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Archive for the ‘Eco Beauty News & Tips’ Category

Q: Have you tried Jane Iredale products?  Any thoughts on the products?

So far neither of us have tried any of these products but in the interest of hopefully finding something new I went investigating.   I went hunting around on SkinBotanica.com to see what kind of ingredients we were dealing with.  So far, from what we can tell Jane Iredales products are free of some of the top nasties we usually avoid like parabens, phthalates, free of chemical dyes and preservatives, and are never tested on animals.  So her products are a better choice when it comes to make up.  Comparing a label off a Jane Iredale foundation to one of the “big ones” is a joke… you can actually pronounce the ingredients and they have less than 87 letters in each word.

Her products have won awards like Natural Health Beauty Awards Best Foundation Award so performance sounds like it’s not an issue.  I can’t say with 100% confidence that all her products are 100% chemical free if that’s what you’re looking for.  For example almost every product contains Dimethicone, and I have found one or two products that contain Phenoxyethanol, but in the grand scheme these are a much better choice. Compare hers to any L’Oreal product and you’ll see the difference.

Find Them: You can pick up Jane Iredale’s Cosmetics on SkinBotanica.com

Thanks to the SafeMama’s for inviting me to be a guest blogger!  I’m kicking this off with some research I’ve been dying to get out!  It’s all about the ingredient called “vegetable emulsifying wax.”

Both Statia and I have talked about how, although it’s a great starting point for learning about chemicals in personal care products, the Cosmetics Databse is not the end-all source for determining product safety.  Today, I’m going to show you how an ingredient that scores a “0” in the database, should really score much much higher.

Vegetable emulsifying wax is used in a lot of products, from lotions to conditioners–even makeup–to make oil and water combine in to a lotion form.  It’s the emulsifier of choice for home crafters and larger companies alike because it’s easy to work with and it’s relatively cheap.  At first glance it looks natural (after all, it’s made up from “vegetable” material, right?) but once you learn what it really is, it’s not so great after all.

I did some digging and found out what vegetable emulsifying wax is actually comprised of:

• Cetearyl Alcohol (a blend of cetyl and steareth alcohol)
• Polysorbate 60
• PEG-150 Stearate
• Steareth-20

Let’s look at these chemicals one by one.

Cetearyl Alcohol
Although cetearyl alcohol scores a “0″ risk score in the Cosmetics Database, the two ingredients that it’s made up of, Cetyl and Steareth Alcohol, both score a “1″ for a mild risk of skin irritation and tumor formation at high doses.  Not a terrible score, and I’m not particularly outraged by this ingredient.  However, is it a synthetically produced chemical?  Yes.  Is it truly natural?  No.

Polysorbate 60
Also scores a “1″ risk score for possibly being a reproductive toxin and for tumor formation at high doses.  When it’s in small amounts in a lotion, you’re probably pretty safe.  That said, it’s the same story as the cetearyl alcohol–it’s not truly natural and it’s still a chemical.

PEG-150 Stearate
This is where it gets hairy.  PEG is short for polyethylene glycol.  Polyethylene glycol is an ethoxylated compound, meaning that it’s been processed with ethylene oxide, a known human carcinogen.  Traces of this compound can be left in the product, along with byproducts such as 1,4-dioxane, also a known carcinogen.  (Read more about the latest 1,4-dioxane scandal here.) PEG-150 Stearate scores a 4-7 risk score in the cosmetics database, “depending on product usage.”  So, in a product that would remain on your skin, like lotion or deodorant, I’d imagine that they’d give it a “7″.

Steareth-20
Even though this ingredient only scores a “1″ in the database, it too is an ethoxylated compound, and can also contain traces of ethylene oxide and 1,4-dioxane.  It’s created by taking stearyl alcohol (a naturally-ocurring fatty alcohol) and combining it with ethylene oxide.  The number following the “steareth” is how many units of ethylene oxide reacted with the stearyl alcohol.  So, steareth-20 has been reacted with 20 units of ethylene oxide.  There are a lot of steareths that range from 2 on up.  Steareth-20 is the highest–meaning it’s been processed with the highest amount of ethylene oxide.

So, how does this happen? How does an ingredient with all these chemicals end up with a “0″ risk score in the Cosmetics Databse?  Tune in tomorrow to learn about how these ingredients slip through the cracks of the database, and learn how you can spot ethoxylated compounds on labels.  I’ll also give you some safer alternatives that contain no “vegetable emulsifying wax.”

