There is one issue that haunts every warm blooded woman.Split Ends. No matter how hard you fight it, it seems to be inevitable.

There are certain steps you can take to avoid split ends. Make sure that you are going to see your stylist for regular trims to remove those frayed ends. Make sure you are using a moisturizing treatment that is going to repair the cuticle and add strength and moisture back into the hair, providing a stronger hair shaft.

However SLI Beauty is a completely customizable private label solution, that has a solution to offer those battling split ends or wanting to keep the strength and elasticity in the hair. The product is called Split End Serum. This miraculous serum repairs the hair shaft up to 70%.

This wonder product contains Rosemary which is used to stimulate the hair follicle causing the hair to grow stronger. It is also believed to speed up hair growth. Another key ingredient is Basil. Basil is used in the Split End Serum is used as a stimulating agent as well. It stimulates the circulation, causing more blood flow to travel to the hair root. Combining the basil and the rosemary causes the hair to have strengthen. Sage is a scalp clarifier, that helps keep scalp clean of any free radicals.

This product can be used in either wet or dry hair. When used in wet hair, you apply the products from roots to ends and then style with heat tools. You can also use this product as a styling product. Apply a small amount in palms and smooth product over ends.

Please remember that all SLI Beauty products are Sulfate Free - Paraben Free – Phthalate Free – Salt Free. SLI Beauty does not test on animals.

Adding this serum treatment to your private label hair care line helps provide your clientele with a solution to manage those split ends between their visits.

For more information on this product and other SLI Beauty products please contact us;

www.salonlabel.com

info@salonlabel.com

Direct- 1.250.590.3700

We are looking forward to speaking with you soon!

SLI Beauty Team

” Put your salon’s name on the most organic and natural private label hair care products possible.”

Blant annet har produkter fra Biotherm, Nivea, H&M, Clinique, Mabelline, L’Oreal, MaxFactor, Nu Skin, Revlon, Redken, The Body Shop og Clarins havnet på lista. Les hele saken på ABC-Nyheter

Det er rett og slett helt utrolig at ikke de store produsentene klarer å skille ut skadelige ingredienser i de varene de tilbyr. Det skyldes absolutt ikke at det ikke finnes gode erstatninger, for det gjør det. Snarere er de vel heller redd for at ikke produktene skal være like attraktive om de endrer på oppskriftene.

Nå er det sånn her i landet at Mattilsynet skal ha tilsyn med slike ting. I tillegg til alt det andre de har ansvar for. At det kan bli for mye er forståelig. Men de bør klare jobben. Småskalaprodusenter passes jo på som bare det. Enda de fleste av oss som regel har bedre kontroll og styring på hva vi bruker i våre produkter.

Mange produkter inneholder varer som er godt kjent for å være helseskadelige. Og enkelte selgere klarer til og med å påstå at det er nødvendig i deres produkt. Oftest er det de forskjellige parabentyper som er “uunnværlige”. Dog finnes det fullgode erstatninger for de. Forøvrig så er alle de produktene som er skadelige helt unødvendig å bruke, det finnes gode produkter uten de skadelige stoffene i seg. Så her anbefales det å rydde i skap og skuffer…

dioxin-molekyl

Danska forskare presenterar en 326-sidig forskningsrapport som visar att pojkar redan i 2-årsåldern blir femininiserade som en följd av “gender-bending chemicals” som återfinns i  bla vattentäta kläder, gummistövlar, sängkläder, mat, blöjor, solskydd lotion och fuktgivande kräm. Till dessa kemikalier hör PCB, PVC, dioxiner, flamskyddsmedel,  ftalater (mjukar upp plast) och paraben som förekommer i många krämer och verkar hormonstörande. Ur artikeln i the Daily Telegraph:

“Sperm counts are falling so fast that young men are less fertile than their fathers and produce only a third as much, proportionately, as hamsters. And gender-bending chemicals are increasingly being blamed for the mystery of the “lost boys”: babies who should normally be male who have been born as girls instead. The Danish government set out to find out how much contamination from gender-bending chemicals a two-year-old child was exposed to every day. It concluded that a child could be “at critical risk” from just a few exposures to high levels of the substances such as from rubber clogs, and imperilled by the amount it absorbed from sources ranging from food to sunscreens.”

“Young boys, like those in the Danish study, could end up producing less sperm and developing feminised behaviour. Research at Rotterdam’s Erasmus University found that boys whose mothers were exposed to PCBs and dioxins were more likely to play with dolls and tea sets and dress up in female clothes. And it is in the womb [livmodern] that babies are most vulnerable; a study of umbilical cords [navelsträngar] from British mothers found that every one contained hazardous chemicals. Scientists at the University of Rochester in New York discovered that boys born to women exposed to phthalates had smaller penises and other feminisation of the genitals.”

“The contamination may also offer a clue to a mysterious shift in the sex of babies. Normally 106 boys are born for every 100 girls: it is thought to be nature’s way of making up for the fact that men were more likely to be killed hunting or in conflict. But the proportion of females is rising, so much so that some 250,000 babies who statistically should have been boys have ended up as girls in Japan and the United States alone. In Britain, the discrepancy amounts to thousands of babies a year. A Canadian Indian community living on ancestral lands at the eastern tip of Lake Huron, hemmed in by one of the biggest agglomerations of chemical factories on earth, gives birth to twice as many girls as boys. It’s the same around Seveso in Italy, contaminated with dioxins from a notorious accident in the 1970s, and among Russian pesticide workers. And there’s more evidence from places as far apart as Israel and Taiwan, Brazil and the Arctic.Yet gender-benders are largely exempt from new EU regulations controlling hazardous chemicals… Now the Danish government is planning to lobby to have the rules toughened up.”

