B Y n a T U R a e L: formaldehyde

Showing posts with label formaldehyde. Show all posts

Oct 23, 2013

Minnesota Legislature Votes to Ban Formaldehyde in Children’s Soaps, Lotions

Minnesota’s legislature took a giant step toward protecting children by banning formaldehyde, a cancer-causing chemical, from children’s personal care products like lotions, shampoos, and bubble baths. The ban against the use of formaldehyde and formaldehyde-releasing preservatives would apply to products intended for children under eight. The legislation now moves to the desk of Governor Mark Dayton.

“Minnesota’s proposed ban on formaldehyde in children’s products is fantastic news for parents in the Land of 10,000 Lakes, but families in the other 49 states also deserve safe products free of cancer-causing chemicals like formaldehyde,” said Cindy Luppi with the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics and Clean Water Action. “We need Congress to pass the Safe Cosmetics Act that would protect children across America from personal care products made with toxic chemicals linked to serious health disorders and diseases.”

Consumer demand for safer products, especially for children, is changing the marketplace.

In 2011, Johnson & Johnson committed to reformulating its baby products to remove formaldehyde. Last year, the company set an industry standard by announcing it would remove known carcinogens and other toxic chemicals from both its baby and adult products by 2015.

“There’s no reason for formaldehyde-releasing chemicals to be in products that children inhale and absorb through their skin. Safer alternatives are available and being used by some manufacturers. This bill takes an important step in protecting young children who could suffer health effects from exposure to toxic formaldehyde,” said Kathleen Schuler, Co-Director of Healthy Legacy, the Minnesota environmental health coalition supporting the legislation.

Formaldehyde and formaldehyde-releasing preservatives are used in many personal care products, particularly shampoos and lotions, and have been linked to both skin sensitivity and cancer. The European Union restricts the use of formaldehyde in personal care products, and requires that products with formaldehyde or formaldehyde-releasing ingredients carry the label “contains formaldehyde.”

Congress has yet to act to remove dangerous chemicals from personal care products. Legislation introduced earlier this year, the Safe Cosmetics and Personal Care Products Act of 2013, will phase out chemicals linked to cancer and reproductive harm; implement a strong safety standard designed to protect children, pregnant women and workers; require full disclosure of ingredients; and give FDA the authority to recall dangerous products.

Source: http://safecosmetics.org/article.php?id=1129

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This document is provided for reference purposes only and not necessarily reflect the opinion of bynaturael’s team . Train your mind to test every thought and keep on searching the final truth that satisfies the conscience inside you. Please visit our blog: bynaturael.blogspot.com

Sep 6, 2013

6 Tips Merawat Kulit Sensitif

Selasa, 15 Mei 2012 07:00

Vemale.com - Tak hanya makanan saja yang menjadi pantangan, produk kosmetika yang digunakanpun tak boleh sembarangan. Salah memilih produk, kulit akan muncul alergi. Selain obat yang harganya mahal, mengobati alergi juga memakan waktu yang tidak sebentar. Untuk itu, ketahui 6 tips merawat kulit sensitif berikut ini:

Tips 1:

Lakukan test pada bagian kecil kulit (pakai saja punggung tangan) saat mencoba produk baru. Biarkan selama setidaknya 24 jam untuk melihat reaksi pada kulit. Jika tidak terasa panas, tidak muncul kemerahan atau tanda-tanda alergi lain, maka Anda bisa menggunakan produk tersebut. Untuk lebih amannya lagi, pilihlah produk dengan label hypoallergenic.

Tips 2:

Pada beberapa kasus yang khusus (seperti rosacea atau eksim), Anda harus tahu makanan dan produk apa saja yang memicu alergi. Tanyakan pada dokter Anda dan produk/obat apa yang bisa Anda gunakan sebagai pertolongan pertama agar tidak bertambah parah.

Jangan mencoba mendiagnosa problem akibat alergi pada kulit sensitif, karena sekali Anda salah memakai produk maka bekasnya akan sulit untuk dihilangkan.

Tips 3:

Mereka yang memiliki kulit sensitif, dianjurkan untuk menggunakan produk yang non fragrance/non perfume (khususnya pada produk pembalut). Atau apabila memang Anda ingin menggunakan parfum, sebaiknya semprotkan saja pada baju, bukan pada kulit langsung agar tidak terjadi iritasi.

Tips 4:

Jika kulit Anda terlampau sensitif, pakai produk mandi dan keramas yang khusus untuk kulit sensitif. Atau Anda bisa mencoba produk sabun dan shampo yang memiliki kandungan formula lebih lembut.