About  Our Guest:  Stephanie Greenwood is the beauty and brains behind Bubble & Bee, an organic personal care product company based online and now in her own store in Utah.  Bubble & Bee specializes in pure organic products free of synthetic ingredients or  fragrances and uses as many organic ingredients as possible.  Learn more about her and Bubble & Bee on her website.

Thank you Stephanie!

I’m trying to find a relatively inexpensive facial moisturizer/sunscreen combo (of at least 30spf) – have you seen anything out there? Thanks!

Welcome to my personal hell!  I have had a HELL of a time trying to find daily moisturizers that contain safe SPF and have come up disappointed time and time again.

The biggest problem isn’t that there isn’t products out there that are daily moisturizers with SPF, it’s that many of the organic and safer lines use what we feel are unsafe sunscreen ingredients.  The Environmental Working Group’s organization Skin Deep did a study last year on sunscreens after news came out that some sunscreen ingredients such as Oxybenzone are endocrine disruptors which can affect the nervous system, has been linked to cancer in some laboratory studies, and creates free-radicals when exposed to the sun.   After digesting that we determined that physical sunscreens were best (Zinc Oxide or more common Titanium Oxide) which stay on top of the skin and don’t absorb into the bloodstream.

Hence, my daily moisturizer was pitched in the trash and I went hunting for something better.  So far I have yet to find a great one that I love and have been relying on the SPF in my mineral makeup to keep my covered but the search continues.  I tried Aubrey Organics but their lotion looked more like something I’d find in a swamp than something I’d want to put on my skin.  However there are a few I haven’t yet tried that I thought I’d share here so some of you could give them a go.

Juice Beauty Organics SPF 30 Mineral Sheer Moisturizer:  A chemical free moisturizer that uses titanium dioxide to block the sun.  I was worried to try this since I used a sample of a thicker version and it smelled like metal, but this looks promising.  In fact I may go up to Sephora later and check it out.  They have several other options to try as well.

Living Nature Daily Defense SPF 15: The  sun filtering protection of Zinc Oxide defends skin against premature aging while Manuka Honey and Harakeke boosts hydration.  Suitable for all skin types. Again, I haven’t tried this but it looks like a nice option.

100% Pure Organic Pomegranate Antioxidant Hydration SPF 20: Not one weird ingredient in the bunch. we’re big fans of all the 100% Pure products so they get a thumbs up from us.

Reader Tip! Cheryl writes in, “Just want to comment on your latest post about daily sunscreens.  You suggest Juice Beauty sunscreen, and there is also the cheaper Juice Organics line by the same company.  The Juice Organics SPF 30 Light Tint moisturizer is good, and it’s $14.99 at target and at juiceorganics.com.”

Unfortunately none of these are in the “cheap” category and honestly, I don’t think we’re going to find what we’re looking for at CVS in this category.  But considering this is something you put on your face every single day, it might be worth the extra bucks to make sure what you’re slathering on is safe and natural.

Have a question about products or ingredients? Ask us!

I have switched to natural deodorant recently, with no real trouble.  However, I have yet to find anything that cuts the mustard for my manly husband, especially in the Texas summer!  Not to mention most of the alternatives I have found smell rather girly.  Any suggestions?  Do your husbands use natural deodorants, and have they found one they can count on?

We are shamed to say it, but our husbands are pretty stubborn when it comes to switching their products over to natural products.   My husband was pretty annoyed when I tried to switch his toothpaste over and now secretly looks forward to business trips because I know he keeps a secret stash of Colgate in his toiletries bag.  So he still uses his trusty old Axe.  You can lead a horse to water and all of that (although, I did get him to switch his chemically enhanced shampoo to Dr. Bronner’s.  Baby steps).

However, we do tell people that it definitely takes time to switch over to have it work properly, and men are no exception.  We did post some tips on switching over, you no doubt have read (and I’ve also tried to drill into my husband’s head as well), but they bear reposting:

Be patient. You’ll need at least 2 weeks to adjust (and sometimes longer), so if you go a couple days on a new deodorant and you smell this could mean your body is still ridding itself of toxins.  You might have to try a brand or two to find the right one for your body chemistry too, so give it some time.