Jordnötter innehåller också fytoöstrogener, som även kan minska risken för prostatacancer

I en färsk europeisk undersökning fann man 80 gånger så mycket östrogen-liknande substanser i sojabaserad mjölkersättning som i den vanliga ersättningen och “än så länge vet ingen vilka konsekvenser det kan ge barnen men forskarna befarar att det ökar risken för diabetes och bröstcancer.” Sojabönor innehåller som bekant fytoöstrogener och i den engelska wikiartikeln om sojabönor kan man läsa att (under “Health risks”): “Because of the phytoestrogen content, some studies have suggested that there is an inverse correlation between soybean ingestion and testosterone in men” (se vetenskaplig referens i wiki-artikeln eller här en populärartikel i BBC News från 2004). Kanske kan läkaren och genusdebattören Pelle Billing ta en titt på dessa studier . Han har för övrigt nyligen hållit en utbildning om jämställdhet  i Vellinge kommun, och Pär Ström har skrivit en debattartikel i Expressen och Axess-bloggen tar upp Birgitta Ohlssons (fp) problematiska hållning i föräldraförtsäkringsfrågan. Mycket debatt på genusfronten alltså. Själv brukar jag äta en matsked sojaprotein i veckan för att få i mig de essentiella aminosyror som behövs för att hjärnan ska kunna återställa balansen hos signalsubstanserna efter den dagliga psykos kombinerad med högt blodtryck och ångest man drabbas av i samma ögonblick som man öppnar en svensk dagstidning. I fredags har tex nätverket “Hardqueer” genomfört en husockuppation i Lund med ett queerperspektiv.

Storhetsvansinne på hjärnscanning

På tal om psykoser, jag tror jag funnit en av förklaringarna till genusmaffians storhetsvansinne såväl som framgångar i det offentliga rummet (utöver lobbyverksamheten). I veckan har jag suttit och plöjt några Timbro-rapporter inom Välfärdsprogrammet (det är aldrig för sent att rusta sig för kamp) och under “Rapporter” finner man “Bland världens mest bildade folk” av fil dr Daniel Braw och som handlar om hur läroböckerna i historia skildrat Sverige genom tiderna och frågan ställs om bilden av Sverige som ett ledande föregångsland kan påverka beslut. Ur sammanfattningen sid 29:

“Den svenska exceptionalismen, föreställningen om Sverige som föregångsland, har varit tongivande i berättelsen om Sverige. Även om det är möjligt att betrakta denna föreställning helt enkelt som en fortsättning på en gammal nationalistisk tendens att framhäva allt fosterländsk, är det frågan om det är meningsfullt eller hjälper förståelsen av exceptionalismens karaktär. Den moderna svenska exceptionalismen handlar inte, som den tidigare nationalistiska historieskrivningen, om gamla svenska seder eller traditioner, utan om Sverige som ett mönstersamhälle och föregångare i en utveckling som mer eller mindre alla länder har att genomgå. Som övergripande modell har denna föreställning blivit alltmer osannolik och sällsynt, men den lever fortfarande kvar i ett slags allmän föreställning om att Sverige tenderar att ligga i utvecklingens framkant och har en internationell betydelse som överstiger landets storlek.”

Protestmarschen kommer att kantas av några fordon som plattar till de strukturer som upprätthåller vansinnet

Bilden av Sverige som det mest demokratiska och jämlika landet och som i alla avseenden kommit längst banar givetvis vägen för genusvansinnet som ett led i kampen för jämställdhet (där Sverige ju också kommit längst) och denna tro på att utvecklingen går framåt och i rätt riktning bara för att tiden går framåt, samtidigt som det inte finns något behov av att jämföra sig med andra länder eftersom Sverige ju ändå kommit längst och alltid kommer att ligga i utvecklingens framkant oavsett vad man sysslar med, måste ju vara en bidragande orsak till att genusvansinnet kunnat etablera sig. Det finns flera bidragande orsaker och när jag funnit alla ska jag anordna en protestmarsch mot genusvansinnet. Vi ska tåga från Centrum för Genusstudier, rakt över Enheten för lika villkor och vidare till Mynttorget. Det får bli en liten omväg då, eftersom enheten för lika villkor ligger i Uppsala (eller så kan vi ta enheten för lika villkor i Linköping). Och så avslutar vi med att åka ångvält över Värdegrundscentrum vid Umeå universitet som också strör skattepengar omkring sig. Anledningen till att hemsidan inte är uppdaterad sedan 2005 är att Värdegrundscentrum med hela genus- och värdegrundsmaffian tillfälligt flyttat in i Rosenbad! Alltså räcker det att vi avslutar vår marsch där.

I Linköpings universitets portal för Lika villkor finner vi ett knappt två minuterlångt reportage från SVT från en föreläning som ägde rum nu i veckan (17/11) med titeln “Härskartekniker – den fula vägen till makt”. SE DET HÄR (eller här)! Den värsta härskartekniken är tydligen “komplimangtekniken” och glöm inte att listan utökats från Berit Ås ursprungliga fem från 1976 till de nuvarande 33 härskarteknikerna. Vi kan även se ett videoklipp om hur “heteronormativiteten tar sig uttryck i skola och lärarutbildning” – se det här (5 min): “Skolan som plats för sexualitets- och könskonstruktion”. Vi får veta att  “upprätthållandet av skolan som en asexuell plats kan förklara delvis varför det är sen sådan stark heteronormativitet”. Varför går elever, lärarstudenter och föreläsare inte runt och tänker på sex, heteronormen och maktstrukturer hela dagarna!? Detta allvarliga ämne måste diskuteras mycket och länge för skattebetalarnas pengar.

Genusmaffian ska rökas ut ur Rosenbad

För att återgå till ämnet, vi avslutar vår parad utanför Rosenbad där vi sedan röker ut genusmaffian. Medan den är på avgiftning i Dubai i Storkalifens harem (svenska sjukhus är ju överfyllda av tvångsintagna patienter som förnekat könsmaktsordningen, lider av patriotisk posttraumatisk stress eller uppvisar allvarliga dissociativa symptom i form av upphävd identitetsupplevelse som en följd av genusmaffians verksamhet) ägnar vi oss åt att avskaffa inte mindre än hela det genusindustriella komplexet. Som ni minns så ställde jag ju för ett tag sedan en medicinsk diagnos på genusmaffian och denna kommer jag att faxa till sjukhuset i Dubai och därför lär de stanna där ganska länge – så vi har gott om tid på oss att vidta åtgärder för att förevigt utestänga det globala terrornätverket “Genus och intersektionalitet” (som de kommer att ha byggt upp under sin sjukhusvistelse) och förhindra att det tar sig in i landet igen via en osmotisk process. Detta gör att vi tillfälligt måste täcka över hela landets yta med ett ogenomträngligt membran och en sådan ändlig övertäckning möjliggörs av Heine-Borels övertäckningssats. I förebyggande syfte måste vi också rensa upp på tangentborden och avskaffa alla bokstäver i alfabetet som möjliggör ordbildning i syfte att framställa politiskt korrekt propagandaklister som fäster sig i huvudet på våra ovetande landsmän likt ett obeprövat SSRI-preparat som måste tas på daglig basis för att hålla både lyckan och genusvansinnet på en onormalt hög nivå, och en handlingsplan måste också utformas för att stoppa den olagliga import av vodka som sänker fryspunkten och höjer toleransnivån hos folket. Min kvalificerade gissning är dock att vi inte behöver vara oroliga eftersom “Genus och intersektionalitet” kommer att ha fullt upp med att studera intressanta strukturer i Dubai, men om de vågar sig tillbaka så ska huvudaktörerna placeras i Riksdagens egen proteinmixer och smulas sönder likt äggulan på ett sönderkokt påskägg för att därefter reduceras till ofarliga aminosyror som vi ska använda oss av för att nära det växande folkvettet! Jag skojar bara! Men protestmarschen kommer att bli av, förr eller senare, men utan ångvältar.