Tips 5:

Saat menggunakan deterjen, usahakan agar Anda selalu memakai sarung tangan dan tidak melakukan kontak langsung agar tidak terjadi iritasi.

Tips 6:

Gunakan sunblock saat beraktivitas di bawah sinar matahari langsung. Hindari kontak dengan sinar matahari langsung, dan gunakan topi atau pakaian yang dapat membantu melindungi Anda.

http://www.vemale.com/body-and-mind/cantik/12834-6-tips-merawat-kulit-sensitif.html

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TOP 10 TIPS FOR CLEANSING SENSITIVE SKIN

By Gallagher Flinn

Caring for sensitive skin is a pain in the neck. For whatever reason, having sensitive skin means that the epidermis, the layer of dead cells and glands that forms a protective barrier between your dermis and the outside world, has been damaged. There are tons of potential factors that contribute to sensitive skin. You may have inherited it from your parents. It may be a problem in your diet or fluid intake (drink more water and eat more veggies!).

Or, the issue could be environmental -- there are probably a lot more cases of dry skin in the plains of Mongolia than in the swamps of Florida. People with sensitive skin are more vulnerable to acne, rosacea, eczema and contact allergens, not to mention all the stinging and itchy dryness that accompany the condition. In a lot of cases, sensitive skin is something you'll have to deal with your whole life, but that doesn't mean there aren't proper practices to alleviate the problem. Here are 10 tips for cleansing sensitive skin.

1: Shower Carefully

Limit your skin cleansing regimen to as little exposure to hot water as possible. Hot water softens up the natural oils on your skin to wash them away, but it also leaches out moisture from your skin. If your skin is extremely sensitive or dry, take your showers and baths as cool as you can stand it, and limit yourself to only five or 10 minutes in the water. Be sparing with soap, too. There's usually no reason to wash everywhere and expose your entire body to chemicals that will dry it out or irritate it. On an average day, washing just your genitals, armpits and feet is usually fine.

After your shower, pat yourself dry. Every moment, you're losing moisture as water evaporates off your skin, but rubbing will only make skin irritation worse.

2: Tailor Your Skin Regimen for the Season

Your skin changes with the seasons, and what may have worked in the bonny springtime won't necessarily be effective when the humidity drops and winter starts to take its toll. In winter, not only does cold air chap and dry out skin, but you also spend much more time indoors, where the air is even drier. You may need to increase the amount of moisturizer you use.

Getting too much vitamin A in winter can also be a problem, as it's linked to decreased oil production. While this can be a boon for people with oily skin, it can also exacerbate problems with flaking and redness during cold weather. If winter makes your skin dry out, and you use a topical ointment containing vitamin A (it shows up in acne, psoriasis and skin rejuvenation products), you might want to ease up.

3: What Else Besides Soap?

Many people mistakenly assume that when they're done cleansing sensitive skin, the work is done. But you've got to moisturize! Moisturizers sit on clean skin to form a protective barrier that traps water to keep your skin from dehydrating. People with acne or oily skin can opt for non-oily moisturizers and gels that better suits their skin type. Most moisturizers also serve double-duty as a UV blocker or an anti-inflammatory, protecting you from the sun and cooling skin cells damaged by inflammation to give them a chance to recover.

One ingredient to look for is ursolic acid, a chemical that's found in rosemary, sage and apple skin. In lab tests, ursolic acid was found to help rebuild the outer layers of damaged skin [source: Yarosh]. Be careful, though, when you're shopping for these products. Just because a moisturizer has rosemary or sage extracts in it doesn't meant that the ursolic acid content is going to be powerful enough to do any good. Make sure to look for moisturizers and anti-inflammatories that specifically mention ursolic acid in the list of ingredients.

4: Never Mind the Lather

You may have heard that working up a rich lather is the best way to thoroughly cleanse your skin. The truth of the matter is that you don't need a cleanser with a foamy lather to get good and clean. In fact, the materials used to make soap sudsy are often just detergents and surfactants, which break up the oil that dry, sensitive skin desperately needs.

If you've got very oily skin, this might seem like a nonissue. That cool, clean polish you get after lathering up can feel wonderful after a day of dealing with a greasy face. But when you overuse these cleansers, they will ultimately hurt your skin's ability to defend itself.

And what about the classic sudsy soak? Sorry, bubble bath lovers. Bubble bath formula is mostly just detergent and scent -- it's designed to foam up prettily, not to go easy on sensitive skin.

