ecobites.com

Making your life greener - one bite at a time.

Walk down the personal care aisle of the supermarket and you might see 3 or 4 hair products with 'organic' or 'natural' ingredients or branded with an organic sounding name. Take a closer look at the label and you will soon realize that underneath the feel-good name these products are still made of synthetic cleansers, including artifiical fragrances and are chook-full of preservatives.

Our skin is the largest organ of our body. What you apply really does matter as up to 60% of any substance will be absorbed. The cosmetic and personal-care product industry is doing it great harm with a number of common ingredients that are cancer-causing agents, or just plain dangerous, say an increasing number of researchers, group activists, and even the government itself. A list of ingredients (nasties) to avoid in cosmetics...

Potentially harmful ingredients such as petrochemicals, mineral oils, sodium lauryl sulphate and propolene glycol. According to Skin Deep, an Environmental Working Group in the US, many of the synthetic ingredients used (in the US and Australia) in everyday skin care are potentially toxic to humans.

Transdermal medicine has taught us that what we put on our skin goes into our bloodstream, so many people are trying to be more thoughtful about their skin care and cosmetics. But trying to understand ingredient labels can be frustrating.

The Nasties:

Triclosan
Alcohol (Isopropyl)
DEA (diethanolamine)
MEA(monoetha-nolamine)
TEA (triethanolamine) FC&C Color
Pigments
Fragrance
Mineral Oil
Polyethylene Glycol (PEG) Propylene Glycol (PG)
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS)
Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES)
Urea (Imidazolidinyl)
DMDM Hydantoin 

1. Phthalates Phthalates are a group of synthetic chemical compounds that are mainly used as softening agents. A joint Swedish-Danish research team found a very strong link between allergies in children and phthalates. Studies have reported that phthalates may mimic the female hormone oestrogen and cause "feminisation" of baby boys, lowering sperm count.

2. Parabens  Parabens are synthetic compounds used as a preservative in most beauty products. You can find them listed as methylparabens, propylparabens, butylparabens, and ethylparabens. Parabens cause many allergic reactions and skin rashes. They have also been found in breast cancer tissue.

3. Talc has asbestos in it. Asbestos is another dangerous carcinagen.

4. Synthetic Dyes Synthetic colors are a byproducts of the petroleum industry. The molecular structure of these products are so small that they can pass through the brain barrier. This can manifest itself as turning numbers backwards when writing or reading, peeling skin, acne, or ADD symtoms. Many people have allergies to artificial colorings, especially red 40. Affusion has no synthetic ingredientsin any or our products!

5. Petroleum-Based Wax petroleum by-products can pass through the brain barrier and cause ADD/dyslexia symptoms.

6. Diethanolamine DEA is used as a skin softener in personal care products. It is a skin irritant and can be carcinogenic when combined with other ingredients. Also avoid TEA, and MEA.

7. Bismuth Oxychloride  Bismuth is put in mineral cosmetics because it gives a sheen to the face, is soft to the touch, and is extremely inexpensive. A by product of lead and copper refining, bismuth oxychloride is a heavy metal. Heavy metals can lead to Alzheimers and Parkinson’s Disease.

8. Sodium Laurel Sulfate  SLS is used to enhance the foaming action of a product. It is a skin irritant and is easily absorbed into the heart, liver, brain, and eyes, which can cause long term effects. It has been linked to cataracts in adults and inhibiting proper developement of children’s eyes.

9. Sodium Laureth Sulfate When reacting with other ingredients, it can be carcinagenic and rapidly absorbs into the body. It is a skin irritant and may cause hair loss. Also avoid SLES

10. Para-Dioxane (also known as 1,4-dioxane)  Carcinogen. Banned in Europe, but estimated to be in one quarter of all personal-care products sold in the United States. Para-dioxane can form as a by-product of manufacturing.

Greenwashing

1. Using a single claim suggesting that the product is greener than it actually is, eg. A shampoo that claims to contain no Sodium Laurel Sulphate (SLS) but also uses alternative foaming agents such as Ammonium Laurel Sulphate, which have the same risks associated with their use.

