In my previous post “Everyone is impacted by Fragrance” Lara commented that maybe the super-sensitive nose some pregnant women develop, has the purpose to protect them and their baby.
I agree totally with Lara, I think she hit the nail right on the head, I think that is exactly why Mother Nature has given us this acute sense of smell at such an important time, when our babies are relying on us totally to protect them from any dangers that might stop them from developing properly in the womb . We know by extinct that strong smelling chemicals are properly not the best things for us to be using at that stage.
It’s a shame that it doesn’t continue for most of us after bubs is born. I was watching my son play football last week and was horrified by the number of times a Grand Mother was rubbing Hand Sanitizer on her little grand-daughter, this little girl looked to be about 2 or 3 years of age.
I was sitting right next to a lady who in the space of only one half of a football match, that’s approx. 30 minutes for those of you who don’t spend every Saturday watching their sons running around having fun, said, “come to Grand-Ma and wash your hands” three times. 3 times in half an hour and I was thinking about the amount of chemicals that little girl was having rubbed into her.
Whatever happened to good old fashioned “clean dirt”? now I know that sounds a bit silly, but once upon a time children were allowed to play in the back yard in the dirt and the mud having fun and getting exposed to germs that would allow their immune system to develop, which really is a good thing. Oh course, washing hands with soap and water after play and before eating is necessary, but a little bit of dirt isn’t going to hurt them.
When I got home I had to investigate the ingredients contained in the Hand Sanitizer she was using just in case I was wrong and there really wasn’t any chemicals contained in it, although I really didn’t think there would be much of a chance of this. So here we go:
Dettol Instant Hand Sanitizer:
Ingredients: Alcohol Denatured, Water, PEG/PPG-17/6 Copolymer, Propylene Glycol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Tetrahydroxypropyl Ethylendiamine, Fragrance, Limonene.
OK, I really don’t know that I’d want to be rubbing this stuff on our children’s hands a couple of times a day, let alone 3 times in half an hour. What about the old fashioned way of just taking a plastic bag with a wet face cloth? Surely this is a lot safer to use on our children’s delicate skin.
I also looked up FRAGRANCE on the Cosmetics Data Base, as that’s what we have been discussing and they give it a score of 8 out of 10 for being a high hazard to our health, check it out yourself, it’s a great spot to type in any ingredient you’re not sure of and finding out exactly how bad or good it really is for you.
Come on Mums and Grand-Mums, let’s try and cut down on the use of chemicals we use on our children, for their health’s sake.
Showing posts with label Chemicals. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Chemicals. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Everyone is impacted by FRAGRANCE.
"When sprayed or applied on the skin, many chemicals from perfumes, cosmetics and personal care products are inhaled. Others are absorbed through the skin. Either way, many of these chemicals can accumulate in the body. This pollution begins in the womb and continues through life."
I've had another great email from EWG or the Environmental Working Group with important information about the dangerous chemicals contained in our everyday products we use. I think it's very important that we are aware of the dangers of using Fragrances, I know they smell wonderful, but do you really know what ingredients are contained in them? That's why you won't find any synthetic fragrances in AromaBeauty Natural Soaps, but read for yourself some of the nasties contained them.
"A recent EWG study found Galaxolide and Tonalide, two synthetic musks, in the cord blood of newborn babies (EWG 2009). Both musks contaminate people and the environment worldwide, have been associated with toxicity to the endocrine system (van der Burg 2008) and were identified in the majority of products tested for this study.
Similarly, a pregnant woman’s use of some fragrances and other cosmetics frequently may expose her growing fetus to diethyl phthalate (DEP), a common perfume solvent linked to abnormal development of reproductive organs in baby boys and sperm damage in adult men (Washington Toxics Coalition 2009).
The average fragrance product tested contained 14 secret chemicals not listed on the label. Among them are chemicals associated with hormone disruption and allergic reactions, and many substances that have not been assessed for safety in personal care products.
Also in the ranks of undisclosed ingredients are chemicals with troubling hazardous properties or with a propensity to accumulate in human tissues. These include diethyl phthalate, a chemical found in 97 percent of Americans (Silva 2004) and linked to sperm damage in human epidemiological studies (Swan 2008), and musk ketone, a synthetic fragrance ingredient that concentrates in human fat tissue and breast milk (Hutter 2009; Reiner 2007).
To make matters worse, FDA lacks the authority to require manufacturers to test cosmetics for safety, including fragranced products, before they are sold to consumers. As a result, people using perfume, cologne, body spray and other scented cosmetics like lotion and aftershave are unknowingly exposed to chemicals that may increase their risk for certain health problems.
New research also links prenatal exposure of DEP to clinically diagnosed Attention Deficit Disorder in children (Engel 2010). This analysis found DEP in 12 of 17 products tested, at levels ranging from 30 parts per million (ppm) to 32,000 ppm in Eternity for Women.
Numerous other products used daily, such as shampoos, lotions, bath products, cleaning sprays, air fresheners and laundry and dishwashing detergents, also contain strongly scented, volatile ingredients that are hidden behind the word “fragrance.” Some of these ingredients react with ozone in the indoor air, generating many potentially harmful secondary air pollutants such as formaldehyde and ultrafine particles (Nazaroff 2004).
People have the right to know which chemicals they are being exposed to. They have the right to expect the government to protect people, especially vulnerable populations, from hazardous chemicals. In addition to required safety assessments of ingredients in cosmetics, the laws must be changed to require the chemicals in fragrance to be fully disclosed and publicly accessible on ingredient labels.
Short of sending your favorite perfume to a lab for testing, shoppers have no way of knowing exactly which of the 3,100 fragrance ingredients may be hiding in their beauty products or even in their child’s baby shampoo."
Scary stuff! If you'd like to read the whole article, you can find it here. If you'd like to try some all natural soaps that contain NO Fragrance oils, only pure Essential oils, you can find them at Pure and Natural AromaBeauty.
I've had another great email from EWG or the Environmental Working Group with important information about the dangerous chemicals contained in our everyday products we use. I think it's very important that we are aware of the dangers of using Fragrances, I know they smell wonderful, but do you really know what ingredients are contained in them? That's why you won't find any synthetic fragrances in AromaBeauty Natural Soaps, but read for yourself some of the nasties contained them.