5: Avoid Fragrances and Colorings

Fragrances and colorings are part of what makes soaps attractive, but they're also a potential hazard for people with sensitive skin -- even when they come from natural plant extracts and essential oils. Because it doesn't have the same protection that normal skin does, sensitive skin can also be more vulnerable to certain allergens in fragrance. Where the epidermis and lipid coatings (the layer of dead cells and the oil that protect you) are thin, it's easier for foreign substances to enter the body. Since many allergies can be created through repeated exposure to certain irritants, problems may develop from using cleansers that contain them. Here are a few to watch out for:

Camphor

Cinnamon

Citrus

Eucalyptus

Fragrance

Lavender

Menthol

Peppermint

Rosewater

Soaps with fragrances also can be more of a problem in geographical areas with higher mineral content in the water, which makes it harder to build up and rinse off lather. Soap residue on the skin can then leach into the body over a long period of time, increasing sensitivity to allergens.

6: Know What's Going into Your Skin

Always read the labels on the back of skin-care products. Knowing what the ingredients are means knowing what to avoid. It can be overwhelming to sift through a list of unpronounceable chemicals on the back of a bottle, but it's absolutely necessary. Some ingredients are good for normal and combination skins, but terribly harsh for cleansing sensitive skin. Here's a list of some of the more common chemicals that can irritate, sting and dry out sensitive skin:

Acetone

Alcohol

Witch hazel

Alpha hydroxy acids (glycolic acid)

Benzoic acid

Bronopol

Cinnamic acid compounds

Dowicil 200

Formaldehyde

Lactic acid

Propylene glycol

Quaternary ammonium compounds

Sodium lauryl sulfate

Sorbic acid

Urea

Vitamin C

7: Limit How Often You Wash Your Face

Whether you do it at night or morning, noon and night, cleansing your skin means drying it out. Period. Even when you get out of the shower, as the water evaporates from your body, it's taking moisture from your cells with it. Wash your face once in the morning with a gentle soap, and then cleanse it again at night before you apply a moisturizer. The most important thing for cleansing sensitive skin is to strike a balance between keeping your skin free of dirt and grime and giving your body a fighting chance to create and retain as strong a barrier as possible between your dermis and the outside world.

8: Don't Be Fooled by Antimicrobial Cleansers

Germs -- they're everywhere. But that's OK! While it's hard not to think of bacteria as nasty, disease-causing germs, some of the bacteria on your skin actually help protect you by keeping more dangerous strains at bay. And while it's important to keep the bacteria on your body under control, you don't need to go overboard. In a Columbia University study, one group washed their hands with antimicrobial cleansers while another washed theirs with conventional hand soaps. As it turned out, both groups had the same reduction in bacteria on their hands -- what mattered most wasn't the cleanser they used, but the attention and time paid to scrubbing.

It's one thing to use antimicrobial hand soap, but never use these cleansers for your face. Though sensitive skin is vulnerable to acne, and it might seem like a good idea to annihilate all those germs with a good antiseptic, remember that antimicrobials are comprised of harsh chemicals that dry out and damage your skin. Plus, research shows that antimicrobial cleansers actually help breed stronger bacteria. Don't believe the hype. There's no reason to use antimicrobial cleansers unless you're a health care professional.

9: Gentle Is Best

It feels great to scrub your skin until it shines, but keep in mind that the oils you're scrubbing off your body are part of what keeps your skin healthy. While it's true that exfoliating dead skin cells and oil is important, there's a reason your body produces them. Dead skin cells form the barrier between your dermis (the under part of your skin) and the outside world. And sebum, the oil your skin produces, guards against skin cells' dehydration.

If you do have sensitive skin, you may have found that gentle skin cleansers don't really leave your skin feeling all that clean. While it usually isn't necessary (and is sometimes counterproductive) to get that ultra-fresh, scrubbed, shiny feeling, try starting with the gentlest skin cleansers and working your way up to harder stuff. Gauge your cleanser's effectiveness by asking yourself these two questions:

Do I have to wash my face twice to remove all my makeup?

Do I have to rub my skin so hard that it hurts?

If the answer to either of these is yes, you're washing your face too roughly and should choose a more potent cleanser.

10: Have Only a Few Go-to Products

It's easy to be tempted into buying products with exotic plant extracts, but a simple, regular cleansing regimen will do your sensitive skin much more good than sporadic blasts of anti-aging toner and the latest expensive goops. Unless a dermatologist advises otherwise, try to limit what you use to cleanse your skin to only two or three products at a time -- a gentle soap, sunscreen, and a moisturizer once or twice a day is plenty for most people. Your sensitive skin comes into contact with a terrible range of chemicals every day, from air pollution to bacteria and plain old dirt. Soaps and body washes are often complicated cocktails, and the more diverse the chemicals you're putting on your skin, the greater the chance that you're introducing an irritant. Also, if you use only a few products and a condition develops, you and your dermatologist will be able to quickly narrow down which ingredient is causing the problem.

