The Organic Beauty Expert

I'm a little tweaked about Dr. Bronner being the judge & jury of organic standards

From Happi.com

Dr. Bronner’s Ups Ante in Organic Lawsuit

Monetary damages now sought from remaining defendants.

It's mission is still "All-One," as per the labels. Natural brand Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soaps has upped the ante in its bid to clean up the organic misbranding in personal care aisles, according to the company. The family-owned business filed its Second Amended Complaint in San Francisco Superior Court against numerous personal care companies said to use non-organic pesticide-intensive agricultural and/or petrochemical material to make the main cleansing and moisturizing ingredients of their organic-labeled products.

Former defendant Estee Lauder was dropped from the suit because it has not in fact entered the market under its Aveda brand with OASIS certified products as it had earlier projected. Former defendant Ikove agreed to change its labeling practices of relevant products.

Defendants in the case include, among others:Hain-Celestial (Jason “Pure, Natural & Organic; Avalon “Organics”); Levlad (Nature’s Gate “Organics”); Kiss My Face “Organic”; YSL Beaute Inc (Stella McCartney’s “100% Organic Active Ingredients”), Country Life (Desert Essence “Organics”); Giovanni “Organic Cosmetics”; and the certifiers Ecocert and OASIS.

According to Dr. Bronner’s, its new complaint seeks damages in addition to injunctive relief, for false advertising under the federal Lanham Act, rather than simply the injunctive relief that Dr. Bronner’s sought under California’s Unfair Competition Law (UCL).

What's your two cents?

Seriously? Journalist kills fish on live TV to prove toxic point

A danish journalist faced big punishment recently because of an idea. Lisbeth Kloester went on live TV to showcase the dangers of using everyday products like shampoo. That these products are toxic to our health.

To prove this point, she added anti-dandruff shampoo to a tank full of fish. Twelve of the 13 fish died and she was charged with causing unnecessary cruelty to animals after a viewer complained. This happened in 2004, though the case just came before the court late May. Because of this, the journalist was found guilty, but was not sentenced because of the delay the case took in coming to court.

I don't know... is no one else calling BS on this? Sucks that she even came on charges, but her demo was silly to begin with. Fish would probably die if you put baking soda in their water. It's agreed that some ingredients need a second look, but this was kind of silly.

Seriously? Nail polish that you can turn on & off.... breast cancer danger in the cosmetic aisle

Eco-friendly pigments that can instantly change colors may be the wave of nail color future, according to current research going on in California.

'Iron oxide particles embedded in microscopic polymer beads can be made to change color with the application of external magnetic fields, according to the team led by Yadong Yin at the University of California.

“Unlike many conventional approaches, the instantaneous color change occurs with no change in the structure or intrinsic properties of the microspheres themselves. What changes instead are the magnetic fields acting externally on the orientation of these microspheres,” explained Yin.

The magnetic field makes the particles line up in ordered arrangements. Changing the field will change the order of the particles leading to different diffraction colours, according to the study.'

Read the full article...

A new book claims compelling evidence that links rising cancer rates to carcinogenic chemicals found in personal care products.

'Entitled No Family History, the book has been written by Sabrina McCormick, PhD, of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Pennsylvania, and aims to make a link between the rising rates of breast cancer and increased exposure to everyday products containing numerous chemicals.

As well as the personal care industry, McCormick also chooses to target household cleaning and food products, claiming that by simply avoiding the cancer-causing chemicals used by many manufacturers, some cases of breast cancer might be prevented.'

Read the full article...

Articles courtesy CosmeticsDesign.com

Can caffeine really make those butt dimples disappear? ShopSmart gives the lowdown

After you slide on that bikini bottom, do you run for the coffee grounds and rub it into your thighs to help those dimples look a bit smaller? From head to toe, manufacturers have been espousing the benefits we can obtain from a boost a caffeine in products from scrubs to eye cream.

The July issue of ShopSmart, from the publisher of Consumer Reports, got the lowdown on what caffeinated products can and can’t do for you from a group of experts and researchers, including dermatologists and plastic surgeons and OBE lays out the results for body scrubs and cellulite creams.

Body scrubs
The claims: Bella Luccè (natural-based products) claims that its Bali Kopi Coffee Scrub, $25.50, will exfoliate and smooth lumpy skin; OPI claims its Cappuccino Massage and Espresso Scrub Kit, $23, will stimulate cell turnover.
Experts say: You’ll see softer, smoother skin, thanks to the exfoliating capabilities of the coffee grounds, but you don’t get enough penetration to tighten skin.
Bottom line: Though store-bought exfoliators work, don’t toss out your own coffee grounds! Recycle them as a home-made scrub. Just add a little olive oil to make a paste.

Cellulite creams and gels
The claims: Bliss Love Handler, $36, Revitol Cellulite Solution, $40, and Clarins Super Restorative Redefining Body Care, $88, stimulate skin and improve firmness, reducing the appearance of cellulite.
Experts say: To see a payoff, caffeine must be able to penetrate the skin cells, and some preliminary evidence is intriguing.
Bottom line: These products are effective only as long as they are being used, and it generally takes four to five weeks to see any difference.

FDA warns consumers not to use products made by Clarcon

Thanks to the Twitter from Kayla Fioravanti about this latest release from the FDA. Be sure to click over to the link to see the product labels of the products.

from the FDA release

FDA Warns Consumers Not to Use Skin Products Made by Clarcon Due to Bacterial Contamination Risk

Products marketed under various names

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced today that Clarcon Biological Chemistry Laboratory Inc. of Roy, Utah, is voluntarily recalling some skin sanitizers and skin protectants marketed under several different brand names because of high levels of disease-causing bacteria found in the product during a recent inspection. The FDA is warning consumers to not use any Clarcon products.

