Yes to...Tomatoes?

I know, I know, that's one of the last things anyone ever thought they'd hear from my mouth right? Yes to Tomatoes?! Of all things, tomatoes? One of my arch-rivals in life? I've actually gotten a little better and enjoy cooked and sun dried tomatoes. I still consider raw tomatoes my nemesis, but I'm making progress.

Anyway, as much as I enjoyed the Kiss My Face products, my skin didn't seem to love them. It was always red and starting to break out like crazy. I admit, it could be the pregnancy hormones, but I was ready to try something else.

So last time I was out and about at Target (I know, I know, I do shop a lot at Target, but they are convenient and actually carry a lot of eco-friendly products) I scanned the eco-friendly beauty aisle for something new to try and stumbled onto the Yes to line by Yes to Carrots: http://www.yestocarrots.com/

They have several different product lines:
Yes to Carrots - For Normal to Dry Skin

Yes to Tomatoes - For Oily/Combination Skin
Yes to Cucumbers - For Normal to Sensitive Skin

See http://www.yestocarrots.com/?CategoryID=163 for complete details on each product.

Being that I was having issues with Oily/Combo skin, I decided to try to the Tomatoes line based on the description: combines red organic fruits and vegetables and dead sea minerals.

I opted to try the starter kit which was $19.99 and included face lotion, cleanser, and a face mask:

I've been using the products for a little over a week and I've already noticed a nice difference. A lot of my break outs have cleared up and my skin feels much better. It was a little red for a few days, but then again, it was red before using, so it could be the healing. None of the ingredients I've seen to avoid are in here and there are lots of organic ingredients. It has a nice, appealing scent. I especially like the cleanser. The face lotion might not be moisturizing enough for me, although I need to give it more time to determine that for sure. I like the mask as well.

So, here's another green beauty product you can try if you are looking to switch. And, I now have another reason to like tomatoes a little more...

~Amber

Green Beauty Article

So I found a great article on Green Cosmetics that includes a Dirty Dozen Chemicals to avoid and wanted to share. I found it on a new awesome Green site I plan to thoroughly search and use to share lots of info (http://www.thegreenguide.com/).



In the meantime, enjoy:


The Dirty Dozen Chemicals in Cosmetics
by Catherine Zandonella
September 18, 2007



Beauty is only skin deep, but the products we use to attain it contain chemicals that may penetrate far deeper. The average adult uses nine personal care products a day, with roughly 120 chemicals spread among them, many of which are incompletely tested for toxicity.
Below we've listed 12 chemicals that are best avoided. A single exposure to any of them is unlikely to cause harm, but daily exposure over a lifetime may add up. When shopping, be prepared to spend some time reading labels; even brands that advertise themselves as "natural" or "botanical" have been known to include some of these.


1. Antibacterials - Overuse of antibacterials can prevent them from effectively fighting disease-causing germs like E. coli and Salmonella enterica. Triclosan, widely used in soaps, toothpastes and deodorants, has been detected in breast milk, and one recent study found that it interferes with testosterone activity in cells. Numerous studies have found that washing with regular soap and warm water is just as effective at killing germs.


2. Coal Tar - Coal tar is a known human carcinogen used as an active ingredient in dandruff shampoos and anti-itch creams. Coal-tar-based dyes such as FD&C Blue 1, used in toothpastes, and FD&C Green 3, used in mouthwash, have been found to be carcinogenic in animal studies when injected under skin.


3. Diethanolamine (DEA) - DEA is a possible hormone disruptor, has shown limited evidence of carcinogenicity and depletes the body of choline needed for fetal brain development. DEA can also show up as a contaminant in products containing related chemicals, such as cocamide DEA.


