What You May Not Know About Product Labels – Part 1
April 30, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment
It’s no secret that skin care is big business. Despite the recent economic downturn, 2008 profit earnings from the major cosmetic corporations and health care industries report increased earnings. So, in spite of housing foreclosures and corporate layoffs, looking good and feeling good is still a top priority for the average consumer. It makes sense, good health is always the top of the list when it comes to keeping the medical bills low and saving money. If you are proactive in your health – eating right, exercising and using whole, organic ingredients in your food and the products you buy, you will save hundreds if not thousands in health insurance and medical bills down the road.
When you are choosing skin care, personal care and cosmetic products, part of spending you hard-earned dollars wisely means paying close attention to the labels of products your purchase. This is the only way to ensure you purchase truly natural and organic skin care products. The following are tips you can follow to keep your health at it’s best and your money in your bank.
There is a little-known “Rule Of Thirds” when it comes to ingredients lists. The top third of the ingredients label generally lists the ingredients that comprise around 90-98% of the product. Most of this is usually water. The middle third generally represents approximately 5-8% of the product. The bottom third represents around 1-3%.
‘Natural’ skin care is not always natural.
There are two definitions of the world natural. The cosmetic and health industry standards use them liberally. The dictionary definition: “Existing in or, formed by, nature.” The cosmetic industry definition: “Any ingredient derived from a natural substance.” Manufacturers commonly use the world ‘natural’ on labels to deceive consumers. For example, “Cocamide-DEA derived from coconut oil.”
Cocamide-DEA may well be from coconut oil, but a synthetic chemical called diethanolamine is used in the extraction process. It is known to cause cancer. An ingredient is not really natural if it has been processed in this way.
Organic doesn’t always mean what you think.
An organic certification on a product label is the only way to guarantee the integrity of a product. The definition of certified organic is as follows: “An independent third party guarantee of an organic claim.”
Always look for a logo that guarantees the product’s integrity. Certified organic products must contain a minimum of 95% organic ingredients excluding water and salt/minerals, with a small allowance for natural, non-organic ingredients that must comply with very stringent processing criteria.
In addition, there are two definitions of organic. The first, “Organic chemistry “ is concerned with substances that contain carbon. Carbon is present in all living things. Legally, the cosmetics industry is allowed to label any product that contains carbon as ‘organic’. So, even if it contains gasoline, it is considered organic.
Methylparaben is another misused term. It is derived from petrochemicals, which are derived from crude oil, which is derived from living matter. It is a widely used preservative in organic skin care products such as body creams, body wash and deodorants. Shocking as it seems, technically, methylparaben can legally be labeled as organic. It is worth noting here that a recent European study reported traces of methylparaben in human breast cancer tumors.
The second definition of organic is, “The sustainable system of agriculture that uses natural substances & methods to create healthy nutrient rich and fertile soils.” When you are reading labels for the health of yourself and your family, be aware of these common misnomers.
Be aware of the “water” label in the product?
According to research found via the world wide web, what can be meant when companies put ‘73% Organic’ on their labels, could be as deceptive as a manufacturer placing a few organic teabags in a vat of water and letting them infuse. Because the water constitutes 70+ percent of the overall product, the manufacturer is allowed to claim that the product is 73% organic at the top of the label. Obviously, if you removed the water, the actual organic content of those fancy herbal infusions would probably be less than 0.05% of the total product.
Be aware of inconsistent labeling standards
In some countries, ingredients that are not allowed in certified organic foods ARE allowed in certified organic personal care and cosmetic products. This represents a lack of continuity or consistency in labeling standards. How can food and cosmetics products have the same certified organic logo when ingredients that are allowed personal care and cosmetics are not allowed in food? Remember , if you put it on your skin, it is going into your body.
Be careful of “miracle ingredients
Times don’t really change. What was true for your great-grandfather and the traveling salesman then is still true for you in the modern age. Vitamin C, vitamin E, coenzyme Q10, active copper and other ingredients may be touted as “miracle ingredients, “ because they do offer great health benefits when taken internally or as a supplement, with your physicians guidance, etc. But the plain truth is when you apply them topically (meaning to your skin directly) there is so little of the actual ingredient left, it can’t do much. There is no miracle ingredient for the skin or hair, just as there are no magic pills for curing illness and disease in “ four to six weeks.”
The quality of the skin is a function of feeding the body high quality nutrients over time and keeping the toxin levels of the body as low as possible.
When you use high quality, certified organic products, ALL the ingredients are active. They are ALL beneficial and they all feed the skin.
New Ingredients for Tougher Skin
March 5, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment
Young skin produces protein like collagen and elastin in sufficient quantities. These are the youth giving skin proteins in our body and are responsible for giving us a healthy, firm, soft and elastic skin.
As time passes the natural production of these two vital skin proteins starts to slow down. Thus, we start to see the signs of skin aging like wrinkles, sagging skin, age spots and dark uneven skin complexion emerge.