Consumers should not use any Clarcon products and should throw these products away in household refuse. Analyses of several samples of over-the-counter topical antimicrobial skin sanitizer and skin protectant products revealed high levels of various bacteria, including some associated with unsanitary conditions. Some of these bacteria can cause opportunistic infections of the skin and underlying tissues.  Such infections may need medical or surgical attention, and may result in permanent damage. Examples of products that should be discarded include:

What’s in That Bottle? Label look-out for mommies to be... & the rest of us, too

submitted by Nicole Shariat
Most pregnant women know that what you put in your body is important to the health and well-being of your growing baby. But do you know that what you put on your body is of equal importance?

When you are picking your products for your daily beauty routine, it is important to remember that the chemicals in your hair products pass through your scalp and are absorbed into your body. In fact, your scalp is one of the most porous areas of your body! With a developing baby, this is a vital concern.

Expecting and new moms must remember that everything you eat, apply or make contact with can affect not only you but your growing baby. "Because some topical ingredients get absorbed into the bloodstream, there are some you want to avoid," notes Leslie Baumann, professor at the University of Miami and author of The Skin Type Solution (Bantam, 2006).

While there are safe options out there, there are two chemical classes that are considered potentially harmful to your baby’s health and development. We've put together a great label lookout guide that gives you the up-to-date knowledge on the chemical ingredients that can put baby at risk. We also know that sometimes labels are a pain to translate. For some great mom-tested products, check out Mom Hair Care Faves. Here, you will find a selection of amazing products including super moisturizing pregnancy shampoo made just for you!

Note: For mom’s who plan to breastfeed, continue following the guidelines below until you stop nursing.

When it comes to beauty, natural & organic don't always equal green

Ahh... so many green and eco bloggers have a tendency to rely heavily on guilt to sell us on why we must go green and use only nature provided ingredients. I hate the guilt factor of this niche I'm in. If that's the only rocket in your pocket, then I say screw it and use what's cheaper! 

So next time you encounter one of those green ranters, here's some fuel for your side of the argument, courtesy CosmeticsDesign.com and a bit of common sense, too:

"In some cases, synthetically producing certain ingredients might work out to be more environmentally sustainable, particularly if the potential of green chemistry to improve manufacturing processes is realised.

Ignoring synthetic options that might prove more efficient is irresponsible; and switching to natural or organic ingredients without fully assessing the environmental impact of the change is similarly reckless.

Furthermore, the natural and organic movement places an unrealistic focus on the part ingredients play in a product’s green profile."

What's your two cents?

Is anyone else frustrated by the "organic sunscreen" search? Here's some natural options for sun protection this summer!

So there I was... wandering around CVS Memorial Day weekend unable to find the sunscreen I knew we had in the house and trying to find a natural suncreen before we headed to SeaWorld. Alas, nothing. Nada. Zilch. So I guiltily grabbed an Aveeno and hoped that no one saw me and sprayed just a small minimal amoount on the kids' arms and told my son he HAD to wear his hat because I just couldn't bring myself to spray any on his face.

What I long way I've come since I started writing this blog three years ago and in truth, when I forget to plan ahead and have to buy the next best thing, which isn't the next green thing, I feel kind of bad.

Hoping that you stock up in time for July 4th, here's a small list of sun protection options and sunscreens with ingredients you can at least pronounce. Do they offer full spectrum protection? Well, I'll say this: I don't know for sure they don't and it's pretty much the same answer for the stuff that has questionable ingredients, so...

1. Mexitan, SPF 30, $16.95

2. Soleo Organic, SPF 30, $24

3. UPF 50 Wide Brim Hat

4. Buy zinc oxide wholesale and mix with the lotion/oil of your choice (buy the 1 oz sample for $9 bucks!)

5. If possible, go out after peak sun hours (peak sun is 10a to 2pm).

6. Lastly, if you get sunburn try these sugestions from Kayla Fioravanti, Vice President, Chief Formulator, ARC Registered & Certified Aromatherapist for Essential Wholesale and its lab division Essential Labs. 

Kayla says if you get a sunburn apply some lavender essential oil to the areas.  You can either use it directly out of the bottle onto your burns, which is perfect if you have a very bad burn.  Or you can drop some into a cool bath and/or you can add a few drops to some Aloe Vera gel before applying. 

"I always go for the straight stuff right onto my burned skin. Lavender is the most used essential oil in aromatherapy.  It also has amazing properties that come from the natural chemistry of the plant to soothe burns.  It offers amazing relief for sunburns and it is safe enough to be applied directly to the sunburn."

If you've got some suggestions, please leave them!

Hoping the FDA gets the message :: NO to toxic beauty!

Thanks to Christine for this little tidbit from the Washington Post about a Tampa-based online beauty boutique owner who wants the FDA to do their job and find out what's toxic and what's not in beauty products.

Read the full article.

Parabens bad press based on flawed science, says insider

Since I've started the blog in 2006, I've seen a big jump in scare tactics as a way for organic/natural/green companies to sell their products and the biggest "evil" has been parabens.

Personally, I'm not drawn to natural skincare because I care about the earth or I'm terrified of getting cancer. I simply like the idea that if there are two products that perform similar, I'd rather go with more natural ingredients that my body can identify and break down. Simple.

In keeping with getting equal air time for information, CosmeticsDesigns features a great interview with preservative sales manager Dane Godfrey. While it could be said the his thoughts are purely to keep his job, there is some truth to what he's saying, and what many people have said throughout the years.

Take a listen and share your thoughts!