Source: http://health.howstuffworks.com/skin-care/cleansing/tips/10-tips-for-cleansing-sensitive-skin.htm

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Jul 26, 2013

5 Things That Should Never Be In Your Makeup

With a bit of due diligence, you can find killer makeup that won't kill you.

By Leah Zerbe

Spring is right around the corner, inspiring us to reach for bright colors, not just in the closet, but in cosmetic aisles, too. But every time you slather a flash of color across your lips, you could be applying an alarming dose of lead to your mouth, a part of the body where the heavy metal is easily absorbed and ingested. In fact, a new report found lead contamination in cosmetics is more widespread than previously thought—400 lipsticks tested positive for the brain-damaging contaminant, with L'Oreal lipsticks being the worst offenders.

The lead—which isn't listed on the ingredient breakdown—could be coming from the colorant or another contaminated ingredient, explains Stacy Malkan, cofounder of Campaign for Safe Cosmetics and author of Not Just a Pretty Face: The Ugly Side of the Beauty Industry (New Society Publishers, 2007). Short of sending the lipstick to a lab for lead testing, there's not much consumers can do to avoid it (besides just not wear it).

"It shouldn't be this hard for consumers to avoid toxic products," Malkan says. "That's why we need to update the 1938 cosmetic regulations and give the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) the authority and resources to ensure the safety of cosmetics," she adds, referring to the outdated 75-year-old law that the FDA uses to monitor safety in the beauty industry.

When it comes to cosmetics, lead is just one thing to watch out for. Many of the complex chemicals used in makeup have never been tested for long-term impacts on human health before being introduced to the market. And these routine exposures to harmful makeup chemicals could be harming the health of millions of people whose only crime is trying to look cuter. "The average woman uses a dozen personal care products every day containing more than 180 chemicals, so the toxic exposures are adding up," explains Malkan.

Malkan says she avoids products that contain any of the following substances because they indicate that the company is not doing the best job it can to formulate the safest products.

To look your best without wrecking your health, learn how to avoid these 5 toxic ingredients commonly used in cosmetics.

1. Fragrance

If a cosmetic product's ingredients info lists "fragrance" or "parfum" as an ingredient, you might want to put it right back on the store shelf. These terms are catchall phrases that can indicate any of thousands of different chemicals, including some linked to asthma, allergies, hormone disruption, and even infertility. "The best advice is that simpler is better," Malkan says. "Choose products with fewer chemicals, avoid synthetic fragrance, and use fewer products overall, especially on kids and while pregnant."

2. Parabens

Parabens, preservative chemicals that have been linked to breast cancer, can be found in 70 to 90 percent of cosmetics, according to The David Suzuki Foundation, an organization that focuses on sustainability and health. Parabens are readily absorbed by the skin, and may even interfere with a man's reproductive system. Avoid any ingredient with "paraben" in the word, including methylparaben.

3. Triclosan

Triclosan is an antimicrobial chemical linked to thyroid damage and partially blamed for the rise in hard-to-kill superbugs like MRSA. It's a common ingredient in antimicrobial soaps, but some cosmetic companies sneak it into lipstick and other products, too. Look for triclosan on ingredient labels, and particularly on labels making claims of being antimicrobial or germ free.

4. Formaldehyde-Releasing Preservatives

Formaldehyde is a known human carcinogen, something you definitely don't want to be applying to your body. The problem is, many common preservatives in cosmetics and personal care products mix with other ingredients and start releasing formaldehyde. Ingredients like DMDM hydantoin, diazolidinyl urea, imidazolidinyl urea, methenamine, quaternium-15, and sodium hydroxymethylglycinate should be avoided; doing so will protect you from formaldehyde exposure.

5. Sodium Laureth Sulfate and Other PEG Compounds

Sodium laureth sulfate is a foaming agent used in shampoos and facial scrubs and to help your skin absorb lotions and other cosmetics. It's commonly contaminated with potential and proven cancer causers like 1,4-dioxane and ethylene oxide, and products listed as PEG or polyethylene glycol often face carcinogenic contamination problems. Used in many cream-based cosmetics and as moisture carriers, other PEG ingredients should be avoided whenever possible.

