Archive for toxins
What is Green Washing?
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Greenwashing? You may have heard this term before but might not know what it means. Greenwashing is a term used to refer to companies who portray their product as organic but which have non-organic ingredients. It is a deceptive practice which preys on unsuspecting consumers who are trying to go green with their choices but are unknowingly being led to believe the products they use are safe for themselves and the environment. This practice is dishonest and unfair. Once again, it’s profits over people.
It was recently found that many companies with the “ecocert” organic certification contained many ingredients that have no business being in a product labeled “organic.” Ingredients such as sulfates, preservatives, and phenoxyethanol. These are all substances that are harmful to the body, causing irritation, organ problems and cancer. Many of the ingredients in such products are tainted with pesticides and can produce 1,4 dioxane, a carcinogen. And they are labeled “organic?” You have got to be kidding me. I don’t know about you, but this pisses me off! We put our trust into these companies and they are pulling the wool over our eyes! Now you see just how important it is to become knowledgeable about ingredients and be a vigilant label reader. Look for my Toxic Beauty ebook soon- Saving Face: Exposing Toxic Beauty Products. It will be your must-have guide so you know what is in your products and what diseases these chemicals can cause.
I urge you to take a look at the ingredient labels of your most trusted products. Is it labeled organic? Does it have ingredients that are far from organic? For a list of the offending companies and how to take action so green washing of cosmetic products can be stopped click here: Organic Consumers Association. You may be surprised at the companies you see on the list! Any thoughts? Please leave a comment below.
Stay natural…stay beautiful…go green!
Robin
Brainwashed by Beauty
Posted by: | CommentsHappy Monday!
I just finished up a workout and sat down to watch one of my favorite shows, Clean House. I love how they help people clear out not only the clutter in their homes but in their lives as well. As I was watching, I saw a commercial for a well known skin care company. They claimed to cure dry winter skin with their special moisturizer. This ad is very strategically placed during Clean House, as much of the viewers are women. After watching this commercial, the average woman might go out to the local discount store to purchase this item. But does she ever think to read the ingredient label and research exactly what she is putting on her skin? Does she realize that what she rubs into her skin absorbs into the blood stream, affecting her organs and hormones? And that after years and years of repeated use, the toxins collect in the body and can cause cancer?
When you see an ad like that, what do you think? Do you look for the product in the store? Do you research the ingredients? I used to buy these products blindly, believing that if it was on the shelf, it’s safe… I was brainwashed by beauty! Now I know the truth….many companies put profit before people and make you think their products are safe. Well, now that you know this, you can be proactive and always always always check your labels! If you have any questions about the ingredients or find one you think may be questionable, send me an e-mail or check the ingredient on Skin Deep, an incredible cosmetics safety database.
COMING SOON: The Toxic Beauty ebook is where you can read about the most common ingredients to avoid, what they can do, and amazing alternatives.
Stay natural…stay beautiful…go green!
Robin
Beauty and the Beast
Posted by: | CommentsMakeup is something most women use on a daily basis. Do we realize just how much harm we may be causing ourselves by doing this? Many people do not know about the chemicals they are putting into their bloodstream via the skin on a daily basis, year after year and believe that because it is on the shelf, it is safe. This is far from the truth. Many commercial makeup brands contain dangerous carcinogens such as lead, formaldehyde, mineral oil, and talc. You might call them the “beasts” of makeup. Watch this video to learn more about the toxins in makeup and what you can do to become a more educated beauty consumer! Take special note of how more advanced Europe is than the US in recognizing toxic substances. Also check out skindeep.org for further information.
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Stay natural…stay beautiful…go green!
-Robin
Are you a botanical beauty?
Posted by: | CommentsHello Toxic Beauty readers! I hope you enjoy this video on why and how to choose organic beauty products. It makes some great points about why it is important to delete synthetic products from your routine. The video mentions purchasing organic beauty products from the health food store but I want to remind you the Internet offers more affordable source for many beauty products, such as luckyvitamin.com. Enjoy and don’t forget to share your thoughts.
Stay natural…stay beautiful…go green!
-Robin
The Problem With Parabens
Posted by: | CommentsYou may be hearing a lot lately about parabens…but what are they and why should we be concerned about them? Parabens are a group of preservatives used in over 25,000 cosmetics and personal care products. Which of these items do you think contain parabens? Shampoos, conditoners, make-up, tanning oils, styling mousse, body wash, toothpaste, tooth whitening products? All of them do. If you check your label, anything that contains the word “paraben” is a product you should discontinue using. I stopped using any product containing this toxin years ago and when I check ingredient labels now, if I see parabens, I put it down.
Parabens are artificial ingredients that the body readily absorbs. Studies show that parabens can affect hormones and mimic estrogen (and too much estrogen is not a good thing, for women OR men.) Excess estrogen has the potential to cause breast cancer, in fact, parabens were found in breast cancer tumors of women and in urine of people tested by the CDC (so the body does retain it.) Parabens are so prevalent in personal care products today that more boys are being born with deformed reproductive organs. In fact, a study recently done on fish in the Potomac shows that male fish are being transformed into “intersex fish” – male fish born with female characteristics. This is nature’s way of warning us to stop using parabens in our products. It is something pregnant women should most definitely avoid.
Many companies are finally admitting to the dangers of parabens and are offering paraben-free products. Just be sure to read the rest of the ingredients, because they may still contain some toxins. So I give you this challenge: Go check the labels of some of your products. I guarantee that most, if not all, will contain parabens….and leave a comment here to let us know if you’ve decided to ban parabens from your products!
If you’d like to read more about these “intersex” fish, click here to read the NY Times article: “It’s Time to Learn From Frogs.”
Click here for safe skin care: Dr. Mercola’s paraben-free, organic body butter.
Check out this informative news story regarding toxins in cosmetics today (parabens are mentioned.) It’s a must watch!