Increasing concern for the safety of ingredients in cosmetics has brought some widely used cosmetic preservatives by the family name ‘paraben’ to center stage. Paraben preservatives are listed under multiple names and are used to preserve the majority of cosmetics on the market today, not only to prevent the growth of bacteria and fungi but also to promote the abnormally long shelf-life of products.

As with chemically preserved foods, paraben preserved cosmetics ensure that the cosmetic manufacturer can produce the product en masse and take comfort in a multi-year shelf life. Paraben preservatives have recently come into question with new studies that link the daily exposure of paraben preservatives to breast cancer and endocrine-disruption issues.

What Exactly are Paraben Preservatives?

Parabens are synthetic preservatives that have been in use since the 1920s as “broad-band” preservatives (anti-bacterial and anti-fungal) which means that they work within a formula to prevent the growth of multiple possible contaminants such as bacteria, yeast, mold and fungi. They can be found in approximately 75-90 percent of cosmetics such as make-up, lotion, deodorants and shampoos.

According to ‘A Consumers Dictionary of Cosmetic Ingredients’, water is the only cosmetic ingredient used more frequently than paraben preservatives. (Winter, 2005) Paraben is the family name for the following permutations of the ingredient found on a common product ingredient label:

- Butylparaben
- Ethylparaben
- Methylparaben
- Propylparaben
- Benzyl-parahydroxybenzoic acid (p-hydroxybenzoic acid)
- Methyl-parahydroxybenzoic acid (p-hydroxybenzoic acid)
- Ethyl-parahydroxybenzoic acid (p-hydroxybenzoic acid)
- Propyl-parahydroxybenzoic acid (p-hydroxybenzoic acid)
- Butyl-parahydroxybenzoic acid (p-hydroxybenzoic acid)
- Parahydroxybenzoic acid (p-hydroxybenzoic acid)
- Parahydroxybenzoate (p-hydroxybenzoate)

The Paraben Controversy

Linked to Breast Cancer: Though paraben preservatives only account for a very small percentage of a product’s actual formula they are quite potent. A study published in the Journal of Applied Toxicology in 2004 expressed concern regarding the use of paraben preservatives.

In the UK, researchers found traces of it in 19 out of 20 women with breast tumors. (Winter, 2005) Though the studies did not determine if the ingredient was the cause of the breast tumors, it did establish that pervasive use of this synthetic ingredient is biocumulative.

Possible Endocrine Disruptors: Paraben preservatives have also been identified as endocrine disruptors. The endocrine system is instrumental in regulating the body’s hormones. Paraben preservatives are believed to mimic the female hormone estrogen when introduced into the body.

According to recent research, more than 60 percent of topically applied chemicals via cosmetics, lotions, etc. are absorbed by the skin and dispersed throughout the body by the bloodstream. Once absorbed into the body, paraben preservatives mimic the hormone estrogen and can disrupt the body’s normal hormonal balance.

In the Archives of Toxicology (2002) , Dr. S. Oishi of the Department of Toxicology, Tokyo Metropolitan Research Laboratory of Public Health, Japan, reported “that exposure of newborn male mammals to butylparaben adversely affects the secretion of testosterone and the function of the male reproductive system.”

This artificial provocation and inflation of estrogen in the endocrine system has been linked to breast cancer in some women as well as the abnormal hormonal development of children including the hormonal “feminization of boys” which may influence the suspected link in decreasing testosterone levels and sperm count in the male reproductive system. It has also been hypothesized to contribute to the early maturation of girls at increasingly younger ages.

Do All Cosmetic Companies Use Paraben Preservatives?

Not all cosmetic companies use paraben preservatives and many are phasing out their use now that enough questions have been raised about their overall long term safety. New cosmetic companies, more focused on offering natural and organic products, have made their “no paraben” policy a platform issue. This means there are a wide variety of paraben-free products which are mostly now available for purchase in health food stores and on the internet.

With the increasing popularity of the natural and organic body care market more companies are jumping on the proverbial “natural” band wagon. With this additional commercial interest and the lack of FDA regulation around the word “natural” one must never rely solely on a company’s marketing and advertising claims and always read the ingredient label to confirm that an ingredient is truly not being used in the formula.

Alternative Preservative Systems

There are good reasons why paraben preservatives are the defacto cosmetic preservative. They are cheap and effective. However, safer and more natural alternatives are available. With formulas that contain certain organic (living) ingredients and/or water as an ingredient, a more aggressive non-paraben preservative must be used to ensure the stability of the formula.

In general, the next best option is a synthetic preservative called Phenoxyethanol which has a synthetic chemical composition inspired by a natural anti-bacterial/anti-microbial chemical found in the sage plant. It’s easier to use a natural preservative in formulas that are basically inert (like most powder mineral cosmetics) or have an oil base and no water (like lipstick or liners). In products such as these, a plant extract or essential oil with anti-microbial and anti-oxidant properties such as grapefruit seed extract, grape seed extract or tocopherol (vitamin E) is used as an effective preservative system. In any case, the manufacturer should perform proper stability testing to ensure that the product’s preservative system lasts.