"A recent EWG study found Galaxolide and Tonalide, two synthetic musks, in the cord blood of newborn babies (EWG 2009). Both musks contaminate people and the environment worldwide, have been associated with toxicity to the endocrine system (van der Burg 2008) and were identified in the majority of products tested for this study.
Similarly, a pregnant woman’s use of some fragrances and other cosmetics frequently may expose her growing fetus to diethyl phthalate (DEP), a common perfume solvent linked to abnormal development of reproductive organs in baby boys and sperm damage in adult men (Washington Toxics Coalition 2009).
The average fragrance product tested contained 14 secret chemicals not listed on the label. Among them are chemicals associated with hormone disruption and allergic reactions, and many substances that have not been assessed for safety in personal care products.
Also in the ranks of undisclosed ingredients are chemicals with troubling hazardous properties or with a propensity to accumulate in human tissues. These include diethyl phthalate, a chemical found in 97 percent of Americans (Silva 2004) and linked to sperm damage in human epidemiological studies (Swan 2008), and musk ketone, a synthetic fragrance ingredient that concentrates in human fat tissue and breast milk (Hutter 2009; Reiner 2007).
To make matters worse, FDA lacks the authority to require manufacturers to test cosmetics for safety, including fragranced products, before they are sold to consumers. As a result, people using perfume, cologne, body spray and other scented cosmetics like lotion and aftershave are unknowingly exposed to chemicals that may increase their risk for certain health problems.
New research also links prenatal exposure of DEP to clinically diagnosed Attention Deficit Disorder in children (Engel 2010). This analysis found DEP in 12 of 17 products tested, at levels ranging from 30 parts per million (ppm) to 32,000 ppm in Eternity for Women.
Numerous other products used daily, such as shampoos, lotions, bath products, cleaning sprays, air fresheners and laundry and dishwashing detergents, also contain strongly scented, volatile ingredients that are hidden behind the word “fragrance.” Some of these ingredients react with ozone in the indoor air, generating many potentially harmful secondary air pollutants such as formaldehyde and ultrafine particles (Nazaroff 2004).
People have the right to know which chemicals they are being exposed to. They have the right to expect the government to protect people, especially vulnerable populations, from hazardous chemicals. In addition to required safety assessments of ingredients in cosmetics, the laws must be changed to require the chemicals in fragrance to be fully disclosed and publicly accessible on ingredient labels.
Short of sending your favorite perfume to a lab for testing, shoppers have no way of knowing exactly which of the 3,100 fragrance ingredients may be hiding in their beauty products or even in their child’s baby shampoo."
Scary stuff! If you'd like to read the whole article, you can find it here. If you'd like to try some all natural soaps that contain NO Fragrance oils, only pure Essential oils, you can find them at Pure and Natural AromaBeauty.
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Cancer Prevention Tips
EWG or the Environmental Working Group has put a news release on their website reporting on the dangers of chemicals, EWG is a non-profit research organization based in Washington, DC that uses the power of information to protect human health and the environment. Now I know it's not here in Aussie, but it affects us all. You can read some of their report below:
"6/5/2010 - Washington, D.C. – In a landmark report issued today, the President’s Cancer Panel asserts that public health officials have “grossly underestimated” the likelihood that environmental contaminants trigger a large proportion of the cancers diagnosed in 1.5 million Americans annually."
“The grievous harm from this group of carcinogens has not been addressed adequately by the National Cancer Program,” the panel told President Obama. “The American people—even before they are born—are bombarded continually with myriad combinations of these dangerous exposures.” Again this is not just American people, it is happening everywhere!
“The incidence of some cancers, including some most common among children, is increasing for unexplained reasons,” the panel said.
“There are far too many known and suspected cancer-causing chemicals in products people, young and old, use every day of their lives,” said Kenneth A. Cook, president and co-founder of Environmental Working Group (EWG). “Tests of umbilical cord blood are proof positive that American children are being exposed to hundreds of carcinogenic chemicals before they are born. Many of these chemicals are believed to be time bombs, altering the genetic-level switching mechanisms that lead to cancerous cellular growth in later life.”
Now this problem isn't just in America, it's everywhere in the world and is the reason I started making my own chemical free soaps many years ago, I also read every label on every product I buy to make sure they don't contain any of the nasty chemicals that seem to be in just about everything you buy these days.
EWG has very kindly given us some tips on how to reduce our every day exposure to some of these dangerous chemicals.
1. Filter your tap water. Common carcinogens in tap water include arsenic, chromium, and chemical byproducts that form when water is disinfected. A simple carbon filter or pitcher can help reduce the levels of some of these contaminants. If your water is polluted with arsenic or chromium, a reverse osmosis filter will help.
2. Seal outdoor wooden decks and play sets. Those built before 2005 are likely coated with an arsenic pesticide that can stick to hands and clothing. Learn more at www.ewg.org/reports/allhandsondeck
3. Cut down on stain- and grease-proofing chemicals. “Fluorochemicals” related to Teflon and Scotchgard are used in stain repellents on carpets and couches and in greaseproof coatings for packaged and fast foods. Some of these chemicals cause cancer in lab studies. To avoid them, skip greasy packaged foods and say no to optional stain treatments in the home.
4. Stay safe in the sun. More than one million cases of skin cancer are diagnosed in the United States each year. To protect your skin from the sun’s cancer-causing ultraviolet (UV) radiation, seek shade, wear protective clothing and use a safe and effective sunscreen from EWG’s sunscreen database.
5. Cut down on fatty meat and high-fat dairy products. Long-lasting cancer-causing pollutants like dioxins and PCBs accumulate in the food chain and concentrate in animal fat.
6. Eat EWG’s Clean 15. Many pesticides have been linked to cancer. Eating from EWG’s Clean 15 list of the least contaminated fruits and vegetables will help cut your pesticide exposures. Learn more at EWG’s Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides. http://www.foodnews.org
7. Cut your exposures to BPA. Bisphenol-A (BPA) is a synthetic estrogen found in some hard plastic water bottles, canned infant formula, and canned foods. It may increase the risk of reproductive system cancers. To avoid it, eat fewer canned foods, breast feed your baby or use powdered formula, and choose water bottles free of BPA. More at http://www.ewg.org/bpa/tipstoavoidbpa
8. Avoid carcinogens in cosmetics. Use EWG’s Skin Deep cosmetic database (www.cosmeticdatabase.com) to find products free of chemicals known or suspected to cause cancer. When you’re shopping, don’t buy products that list ingredients with “PEG” or “-eth” in their name.
