had already committed to the Main Street Highland Park to do the Random Acts of Fun event which occurred tonite.  BTW, my contractor is fine but there was tension all over the place.  But with the help of my general contractor and my interior designer we literally got the electrical inspection so we could open 1 hour before Random Acts of Fun started.

  In the meantime, my web designers were having issues launching the site, but if you check it out www.edenorganix.com, you will see it looks FABULOUS!  I
would n't expect any less for the amount of money we invested in it.  But I love it! 

All the while, I had this sign in my kitchen that said, Trust God's timing....  All the while, my Spa Director Donna was asking me "Are you happy?"  I was definitely getting excited but as I was stocking the shelves at 5:01 and the event started at 5pm I ran to my house took a shower and ran back to the store I finally felt like I could exhale and enjoy the moment.  Now the real work begins....after all the preparation it's been worth it!

My husband who has been absolutely great!  J.R. was at the store a few nights this week putting together furniture, and applying fixtures to make sure went smoothly.  He even canceled an important business trip too.

Last but not least, my spa director asked Gabriella do you want to be a makeup artist or massage therapist when you grow up and Ella said, NO!  Then she said do you want to be the boss like your Mommy and run a company and Ella said YES!  I smiled to myself and I thought that's the next generation of entrepreneurs in our family.

Anyway, God is good, I couldn't have done this without him and the help of many people.

Spa Ritual is a vegan nail polish line that is eco-friendly. For those of you who hate the smell of traditional polishes, here 's a great alternative. Spa Ritual is free of toluene, formaldehyde and DBP. FYI dibutyl phthalate (DPI), is an ingredient that was recently banned in the European Union). Phthalates are being linked to cancer so if you want to "green" all the way start with your nail salon.