Resources for the Risk Adverse

Much research and observation still needs to be done to ultimately determine the true long term safety and consequences of the wide spread use of paraben preservatives as a daily part of our skin regimen and subsequent absorption diet. The current studies questioning paraben preservatives fundamental safety and the current lack of FDA testing or regulation regarding cosmetics establish a good case for avoiding these questionable ingredients all together.

An excellent resource to determine the overall safety of almost any personal care product is the Environmental Working Group’s (EWG) Cosmetic Database. This database culls world-wide collective scientific ingredient and cosmetic studies as well as governmental toxicity databases from around the world (examples US, EU, Japan, Korea) and gives a toxicity ranking based on this collective data. The online interface is easy to work with. One simply types in the name of a product/brand or an ingredient and the database will return all the relevant information about that query and its safety. The EWG’s database is a work in progress and is always being refined for further detail and clarity.

Conclusions

More comprehensive studies are needed to conclusively determine the true scope of the damaging effects of prolonged exposure to paraben preservatives by way of the cosmetic ingredients we use every day. A serious effort to reassess the safety of these products must be undertaken by a non-biased group of researchers. To date, among the studies that have been done world-wide, paraben preservatives have been linked to breast cancer and have been labelled as a possible endocrine disruptor that might have specific damaging consequences for young children and those with ongoing exposure.

Luckily, we have more options than ever before and can take ourselves out of the equation entirely by educating ourselves and opting for products that use different preservative systems and fewer questionable ingredients in general.

Sources and works cited:

Antczak, Dr. Stephen and Gina, (2001). Cosmetics Unmasked, Harper Collins, London. Fairley, Josephine, (2001). Organic Beauty, DK Publishing, London. Winter, Ruth M.S. (2005). A Consumer’s Dictionary of Cosmetic Ingredients, Three Rivers Press, NY. Cornell University: Parabens: evidence of estrogenicity and endocrine disruption
Environmental Health Perspectives Volume 114, Number 12, December 2006

It’s not like I’m some crazy Birkenstock wearing woman who uses The Rock on her underarms. I like lipstick as much as the next girl—I just like to know mine’s lead-free. Think I’m kidding? Go to the Environmental Working Group’s Cosmetics Safety Database and search your brand of lipstick. More than 60% contain lead, which is a neurotoxin. And most women eat about nine pounds of the stuff over their lifetimes. But seriously, there are so many awesome beauty products that are totally chemical free these days, why would you want to use anything else?

At www.EcoStiletto.com, I feature beauty options that just might get you off chemicals altogether. But for the DIYers among us (read: me), I whipped up a facial scrub/mask recipe that you can make in minutes and delivers a serious glow.

How? Go to the kitchen and grab sugar, eggs, honey and instant oatmeal. Go on, I’ll wait!

A little background: I love scrubs but don’t like that most of them contain oil. I like things that can be used on my face, hair and body—and oil isn’t one of them, no matter how pure, it still gives me zits and always ends up in my hair. So I created this Essential DIY Scrub & Mask that I’m totally addicted to—used it for three days straight (okay I’m a little obsessive) and seriously my skin was NEVER better. My blackheads were gone, my giant pores were smaller and my skin felt super soft and clean. Try it!

Essential DIY Scrub & Mask:

Six tablespoons raw organic sugar
One free range organic egg white
One tablespoon organic honey
One packet plain instant organic oatmeal

Strain the egg white into a bowl (or mortar, if you’ve got one), then blend in the sugar with a fork (or pestle). Blend in the honey, and then the oatmeal (leave it uncooked). Now rub the mask into your skin in small circles.

Some people think that sugar can be too harsh for the face, so if your skin is sensitive, please be gentle. I, on the other hand, have alligator skin. I like to put some muscle into it.

Once you’ve thoroughly exfoliated your face, just clump some more of the scrub onto it and let it dry for 10 to 20 minutes. (Make sure you’re wearing not-so-nice clothes, as it sometimes does fall off a bit.) Wash off, and presto, glow-o!

You can also use the scrub in the bath or shower—because it lacks oil, you don’t have to worry about slippage. Make sure your pipes can handle the small amount of oatmeal involved. And keep any excess in the fridge—it’ll keep for a few days, but after that, toss it. (If you use it straight outta the fridge you might need to dilute with a little water for better spreadability, just fyi.)

The secret ingredient to this recipe is honey. Honey is a natural emollient, which means it helps the skin trap moisture. When I visit my family in Santa Fe, I always stick a bunch of organic honey sticks in my carry on. At night, I crack open one of those sticks and slather the stuff on my face. I leave it on for 10 minutes or so and wash it off. (It helps if I haven’t already had dessert. Yum.) It leaves my skin super dewy and soft, minus pore-clogging oil.

Sugar is a natural exfoliant, as is oatmeal, which also has colloidal—or soothing—properties. I’ve used whipped egg whites on my skin for years to cleanse and minimize pores—recently I heard that egg whites also increase the production of collagen, which is something I didn’t care about as a tweenager. I’m not a beauty scientists so I can’t tell you exactly how it breaks down. But for those of you who are trying this right now, tell me how you look in 20 minutes. It works, right?

On nous prend vraiment pour des poires ! “Parce que la peau de mon bébé est si délicate et  fragile” je devrais utiliser la mousse lavante d’un certain flacon bleu pastel à la calligraphie écolière. C’est en tout cas ce que suggère la publicité pour Pédiatril qui a sans nul doute opéré sur moi puisque le produit est sur les tablettes de notre salle de bain.

Au menu : acide citrique et phénoxyethanol. Rien de tel qu’un petit décapage en règle pour le bébé…

En fait, après quelques recherches sur le net, il apparait que ces deux substances, la plus nocive n’est pas celle que l’on croit. L’acide citrique est en fait un correcteur de Ph, autorisé dans un certain dosage, même dans la cosmétique bio.

En revanche, l’autre, le phénoxyethanol est un  allergène reconnu, à très fort pouvoir allergisant. C’est un conservateur de synthèse de la famille des éthers de glycol,  qui sert souvent de solvant pour d’autres conservateurs et en particuliers pour les Parabens.

Maudis soit ce packaging de bleuette !

