The Green Beauty Guide

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner. In just a few days we will shower our love ones with chocolates, flowers, and cards. Here are some easy ideas that are sure to make your V-Day a little greener.

1. Spice it up with natural lingerie. Instead of buying lingerie made of non-biodegradable materials such as nylon, polyester, and rayon, invest in organic cotton, silk, and bamboo. Blue Canoe (in the USA) and Enamore (UK) have great selection of eco-friendly natural lingerie.

2. Soy candles make a great gift and are better for your lungs (and the environment) than paraffin ones. Pharmacopia organic soy candles are amazing, and you can buy lots of inexpensive soy candles scented with essential oils on eBay. You can also buy a kit to make your own soy candles: simply melt the soy wax in a microwave, insert a wick, and pour into a glass container of your choice.

3. Valentine Cards: ditch the paper and send an e-Card. For every free e-card that you send, Care 2 (www.care2.com) will donate to an environmental nonprofit to save a square foot of the Rainforest.

4. Who doesn’t love chocolate? It’s a time-proven aphrodisiac loaded with antioxidants. Choose organic fair trade chocolate as a before or after treat.

5. Rose is a symbol of Valentine’s Day. Why give your loved one flowers tainted with pesticides and preserved with chlorine? When you buy organic or local flowers, you help support farmers who are leading the way to sustainability.

6. Choose a natural lubricant to make things hotter and healthier. Most conventional lubricants are made with toxic chemicals more suitable for cars or other heavy machinery. Many women have severe reactions to these ingredients. In the next post you can learn how to make a natural lubricant. This recipe can be found in my book “The New Sex Life Diet”. Astroglide has a range of natural lubricants made without phthalates or parabens.

7. If bling is your thing, make it greener. Consider buying conflict free diamonds ethically set in renewed gold and platinum. Ethical diamond mining causes minimum environmental impact to the Earth, and conflict free diamonds originate from environmentally responsible sources free from violence and human rights abuse.

               In winter time, our skin requires gentle cleansing, and that’s when plant-based, low foaming cleansers come handy.

                All cleansing products, whether they are meant for use on the face, body, or hair, are based on one of three types of cleansing agents: detergents, plant soaps, and saponins.

                Detergents are the most ubiquitous type of cleansers. Essentially, all soaps and saponins work as detergents, since they all allow oil and water to mix so that oily grime can be removed during rinsing. But in the cosmetic industry, detergents refer to anionic and nonionic surfactants: one side of a molecule prefers water (hydrophilic) and another side prefers oils and fats (hydrophobic). The hydrophilic side attaches to water molecules, and the hydrophobic side attaches to oil molecules, allowing them to be washed away. Detergents include non-ionic surfactants like polyethylene glycol esters (PEGs), anionic surfactants ammonium laureth or lauryl sulfate and sodium laureth or lauryl sulfate, and gentler amphoteric surfactants such as cocoamidopropyl betaine (cocobetaine) and lauryl glucoside.

                Natural plant soaps are made by saponifying olive, jojoba, or coconut oils with an alkali (potassium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide, wood ashes, or the ashes of other plants ). Soaps are classified as anionic surfactants. While there are many wonderfully informative books on soap making, I’ve never ventured into cooking my own soap at home, due to some safety-related reservations because I prefer the convenience of certified organic, ready-made castile soap base. 

                While there are many wonderfully informative books on soap making, I’ve never ventured into cooking my own soap because I prefer the convenience of using a ready-made castile soap base. For my own cosmetic products, I use ready-made organic Marseille castile liquid soap made of certified organic olive oil saponified with minimum alkali.

                Saponins are plant glycosides that derive their name from their soap-like properties. They occur in a great many plant species, including soapwort (Saponaria officinalis), soap lily (Chlorogalum pomeridianum), and soap berry tree (Sapindus mukorossi) which produces nuts that make a wonderful all-natural laundry detergent when dried.

                You can dilute the natural detergent with witch hazel (for oily skin) distillate, rose water (for dry skin) or melissa/lavender waters (for sensitive skin).

What they claim: Shine Refined.

Full list of ingredients:
Polybutene, pentaerythrityl tetraisostearate, C18-36 acid triglyceride, tridecyl trimellitate, bis-diglyceryl polyacyladipate-2, silica dimethyl silylate, linalool, geranoil, calcium aluminum borosilicate, calcium sodium borosilicate, eugenol, sodium saccharin, silica, limonene, citral, synthetic fluorphlogopite, polyethylene terephthalate, polymethyl methacrylate, benzyl alcohol, benzyl benzoate, benzyl salicylate, alpha-isomethyl oilone, hexyl cinnamal, isobutylparaben, isopropylparaben, butylparaben, bht, fragrance.