Exfoliate. Its a good idea to GENTLY exfoliate your armpits once in a while to remove any dead skin blocking your sweat glands and pores.  Use a really soft washcloth and gently massage the area.  Don’t use scrubs or salts as this might damage the delicate skin of your armpits.

Sweat! The reason deodorant makers put Aluminum in their product is to prevent you from sweating.  There is a major problem with this in that you are supposed to sweat, sweating is your body’s way of ridding itself from toxins and impurities.   Once your body is used to not having antiperspirant it can actually regulate your sweating.  Since switching to Weleda I have not noticed being “wet” unless I am huffing and puffing on the treadmill, in which case who cares.  What matters is I don’t SMELL like sweat.

And of course, to add another:

Hydrate Hydrate Hydrate:  The more water you consume, the less likely you are to smell as water flushes toxins out of your system.

And of course, diet also has a play.  If you’re going to eat stinky foods, they have to come out somehow, and going to the bathroom isn’t the only way your body excretes waste.  Which is why you tend to smell like an 18 year old brewery after a night of drinking heavily.   Garlic, onions, red meat.  It’ll also come out in your pores as well.   Which makes me wonder if I’d smell like vanilla cupcakes if I lived on a diet of them…. hmmm food for thought…

As for brands, we personally like both Bubble and Bee’s Pit Putty (they have other varieties as well) and Weleda.  Weleda’s deodorant is more of an alcohol base which might help curb odors for your husband, better than Bubble and Bee, and I know my husband has said that the original Bubble and Bee is a little bit too feminine smelling for him.   Weleda makes a Sage variety that isn’t girly smelling.   I’ve used both Bubble and Bee and Weleda doing yard work in the hot summer sun and while, yes, I did sweat, I didn’t smell at all.  I would say to buy a couple of varieties, find what works and then rotate based on your needs.  Guys tend to be simpler with their body care needs, but sometimes, they need to go the extra mile to find a product that works for them too.

We need YOUR questions.  Submit them to “Dear LovelyMama” today!

Alima Pure is fast becoming my favorite makeup.  I totally dig the huge selection of colors they offer.    I must have 97 samples of their eye shadow and a little goes a long way.    I have fun playing with all of the colors and dressing my eyes up to match my mood.  For me this is big.  I’m a neutral girl at heart and generally pick something up to match my brown eyes.   I’ve been trying to be daring and use more color and thankfully, I don’t have to sacrifice my health in order to do that. All of their makeup is free of chemicals and preservatives and are pigmented with mineral colors.

Now Alima Pure has put out their new spring eyeshadow collection and I have to say, I’m loving it!  It makes me long for warmer spring weather and a cute spring outfit.

Get it: You can get your own samples (which are a great size and are rather inexpensive) directly from AlimaPure.com

BONUS! We’re giving away 3 sample sets of Alima Pure’s “April in Paris” gift collection.   To enter simply send an email to safemama.contestsATgmail.com with the subject “Alima Pure Giveaway“.  In order to qualify we need:

1. Your full name, and address.

2. Your favorite Alima Pure product.  (If you haven’t tried them yet, you can go to AlimaPure.com and pick something you’d like).

Your name and address are only needed so that we can notify you if you win.   LovelyMama does not sell or otherwise use your information in any way.  Contest is open to US residents only and ends at midnight on March 4th. Winners will be chosen at random.  Good Luck!

We’ve been planning a new segment here at LovelyMama.    If you’ve read our sister site, you’re familiar with Dear SafeMama, a weekly “column” where we give you advice and answer your questions regarding just about anything you can think of.     Introducing LovelyMama.   We love all things beauty and we’ve learned a lot about green beauty over the last year and a half and we’d love to share that with you.    From questions about favorite chemical free beauty to advice on what works best, we want to help you achieve eco-gorgeousness.

You can submit your questions via the LovelyMama “Contact Us” page.  Simple choose “Dear LovelyMama” in the drop down box.

Ever since I’ve started the journey into living a “greener” life, I’ve come to the realization that we rely so much on commercial and processed products, if only for the convenience factor. And I’ve also come to realize that it’s so much easier and cost effective to make a lot of these beauty products at home. Look, I’m a total sucker for beauty products. I love my stuff, but after realizing how horrible most of this stuff was for me, I pitched/freecycled everything that I knew I would never use again. And you know what? I’ve gotten along without most of it just fine, for well over a year. But that doesn’t mean that I shouldn’t still make the attempt to take care of my skin. I don’t mess with it the way that I used to and I find that it looks better (when I’m not pregnant and the wind isn’t whipping my skin raw) than it did when I had a whole ritual of crap I put on it every night.

