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Stay natural…stay beautiful…go green!

-Robin

Out of those three ingredients, the one you might have already heard of is formaldehyde. Yes, that is the same substance used in the preservation of dead bodies. Formaldehyde is not something you should be using while alive, as it is a carcinogen. And this is the same ingredient in your nail products. Toxins, anyone? It is mainly used to make the polish resilient. Toulene is another chemical used in polishes to make it easy to apply and fast drying. It is a toxin that is easily absorbed through the skin, found in paints and explosives. It can cause a myriad of problems. DBP is dibutyl phthalate, has been found to interfere with birth development and is sometimes not even on the ingredient list!

So when I go to the nail shop or go to purchase nail polish (because let’s face it, most of us do not want to give up our pedi’s and mani’s) I look for this on the label: formaldehye/toulene/DBP free. It’s not too difficult to find, in fact, I recently caught up with one of my favorite blogs, The Organic Beauty Expert and I was delighted to read about a new nail polish (NP2 Nail Perfection) which does not contain any of these chemicals. I went on to read more and went to the site to check out the new polish. Guess how much? $22.50 a bottle. Now, this is a pretty cool product in that it is a two-sided bottle that comes with a supposedly chip resistant express dry top coat. But for some of us on a budget this might not be the best option. To check out this post, click here: The Organic Beauty Expert.

Enter… Walgreens. Yes, Walgreens! I was shopping one day and found they carried Sinful Colors Professional Nail Color, a very affordable (under $5 a bottle) and safe brand of nail polish. And the colors are truly sinful! If you’re like me, you’’ll probably want one of every color. And the best part is, their formulas are formaldehyde, toulene, and DBP-free. You can also find them at sinfulcolors.com. So when you’re at the salon or the store, check out the ingredient list before you buy and make a safe choice when it comes to your nail products. Until next time, stay natural, stay beautiful…Robin.

Going organic with my diet was a bit easier for me than going organic with my beauty products. I had used some of the products for years, trusted them, and some were pretty affordable too. Now I know why they were so affordable. Companies use the cheapest ingredients they can find to maximize profit, not caring about the toxins and poisons we ingest into our bloodstream, causing disease. That is why you can find a way now to pay a little more for organics. Why pay even more later in doctor’s bills and health problems?

There have been many studies done over the years testing the long term use of commercial beauty products. Artificial ingredients like parabens, lead, talc, and aluminum are being found in diseased organs and tissue. How scary is this? So….pay now….or pay later? Of course, the choice is yours. But how do you decide what to do first on your sojourn into the organic living? I am here to help because I have been through it too. Stay tuned for my next post where I will delve more deeply into going organic and the steps you can take to make it gradual (and not bank-breaking.) Until then, stay natural, stay beautiful…Robin.

Some people categorize their skin as “sensitive”  or think they have skin allergies. They use special formulas because otherwise their skin will break out or become irritated. Did you ever think that maybe your skin isn’t really sensitive? It might be that man-made chemical ingredient in your product that made you break out. I’ve heard many instances of this. You don’t necessarily have sensitive skin or allergies, it’s the toxic ingredient or combination of ingredients that cause problems for anyone who uses them. Such ingredients shouldn’t be in beauty products. Not only can they disrupt the surface of the skin, but they are absorbed into the bloodstream disrupting bodily functions and organs.

I recently heard from Jenna and she had this to say:

“Love your Toxic Beauty blog. I used to think I had allergies because my eyes were puffy and itchy more often then not- I recently switched to all natural and organic beauty products and my skin has never looked or felt better- I was polluting myself without even knowing it! Go Green!”

So if you experience similar problems, be it puffy eyes, bumps, or itchy skin, give your regular beauty products a break and give natural products a try. You may be very surprised (and pleased!) at the results. If you’ve experienced any of these side effects from using commercial beauty products, drop me a line. Stay natural…stay beautiful. -Robin

When you buy a bottle of shampoo, bubble bath, or soap you think that the product you bought is safe and you believe that this product does what it claims to do without any risks. You trust this product so much that you use it on your children and family. But much of this is blind trust, as companies put many chemicals into bath products which we have no idea about….until now. Recently the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics released a report on children’s bath products and stated some very alarming facts. Parents, listen up! 
  They studied numerous children’s bath products and found that some companies were adding formaldehyde and 1,4 dioxane to their formulas. Lab tests have shown that these are carcinogens and can lead to dangerous chronic diseases and disabilities, especially with repeated use. Why are companies adding these posions in children’s products?? Check for these chemicals on the products you have in your bathroom right now and if you find them, toss it out! Thanks to the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, now you can be on the lookout for them when you shop as well.

  As you all may have noticed, my blog got a bit of a make-over recently. I wanted to add some things to make it more user-friendly as well as a little more attractive. I am still in the process of changing a few more things, so bear with me! In the meantime, stay a while, take a look around, and let me know what you think!

   My mother used body powder for years and years. Usually after each shower, she would sprinkle on some powder. In 1999, she passed away of ovarian cancer. I believe talc might have played a role in her death, among other factors. Over the years she didn’t really ever lead a healthy lifestyle either and she exercised in spurts. But I still believe talc played a huge role. Talc is the main ingredient in most body powders, including medicated, baby, and perfumed powders as well as make-up and eye shadows. Many women use powder in the genital area because it absorbs moisture. Through this, the talc particles can enter the body and become embeded in the ovaries. Numerous studies have found talc particles in ovarian tumors and women who use talc are more likely to develop ovarian cancer. Talc can also get into the lungs.

   So what is talc? It’s a mineral derived from talc rocks and is closely related to asbestos. Further studies show just how similar these two carcinogens are. What a scary thought that even after all these studies, talc is still not regulated. One thing we can do as consumers is quit buying products containing talc and buy safer alternatives. This is the kind of information that I wished I knew before, but now I hope to help other people avoid this incredibly toxic substance.

   I recently read a blog post about how to stay dry during the upcoming summer months. Specifically, about how to keep your underarms dry. Now I know it is about to get really hot and most people get uncomfortable being all sweaty and sticky. I’m not a big fan either. So someone came up with using botox in the underarm to stay dry. Apparently it lasts for 4 months and works really well. But I have a problem with this. Who knows what the long-term effects of this chemical is and as I have mentioned before in earlier posts, you are supposed to sweat. It’s the body’s way of getting rid of toxins that we are constantly taking in. What goes in, must come out. If the toxin path is blocked, where do they go? They are retained and absorbed into the body. I believe this is what causes disease. This concerns me greatly. People shouldn’t be afraid of their own bodily functions. This summer, let the sweat flow! Or if this idea makes you shudder, use a great effective natural deodorant made by Real Purity. No toxins, no problems.

What do you think of using Botox to stop from sweating? Comments are welcome!

  Is there a connection between disease and synthetic chemicals? Absolutely. The chemicals used in personal care products have been shown to cause such diseases as cancer, Alzheimer’s, liver and heart damage. Such toxins have also been shown to cause hormone disruption, nerve damage, and eczema among other things. Is it worth the risk to use such products on yourself and your family?

  While many substances have been tested on a short-term basis, not many have been tested for the long-term effects. This is a scary thought. What can we do to combat this? To begin with, find out about the ingredients in your products. Become vigilant about reading labels and learn what you are putting into your body. Begin with this step and you will be on the right track.