Beware:

Along with petroleum-derived polymers and emollients this popular lip gloss contains silica and aluminum as well as central nervous system disruptors (benzyl salicylate, limonene, geraniol, linalool and hexyl cinnamal), hormone-disrupting preservatives (isobutylparaben, butylparaben), formaldehyde- and phthalate-releasing polyethylene terephthalate, carcinogenic substances such as saccharin and BHT, not to mention fragrance that contains an unnamed bunch of unwanted chemicals.

Synthetic colors used in this lip gloss include FD&C Yellow no. 6 that can give you hives and allergic rhinit, FD&C Blue no. 1 (banned in Europe, but allowed in the U.S.), and bismuth oxychloride that may irritate lips causing a condition called cheilitis.

Lip gloss doesn’t have any staying power. It is easily ingested when it comes into contact with food or when we lick our lips. Over a lifetime, that adds up to a great deal of toxic eating.

LEGEND:

A proven carcinogen

A strong irritant, potential carcinogen

An irritant, potent allergen, not safe for use on sensitive skin

A natural ingredient, beneficial for your skin and overall health

What they claim: Allergy tested. 100 per cent fragrance free. Winner of Cosmopolitan Beauty Awards 2006.

Full list of ingredients:

US Version: Water (Aqua Purificata) Purified, Mineral Oil (paraffinum liquidum), Sesame (Sesamum Indicum) Oil, Propylene Glycol, TEA Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Lanolin Alcohol, Petrolatum, Methylparaben, Propylparaben.

UK/EU Version: contains more of natural ingredients but is abundant on triethanolamine. Still, European version is so good, free of parabens, and rich in antioxidants (I will post a diligent comparison of US and European Clinique formulas soon), I could see myself buying it if European Clinique gets rid of triethanolamine which is carcinogenic and therefore a no-no for me (and for any other reasonable human).

Still, beware if you are in the USA and Canada:

Clinique’s best selling moisturizer contains abundant amounts of mineral oil (liquid paraffin) and petrolatum (petroleum jelly). Mineral oil, a generally safe liquid mixture of hydrocarbons obtained from petroleum, is not a moisturizer per se. It forms a film on the skin’s surface which retards water loss and allows the skin’s surface to rehydrate itself. At the same time mineral oil clogs pores and halts the skin’s perspiration. This can lead to breakouts and aggravate eczema and dermatitis. Also, this lotion contains TEA (triethanolamine) stearate that can form cancer-causing nitrosamines, highly comedogenic lanolin alcohol, also known as “sheep alcohol” or “wool alcohol”, and potentially irritating propylene glycol. And to speak of natural oils, sesame oil is quite comedogenic - any chance to swap it for something less pore clogging?

Legend:

A proven carcinogen

A strong irritant, potential carcinogen

An irritant, potent allergen, not safe for use on sensitive skin

A natural ingredient, beneficial for your skin and overall health

Benzyl alcohol, a popular ingredient in natural beauty products, is an aromatic substance naturally found in essential oils including jasmine, hyacinth, and ylang-ylang.

Even in small dosages, benzyl alcohol may cause various toxic effects including respiratory failure, very low blood pressure, convulsions, and paralysis.

MSDA Safety Data Sheet for Benzyl Alcohol: “Toxicology: Harmful if swallowed, inhaled or absorbed through the skin. Severe irritant for eyes, skin and respiratory system.”

CancerWeb (UK): “Benzyl alcohol: a colourless liquid with a sharp burning taste and slight odour. It is used as a local anaesthetic and to reduce pain associated with lidocaine injection. Also, it is used in the manufacture of other benzyl compounds, as a pharmaceutic aid, and in perfumery and flavoring. Pharmacological action: anaesthetics, local, pharmaceutic aid. (12 Dec 1998)”

Benzyl alcohol has been proven to be toxic in a number of well-designed studies. Its use as a preservative and an antiseptic has been halted since the 1980s.

Benzyl alcohol was used up to 0.9 percent as a preservative in neonatal medications. After sixteen newborns died of acute toxic poisoning in 1982 benzyl alcohol was banned for use as a preservative.

Sixteen premature infants died of acute toxic poisoning with benzyl alcohol, which was contained in an antibacterial solution used to flush catheters and other medical equipment.