9. Read the warnings. Some products list warnings of cancer risks – read the label before you buy.
This is a great site with some wonderful info, so when you get the chance take the time to have a look; it really is important for your own and your family's long-term health. You can read the whole article for yourself at EWG and many more articles about keeping not only us, but our enviroment healthy.
"6/5/2010 - Washington, D.C. – In a landmark report issued today, the President’s Cancer Panel asserts that public health officials have “grossly underestimated” the likelihood that environmental contaminants trigger a large proportion of the cancers diagnosed in 1.5 million Americans annually."
“The grievous harm from this group of carcinogens has not been addressed adequately by the National Cancer Program,” the panel told President Obama. “The American people—even before they are born—are bombarded continually with myriad combinations of these dangerous exposures.” Again this is not just American people, it is happening everywhere!
“The incidence of some cancers, including some most common among children, is increasing for unexplained reasons,” the panel said.
“There are far too many known and suspected cancer-causing chemicals in products people, young and old, use every day of their lives,” said Kenneth A. Cook, president and co-founder of Environmental Working Group (EWG). “Tests of umbilical cord blood are proof positive that American children are being exposed to hundreds of carcinogenic chemicals before they are born. Many of these chemicals are believed to be time bombs, altering the genetic-level switching mechanisms that lead to cancerous cellular growth in later life.”
Now this problem isn't just in America, it's everywhere in the world and is the reason I started making my own chemical free soaps many years ago, I also read every label on every product I buy to make sure they don't contain any of the nasty chemicals that seem to be in just about everything you buy these days.
EWG has very kindly given us some tips on how to reduce our every day exposure to some of these dangerous chemicals.
1. Filter your tap water. Common carcinogens in tap water include arsenic, chromium, and chemical byproducts that form when water is disinfected. A simple carbon filter or pitcher can help reduce the levels of some of these contaminants. If your water is polluted with arsenic or chromium, a reverse osmosis filter will help.
2. Seal outdoor wooden decks and play sets. Those built before 2005 are likely coated with an arsenic pesticide that can stick to hands and clothing. Learn more at www.ewg.org/reports/allhandsondeck
3. Cut down on stain- and grease-proofing chemicals. “Fluorochemicals” related to Teflon and Scotchgard are used in stain repellents on carpets and couches and in greaseproof coatings for packaged and fast foods. Some of these chemicals cause cancer in lab studies. To avoid them, skip greasy packaged foods and say no to optional stain treatments in the home.
4. Stay safe in the sun. More than one million cases of skin cancer are diagnosed in the United States each year. To protect your skin from the sun’s cancer-causing ultraviolet (UV) radiation, seek shade, wear protective clothing and use a safe and effective sunscreen from EWG’s sunscreen database.
5. Cut down on fatty meat and high-fat dairy products. Long-lasting cancer-causing pollutants like dioxins and PCBs accumulate in the food chain and concentrate in animal fat.
6. Eat EWG’s Clean 15. Many pesticides have been linked to cancer. Eating from EWG’s Clean 15 list of the least contaminated fruits and vegetables will help cut your pesticide exposures. Learn more at EWG’s Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides. http://www.foodnews.org
7. Cut your exposures to BPA. Bisphenol-A (BPA) is a synthetic estrogen found in some hard plastic water bottles, canned infant formula, and canned foods. It may increase the risk of reproductive system cancers. To avoid it, eat fewer canned foods, breast feed your baby or use powdered formula, and choose water bottles free of BPA. More at http://www.ewg.org/bpa/tipstoavoidbpa
8. Avoid carcinogens in cosmetics. Use EWG’s Skin Deep cosmetic database (www.cosmeticdatabase.com) to find products free of chemicals known or suspected to cause cancer. When you’re shopping, don’t buy products that list ingredients with “PEG” or “-eth” in their name.
9. Read the warnings. Some products list warnings of cancer risks – read the label before you buy.
This is a great site with some wonderful info, so when you get the chance take the time to have a look; it really is important for your own and your family's long-term health. You can read the whole article for yourself at EWG and many more articles about keeping not only us, but our enviroment healthy.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Are Your Skincare Products Safe?
I’ve been talking to a few people at the markets and found that quite a few still don’t realize that a lot of our skincare products contain unsafe chemicals in them.
Every day we use numerous personal care products, that range from soap and shampoo to deodorant, toothpaste, lotions and make up, that contain chemical ingredients that are absorbed through the skin, inhaled or ingested.
So it’s not surprising that synthetic chemicals have gotten into our bodies and are causing all sorts of health problems. Surveys show that an average person uses as many as 25 different personal care and cosmetic products, containing more than 200 different chemicals.
Some of these chemicals are linked to cancer, birth defects, learning disabilities and other health problems that are epidemic in our society.
Studies have shown that we may actually acquire more toxins through skin absorption than through the foods that we eat; up to 70% of what is applied to the skin is believed to be absorbed into the body, what we use while bathing is able to be absorbed faster as that nice warm water opens our pores and lets either good or bad ingredients in.
Because the skin is the largest organ in the body, this is an extensive surface area through which toxic chemicals can enter. When you put chemicals on your skin, they can pass straight through and enter your bloodstream within minutes, this is the same way nicotine and birth control patches work.
Large corporations are filling their personal care products with all manner of synthetic petrochemical and oleo chemical emollients, thickeners, detergents, synthetic fragrances and preservatives, and to the great confusion of the consumer, are labeling these chemical products as “natural” and “organic”.
Why are these toxic chemicals still being used in our products when there are much safer alternatives now available? The problem is that safe ingredients cost a lot more, which means less profit, so synthetic chemicals are a much more profitable option for them to use.
You need to look at the claims of “naturalness” very closely. With no government regulation of the word “organic” in the personal care products industry, the use of the word “organic” has exploded in this market, with profits skyrocketing for the companies who take advantage of the consumers trust in organics.
