Friday, October 9, 2009

Gross!

In my search for more natural, toxic-free cosmetics I have stumbled upon two very informative websites. I can't believe the nasty things that go into cosmetics (shampoos, soaps, makeup, etc)! At "The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics", I read under "Cosmetic Laws" that the FDA does not review or regulate any of what goes into our cosmetics. "Major loopholes in U.S. federal law allow the $50 billion cosmetics industry to put unlimited amounts of chemicals into personal care products with no required testing, no monitoring of health effects and inadequate labeling requirements. In fact, cosmetics are among the least-regulated products on the market."

As I searched through "Cosmetic Database" today in search of a safe shampoo, I was even more shocked to see that a lot of their listed "low hazard" products had ingredients linked to Cancer, developmental/reproductive toxicity, violations, restrictions & warnings, allergies/immunotoxicity, and "other" concerns which they write out for you. They also tell you whether the product you are looking at is compliant with the Compact for Safe Cosmetics. Sadly, most of the ones I viewed were not. So, if the "low hazard" products had a few of the above mentioned ingredient links, what do the "high hazard" ones have!?!?

Also, I found out that non-toxic and tocic-free mean competely different things! Non-toxic means the petroleum chemicals has been buffered with other chemicals to make a gentler product. These types of products still contain petroleum-based chemicals. Toxin-free products use simple, natural ingredients. The thickness and texture will probably be different and sometimes there are slight variations batch to batch. Soaps (not detergents) have no Sulfates--lather will be less, but the cleaning power is superb.

I was able to find two retailers listed that had NO toxic ingredients in their shampoo products and were COMPLETELY compliant with the Compact for Safe Cosmetics. I would assume if their shampoos are completely toxic-free then the rest of their products are also. I will be checking more into that.

Nothing Nasty is a UK based business inspired in 2001 when it's owner, Elin Ross, was pregnant with her first child. For more background click here. Her products look amazing and I was excited to buy something to try out, but once I converted their currency to US currency I was jolted back to reality! It is kind of pricey, but one can expect that with a natural product that is not mass produced. We just don't have that kind of money right now.

Poof's Closet is a US based family business that was inspired after the owners mother was diagnosed with Breast Cancer. Her family became determined to stop using products laden with toxic chemicals. Their shampoo was more in my price range and after talking to the "money maker," I was given the O.K. to buy a bottle. I decided I could keep using ACV as a conditioner so I just ordered their "Poofy Organics Baby Poof Body Wash & Shampoo" so that Lyla and I could both use it (you should check out Johnson&Johnson on the database! OMG). An 8.5oz bottle cost me $17.06 after shipping costs. I'm very excited to try this product out! I'll be posting a review after I've used it a couple times, so make sure to check back!

2 comments:

  1. so what do you bathe Lyla with? just water? I'm curious b/c I don't like Hayden's soap right now (aveeno)

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  2. Sorry to keep you hanging momma! I didn't see I had a comment "/

    Right now, since she's so young and not active, I just use water most of the time. I received the Poofy Organics Baby Poof Body Wash & Shampoo I order and have been meaning to get a review up. I used it on her the other night and it was great. Just a little drop was enough to wash her whole body and hair.

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