4. 1,4-Dioxane - 1,4-Dioxane is a known animal carcinogen and a possible human carcinogen that can appear as a contaminant in products containing sodium laureth sulfate and ingredients that include the terms "PEG," "-xynol," "ceteareth," "oleth" and most other ethoxylated "eth" ingredients. The FDA monitors products for the contaminant but has not yet recommended an exposure limit. Manufacturers can remove dioxane through a process called vacuum stripping, but a small amount usually remains. A 2007 survey by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics found that most children's bath products contain 10 parts per million or less, but an earlier 2001 survey by the FDA found levels in excess of 85 parts per million.


5. Formaldehyde - Formaldehyde has a long list of adverse health effects, including immune-system toxicity, respiratory irritation and cancer in humans. Yet it still turns up in baby bath soap, nail polish, eyelash adhesive and hair dyes as a contaminant or break-down product of diazolidinyl urea, imidazolidinyl urea and quaternium compounds.


6. Fragrance - The catchall term "fragrance" may mask phthalates, which act as endocrine disruptors and may cause obesity and reproductive and developmental harm. Avoid phthalates by selecting essential-oil fragrances instead.



7. Lead and Mercury - Neurotoxic lead may appear in products as a naturally occurring contaminant of hydrated silica, one of the ingredients in toothpaste, and lead acetate is found in some brands of men's hair dye. Brain-damaging mercury, found in the preservative thimerosol, is used in some mascaras.


8. Nanoparticles - Tiny nanoparticles, which may penetrate the skin and damage brain cells, are appearing in an increasing number of cosmetics and sunscreens. Most problematic are zinc oxide and titanium dioxide nanoparticles, used in sunscreens to make them transparent. When possible, look for sunscreens containing particles of these ingredients larger than 100 nanometers. You'll most likely need to call companies to confirm sizes, but a few manufacturers have started advertising their lack of nanoparticle-sized ingredients on labels.


9. Parabens(methyl-, ethyl-, propyl-, butyl-, isobutyl-) - Parabens, which have weak estrogenic effects, are common preservatives that appear in a wide array of toiletries. A study found that butyl paraben damaged sperm formation in the testes of mice, and a relative, sodium methylparaben, is banned in cosmetics by the E.U. Parabens break down in the body into p-hydroxybenzoic acid, which has estrogenic activity in human breast-cancer cell cultures.


10. Petroleum Distillates - Possible human carcinogens, petroleum distillates are prohibited or restricted for use in cosmetics in the E.U. but are found in several U.S. brands of mascara, foot-odor powder and other products. Look out for the terms "petroleum" or "liquid paraffin."


11. P-Phenylenediamine - Commonly found in hair dyes, this chemical can damage the nervous system, cause lung irritation and cause severe allergic reactions. It's also listed as 1,4-Benzenediamine; p-Phenyldiamine and 4-Phenylenediamine.


12. Hydroquinone - Found in skin lighteners and facial moisturizers, hydroquinone is neurotoxic and allergenic, and there's limited evidence that it may cause cancer in lab animals. It may also appear as an impurity not listed on ingredients labels.



What You Can Do
-Complain to your drugstore when you see unhealthy ingredients in their consumer products. They may be unaware.
-Visit www.safecosmetics.org/companies to find companies that have signed the Compact for Safe Cosmetics, a pledge to remove chemicals linked to cancer, birth defects and other health problems.
-Take action in support of your right to buy safe personal care products at www.safecosmetics.org/action.


Resources:
Campaign for Safe Cosmetics: http://www.safecosmetics.org/
Skin Deep: http://www.cosmeticdatabase.com/
National Library of Medicine's Household Products Database: http://www.householdproducts.nlm.nih.gov/

Green Beauty

So I thought as my next topic, I'd discuss a topic that's dear to me that I'm still learning more about and evolving as I go. Eco-friendly cosmetics and personal care products are an area where I think we would all benefit by switching to some healthier products for us.