A good way of detecting what sort of natural product you are buying is to carefully read its label.
Don’t be distracted by the mention of “natural” or “organic” on the front label, they’re betting that once you see either of those words you won’t take the time to read through the entire list of ingredients on the back, that's where you'll find if it contains chemicals or not. Don’t be fooled into just reading the front label, your health depends on it.
How do you know what chemicals are in the products you use?
I found the easiest way to read the ingredients listing on your products is to read each ingredient as it were something that you might put in your mouth, if it sounds like a chemical, then there’s a very good chance that it is.
According to the Environmental Defense group’s ongoing research, “78% of the chemicals in commercial use have not had even ‘minimal’ toxicity testing”. This should send alarm bells ringing; no wonder we have so many health issues!
What are some of the harmful ingredients being used in our personal care products?
Every day we use numerous personal care products, that range from soap and shampoo to deodorant, toothpaste, lotions and make up, that contain chemical ingredients that are absorbed through the skin, inhaled or ingested.
So it’s not surprising that synthetic chemicals have gotten into our bodies and are causing all sorts of health problems. Surveys show that an average person uses as many as 25 different personal care and cosmetic products, containing more than 200 different chemicals.
Some of these chemicals are linked to cancer, birth defects, learning disabilities and other health problems that are epidemic in our society.
Studies have shown that we may actually acquire more toxins through skin absorption than through the foods that we eat; up to 70% of what is applied to the skin is believed to be absorbed into the body, what we use while bathing is able to be absorbed faster as that nice warm water opens our pores and lets either good or bad ingredients in.
Because the skin is the largest organ in the body, this is an extensive surface area through which toxic chemicals can enter. When you put chemicals on your skin, they can pass straight through and enter your bloodstream within minutes, this is the same way nicotine and birth control patches work.
Large corporations are filling their personal care products with all manner of synthetic petrochemical and oleo chemical emollients, thickeners, detergents, synthetic fragrances and preservatives, and to the great confusion of the consumer, are labeling these chemical products as “natural” and “organic”.
Why are these toxic chemicals still being used in our products when there are much safer alternatives now available? The problem is that safe ingredients cost a lot more, which means less profit, so synthetic chemicals are a much more profitable option for them to use.
You need to look at the claims of “naturalness” very closely. With no government regulation of the word “organic” in the personal care products industry, the use of the word “organic” has exploded in this market, with profits skyrocketing for the companies who take advantage of the consumers trust in organics.
A good way of detecting what sort of natural product you are buying is to carefully read its label.
Don’t be distracted by the mention of “natural” or “organic” on the front label, they’re betting that once you see either of those words you won’t take the time to read through the entire list of ingredients on the back, that's where you'll find if it contains chemicals or not. Don’t be fooled into just reading the front label, your health depends on it.
How do you know what chemicals are in the products you use?
I found the easiest way to read the ingredients listing on your products is to read each ingredient as it were something that you might put in your mouth, if it sounds like a chemical, then there’s a very good chance that it is.
According to the Environmental Defense group’s ongoing research, “78% of the chemicals in commercial use have not had even ‘minimal’ toxicity testing”. This should send alarm bells ringing; no wonder we have so many health issues!
What are some of the harmful ingredients being used in our personal care products?
- Acrylamide
- BHA (ButylHydroxyAnisole) and BHT
- Carbomer
- Cetareth
- Coal tar
- DEA and Cocamide DEA (Diethanol Amine)
- Diazolydinyl Urea and Imidazolidinyl Urea
- Dioxins - 1,4 Dioxane
- EDTA
- Ethylacrylate
- Ethylene oxide
- Formaldehyde
- Methylene Chloride
- Paraben Family, there are many: methylparaben, ethylparaben, propyllparaben, butylparaben etc
- PEG stearates (Poly Ethylene Glycol)
- Petroleum distillates
- PGB's
- Phenolics
- Phthalates and Dibutyl phthalate
- Polysorbatges
- Propylene glycol
- Quatenium
- SLS or SLES (Sodium Laurel Sulfate or Laureth Sulfate)
- Touluene
- Triclosan
- Triethanolamine & TEA (Triethanol Amine)
These are just a few, there are many, many more.
It’s up to us to decide what ingredients we are happy to use on our bodies. Is it worth saving a few dollars buying synthetic body care products when there are now alternatives available? Are synthetic chemicals worth the risk to your health, now and in the future? Of course not, who wants to jeopardize their health? We just need to be aware of any dangerous ingredients contained in the products we use.
A good place to start is by reading the ingredients labels on your products to see just how many of these dangerous chemicals you and your family are using each and every day.
If you are unsure of what a chemical is you can go to www.cosmeticsdatabase.com where you can type the ingredient in and it will tell you everything you'd like to know about that ingredient.
If you'd like to find out a bit more about unsafe chemicals, a good place to look is www.safecosmetics.org and www.ewg.org/reports/skindeep where you'll find some really interesting reading.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Want Great Value For Your Money?
Compare the size!
Compare the ingredients and quality!
Compare the ingredients and quality!
I mean, why pay $7.50 for a bar of handmade soap when you can buy one for $5.50, or even less?
To find the true value of a soap bar you first need to look at the ingredients, and to do that you need to read the ingredient list.
You can't compare a soap that is full of beautiful natural ingredients against one that is full of cheap chemicals. Just remember whatever ingredient comes first on the label is what it contains the most of, then as you read along the list, the last ingredient mentioned is what it contains the least of.
Next you need to know how much it weighs. A $5.50 bar might look like good value, but is it really?
A $7.50 bar of soap that weighs 150 gr. = $2.50 per 50 gr.
A $5.50 bar of soap that weighs 100 gr. = $2.75 per 50 gr.
That $5.50 bar is not as good a bargain as you originally thought.
If the soap bar you are thinking of buying doesn’t have a weight listed, ask so you can compare the real price.
Don’t be swayed by how pretty a soap looks, once you’re using it in your bath or shower how it looks is not going to matter, but the fragrance, feel and how good it is for your skin, will!