When you shop, use these easy ways to find safer cosmetics and avoid the nasty stuff:

• Befriend this detailed database. This website will change your life, and for the better. Search Environmental Working Group's Skin Deep cosmetics database to check the safety of your current products, and to seek out safer products. Malkan recommends opting for products with scores ranging from 0 to 2, the safest picks. In addition, look for the Campaign for Safer Cosmetics' Champion Companies, organizations that pledge to disclose all ingredients and to avoid chemicals banned in other countries.

• Do your homework when it comes to "natural" makeup. For food to be labeled organic, farmers and food manufacturers need to follow strict laws. That's not yet true in the cosmetics industry, meaning there aren't regulations to keep products from using label terms like "natural" or "organic" when they actually contain harmful ingredients. The exception? If you see an actual USDA organic logo on a personal care product, it does indicate it has been made following strict organic standards. Without that logo, you should still read ingredient labels thoroughly and investigate the product on the Skin Deep database.

• Look for less-tainted lipstick. With the latest proof that many lipsticks contain lead, be particularly wary of this type of makeup. "Lead builds up in the body over time and lead-containing lipstick applied several times a day, every day, can add up to significant exposure levels," explains Mark Mitchell, MD, MPH, policy advisor of the Connecticut Coalition for Environmental Justice and cochair of the Environmental Health Task Force for the National Medical Association.

Check the FDA lead-in-lipstick test results to look for brands with lower levels. As an added measure, you can call your favorite brand's manufacturer and ask if the company has a policy in place to protect against lead contamination in cosmetic products.

Source: http://www.rodale.com/safe-cosmetics-0?cm_mmc=ABCNews-_-Top%204%20Moisturizers%20For%20Dry%20Skin-_-Article-_-5%20Things%20That%20Should%20Never%20Be%20In%20Your%20Makeup%20RL

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Jul 16, 2013

Bynaturael Natural Shampoo

When we refer to shampoo, actually our product is more like hair care since the product will care for your hair without producing any foam. The product is very safe and will not harm your hair, body or environment. The scent of the citrus combines with essential oil creates a traditional aromatic sense that will delight anyone entering the bathroom after your shower.

Furthermore, our products use PET bottle which is recyclable.

Currently the products are only available for Indonesia market.

490 ml and 245 ml

Rosemary Natural Shampoo for normal hair

The product contains the following:

Rosemary herbs.

Rosemary is said to improve the memory. It contains the antioxidants carnosic acid, androsmarinic acid, and other bioactive compounds including camphor, caffeic acid, ursolic acid, betulinic acid, rosmaridiphenol, and rosmanol. Some of these may be useful in preventing or treating cancers, strokes, and Alzheimer's Disease.

Apart of it, the rosemary benefits for hair, in brief, are:

a. Stimulates and improves circulation to the scalp thus encouraging hair growth

b. Due to it's antibacterial quality it gently cleanses hair

c. Increases shine, especially for dark hair

d. Fights premature graying

e. Relieves irritated, dry, flaky, dandruff ridden scalps

Lavender oil.

Lavender oil is well known for its wide benefit towards our body. For those with imsonia, lavender oil is helpful in improving sleep quality , since it relaxes you and get rid of anxiety and depression. It can be used to control hair fall and improve hair growth, and get rid of itchy scalp and dandruff, treating lice and lice eggs. Besides, it also soften and moisturize the hair.

Kukui nut oil.

The amino acids and essential fatty acids present in kukui nut oil penetrate the hair shaft and leave hair looking healthy and moisturized. Kukui nut oil can be used as a treatment for an itchy scalp or dandruff. It has the same regenerative effects on the hair and scalp as it does for the skin.

Key Lime.

It is usually used as conditioner and greatly treats the hair and scalp. Its potent acid will help to remove dead skin cell and dandruff. It also helps reducing excessive oil in our scalp.

Apple Cider Vinegar.

Apple cider vinegar removes clumpy residue and gunk in hair from product buildup. It also works as a natural detangler. When used regularly in your natural hair care routine, apple cider vinegar can revitalize your hair, leaving it soft and smooth. The vinegar also works by closing the cuticle of the hair, which makes light reflect off of it. In other words, it makes your hair super shiny!

Ingredients:

Aqua, Rosemary Herb, Corn Starch, Key Lime, Kukui Nut Oil, Lavender Essential Oil, Xanthan Gum, Apple Cider Vinegar

Air, Daun Rosemary, Maizena, Jeruk Nipis, Minyak Kemiri, Minyak Lavender, Xanthan Gum, Cuka Apel

Price:

245 ml: Rp 65,000

490 ml: Rp 125,000

(price exclude delivery charge/harga tidak termasuk ongkos pengiriman)

245 ml and 490 ml

Peppermint Natural Shampoo for oily hair

The product contains the following:

Peppermint herbs.