L’emballage peut tromper. Voilà pourquoi j’épluche les étiquettes. Cette manie s’est agravée après visionné, à l’automne dernier un excellent reportage sur Arte intitulé Mâle en péril, mettant en cause un certain nombre de produits du quotidien, identifiés comme étant de probables perturbateurs endocriniens : dans les cosmétiques bien sûr mais aussi dans les pesticides alimentaires, les peintures, les détergents classiques. Même donner un biberon à son bébé peut s’avérer criminel s’il est en plastique et qu’il contient du bisphénol A .

Évidemment, en évoquant cela, le risque est de passer pour une alarmiste. D’autres rétorqueront que rien n’a été scientifiquement prouvé.  Que, dans des proportions minimes, ces substances mises en cause sont tout à fait inoffensives.

Qu’importe. Au nom du principe de précaution, mois je dis “à bas le Paraben” (*)!

(*) et tutti quanti

Le canada fait office de bon élève dans le bio.
Il y aurait plus de 200 produits chimiques qui restent dans l’organisme, après l’utilisation d’un produit cosmétique chimique…
Chronique beauté sur les produits cosmétiques biologiques

D’après ” The Vancouver Sun” le niveau de consommation de produits bios et sains, est lié au niveau d’éducation des individus.

En d’autre termes plus les gens ont un niveau d’éducation élevé, plus ils consomment des produits bio et sains.

Ce qui bat en brèche l’idée selon laquelle, les produits bios seraient réservés aux personnes riches.

Le cosmetotextile rechargeable par Skin’Up.

Après plus de 5 années de recherche et développement ainsi que plusieurs millions d’euros d’investissement, Skin’Up présente les cosmétotextiles rechargeables.

Grâce à la combinaison des compétences scientifiques du laboratoire Skin’Up et des laboratoires partenaires du projet soutenu par OSEO ANVAR (agence national de valorisation de la recherche), le laboratiore Skin’Up a  mis au point un procédé unique basé sur l’utilisation de tensio -actifs appliqués au textile afin de recharger en actif cosmétique un cosmétotextile déchargé ! c’est donc la fin des “cosmétotextiles jetables”.

Compte tenu de l’investissement réalisé par le consommateur lors de l’achat du cosmétotextile (pas plus cher qu’un produit cosmétique mais bien plus onéreux qu’un textile sans traitement cosmétique), il a semblé évident à l’équipe Skin’Up de devoir travailler sur  la traçabilité des microcapsules durant l’utilisation par le consommateur(puisque les micro-capsules sont  invisibles à l’oeil nu). Ayant parfaitement connaissance de l’état de charge du cosmétotextile, le consommateur peut ainsi décider de prolonger l’activité cosmétique de son cosmétotextile grâce à la recharge 100% cosmétique.

Pourquoi les cosmeto-textiles du laboratoire Skin’Up ont révolutionné le marché de la minceur:

Skin’Up Minceur utilise exclusivement le mode de tricotage sans coutures garantissant ainsi le maintien, le confort et la discrétion sous les vêtements en toutes occasions. 

Prolongez l’efficacité cosmétique de votre cosméto-textiles Skin’Up en utilisant la brume. La même brume vous permettra de prolonger l’utilisation des différentes lignes cosmetotextiles Skin’Up.

Première mondiale issue du laboratoire de recherche Skin’Up, le Témoin de contrôle vous indique visuellement le % de micro-capsules encore présentes sur votre vêtement. Il s’agit d’un vrai guide pour utiliser votre cosméto-textile.

Skin Up : les cosmétotextiles sans paraben

A l’heure où les cosmétiques s’affichent

sans paraben, avec Skin’Up les  cosméto-textiles ausso 

Les textiles intelligents Skin’Up sont garantis sans paraben – paraben free – 0% de paraben-

Choose Better Body Care Products

Better products meet their claims and are free of ingredients that could harm our health or the environment. Labels might claim that a product is “gentle” or “natural,” but with no required safety testing, companies that make personal care products can use almost any chemical they want, regardless of risks. So, always read product labels – especially the ingredient list – before you buy.

How to read a label
Every personal care product on the market must list the ingredients on the label. Label reading can be confusing – here are some tips to help you wade through the chemical names. You can approach ingredient lists in 3 parts:

1. Start at the end where preservatives are listed. Try to avoid:
   • Words ending in “paraben”
   • DMDM hydantoin
   • Imidsazolidinyl urea
   • Methylchloroisothiazolinone
   • Methylisothiazolinone
   • Triclosan
   • Triclocarban
   • Triethanolamine (or “TEA”)
2. Next, check the beginning of the ingredients list. Here you’ll find the soap, surfactant, or lubricant that has been added to make the product work. Try to avoid ingredients that start with “PEG” or have an “-eth” in the middle (e.g., sodium laureth sulfate).
3. Finally, read the middle ingredients. Here you’ll look for some common – but not essential – additives that may bring excess hazard: fragrance and dyes. On the label look for “FRAGRANCE,” “FD&C,” or “D&C.”

For the grown-ups in the house

While many parents pay more attention to their kids’ environmental health than their own, your body can be affected by toxic chemicals, too, especially if you’re breastfeeding, pregnant, or planning to be pregnant.EWG’s Safer Shopping List has 9 common-sense tips to reduce your own exposures, like buying fragrance-free, skipping the nail polish and using fewer products. You can also download our handy wallet guide, which lists some products and ingredients to avoid.

Use EWG’s Cosmetics Database to choose safer products. In addition to generating a hazard score for your product (on a 1 to 10 scale), it allows you to search by brand and for products without certain ingredients or health effects. You can enter products that aren’t included, and create personal shopping lists – among other tricks.

Just for kids
Extra caution is in order for kids because they receive greater exposures by weight than adults to contaminants in air, water, food, and everyday products. In addition, their immature metabolism and organ systems are typically less capable of fending off chemical assaults. Subtle damage to developing bodies that does not trigger immediate health effects may lead to disease later in life.

Follow EWG’s top 6 tips for kids:

1. Use fewer products and use them less often.
2. Don’t trust the claims. Check ingredients.
3. Buy fragrance-free products.
4. Avoid the use of baby powder on newborns and infants.
5. Do your homework at EWG’s Cosmetics Database
6. Always avoid EWG’s top 7 chemicals of concern for kids:
   • 2-Bromo-2-Nitropropane-1,3 Diol
   • BHA
   • Boric acid and sodium borate
   • Dibutyl phthalate & toluene
   • DMDM Hydantoin
   • Oxybenzone
   • Triclosan

Adapted from ewg.org.