Let’s look at a few examples of different soap brands:
THE BODY SHOP: White Musk Creamy Cleansing Bar Ingredients: Sodium Palmate, Sodium Palm Kernelate, Water, Glycerin , Fragrance , Sodium Chloride, Shea Butter, Honey, Hydroxyisohexyl 3-Cyclohexene Carboxaldehyde , Hexyl Cinnamal , Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Linalool, Tetrasodium EDTA , Tetrasodium Etidronate , Hydroxycitronellal , Coumarin , Isoeugenol, Geraniol, Benzyl Benzoate, Citronellol, Benzyl Salicylate, Farnesol, Benzyl Alcohol, Limonene, Eugenol, Benzyl Cinnamate, Citral, Mica, Titanium Dioxide
Price $6.98 for 100gr. (equivalent to $3.47 per 50 gram)
LUSH SOAP BAR, Karma:
Ingredients:Water, Propylene Glycol, Sodium Palm Kernelate, Sodium Stearate, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Perfume, Glycerine, Patchouli Oil, Orange Oil, Lavendin Oil, Pine Oil, Lemongrass Oil, Elemi Oil, Sodium Chloride, Tetrasodium EDTA, Gardenia Extract, Colour 18050. Price $9.90 for 100 gr. (equivalent to $4.95 per 50 gram)
Oh dear! lots of chemicals in these two, if you have the time google some of these ingredients to see the effects they have on your health.
BRAND ‘A’:
Ingredients: Palm, coconut & olive oils, fragrance (artificial chemical), colour (synthetic chemical) Price $5.50 for 100gr. (equivalent to $2.75 per 50 gram)
(For the benefit of your skin, steer clear of soaps that contain palm oil as its main ingredient. Look for a soap that lists olive oil 1st on the ingredients list for the best benefit for your skin and the best value for your money. Choose a soap that contains no chemicals, they are harmful for your health.)
BRAND ‘B’:
Ingredients: Olive, coconut & palm oils, goat’s milk, fragrance, colour (both artificial chemicals)Price $7.60 for 130gr. (equivalent to $2.90 per 50 gram)
PURE AND NATURAL AROMABEAUTY, Lavender Goat’s Milk:
Ingredients: Saponified cold pressed olive, coconut and rice bran oils, fresh goat’s milk, sweet almond oil, avocado butter, mango butter, lavender essential oil, natural colour from alkanet root.
Price $7.50 for 150gr. (equivalent to $2.50 per 50gram)
After a closer look there really is no comparison.
Pure and Natural AromaBeauty offers you top quality, luxurious handmade organic soaps at lower than average prices and NO CHEMICALS.
Why not try some today?
And feel the difference in your skin.
Saturday, August 1, 2009
and the winner is..........
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It was a hard decision deciding on the winner of our two handmade soap bars, but after much thought I decided to give our Free Organic Soaps to Kirsty from Hamperific.
The reason I chose this entry is because Kirsty hit on my whole philosophy of my business and that is to offer people all natural chemical-free products, in fact that is the reason my business started.
Kirsty mentioned that she herself had problems in the past with infections caused by bath products and thought that this could be a reason people don’t use bath bombs as much anymore, this is one reason I hadn’t thought to consider.
I think one of the causes of this concern is the artificial fragrances and other chemicals contained in many bath products. You can be confident that you won’t find any synthetic fragrances or chemicals in any of our Bath Bombs or All Natural Soaps.
A few people mentioned that cost could be a factor and I realize there are lots of cheaper Bath Bombs and Handmade Soaps available that are made with cheaper ingredients and artificial fragrances and colours, but my aim is to provide the best quality all natural products that I can, at the least expensive price I can offer.
My bath bombs contain Certified Organic Shea Butter, Goat’s Milk, Sweet Almond oil, French argyle clay and of course pure essential oils, so they are wonderful for your skin.
I’d like to thank everyone that took the time to enter and give me your valued comments and Kirsty your free luxury soaps will be arriving shortly.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Pure All Natural Soap for your Baby
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Good news everyone, we have listened to what Mums are wanting to wash their bubby with, so our “So Pure Baby Bar” now has a touch of pure Lavender and Tangerine Essentials oils added.
Why? Sadly, some Mums choose their baby products on how nice they smell, not realizing the chemicals lurking beneath that pretty fragrance, so we’ve decided to offer you a much safer alternative to chemical filled baby soaps.
Anyone who has read the section on chemical effects of perfume in my last post would realize the dangers of using synthetic fragrances in our skin care products. This is especially true for our babies because of their super sensitive skin. We need to be particularly careful about what we rub onto their skin and what fragrances our babies inhale..jpg)
I’ve specially chosen Lavender and Tangerine essential oils to fragrance our All Natural Baby Bar because, not only does it smell beautiful but because of the benefits these particular essential oils have.
The little cutie pictured here is one of my beautiful Grand-daughters :o)
· Lavender is an excellent sedative oil known to calm, relax and help promote sleep; it is also particularly soothing for inflamed skin conditions such as eczema and nappy rash.
· Tangerine also makes a wonderful babies oil, it’s great for helping with insomnia and restlessness and smells “just beautiful”.
If you’d like a chemical free 100% natural soap bar to take care of your babies delicate skin, Pure and Natural AromaBeauty now offers you one that is pure and gentle and smells wonderful as well.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
What Does That Label Really Mean?
I was at the Markets on the weekend selling my handmade organic soaps and I wanted to share the conversation I had with a lady that was there. As this lady smelt my soaps, she mentioned that one particular bar smelled beautiful, very similar she said to a Lush soap she was using.
When I mentioned that my All Natural soaps didn’t contain chemicals like the Lush soaps do, she said “oh no, Lush soaps are all natural”. Now I know that this is not the case as a friend of mine had given me one of their large, full colour brochures that contained a list of the ingredients used in their soaps. When I explained this to the lady she was still adamant that Lush soaps are “all natural.”
WHY IS THIS? Maybe it’s because in their brochure it mentions quite a few times, about the ingredients used in their products being natural. We tend to take for granted that if a Company says their products are natural, then that makes them chemical free. Sadly, this is not the case.
Sure, Lush products do contain some lovely natural ingredients, but what about the chemicals that they also contain? To their credit Lush does mention quite openly on their website that there are some synthetic ingredients contained in their soaps, the reason they quote is “because they are the most effective, safe carriers for the natural ingredients we use.” Now I’m not sure that everyone would agree with this statement.