But there are certain measures you should take to at least do the bare minimum for your skin, to keep it healthy and youthful looking.

One of those things would be clay masks. I love a good clay mask. It makes my skin feel great for days afterward, and helps to draw impurities out of your skin that soap can’t. Clay has been used for eons as a beauty staple, because it’s so multi-purpose. It cleanses, purifies, exfoliates, and the list goes on. There are quite a few different types of clays out there and each one has a different property due to it’s mineral content.

You can go and buy a clay mask at your local drug store on the cheap, but of course, it’ll have a bevy of chemicals and preservatives so that it can sit on that shelf for as long as they’ll let it. Or you can buy one that’s greener and chemical free (ultimately more expensive), but for as often as you use it, will probably be more cost prohibitive, because it’ll have a shelf life. Or you can make one yourself for a fraction of the price, as needed and feel good knowing that it’s two ingredients.

Here’s a basic white clay mask that’s gentle enough for sensitive skin, and is safe enough to use every day:

• 1 tablespoon of white clay
• 1 teaspoon purified water

Combine in a bowl to form a paste and allow to thicken. Spread on your face with your hands and allow to sit for about 20 minutes and then rinse. You can also make this in larger quantities if desired for all over the body. It can be used as an exfoliate or cleanser.

One thing to keep in mind when purchasing dry clay is to make sure that it’s cosmetic grade clay. Regular clay contains very high traces of lead. So don’t go raiding your kids art cupboard. You can purchase cosmetic grade clays online, which are relatively inexpensive. I found a great site that has white clay for about $8 for 8 ounces, which should last awhile. The more you buy, the cheaper it is. They guarantee their product to be lead free.

I’m beginning to think that our ancestors got it right the first time.

Valentine’s Extravaganza Week continues with massage oils!  Granted, there isn’t a whole lot of massaging going on around my house considering I’m pregnant.  However, making a point to put each other first is important in any relationship! Typically, massage oils are made with mineral oils that use up valuable resources that are taxing on the environment.  Plus, wouldn’t you rather put a natural unprocessed oil on your body rather than some refined petroleum?  Me too.

There are a few store bought brands that use natural ingredients if you’re looking for a nicer gift… or you can stick to the tried and true at-home ingredients that are both affordable, multipurpose and make your skin feel great.

Massage Products We Love

Mountain Rose Herbs Massage Oils: These oils contain only blends of natural essential and organic oils like organic olive oil and organic almond oils and vitamin E.  They offer a range of scents, scented with rose, chamomile, and lavender and come in 4oz pumps and 1oz sample kits!

Weleda Massage Oil: This is a great massage oil for those of you with active lives… whether you’re chasing kids or a workout king – this oil helps restore tired, aching muscles before and after physical activity.  Weleda is one of our favorite lines using only natural and organic ingredients.

AuraCacia Massage Cream in Tangerine Grapefruit: A cream instead of an oil this might be a little less messy.  Based with grapeseed oil and scented with oils like tangerine and grapefruit this sweet smelling citrus rub down will refresh and awaken the senses for a fun night out. Rawr!

DIY At Home Massage Treatments

Pure Coconut Oil: Available at your local health food store or aisle, this ingredient is great for your skin.  Use it to moisturize after a shower, soften cuticles or massage your muscles.  Better yet, you can cook dinner with it too. Add it to a romantic meal with stir fried veggies and shrimp to add a full flavor.  Also, we hear it makes a good personal lubricant. *Tee Hee*

Make Your Own: You can make any kind of massage oil concoction that suits you with a few simple ingredients from the health food store.  Pick up organic vegetable and nut oils, such as olive (great for skin and hair), sweet almond, jojoba, avocado and some vitamin E to make your own sexy combination’s.  Add drops of your favorite essential oils like lavender, orange, or arnica to spice it up.

I think Valentine’s Day is one of those days you’re either fond of or you’re not. In general, I’m not a fan of the commercial aspect, and on another level, I feel that you can tell someone you love them any day of the week. BUT, that doesn’t mean that we’re going to hide our really cool Valentines Day finds from you. Afterall, even if you aren’t into the commercialism aspect, you’re still into being eco-conscious, sexy AND green all year ’round. Right?