Today I am g0ing you homework. Look through your current, mainstream skin care and cosmetic products–something that contains parabens, mineral oil, formaldehyde, and other words that you cannot pronounce, then pick one–just one–that you can replace with a natural, or organic, skin care counterpart.

This is where the hunt begins! Look online for such natural skin care products. You can check etsy.com, ebay.com, and any other of the many small companies, such as Garden of Wisdom or Aromaleigh, that make natural skin care or cosmetic products.

When you have found a natural product that you can use instead of the chemical packed ones that you have been using, report back and leave the name of you old product, the new skin care or cosmetic products that you’ve chosen to replace it with, and the website of where you have found your new, natural skin care, or cosmetic product replacement. Post all of that information as a comment, and then we can all share with each other what we are getting rid of, and where we found the cool, new, natural skin care product that will replace it.

I bet that we can find some extraordinary natural skin care products, wonderful small, independent companies, and probably some peace of mind! Ready, set, go!

Die Suche hat ein Ende! Endlich habe ich auf jetzt.de den Artikel gefunden, den ich schon die ganze Zeit gesucht habe! Er handelt davon, woran man die bösen Stoffe in Bodylotions und Co erkennt und ist eine Offenbarung und eigentlich schreibe ich hier nur darüber, damit ich das nächste Mal nicht so lange suchen muss, haha.

Hier sind die vier Übeltäter, die zu entlarven sind:

Vokabel Nr. 1: „Paraffinum liquidum“ steckt in sehr vielen Produkten, besonders gerne in Creme und Bodylotion. Paraffine sind Stoffe, die bei der Erdöldestillation entstehen, unter anderem vom Bodensatz der Rohöltanks. Was in Tanks liegen bleibt, zieht auch auf der Haut nicht ein, sondern bleibt darauf liegen und verhindert die Hautatmung.

Vokabel Nr. 2: „-cone“ (in Bezeichnungen, die so enden, stecken Silikone). Steckt in so gut wie allem drin, was die Haut schön glatt und die Haare kämmbar oder stylingfähig macht. Dummerweise lagert es sich in Haut und Haaren ein und „versiegelt“ diese nahezu – nicht umsonst wird Silikon im Baumarkt zur Fugenabdichtung verkauft. Es ist stark umweltbelastend und biologisch schwer abbaubar.

Vokabel Nr. 3: „Paraben“ (meist als Ethylparaben oder Methylparaben). Das sind Konservierungsmittel, die starke Allergien auslösen können und in Deos, Shampoos, Lippenstiften, Cremes stecken. Als in Frankreich bekannt wurde, dass Parabene zu einer erhöhten Brustkrebsrate beitragen, stieg der Verkauf von Naturkosmetik um 40% an.

Vokabel Nr. 4: „Natriumlaurylsulfat“. Im Englischen „Sodium Lauryl Sulfat“ ist das weltweit am häufigsten verwendete Tensid und als aggressiver Schaumbildner bekannt. Es sorgt dafür, das Duschgel und Shampoo gut schäumen, trocknet aber die Haut aus.

(Quelle: Grün & gut! Heute: Angeschmiert, aber richtig? Über katastrophale Kosmetik)

Die guten Nachricht: Auf folgende Hersteller kann man sich verlassen:

• Alverde
• Weleda
• Dr. Hauschka
• Alterra
• Speick
• Lavera
• Hier findet man noch mehr Hersteller, die “öko” arbeiten!

Die schlechte Nachricht: Folgende beide tun superpflanzlich, benutzen aber definitiv die Mineralöle aus Vokabel 1:

• Yves Rocher
• The Body Shop

Pfui! Schämt euch!

Yes, I occasionally give homework   It’s entirely voluntary, and there will be no pop quizzes, just illumination, I hope.  For this homework project, you will need a pen and paper, and all of your beauty lotions and potions–skin care, make up, body care and hair care are all included.

Now, take a look at each label and make a note of whether it contains parabens, and if so, how many different types.  Look for Methyl, ethyl, butyl, propyl parabens.   The will be all one work, such as methylparaben, and so forth.  Before we can begin to discuss parabens, what they are, and why we should care, you need to find out where they are lurking in your bathroom, and cosmetic bag.

Be as thorough as possible.  Some creams and things that came in boxes may not have the ingredients on the label, as they were printed on the box.  So, do your best, and it you are a true detective at heart, you can always google the ingredients for those products that do not have them on the label.  Don’t overlook anything–cleansers, scrubs, hair gel and other products, lipstick and gloss, foundation, lotion, and on and on.  You get the picture.  A simply checklist system should work fine–keep it simple.  We are going for an overall number.

Once you’ve done the homework, keep that list handy, as it will provide you with a lot of information about what’s in your personal stash as we begin to look at parabens.  Good luck!  Let the paraben hunt begin!  I hope no one gets writer’s cramp!  Oh yeah, Happy Summer!

I fredags fann jag den extra energin som jag gått och längtat efter att finna. Jag bestämde mig för att ta vara på stunden och mixa ihop min egna Aloe Vera-gel. Väldigt enkelt och tar inte alls lång tid.

Jag älskar verkligen Aloe Vera i största allmänhet och har själv sett till att alltid ha plantor hemma och runt omkring mig. De frigör syre och hjälper till att rensa inomhusluften, lite som en biologisk luftrenare kan man säga. ^_^
Jag brukar tipsa alla jag känner att införskaffa sig en liten Aloe Vera-planta som de vårdar ömt och kärleksfullt och som sedan får gro till sig! Man kan ju skörda dem regelbundet (veckovis) om man ser till att ha tillräckligt stora krukor och plantor (10 L har jag hört ska vara bra för det ändamålet).