Lush isn’t the only Company that uses these chemicals in their soaps, in fact there are many, many more who use not only these chemicals, but numerous other chemicals, some of which are even more toxic than the ones used by Lush. I’ve only mentioned this particular Company because of the encounter I had with this lady on the weekend.
Let’s have a closer look at the ingredients contained in one of Lush’s soaps.
Ingredients:
Water, Propylene Glycol, Sodium Palm Kernelate, Sodium Stearate, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Perfume, Glycerine, Patchouli Oil, Orange Oil, Lavendin Oil), Pine Oil, Lemongrass Oil, Elemi Oil, Sodium Chloride, Tetrasodium EDTA, Gardenia Extract, Colour 18050.
Propylene Glycol - exposure to high levels of Propylene Glycol is known to cause serious and potentially irreversible health conditions. According to the safety data sheets of industrial chemical manufacturers, chemicals such as Propylene Glycol will cause serious health conditions, including liver and heart damage and damage to the central nervous system if sufficient is absorbed by the body. This chemical has also been linked to Neurotoxicity, Endocrine disruption and Cancer.
Propylene Glycol is used as antifreeze, airplane de-icer and to make polyester and solvents in the paint and plastics industries, just to name a few. When you purchase a drum of propylene glycol from a supplier, that supplier is required to furnish an MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet). The MSDS for propylene glycol says "Avoid skin contact." Does this sound like something you want to be using on your skin every day?
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) - This chemical is used in soaps and shampoos because it is an inexpensive detergent that allows the product to foam well.
A report published in the Journal of The American College of Toxicology, showed that concentrations as low as 0.5% could cause irritation and concentrations of 10-30% caused skin corrosion and severe irritation. Some soaps have concentrations of up to 30%, which the ACT report called "highly irritating and dangerous". Studies have indicated that SLS enters and maintains residual levels in the heart, liver, lungs and brain from skin contact. Other research has indicated sodium lauryl sulfate may be damaging to the immune system, especially within the skin and can cause irritation to the skin, eyes or lungs.
Perfume - Shamefully, only 84% of the ingredients used in today’s synthetic fragrances have never been tested for human toxicity, or have had only minimal testing. In a list of 2,983 chemicals used by the fragrance industry, the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health identified 884 toxic substances. These compounds are capable of causing breathing difficulty, allergic reactions, multiple chemical sensitivities, and other serious maladies, including neurological damage.
The FDA has acknowledged that the incidence of adverse reactions to perfume products appears to be increasing and that these reactions involve the immune and neurological systems. A recent government report targeted synthetic fragrances as one of the six categories of chemicals that should be given the highest priority for neurotoxicity testing along with insecticides, heavy metals, solvents, food additives, and air pollutants.
The only way you’ll know for sure ALL of the ingredients contained in a product, is to read the label carefully.
If you don’t know what an ingredient is and it sounds like it could be a chemical, you can be pretty sure it will be one. The Chemical and Beauty Industry tell us that "small" quantities of chemicals are "safe'"to use on our skin. But what happens when we are using these chemicals EACH AND EVERY DAY?
(Didn’t the Cigarette manufacturers deny any health risks associated with toxic chemicals contained in cigarette smoke for over 25 years?) We know for a fact that there is more and more cancer being diagnosed every day. Could it be that these chemicals we are bombarding our bodies with are building up in our system and making us sick? I personally think so.
Some people have told me they really don’t know how to tell if an ingredient is natural or chemical. The easiest way is to ask yourself, do you know what the word means? Like lavender, lemongrass, orange, we all know what these are. Also ask yourself, would you feel happy about eating it or rubbing it on your skin? I found that these methods helped me when I first learnt about chemicals in our skincare products.
Why risk using products that contain chemicals when there are safer alternatives to use?
Pure and Natural AromaBeauty offers you a chemical free safe alternative to chemical filled soap bars.
When I mentioned that my All Natural soaps didn’t contain chemicals like the Lush soaps do, she said “oh no, Lush soaps are all natural”. Now I know that this is not the case as a friend of mine had given me one of their large, full colour brochures that contained a list of the ingredients used in their soaps. When I explained this to the lady she was still adamant that Lush soaps are “all natural.”
WHY IS THIS? Maybe it’s because in their brochure it mentions quite a few times, about the ingredients used in their products being natural. We tend to take for granted that if a Company says their products are natural, then that makes them chemical free. Sadly, this is not the case.
Sure, Lush products do contain some lovely natural ingredients, but what about the chemicals that they also contain? To their credit Lush does mention quite openly on their website that there are some synthetic ingredients contained in their soaps, the reason they quote is “because they are the most effective, safe carriers for the natural ingredients we use.” Now I’m not sure that everyone would agree with this statement.
Lush isn’t the only Company that uses these chemicals in their soaps, in fact there are many, many more who use not only these chemicals, but numerous other chemicals, some of which are even more toxic than the ones used by Lush. I’ve only mentioned this particular Company because of the encounter I had with this lady on the weekend.
Let’s have a closer look at the ingredients contained in one of Lush’s soaps.
Ingredients:
Water, Propylene Glycol, Sodium Palm Kernelate, Sodium Stearate, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Perfume, Glycerine, Patchouli Oil, Orange Oil, Lavendin Oil), Pine Oil, Lemongrass Oil, Elemi Oil, Sodium Chloride, Tetrasodium EDTA, Gardenia Extract, Colour 18050.
Propylene Glycol - exposure to high levels of Propylene Glycol is known to cause serious and potentially irreversible health conditions. According to the safety data sheets of industrial chemical manufacturers, chemicals such as Propylene Glycol will cause serious health conditions, including liver and heart damage and damage to the central nervous system if sufficient is absorbed by the body. This chemical has also been linked to Neurotoxicity, Endocrine disruption and Cancer.
Propylene Glycol is used as antifreeze, airplane de-icer and to make polyester and solvents in the paint and plastics industries, just to name a few. When you purchase a drum of propylene glycol from a supplier, that supplier is required to furnish an MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet). The MSDS for propylene glycol says "Avoid skin contact." Does this sound like something you want to be using on your skin every day?
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) - This chemical is used in soaps and shampoos because it is an inexpensive detergent that allows the product to foam well.