We’re starting off the week with candles. Who doesn’t love candles? They’re great for romance. They’re great home accents, and they’re great when you just want a refreshing pick me up in the form of a pleasant scent. I absolutely LOVE getting candles as a gift. For the home, it always makes a great gift, and from that special someone with a little nudge nudge wink wink, it takes on a whole different meaning. And it’s also something that lasts a while, unlike candy and flowers (although, I still LOVE getting candy and flowers. *hinthint*).

But you don’t want to just go out and get any kind of candle.   You want to find a candle that is phthalate free AND made of soy.

A lot of conventional candles are made from artificial fragrances that are impossible to create from nature.   Therefore, they’re made with parfums, which are made with phthalates.   Like we need more of those in our house than are already floating around.   Stick with candles that are made from natural essential oils.   This limits your choices, of course, but you still find some really great scents.

Why soy?  Soy is a cleaner burning wax that, because of its organic nature, doesn’t emit toxins into the air when burning, unlike paraffin, which often has petroleum based ingredients in it.  Soy also burns cooler and lasts longer than regular paraffin.  Another bonus to soy is that it cleans up much easier with soap and water.   The benefits of soy wax are just all around better.

Soy candles are becoming increasingly popular, but it’s a little harder to find them without phthalates.

Our top picks!

Timothy Han candles are beautifully simple.   They’re completely unobtusive and fit in well with any type of decor.   I really love the plain design of these candles.  They are a bit expensive at about $50 US dollars, but they’re about 6.5 ounces and provide about 50 hours of burn time.   Try saying that about any phthalate laden paraffin candle!

There is NOTHING you can’t find on Etsy.   I stumbled across these really great soy candles that are contained in a hand cut recycled wine container.  I don’t know about you, but I love anything that features recycled goods.   There are many scents to choose from, and while not all of them are phthalate free, a great deal of them are and are noted as such.     The jar also features a hand etched design of your choice.   For $28 dollars, this is an absolute steal!

Do it yourself!

It’s also really easy to make your own soy candles.   There are really great directions on ehow and you can find soy wax at just about any craft store.  The beauty of making your own is that you can be really creative in the scents you choose as well as your container.   It’s a great way to recycle old candle containers, instead of throwing them out.  You can use an old glass, a mason jar, or find something eclectic looking at a yard sale.   It’s a a great thing to do with older children.   And an inexpensive way to give a gift.    Nothing says love like a homemade gift!

I’m a sucker for bath products.  I mean, tell me what girl doesn’t love a good pampering spa day?   I know that’s where my love of all things bath for the home, stems from.   Of course, it’s a little harder now that I don’t have:  a.) dispensable income and b.) limited choices in the name of greener beauty.   But that’s OK, because there are a lot of things you can make for a nice luxurious spa like bath for a way smaller price tag.   Of course you have to listen to the hum of a monitor with your martini (organic vodka, of course), instead of that new agey soothing music, but hey, it’s a little time for Mama, and that’s what really counts, right?

Let’s talk about milk baths.   Milk baths are popular at swanky spas and resorts.  Why?  Because they’re great for the skin.  They’re great for nourishing really dry skin, because the lactic acid helps to loosen dead skin cells.  Milk baths date back to the days of Cleopatra, who swore by milks beautifying properties.   The best thing is,  you can make a nice milk bath from products you probably already have.   I found one in a book, that’s really quick and easy, and also easy to alter based on your needs.  You’ll need:

1 cup of heavy-cream, half and half, or regular milk.

1/2 cup raw honey.

That’s it.   Just blend together,  add to your running bath and swish.   If want a little more luxurious, add some of your favorite essential oil.   If your skin is extra itchy, blend a cup of oats in a blender or food processor and add to the mix.   If you’re lactose intolerant, you can try goats milk.   One of the other great things about this recipe, is that you know exactly what’s in it.  No hidden ingredients like you might find in the overly processed, high priced “milk baths” out there at a beauty store.

I have heard that the thicker dairy products might leave your skin feeling a little oily afterwards, which makes sense, since you’re basically soaking in milk fat.  You could also use lower fat milk to acheive the same effects.   I’d stick with at least whole milk at the very least, if your skin is really dry.

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