In order to make skin tougher we need to develop such products that will help the body build higher amount of its own collagen and elastin naturally.
There are many collagen based skin care products in the marketplace which claim that the collagen in them is the key to make aging skin tougher. But this is far from reality. The scientific truth is that collagen in skin creams cannot be absorbed by our body at all. The collagen molecule is too big to penetrate our skin. The key to how to make aging skin tougher is to help your body build more collagen and elastin naturally.
Advances in medical science reveal ingredients have been discovered which help in skin rejuvenation naturally by stimulating the natural production of these vital skin proteins. This is the natural and effective way on how to make aging skin tougher.
Thanks to the internet and a great deal of research, these breakthrough natural substances are available for anyone in any part of the world. Some of these natural skin rejuvenation ingredients are babassu, maracuja, Phytessence Wakame, and Cynergy.
Skin Care Ingredients to Avoid
June 27, 2008 by admin · Leave a Comment
Many consumers are frustrated by skin care products that don’t do what they claim to. Worse still is investing in an expensive yet ineffective cream or treatment only to discover the cheapest drug-store brand would work just as well. In a world of hyper-consumerism, false advertising and a plethora of products from which to choose, how do you choose the good from the bad?
There are some great products on the market that can genuinely improve your skin’s appearance and help your skin look smoother, more radiant, and youthful. But, there are literally thousands of products to choose from and unless you spend hours a day researching beauty products, it’s difficult to find the one of the few that actually produces real results and eliminates years of aging from your face and body.
As the law of supply and demand proves, the higher the demand for youth and beauty, the more manufacturers will rush to provide the solution. Many times this rush results in the creation of an inferior product with little to no research and development to back it.
Caveat Emptor – or “let the buyer beware” – is the rule to live by. Do your homework. Know where you are “voting” your hard-earned money. If it is important to you, make sure you are investing in a quality, skincare ingredient backed by proven results. If the environment and being ‘green’ is important to you, then be aware of the manufacturing practices of the company and product you support with your purchase.
Ingredients to Avoid
Due to certain preservative requirements, many skin care products are unfortunately loaded with ingredients that actually harm your skin over time. Following are a few prominent ingredients widely used in skincare products to day and are to be avoided if you prefer you skincare to be more natural or organic.
• Mineral Oil. This oil has been used in literally hundreds of products. Mineral oil may also go by the alternative names liquid paraffin, paraffin wax and petrolatum on the product label. Mineral oil is used pervasively in skin care products as a moisturizing agent due to its low cost.
Mineral oil, once applied, is meant to ‘trap’ moisture in the skin, but once applied, actually prevents the skin from “breathing.” As such, it clogs pores, interferes with your skin’s natural ability to eliminate toxins, and can lead to acne flare ups. Also, it is irritating to the skin and if used for any length of time, your skin can become dependent on it, causing chapping and dryness. Lastly, it can lead to premature aging of the skin.
• Dioxane: (a synthetic derivative of coconut). This substance is widely used in skincare products. It often contains high concentrations of 1,4-dioxane, which is readily absorbed through the skin. In the State of California, 1,4-dioxane has been reported as “known to cause cancer.”
• Fragrances: No one wants to smell bad, but if you want to be on the safe side, you are better off choosing an organic essential oil or diluted cologne, hydrosol or even a bodyspray. Your skin care products typically contain chemically engineered fragrances to mask the unpleasant “chemical odor” of the foundational product itself. Many of these masking fragrances are produced from ingredients that are known to be toxic or carcinogenic.
Your skin is the largest organ of the body. Anything you put on it can be easily absorbed through the pores. When you use skin care products, they are typically applied all over the face, neck, and body. This covers a lot of surface area and, therefore, a great deal of chemical absorption occurs. However, with perfumes and colognes, you can achieve what you want by a small dab here and there, which will result in less chemical absorption overall. If you really want a beauty product to smell great without the harsh side effects, try buying a fragrance-free product and add your own essential oil blend. You can customize a whole line of products with you won signature scent!
• Parabens: methyl, propyl, butyl, and ethyl paraben. Many skin care products (and moisturizing products) will use parabens as a preservative so their products have a long shelf life. The reason is purely economical. However, studies suggest that they may cause cancer and interfere with the body’s endocrine system, as well as causing allergic reactions and skin rashes.
• Alcohols: ethanol, ethyl alcohol, methanol, benzyl alcohol, isopropyl alcohol and SD alcohol. Not all alcohols have the same properties, but these, which are commonly found in skin care products, are very drying and irritating for the skin. Alcohols such as these strip away the skin’s natural acid mantle, making you more vulnerable to bacteria, moulds and viruses.
Now that we’ve looked at some of the bad, let’s examine some of the good ingredients and some ingredients that sound good but in fact aren’t.