A report published in the Journal of The American College of Toxicology, showed that concentrations as low as 0.5% could cause irritation and concentrations of 10-30% caused skin corrosion and severe irritation. Some soaps have concentrations of up to 30%, which the ACT report called "highly irritating and dangerous". Studies have indicated that SLS enters and maintains residual levels in the heart, liver, lungs and brain from skin contact. Other research has indicated sodium lauryl sulfate may be damaging to the immune system, especially within the skin and can cause irritation to the skin, eyes or lungs.
Perfume - Shamefully, only 84% of the ingredients used in today’s synthetic fragrances have never been tested for human toxicity, or have had only minimal testing. In a list of 2,983 chemicals used by the fragrance industry, the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health identified 884 toxic substances. These compounds are capable of causing breathing difficulty, allergic reactions, multiple chemical sensitivities, and other serious maladies, including neurological damage.
The FDA has acknowledged that the incidence of adverse reactions to perfume products appears to be increasing and that these reactions involve the immune and neurological systems. A recent government report targeted synthetic fragrances as one of the six categories of chemicals that should be given the highest priority for neurotoxicity testing along with insecticides, heavy metals, solvents, food additives, and air pollutants.
The only way you’ll know for sure ALL of the ingredients contained in a product, is to read the label carefully.
If you don’t know what an ingredient is and it sounds like it could be a chemical, you can be pretty sure it will be one. The Chemical and Beauty Industry tell us that "small" quantities of chemicals are "safe'"to use on our skin. But what happens when we are using these chemicals EACH AND EVERY DAY?
(Didn’t the Cigarette manufacturers deny any health risks associated with toxic chemicals contained in cigarette smoke for over 25 years?) We know for a fact that there is more and more cancer being diagnosed every day. Could it be that these chemicals we are bombarding our bodies with are building up in our system and making us sick? I personally think so.
Some people have told me they really don’t know how to tell if an ingredient is natural or chemical. The easiest way is to ask yourself, do you know what the word means? Like lavender, lemongrass, orange, we all know what these are. Also ask yourself, would you feel happy about eating it or rubbing it on your skin? I found that these methods helped me when I first learnt about chemicals in our skincare products.
Why risk using products that contain chemicals when there are safer alternatives to use?
Pure and Natural AromaBeauty offers you a chemical free safe alternative to chemical filled soap bars.
Friday, May 15, 2009
Truth in Labelling
Don’t you just hate it when someone has purposely deceived you?
That’s just how I felt when I read an article from one of my favourite information sites CleanLife. The CleanLife site educates the public on the health risks and environmental impact associated with the use of chemical laden skincare, cosmetic and cleaning products and food.
It seems that well know company Natural Instinct also known as Organic Instinct has been found out on deceiving us all. They’ve been deliberately concealing some of their ingredients so as to sell more of their product. These chemicals they have been failing to list are dangerous ones that people need to be aware of. Some of the chemicals in question are;
Sodium Laureth Sulphate (A highly irritating chemical and although it is less irritating than SLS which is its cousin, it cannot be metabolised by the liver and therefore its effects are much more long lasting, it also has contamination concerns of a couple of different ingredients one of which is Ethylene Oxide, which has much more serious side effects such as leukemia, cancer, hodgkins’ disease and kidney and liver damage)
Cocamide DEA (Has been linked to cancer. Studies have also shown that it directly inhibits fetal brain development in laboratory studies by blocking the absorption of choline, a nutrient required for brain development and maintenance.
Cetrimonium Chloride (Known for allergic reactions and immunotoxicity)
You can see the whole CleanLife report here: It looks like the Natural Instinct products aren't quite as natural as they'd like people to think!
I found this article particularly upsetting, not only because I was one of the people fooled, yes, I’d been using their shampoo for a few months, because going by their ingredients list, (that’s always the first thing I check before I buy something and which I now find was incorrect) it was comparable to other natural shampoos but cheaper. I should have known better, the fact that their products were substantially cheaper should have rung alarm bells straight away.
What I found much more upsetting was that these ingredients were contained in their baby shampoo, baby wash, baby conditioner and baby bath products. We need to be extra careful in making sure that the products we use on our babies are chemical free because of long term health problems. Parents who were buying these products thinking they were natural and free from damaging chemicals were tricked into using something that they really didn’t want to be using.
This Company was also found listing their ingredients in the incorrect order on their product labels. Where is the truth in labelling? We need to be able to know exactly what ingredients are contained in the product and in the correct order they were used. We should be able to rely on labels to provide accurate information about chemicals and other ingredients in our skincare products.
The fact that Natural Instinct has been caught in the act is wonderful and hopefully it will deter other Companies from putting misleading labels on their products. But when there is BIG money involved, I wonder if some Companies might think it is worth the risk, I hope not. Natural Instinct probably would have corrected these false labelling problems by now, but I personally would never trust or buy their products again.
Natural Instinct is not the only Company that uses these chemicals in their products, there are many, many more who quite openly include them in their ingredients list. It really is a good idea to check your favourite shampoo and conditioner to see if you and your family are being exposed to dangerous chemicals (there is many more than the ones I have mentioned here) every time you wash your hair. A good site to have a look at is the Cosmetics Database where you can type in any ingredient you don't know and are worried about and it will tell you what health concerns are connected to it. Great for finding out if the products you are using are safe or not.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if when we read Natural or Organic on a product we would know that it really was Natural or Organic? Sadly this is not the case and many Companies falsely put the word Natural on the front of their products to entice you to buy, when in fact they might only contain a very small percentage of natural ingredients in them.
You can find the Truth in Labelling badge proudly shown on my website and on my blog page so that you can be confident in knowing that Pure and Natural AromaBeauty products really are Pure and Natural.
That’s just how I felt when I read an article from one of my favourite information sites CleanLife. The CleanLife site educates the public on the health risks and environmental impact associated with the use of chemical laden skincare, cosmetic and cleaning products and food.