Men nu valde jag att använda ekologiskt Aloe Vera-pulver, som jag köpt från Crearome, istället för att skörda egna plantor. Då jag inte tycker om konserveringsmedel alls så är just pulverformen av Aloe Vera att föredra framför t.ex. koncentrat som många gillar att blanda gelé av, eftersom pulverformen är den enda som inte innehåller konserveringsmedel av något slag. Då kan man välja själv vad man vill ha för eget konserveringsmedel (om något över huvud taget). Har man inte tillgång till färska plantor och dess fina filégelé så är pulvret faktiskt superbra och mångsidigt!
Jag använder mig oftast inte av konserveringsmedel i mina egentillverkade produkter; som parabener (vilket annars är det bästa alternativet för geléer) och därför håller inte heller den färdigblandade gelén särskilt länge (en vecka max). Men för mig personligen behövs ingen konservering – dels p.g.a. att jag inte ska sälja det vidare till någon och sedan för att jag hinner använda hela mängden innan innehållet blir dåligt (jag gör små små mängder åt gången – när jag väl behöver gelé!). Du får dock avgöra vad som passar dig bäst utifrån hur mycket du kommer använda gelén! Gör du en normalstor mängd (som receptet nedan) bör du faktiskt tillsätta någon form av konserveringsmedel (t.ex. paraben)  – eftersom den färdiga mängden kommer räcka ett bra tag!
Samtliga ingredienser, förutom destillerat vatten, kan enkelt beställas från Crearome.

Aloe Vera-gelé

förvaras mörkt och svalt, gärna i kylskåp under varmare dagar

♥ 95-100 ml destillerat vatten (batterivatten går bra!)
♥ 0.5 g Aloe vera-pulver (200:1)
♥ ca 1.5 g xantangum granulat (klibbfria versionen)
♥ 10 dr paraben

I en 0.5 L glasbägare eller liknande häller du över det destillerade vattnet. Detta för att du ska få ordentlig plats till att röra runt med vispen. Välj gärna en lite mindre visp, och tillsätt Aloe Vera-pulvret och rör om. Tillsätt paraben och xantangum och vispa försiktigt men noggrant. Vispar man intensivt (som jag brukar göra) får man en massa bubblor i gelén, och rör man om mer försiktigt blir resultatet mer bubbelfritt – vilket de flesta föredrar. Tänk dock på att inga klumpar får finnas, så i vilket fall som helst måste du blanda ordentligt!
Efter någon minut av omrörning är det klart! ^_^

Detta recept är till för just huden, men det går ju att ha i håret också, men främst då i hårbotten. Dock så är denna xantangum-varianten mer anpassad för hudvård. Prova istället Dehydroxantan Gum, som är hårstärkelse och som lämpar sig bättre till hårstylinggel! Finns också hos Crearome.

For your overall good health you should be using paraben free face care products, but especially if your family has a history of breast cancer.

Any opportunity you have to limit your exposure to potential cancer causing chemicals should be taken, and you can start by changing your personal care products to paraben free lotions and creams.

Parabens are chemical preservatives that are used by many of the large cosmetic companies to increase the shelf life of their products. Some of the better known cosmetic companies continue to produce “non” paraben free face care products and “non” paraben free lotions and creams, all the while highlighting their support of the fight against cancer.

The dangers of parabens should be taken seriously. This chemical additive has been shown to mimic estrogen. There has been a link made between artificially produced estrogen and an increased risk of breast cancer. The risk has been shown to effect young women, who are still developing.

Paraben free face care and other health and beauty aids are a must, and you should dispose of that other stuff you’re using.

These potential carcinogens can be found in shampoo, shaving cream, body wash and fragrances. They are even used in foods and drugs. With so many sources of exposure the effect is compounded.

You may wish to consider limiting your exposure, even if you are not concerned about the risk of breast cancer, simply because these compounds are the most common causes of allergic reactions and irritations.

Just the opposite of what we expect our personal care products to do for us!

Now let’s take a look at what makes a good paraben free face care replacement.

First, always check the ingredients. There are several large cosmetics companies, such as Mary Kay, that do not provide product ingredients, unless you specifically request them. That should send up a red flag, right there!

Companies that make it difficult for you to check their ingredients should be avoided. Obviously, those companies that disclose their ingredients readily, should rate higher on the trust scale.

Second, be aware that paraben free lotions and creams may contain other synthetic preservatives that are just as damaging. The best preservatives are natural vitamin E and grape seed oil or extract. Preservative-free products may quickly go rancid, which would still be bad for your skins health.

The best paraben free lotions and creams can not be found in your local drug or departments stores. And you can plan on paying a bit more, but the benefits are certainly worth the extra cost.

For now, until paraben free lotions and creams, and paraben free face care products become more mainstream and easier to find, some of the best products can be purchased online.

In order to keep prices in line, advertising for paraben free skin care products is nominal, making searching on the net the most viable source to find them.

Finally, beware of any salesperson who tries to convince you that parabens are not dangerous. They may point out that because the carcinogens are present in small amounts they are not absorbed by the skin. Exposure to any amount of cancer causing element is a risk.

We know about the danger of parabens because they have been found in breast cancer tissues. Obviously, they are absorbed through the skin and any amount poses a health risk.

Your making the right choice by shopping for paraben free face care products and don’t you let anybody tell you differently.

About the Author:
To discover how to improve the look and feel of your skin, naturally and healthfully you’ll want to visit the following website: www.clear-and-radiant-skin.com

Recently on an outing to find better, greener products for the smallest member of our family I made the mistake of purchasing two seemingly decent products. Labelled ‘Eco’ on both packages I merrily made my way to the till and it wasn’t until I got home that the warm fuzz of doing the right thing was sharply taken away from me in much the same manner as a bucket of iced water over the head takes away one’s feeling of calm and warmth.

Alas, I have been the unsuspecting mug of ‘greenwash’. Products that contain one or two genuinely eco-friendly ingredients or remove one or two of the damaging ones can be marketed as superbly ‘green’ despite the fact it may not have any other remarkable features whatsoever. In fact, some companies go as far as using the colour green on their packaging to hoodwink you into thinking they actually care about the environment. Don’t be fooled. Thankfully legislation regarding labelling is currently under review but there are still a lot of products flying the green flag that are bending the rules pretty much to breaking point. DEFRA’s guide endeavours to unify how manufacturers label environmentally friendly products (and even what that term actually means). For the average consumer there are a myriad of quesitons that greenwash glosses over. Is recycled packaging better than that which can be recycled? Is organic better than Fairtrade or vice versa. For those who do not spend every waking hour discerning which products can be bought guilt free and which should be simply put back on the shelf, here are some simple rules to go by:

1. Recycled, reusable packaging. Is cardboard better than degradable plastic? As a rule of thumb no packaging is best. If it is recycled go for post-consumer waste (less goes to landfill that way) and that which can be recycled can only be done so if you have facilities in your area. However, paradoxically packaging that is sent to China from Britain to be 100% recycled can produces less CO2 than sending it to landfill in your local area. Yes that really is how bad landfill is, sending those used plastic bottles 10,ooo miles is the better option; shocking but true. Plastic made from corn oil that can be thrown in your own compost is better (cut out those airmiles) but it isn’t always regularly available.