It is widely use in culinary, hair care and medical purpose. Peppermint is actually an astringent which normalizes scalp's oil production. An oily scalp produces excess oil which is then distributed throughout the hair; that creates greasy, oiled hair. Peppermint eliminates this problem and makes the appearance of greasy, flat hair a thing of the past. Another benefit of peppermint is to promote hair growth.

Tea tree oil.

It has beneficial medical properties including antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal, and antiseptic qualities. A study showed that tea tree oil preparation was more effective against head lice than permethrin (a popular pharmaceutical remedy) and effective treatment for dandruff due to its ability to treat Malassezia furfur, the most common cause of the condition.

Kukui nut oil.

Key Lime.

It is usually used as conditioner and greatly treats the hair and scalp. Its potent acid will help to remove dead skin cell and dandruff. It also helps reducing excessive oil in our scalp.

Apple Cider Vinegar.

Ingredients:

Aqua, Peppermint Herb, Corn Starch, Key Lime, Kukui Nut Oil, TeaTree Essential Oil, Xanthan Gum, Apple Cider Vinegar

Air, Daun Mint, Maizena, Jeruk Nipis, Minyak Kemiri, Minyak Tea Tree, Xanthan Gum, Cuka Apel

Price:

245 ml: Rp 35,000

490 ml: Rp 65,000

(price exclude delivery charge/harga tidak termasuk ongkos pengiriman)

All of our products do not contain the following:

1. Sulfate/Ammonium/SLS/SLES.

These ingredients are commonly found in shampoos and foaming hair products. They are used industrially as detergents, car wash soaps, garage floor cleaners and engine degreasers. They are used in hair products and personal care products because they are cheap. A small amount generates a large amount of foam, and when salt is added to these substances they thicken to give the illusion of being thick and concentrated.

The Journal of the American College of Toxicology notes that this ingredient has a degenerative effect on the cell membranes because of its protein denaturing properties. What's more, the journal adds, high levels of skin penetration may occur at even low use concentration. Additional studies have found that sodium lauryl sulfate is heavily deposited on the skin surface and in the hair follicles. Damage to the hair follicle could result from such deposition.

2. Paraben.

Parabens are preservatives added to products to make them last longer on the shelves. They are estrogen-mimicking preservatives, found in breast cancer tumors of 19 of 20 women studied. According to the European Commission’s Scientific Committee on Consumer Products, longer chain parabens like propyl and butyl paraben and their branched counterparts, isopropyl and isobutylparabens, may disrupt the endocrine system and cause reproductive and developmental disorders.

3. Mineral Oil.

Mineral oil is a derivative of crude oil (petroleum) that is used industrially as a cutting fluid and lubricating oil. The oil coats the hair and acts as a natural barrier to moisture getting in the hair, and worse, after prolonged use, the hair becomes dry and brittle. Problem is, most persons turn to their hairdressers when the hair is in this state of dryness and breakage who then apply even more products containing mineral oil as this is what is in quite a bit of hair ‘repair’ products.

The more mineral oil used, the more the hair dries out. It’s like a vicious cycle that perpetuates itself until the hair breaks off completely or is chopped off because it got too thin.

4. Formaldehyde.

A potent preservative considered a known human carcinogen by the International Agency on Research on Cancer. Formaldehyde, also an asthmagen, neurotoxicant and developmental toxicant, was once mixed into to many personal care products as antiseptic. This use has declined.

But some hair straighteners are based on formaldehyde’s hair-stiffening action and release substantial amounts of the chemical. Many common preservatives also release formaldehyde into products (like DMDM hydantoin, quaternium, and urea compounds).

5. Fragrance

A chemical that might be linked to sperm damage, hormone disruption (which is linked to some cancers, thyroid disease, obesity, diabetes, and other serious health problems), reproductive toxicity, and allergy problems. (Analysis performed by the nonprofit Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, a group with coalition members from the Breast Cancer Fund, Environmental Working Group, Clean Water Action, and other public and environmental health organizations)

Jun 28, 2013

How to avoid chemicals in common baby products

By Julie Revelant

Published June 27, 2012

FoxNews.com

Your baby smells even more beautiful after her bath, but as you wash her hair, lather her up with soap, and then slather on lotion, you could actually be exposing her to toxic chemicals. Chemicals—studies show—that are linked to cancer, autism, learning disabilities, infertility, allergic reactions and skin irritation, and other health complications.

