Beauty.... and the Beast?

'morning, everyone! Well, it's morning for me, at least, and as I was going about my morning routine - shampoo, wash the face, roll in the patchouli bush, y'know... - it came to me in a flash... something that I MUST post on The Green Daisy!!! It's a marvelous, although very condensed, list of the total CRAP that shows up in toiletry and beauty products. And I don't just mean stuff that simply overwhelms you with the scent of Grandma's potpourri. I'm talking about the awful, low-down, nasty, cheap chemicals and compounds that companies put in bath n' beauty items to appeal to our senses while they save a buck.
Shifty things have often found their way into beauty products at many times throughout history - take lead in makeup and other products during the 1700's for example! Mind you, statements like that one, should come with a big BUT at the end. People didn't have scads of scientific equipment at their beck and call to tell them why that stuff was harmful back in the day. These days, we do... but so many companies continue to mass-produce and use these harmful substances in popular products even though it's common knowledge that they're too harsh, because it's cost effective.

These are products that we often use every day. Little things add up... and I think we all remember that Grade 11 biology class about semi-permiable membranes such as our skin, and the fact that a whopping 60% of what we rub into it passes directly into our bloodstream. It's time to start reading labels and refusing to give our hard-earned money to companies that care more about our dollars than our health. This is a woefully short list of the poop that ends up in our body care products, but it's a good start. Even brands with a 'natural' reputation or image will use these ingredients, and others like them. Watch out for this stuff!!!!!!!

BEAUTY PRODUCT INGREDIENTS TO STEER CLEAR OF

#1 DEITHANOLAMINE (DEA)
A suspected carcinogen found in shampoos, soaps, and make-up.

#2 FORMALDEHYDE [yep, you heard me right]
You may not see it on your ingredient list, but this carcinogen is found in imidazolidinyl urea, DMDM hydantoin, and quaternium-15. Formaldehyde will evaporate into the air when the prodcut is wet, also.

#3 PARABENS
All types of parabens (methyl, ethyl, etc) have been found to be estrogenic - meaning that they mimic female hormones. Parabens have been found in breast tumour samples.

#4 PETROLATUM
Comes from non-renewable crude oil. Awful, un-breathable stuff.

#5 PHENYLENEDIAMENE (PPD)
Also goes by the name of P-diaminobenzene. Found in all permanent dyes, especially darker shades, it has been tied to increases in bladder cancer.

#6 PHTHALATES
You'll rarely see this controversial family of hormone disruptors listed on labels, because it's often tucked away under the ingredient 'fragrance'.

#7 SODIUM LAURYL/LAURETH SULFATE (SLS)
A major skin irritant. Found to cause cancer, after years of suspicion. [Jennie's note: to make matters worse, as millions of us flush this garbage down the drain, we're killing sea life in scores. It's very toxic.]

#8 TALC [I was actually surprised at this one.]
A powder found in everything from eye shadow and blush to baby powder and deodorant. Any talc that's contaminated with asbestos fibres is a recognized carcinogen. The US Department of Health's National Institute (NIH) voted to have ALL talc (even the non-asbestos stuff) categorized as a probably carcinogen.... but it was voted down by another government body. [The jury's still out on who that was.]

#9 TOLUENE
This powerful solvent is found in nail polish. Long-term exposure affects the nervous system, liver and kidneys.

#10 TRICLOSAN
An antibacterial chemical found in everything. It's building up in our rivers and sewage sludge and can turn into carcinogenic dioxins when exposed to sunlight. It has been found in breast milk [!!!!!] and has been banned by supermarkets in the UK.


That's a lot of junk ending up in our bodies and eco-systems. But, I don't want to sound pessimistic or depressing - it's not all bad news!!! The main thing to keep in mind, is that we are blessed with these fantastic, miraculously complicated, beautiful bodies that we rely on as a vehicle to carry us through our lives - it's up to us to treat this vehicle with respect, care and gratitude. My body's taken me to school, on dates, to the great outdoors, and even half-way across the world! It deserves the best I can give it. That's why, on the next post, stay tuned for some...

da da da duuuummmm!!!!!!!

HEALTHY ALTERNATIVES!!!!! Not only are there lots of ***responsible*** (gasp!) companies out there providing quality crap-free products, but it's genuinely easy (and fun... and cheap...) to make some of your own! Body scrub, bubble bath, skin cream... you name it. On that note, if you've got any recommendations for down-to-earth products or recipes that you'd like to volunteer, leave a comment or email me!
I think I'll end this post with a quote that always makes me feel really good. It's from Julia Butterfly Hill, the woman who sacrificed two years of her life living in a 1000-year-old redwood tree to try and save it from becoming just another coffeetable... and succeeded.

"It's literally impossible to not make a difference. The question is not 'Can I made a difference?', but 'What kind of difference to I want to make?'"