2. Parabens,  Benzoates,  Sodium Lauryl Sulphate (SLS), Sodium Laureth Sulphate (SLES),  Phthalates. How do you know the good chemicals from the bad and what the choices are. Well you may find products that market themselves as  ‘No Parabens’ where previously they were. This is blatent green wash. The point about chemical additives is that they can be safe in one product, but add that up with every other product you use and you have a cocktail or frighteningly prolific nasties in your shopping bag (and worse on your skin).The rule of thumb here is natural is usually best. Add it all up, decide if you really want to consume all those chemicals and if not (why would you?) then put them back on the shelf.

3.The best way to avoid the chemicals is to look for simple products (and by simple I mean the ones with fewer ingredients and not the brand ‘Simple’ which I simply would not endorse) and natural alternatives. For example olive oil can be used as a cleanser, moisturiser and conditioner. Essential oils can be used in a bath instead of chemical bath scents or in place of chemical clothes softeners in your laundry (the addition of a spoonful of white vinegar will also naturally soften your clothes and not leave any vinegary odour on them) and they are far kinder to your skin.

4. Shop at ethical sites (ethicalsuperstore.com, ecotopia.co.uk, Nigel’s Eco store) that purposely stock eco and ethical products. Companies that care about the big picture will generally go the extra mile in reducing carbon emissions, questioning their supply chain and contributing to a better planet. However, even they can do with a little consumer push which leads me onto number 5;

5. If you’re not sure: ask. Email, ring or write to companies whose products/service you know and love and ask them what they are doing to be more ethical. Do they have a CSR strategy that is implemented throughout their business practices? When are they going to make organic/Fairtrade alternatives? Putting consumer pressure on companies to improve their practices and products/services is the best way to bring about change. Start a group on Facebook about it, tell your friends on Twitter. Talk about it on your blog. More and more companies are listening to social media groups and are only too happy to keep you, the customer, happy.

6. Shop locally and ask those local shops about their supply chain. It’s false economy if your local shop buys everything in from China and clocks up airmiles. Checking out a supply chain is as simple as asking them, you might find that internet company actually produces less CO2 than the local shop you can walk to. Again, if you’re not sure: ask.

7. Shout about the good stuff. Those companies who get it right, who you feel happy to back, are worth shouting about. Don’t just moan when something is bad, tell everyone when it’s right. The more people that buy the product, use the service or talk about it with you, the more consumer power you have.

So if you are worried about getting caught up in the tide of ‘greenwash’ that is spreading across our products, do something about it. Just because it’s in green coloured packaging doesn’t make it good. Beware the ‘organic’ labelling that misleads you to thinking everything in it is organic. There’s only one way to bring about the kind of change that stops such false advertising persisting: use your voice, your feet and any other part of your body (within reason) that shows retailers that you, the customer, is a force to be reckoned with, or at least pandered to and catered for.

In today’s fast-paced culture, we are used to buying everything in our local Tesco or Asda for a quick
one-stop shop. In these convenient supermarkets you may decide to pick up a moisturiser or body lotion
without stopping to think that these so-called beauty products can be harmful, not only to our looks, but to
our health.

As the largest organ in the human body, our skin absorbs everything. Some of the chemicals commonly
found in brand-name products could be causing more damage than you think.

Among the most controversial chemicals found in most moisturisers, body creams and sprays are parabens.
Used as preservatives, these have been linked to breast cancer and infertility. 

Some all-natural products, such as the Natural Organic Edible Cosmetics range and the Nature’s Response
range, pride themselves on being paraben-free. Another substance that can cause problems is lanolin, an oily substance extracted from sheep’s wool. Used in many cosmetic products, the substance can sometimes   contain traces of sheep dip.

“I can very seldom use any sort of face cream,” says Linda Hamilton, a 55-year-old money adviser from
Liberton, who is allergic to products containing alcohol and lanolin. “I have tried almost every brand
that claims to be for sensitive skin or all-natural but nothing seems to work. My skin and eyes react very
badly. “I have tried a few products with no alcohol but they are hard to come by and I’ve given up looking. I have a whole cupboard full of unused moisturisers, some of them I end up using on my hands or feet.”

Having such sensitive skin can be a real problem because, as Hamilton discovered, even products that
claim to be organic often contain potential irritants.“I tried the Boots organic range and wasn’t impressed,
it just seemed to take away all the moisture from my face,” she says. “It makes me scared to try out any
new products for fear of coming out in a rash.”

However, even if you are blessed with good skin, you should still be aware of products contain.“Good skincare really makes a difference,” explains Lauren McKenzie, head therapist and skincare specialist at the Holyrood MacDonald Hotel. “You should start as young as you can to reap the benefits.”

The hotel is one of the only places in Britain to stock Organic Elements, an Italian range of skincare
products.“Organic Elements are really good for people with allergies as they are completely organic and include no chemicals,” says McKenzie. “We got the products about a year ago and they have been really popular. A lot of customers keep coming back for the treatments.”

Although the all-natural products are certainly beneficial, McKenzie admits that there are downsides.
“The main reason that a lot of places don’t stock organic skincare products is because they don’t last very   long,” she says. “As the organic products have no chemicals or preservatives, they have a very short shelf life. So it is quite rare to come across 100 per cent organic products. One of the best things about the organic products is that you can see an instant result on the skin, whereas the chemical-based products take a few treatments.”

Despite offering a wide all-natural range, the hotel also provides chemical-based products. “We used the Organic Elements and Decleor products as we like to give our customers an option,” says McKenzie. “Some people are fine with products with chemicals.“It really depends on how lucky you are with your skin. A few people can happily use a supermarket moisturiser for years, but personally I wouldn’t recommend it. The cheaper brands can be quite strong and can strip your skin of its natural oils.”

www.teatree.ltd.uk, www.noecosmetics.com,
www.oe-cosmetics.it