Take Johnson’s baby shampoo. The product description states “as gentle to the eyes as pure water,” yet it isn’t as mild as you’re led to believe. In 2009, the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics found two chemicals in the shampoo that are linked to cancer: 1,4-dioxane, which is added to create suds, and quaternium 15, a preservative that kills bacteria by releasing formaldehyde. This past October, the chemicals showed up once again in product tests.

Of particular concern to the medical community and environmental health advocates are phthalates. A group of chemicals known as endocrine disruptors, phthalates affect the body’s hormonal system and can cause harm at critical times of development like during infancy and puberty.

“Phthalates interfere with reproductive functioning by reducing the levels of sex hormones that are critical for development and functioning of sex organs,” according to Lisa Archer, National Director for the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics at the Breast Cancer Fund. “Our hormonal systems are really exquisitely finely tuned, and when we mess with those systems, you can have real problems,” she said.

And babies are especially vulnerable. According to a study published in the journal Pediatrics, 81 percent of babies were found to have high levels of phthalates in their systems after using shampoo, lotion and powder. And the more products they were exposed to, the higher the levels.

“Their systems are still developing. Toxic chemicals have a much larger effect on them pound for pound than they do for us as adults,” Archer said.

Phthalate exposure has also been linked to autism and learning disabilities, breast cancer, infertility and even childhood obesity, according to a recent study by the Children's Environmental Health Center at The Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City.

Another group of chemicals that are commonly added to products are parabens. Parabens are preservatives, added to many water-based products to prevent bacteria from growing. And like phthalates, they are hormone disruptors; they mimic estrogen in the body and have been linked to breast cancer and reproductive problems.

“The reason that we’re concerned about chemicals like phalataes, is that they’re one of many chemicals that have the potential to disrupt hormonal activities,” according to Dr. Maida Galvez, Associate Professor in the Departments of Preventive Medicine and Pediatrics at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, who said that researchers need to look at the mixture of chemicals that our families are exposed to.

“Fragrance” is misleading
Look at the list of ingredients on practically any product and chances are that fragrance will be listed. Yet what you think might be the product’s natural scent, is actually a blanket term manufacturers use to hide allergens, synthetic musks and hundreds of chemicals including phthalates.

“Labels are put on products to inform you, but often they leave you empty handed,” according to Margie Kelly, an environmental health advocate and communications manager for Healthy Child Healthy World. “If it says fragrance, that’s code for phthalates,” she said.

New legislation is necessary
Surprisingly, the FDA doesn’t have the authority to regulate the cosmetics industry. And the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Panel, and industry-funded, self-policing body which was created to assess the safety of chemicals has also fallen short. “In the 33 years since it was created, it has evaluated less than 20 percent of 12,500 ingredients used in cosmetics,” Archer said.

Many chemicals used in America are banned in other countries too. In fact, the European Union bans 1100 chemicals that are linked to cancer or reproductive problems, while the United States bans only 8. “In the U.S, it’s the wild west of chemical use. Industries can use whatever they want to, whenever they want to, even cancer causing chemicals,” Kelly said.

The Safe Cosmetics Act of 2011 would give the FDA authority to regulate cosmetics and ensure their safety. First and foremost, chemicals that have a proven link to cancer and reproductive and developmental problems would be phased out. Manufacturers would be required to provide a complete list of all ingredients including those currently called fragrance. Finally, the FDA would be able to assess the safety of chemicals. In addition, a safety standard that protects babies, children, and pregnant women would be put in place.

What you can do
The best way to avoid exposure is to use less but when you do, buy organic products labeled phthalate and paraben-free, and those free of synthetic fragrances. If a product uses a non- phthalate fragrance, the label may state where the fragrance was derived from, like from an essential oil, for example.

Avoid products that contain quaternium 15, or words with the letters PEG at the beginning or ETH at the end. Use a diaper cream that doesn’t contain micronized zinc oxide and use mineral-based sunscreens without nanoparticles, also known as titanium dioxide or zinc oxide.

For products that use natural ingredients, check the expiration date and opt for pumps or bottles rather than jars. If the packaging is transparent, but the bottle in the back of the shelf as exposure to light can make it go bad faster.

Check the Environmental Working Groups’ Skin Deep site for tips, guides, and product ratings or download the Good Guide app and use the barcode scanner when shopping to find out if a product is safe. Also, email your U.S. representative today in support of the Safe Cosmetics Act.

Julie Revelant is a freelance writer specializing in parenting, health, and women's issues and a mom. Learn more about Julie at revelantwriting.com.

