The issue of health concerns in cosmetics has been on my mind, lately. What really gets under my skin (pun intended) is the fact that in the US, the regulations on cosmetics are entrusted to those in the cosmetic industry themselves...In most cases, the interest in capital gain is probably what's driving their formulations, not the health of their consumers. Which is why I am not trusting any manufacturers labels of "natural" or even "organic" which can still contain additives and chemicals, which, overtime may have harmful effects on the body. While it is true that toxins and chemicals are all around us, even in the air we breathe, if there is something we can do to reduce the poisons which come in contact with our bodies, why not do it? Part of being able to make wise decisions about products is to be informed, and one website which does just that is : http://ewg.org
They have done their research and have a database of literally thousands of products, their ingredients, and ratings of safety based on existing scientific data. They do point out that some of the formulations have changed from one year to another, so read your labels carefully. For example, in 2005, Burt's Bees bug repellent spray was rated a "3" for moderately hazardous because it contained clove oil (allergies/immunotoxicity risk), but the 2006 formulation weighed in at "0" on the toxic list, with the highest offender being vitamin E (known to cause cancer in animals at extremely high doses). One should take the information with a grain of salt. The main ingredients to keep a check on are:
parabens
alcohol
fragrance- as harmless as it sounds, fragrances are chemical cocktails considered neurotoxins. Use naturally derived essential oil if you want to smell nice.
Based on my research, my Summer Favorite Picks for 201 are...drumroll please......
Suncare: True Naturals Cosmetics Daily Moisturizer SPF 20, truenaturals.com (rated 2)
Cleanse: Kiss My Face pure olive oil bar soap (rated 0), Vitacost $2.05 8 oz
Tone: Humphrey's Homeopathic Remedy Witch Hazel Astringent (rated 1), Vitacost $4.43 16 oz.
Moisturize:
face: MyChelle Deep Repair Cream (rated 2), Vitacost $20.47 1.2 oz
for body: Nourish Organic Raw Shea Butter (rated 0), Vitacost $10.67 5.5 oz
Fragrances
Aura Cacia Jasmine Absolute (rated 0), Vitacost : $10.18 .5 oz
Yakshi Evening Gardenia Roll On- (rated 0) Vitacost: $3.90 for .33 oz bottle