It seems that well know company Natural Instinct also known as Organic Instinct has been found out on deceiving us all. They’ve been deliberately concealing some of their ingredients so as to sell more of their product. These chemicals they have been failing to list are dangerous ones that people need to be aware of. Some of the chemicals in question are;
Sodium Laureth Sulphate (A highly irritating chemical and although it is less irritating than SLS which is its cousin, it cannot be metabolised by the liver and therefore its effects are much more long lasting, it also has contamination concerns of a couple of different ingredients one of which is Ethylene Oxide, which has much more serious side effects such as leukemia, cancer, hodgkins’ disease and kidney and liver damage)
Cocamide DEA (Has been linked to cancer. Studies have also shown that it directly inhibits fetal brain development in laboratory studies by blocking the absorption of choline, a nutrient required for brain development and maintenance.
Cetrimonium Chloride (Known for allergic reactions and immunotoxicity)
You can see the whole CleanLife report here: It looks like the Natural Instinct products aren't quite as natural as they'd like people to think!
I found this article particularly upsetting, not only because I was one of the people fooled, yes, I’d been using their shampoo for a few months, because going by their ingredients list, (that’s always the first thing I check before I buy something and which I now find was incorrect) it was comparable to other natural shampoos but cheaper. I should have known better, the fact that their products were substantially cheaper should have rung alarm bells straight away.
What I found much more upsetting was that these ingredients were contained in their baby shampoo, baby wash, baby conditioner and baby bath products. We need to be extra careful in making sure that the products we use on our babies are chemical free because of long term health problems. Parents who were buying these products thinking they were natural and free from damaging chemicals were tricked into using something that they really didn’t want to be using.
This Company was also found listing their ingredients in the incorrect order on their product labels. Where is the truth in labelling? We need to be able to know exactly what ingredients are contained in the product and in the correct order they were used. We should be able to rely on labels to provide accurate information about chemicals and other ingredients in our skincare products.
The fact that Natural Instinct has been caught in the act is wonderful and hopefully it will deter other Companies from putting misleading labels on their products. But when there is BIG money involved, I wonder if some Companies might think it is worth the risk, I hope not. Natural Instinct probably would have corrected these false labelling problems by now, but I personally would never trust or buy their products again.
Natural Instinct is not the only Company that uses these chemicals in their products, there are many, many more who quite openly include them in their ingredients list. It really is a good idea to check your favourite shampoo and conditioner to see if you and your family are being exposed to dangerous chemicals (there is many more than the ones I have mentioned here) every time you wash your hair. A good site to have a look at is the Cosmetics Database where you can type in any ingredient you don't know and are worried about and it will tell you what health concerns are connected to it. Great for finding out if the products you are using are safe or not.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if when we read Natural or Organic on a product we would know that it really was Natural or Organic? Sadly this is not the case and many Companies falsely put the word Natural on the front of their products to entice you to buy, when in fact they might only contain a very small percentage of natural ingredients in them.
You can find the Truth in Labelling badge proudly shown on my website and on my blog page so that you can be confident in knowing that Pure and Natural AromaBeauty products really are Pure and Natural.
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Is your pampered pooch suffering with dry, itchy skin?
There are many reasons why your dog could be suffering from itchy skin.
This is because your dog’s skin is a lot more sensitive than yours or mine. Like humans, your dog’s skin has naturally occurring oils that can be stripped away by harsh shampoo and conditions leaving their skin dry and their coat brittle.
Chemical filled detergent soap can give us dry, itchy skin, eczema or dermatitis; these same chemicals can give your dog, dry, itchy skin or other health problems.
Some other reasons your pet could be suffering with itchy skin:
• Over washing of your dog which can lead to dryness, especially if the products you’re using contain chemicals. Experts recommend bathing only once a month to keep their skin and coat healthy.
• Fleas or parasites can be a common culprit.
• Infections such as hot spots
• Food allergies – check your dog’s diet, he could have an allergy to one or more ingredients in his food, try changing the food that he eats.
• Irritants from detergents used to wash bedding, household cleaners or even sprays used in your yard.
Finding the cause of your dog’s problem can be a step by step process of elimination.
Concerned owners will take their pooch to see a vet, but medicine might not help if the allergic reaction is from the harsh chemicals contained in detergent type dog shampoo.
Many pet owners who use chemical filled dog shampoos find that their dogs tend to scratch a lot. This is because most of these chemical based shampoos contain irritants and ingredients that can irritate your dog’s skin and make it very dry.
Using organic dog shampoo will reduce the likelihood of allergies or rashes associated with the chemicals commonly found in most grooming products and will also help to eliminate potential harm from these chemicals from not only your pet, but for you as well.
This gorgeous girl is our pampered pooch, she’s a Bernese Mountain Dog and the best dog in the world in mine and my family’s opinion, she has the most beautiful nature and is so gentle, we love her to bits.
Chemical filled detergent soap can give us dry, itchy skin, eczema or dermatitis; these same chemicals can give your dog, dry, itchy skin or other health problems.
Some other reasons your pet could be suffering with itchy skin:
• Over washing of your dog which can lead to dryness, especially if the products you’re using contain chemicals. Experts recommend bathing only once a month to keep their skin and coat healthy.
• Fleas or parasites can be a common culprit.
• Infections such as hot spots
• Food allergies – check your dog’s diet, he could have an allergy to one or more ingredients in his food, try changing the food that he eats.
• Irritants from detergents used to wash bedding, household cleaners or even sprays used in your yard.
Finding the cause of your dog’s problem can be a step by step process of elimination.
Concerned owners will take their pooch to see a vet, but medicine might not help if the allergic reaction is from the harsh chemicals contained in detergent type dog shampoo.
Many pet owners who use chemical filled dog shampoos find that their dogs tend to scratch a lot. This is because most of these chemical based shampoos contain irritants and ingredients that can irritate your dog’s skin and make it very dry.
Using organic dog shampoo will reduce the likelihood of allergies or rashes associated with the chemicals commonly found in most grooming products and will also help to eliminate potential harm from these chemicals from not only your pet, but for you as well.
This gorgeous girl is our pampered pooch, she’s a Bernese Mountain Dog and the best dog in the world in mine and my family’s opinion, she has the most beautiful nature and is so gentle, we love her to bits.
Her health is very important to me so I decided to make her a 100% pure and natural soap bar that would keep her beautiful long coat, soft and silky.
For a healthy alternative to chemical filled dog shampoo bars, see our pure handmade soap at Pure and Natural AromaBeauty.
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