Source: http://www.foxnews.com/health/2012/06/27/how-to-avoid-chemicals-in-common-baby-products/print#ixzz2XTYVpX00

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Jun 14, 2013

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May 27, 2013

The Real Lesson of Formaldehyde In Baby Shampoo

By Dominique Browning

Aug. 22, 2012

The scent of childhood to me was Johnson & Johnson baby shampoo. My mother used it on me when I was a baby, and I used it myself when I was a teenager; when I became a mother I cradled my babies’ tiny heads in my hands and slathered their scalps with the stuff. Johnson & Johnson’s hold on the marketplace was such that, for many of us, the mere smell of their products came to define clean children. And what exhausted new mother could resist the promise of “No More Tears”?

So when Johnson & Johnson made a stunning announcement that it was phasing certain chemicals out of its formula, it was shocking to learn that ever since it was brought to market in 1953, the “pure and gentle” shampoo has contained traces of formaldehyde, recently classified as a known carcinogen, and 1,4 dioxane, which, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is “reasonably anticipated” to be a human carcinogen.

Naturally, as a mother, my first thought was of my sons’ bath ritual. Had I been poisoning them? Not exactly. But the company’s decision underscores a dismaying breakdown in consumer trust, not only in the products we buy and the stores that sell them, but in the government agency that we assume is properly regulating them.

How did formaldehyde get into baby shampoo in the first place? Formaldehyde isn’t listed as an ingredient in our beauty products because it isn’t added purposefully. Rather, it is released over time — and manufacturers know and expect this — by any number of commonly used preservatives such as quaternium-15 and DMDM hydantoin. The same is to be said for 1,4 dioxane, which is a by-product of a process used to process certain chemicals to make them less harsh.

The truth is that most leading brands of cosmetics contain small amounts of troubling — or downright toxic — ingredients. Cosmetics — any personal care products you apply to your body — are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, which due to lax laws dating back to 1938, does not have the legal authority to review or regulate products before they are sold. Most of us shopping at our local Target — or at high-end Sephora — are blissfully unaware that our lipstick probably contains lead, a proven neurotoxin, and our perfumes contain phthalates, a class of chemicals linked to hormone disruption.

Cosmetics companies are not even required to report to the FDA any health problems associated with their products or share any studies. What the FDA can do is conduct studies. The FDA has been measuring 1,4 dioxane levels since 1979. By 2000, it was recommending that manufacturers reduce 1,4 dioxane limits — voluntarily.

But it gets more complicated. Johnson & Johnson’s global toxicologist, Susan Nettesheim, explained that the formaldehyde in solution (as in shampoo) is not the same as the formaldehyde gas that, when breathed, is carcinogenic. “Almost all living organisms contain formaldehyde. Our cells contain formaldehyde,” she said. “The formaldehyde that occurs in our shampoo rinses off, biodegrades, and doesn’t turn into gas—shower water isn’t hot enough. There is more formaldehyde in one apple than in 14 bottles of shampoo.” But the company decided that this was simply too complicated and subtle a message to allay fears. “We know there is a great deal of conversation going on about chemical safety. We decided that it is very important for us to have a voice in that discussion.” And Johnson & Johnson is working with both houses of Congress to strengthen oversight of the FDA.

Their effort to respond to their customers’ concerns is laudable—and bold, although the company has an obvious vested interest in protecting its reputation. But the problem is that we—as consumers—no longer have a sense that we are protected, or safe. Perhaps the general erosion in trust began decades ago, when we learned that the tobacco industry was covering up—and lying about—research demonstrating that smoking causes cancer.

Today, it is almost impossible for consumers to know whom to trust, and what to believe. And that feeds the sense of panic when we hear about certain chemicals in our products. We have a regulatory system in place that demands a level of proof of harm from a chemical almost impossible to provide: it requires a direct causal link between disease and chemical, when in the vast majority of cases that is impossible to establish. Diseases are complex, and multiple factors contribute to them. In many decades, only asbestos has been directly linked with a disease: asbestosis. One need only to think about the many decades it took to prove that lead exposure was dangerous—and think how many children were adversely affected during those years.

All of this makes us feel as if we are the guinea pigs for the industry, letting them try chemicals out on us—even though responsible companies regularly test the ingredients in their products. Johnson & Johnson has launched a new website that contains a great deal of information about the way it ensures the safety of its products.

People who remain nervous about the burden of chemicals we are absorbing into our bodies can shop carefully to avoid them, but that’s hard to do when products contain elements that are not even listed in the ingredients. It doesn’t have to be this way. While we can be smart consumers, we have to be even smarter citizens — and demand that our political representatives support strong standards for safety. The Safe Cosmetics Act of 2011 is a more promising place to begin than your local beauty counter. Hopefully—at least in the area of personal care, anyway—we can get to a place of “No More Fears.”