2. Having no proof, eg. Products or ingredients that state label claim that they are 'fair trade' without any certification or evidence. While the certification may not necessarily be on the label, upon request from the manufacturer or supplier you should receive evidence of fair trade status.

3. Lack of definition - using terms such as 'green' or 'natural' without actually outlining what that means. Again if in doubt, ask the manufacturer or supplier what their guidelines are for making the 'natural' claim.

4. Making 'green' claims that are irrelevant. The claim may be truthful, but are also unimportant, eg. CFC-free shaving cream. Giving that the use of CFC (chloroflurocarbons) has been banned for some time, this claim is considered irrelevant.

5. Outright fibbing about a 'green' product, eg, A product that claims to be 'certified organic' when they have no such certification. In many cases the claim isn't so blatant, eg. A certain well known company offers 'a truly organic experience', but also uses SLS, propylene glycol and D&C red in their products, which are not organic. This is not to say that the product doesn't include some organic ingredients, however, to the consumer the assumtion is that the product is 'truly organic'.

Every day we use products that we think are safe. We assume the product has been tested and any dangerous ingredients labeled. The truth is, products are not always safe and manufacturers don’t have to tell us so.... An FDA document posted on the agency’s World Wide Web home page says, “a cosmetic manufacturer may use an ingredient or raw material and market the final product without government approval.”.

In 1938, the FDA granted self-regulation to the cosmetics industry — allowing the industry to determine what to put into products, regardless of what tests show. Most of the 25,000 chemicals used have not been tested for long-term toxic and systemic effects (affecting the entire body system). Many are outright toxins or contain toxic by products.

http://leda.law.harvard.edu/leda/data/764/Daum06.html

According to Oregon Senator Ron Wyden, “....Even if the FDA suspects that serious adverse health effects are caused by a cosmetic product, they can’t require the manufacturer to provide test data to prove the product safety.”

During our daily personal care regime, most of us have exposed ourselves to more than 200 different chemicals. A recent surge of media attention reveals new concern about detrimental ingredients that are affecting more than our physical health.

An article in a recent USA Weekend says: “The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is increasing research of synthetic chemicals (pesticides, plastics, and industrial mutants) that may be juggling your hormone signals. After reviewing nearly 300 studies, the EPA concluded that ingredients in shampoos, dyes, and other everyday products....may be playing havoc with hormones that control reproduction and development.”.

How about so-called “natural” and organic products? Since there are no regulations about what is “natural”, the term is often abused, and many such alternative have the same dangerous ingredients as the products they claim to replace. 

What does "organic" mean anyway? The truth is, there are still a lot of gray areas in this arena. For a cosmetic product to receive the USDA's official "organic" seal, the ingredients in the product must follow the same rules for organic labeling as food - that is, the product must contain at least 95% organic ingredients.
 
Beyond that seal, though, there are very few regulations at play, leaving cosmetic companies free to use words like "organic," "natural," and "botanical" fairly liberally. This may soon change, as there are proposals for specific labeling of organic skin care products in the works. But for now, just remember that not all products are created equal - keep doing your research and reading those labels!

Consumers must be educated and aware. Of the hundreds of toxic chemicals used in personal and skin care products, we have chosen some of the “worst offenders” to describe. If you learn about even these few and start reading ingredient labels, you can avoid some of the most serious carcinogenic and hormone-disrupting chemicals.

In groups such as children and developing teens, even miniscule quantities may have serious consequences. In addition most women use numerous personal care items every day, adding up the accumulation of chemicals building up in their bodies.

So you as a consumer, how do you work your way through the fog of marketing greenwash?

Firstly, read the labels and the full ingredient list of the products to determine the product's full worth. If you are unsure about an ingredient, ask the supplier or seller. Once, you know, you can make an informed choice about choosing them.

Some useful resources include:

www.greenwashingindex.com

www.safecosmetics.org

www.terrachoice.com