First off, here are some of the common 'bad' ingredients found in your every day cosmetics:

• Parabens - These are the second most common ingredients in skin care products, second only to water. It is used as an inexpensive preservative even though they may cause skin rashes and other allergic reactions. Besides those side effects, parabens have been shown in studies to possess mild estrogen-like qualities. Parabens have been linked to human breast cancer tumors, endocrine disruption, organ system toxicity, and are found to possess estrogen-like qualities which mimic female hormones. They are found in baby preparation products, cleansers, deodorants, eye-products, lotions and moisturizers, make up, nail products, hair products, and sunscreens. The good news is that there is a gradual phase out of these preservatives starting to occur in the natural skin care industry. While preservatives are essential, there are alternatives that are all natural and nontoxic that are out there that work just as well.
• Phthalates - Used as solvents in many cosmetics, they are also used as plastic softeners in many different consumer products (sure you want this on your face and intimate areas?). They are found in hair sprays, deodorants, nail polishes, and perfumes. Phthalates can be absorbed through the skin or inhaled and have been shown to damage the liver, kidneys, lungs, and reproductive systems in studies. They've been linked with reproductive issues and high phthalate levels in mother's bodies have been linked to developmental abnormalities in male infants. They were banned in European products in 2003, but have yet to be banned in the US or Canada.

Lots of fun right? Well, the solution isn't as easy as seeking out products labeled natural or organic. If a product claims it's "All Natural" or "100% Natural" it may not be. Look for information of the perfect of natural ingredients. Also, make sure you read the labels and look for some of the unhealthy ingredients I've listed here. Of course there are others out there, but I could dedicate an entire wikipedia site to listing all the harmful chemicals out there, but these give you some top offenders most commonly found.

So if you are scared out of your mind or even mildly intrigued at this point, what can you do you might ask? Well, again we are lucky that there are quite a few companies out there that have dedicated themselves to making more natural and chemical free options for educated consumers out there. Here are a few of the ones I've tried and had good experiences with. There are definitely many others out there. Feel free to check out http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/ for a nice rating of cosmetics.

Burt's Bees - They've become my 'go to' eco-friendly personal products company. I like them because they have clear, easy to read labels and do not include any of these chemicals I've mentioned. Plus, they don't test on animals which is awesome. However, many folks take offense to the fact that Clorox now owns them. I'm fine with them as long as they continue to stay true to their roots and we don't see these bad chemicals start creeping in - so continue looking at these labels. My favorite products of theirs are the baby products, shampoo and conditioner, chap sticks, and milk and honey lotion. I've heard mixed reviews of their facial care products - I liked them upon first using them, but to me they leave a little residue or at least the feeling of residue and it seemed to increase break outs on my skin. So I'm addicted to their pomegranate shampoos and conditions, pomegranate chap stick, and milk and honey lotion, but I've moved on to another set of facial lotion and cleansers. These are easy and convenient to find at your local Target or you can order them straight from the site - http://www.burtsbees.com/

Kiss My Face - Recommended by a vegan friend, I finally found a sampler set of face lotion and cleansers at Target. It has a nice, natural smell and made my skin feel so wonderful. I've only been using it for around two weeks, but I love how it makes my skin feel so far. I also tried some of the Kiss My Face bar soap which smelled nice as well. They also have other cosmetics, but I haven't made more dents into their product lines as Target doesn't have too many of their products yet. Looking into trying more. http://www.kissmyface.com/

Gudonya Too - This is a shop on Etsy that sells all natural cosmetic products. I tried her shampoo and conditioner and while I found it absolutely delicious smelling, it didn't work well on my hair type. I've seen a ton of people rave her products though, which is why I opted to include her shop here. She also has bar soap, shave bars, shaving cream, deodorant, and more. www.etsy.com/shop/gudonyatoo

Tom's of Maine - Lots of people like their products. I tried the toothpaste and wasn't really impressed, but then again it was during the morning sickness period of my pregnancy, so I probably should try it again. They also have deodorant, mouthwash, floss, and soap. http://www.tomsofmaine.com/

A few other brands I've heard good things about are Aveda, Rejuva, and the Sephora all natural line. Just remember when looking for these products to check the labels!

~Amber