You may find the following information useful:

“Benzyl alcohol is used as a bacteriostatic preservative in parenteral (IV) medications. Benzyl alcohol is also known for its toxic effects including respiratory failure, vasodilation, hypotension, convulsions, and paralysis. Sixteen Neonatal deaths have been associated with the use of benzyl alcohol as a preservative in saline flush solutions… FDA has recommended that intravascular flush solutions containing benzyl alcohol not to used for newborns and that diluents with this preservative not be used as medications for these infants… Preservative free solutions are now being used for the infant population.”

Source: “Neonatal Deaths Associated With Use of Benzyl Alcohol — United States”. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. 11 Jun 1982. 31 (22): 290-1.

Why would my child need a local anesthetic in her baby wipes? Still, benzyl alcohol is used in popular baby products such as Pampers Sensitive Baby Wipes and Aveeno Baby Daily Moisture Lotion.

What’s really funny, benzyl alcohol serves as a preservative in seemingly unscented products such as Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream and Lotion (also contain benzyl acetate), Olay Regenerist Daily Regenerating Serum. It also contains in high amounts in Old Spice Original aftershave and cologne.

Adults can freely choose their poison. Babies cannot. They let us choose the poison for them.

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Do you know that some of the most popular fragrance ingredients are clinically proven strong irritants? Let’s take a look at Lyral, chemically known as Hydroxyisohexyl 3-cyclohexene carboxaldehyde, the most allergic fragrance chemical currently used.

Lyral is most commonly added to floral fragrances with fresh, romantic notes of muguet. If you sense “soft delicate, floral, lily, cyclamen, lilac note”, that’s Lyral working.

This fragrance ingredient causes contact dermatitis and eczema in 79 percent of participants of the recent study. During the study in Denmark, Lyral irritated the skin of even healthy people that were not usually prone to allergies.

Lyral is currently listed as an allergen, but since it smells so nice, it is used in many of the popular fragrances as well as every second deodorant on the drugstore shelf.

Today, Lyral contains in up to 30 percent cosmetic products on sale in the UK. It is often marked as “perfume”.

Lyral is currently listed as an allergen but is contained in many of the popular fragrances as White Musk (The Body Shop), Red Door and Green Tea (Elizabeth Arden), Opium (Yves Saint Laurent), Black (Kenneth Cole) and practically in every second deodorant on the market.

Sources: Hydroxyisohexyl 3-cyclohexene carboxaldehyde (Lyral) is still a frequent allergen. Braendstrup P, Johansen JD; Danish Contact Dermatitis Group. Contact Dermatitis. 2008 Sep;59(3):187-8.

Fragrance ingredient labelling in products on sale in the U.K. Buckley DA. British Journal of Dermatology. 2007 Aug; 157(2):295-300.

Hydroxyisohexyl 3-cyclohexene carboxaldehyde- known as Lyral: quantitative aspects and risk assessment of an important fragrance allergen. Johansen JD, Frosch PJ, Svedman C, Andersen KE, Bruze M, Pirker C, Menné T. Contact Dermatitis. 2003 Jun;48(6):310-6.

In my book, THE GREEN BEAUTY GUIDE, I give you lots of theory on why certain cosmetic ingredients are bad for you. However, some people cannot believe things are really that bad with their trusted brands that you can find anywhere, in distant villages and gorgeous supermarket chains.

In the next few posts, I want to dissect some of the most popular beauty products and explain what’s really bad about them.

I will not be giving any personal opinion whether I like or dislike the product. In fact, I have used most of these products before I switched to natural beauty. So it won’t just be honest, to call all these products bad. I will allow the facts to speak for themselves.

GARNIER NUTRISSE PERMANENT CREME HAIRCOLOR

What they claim: Trust your haircolor to an expert.

Full list of ingredients:

Nutrisse Developer: Aqua/Water, Hydrogen Peroxide, Cetearyl Alcohol, Trideceth-2, Carboxamide MEA, Ceteareth-30, Glycerin, Pentasodium Pentetate, Sodium Stannate, Tetrasodium Pyrophosphate, F.I.L. D56/22.

Nutrisse Colorant: Aqua/Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Propylene Glycol, Deceth-3, Laureth-12, Ammonium Hydroxide, Oleth-30, Lauric Acid, Hexadimethrine Chloride, Glycol Distearate, Polyquaternium-22, Ethanolamine, Silica Dimethyl Silylate, Parfum/Fragrance, p-Phenylenediamine, Pentasodium Pentetate, Sodium Metabisulfite, Carbomer, Ascorbic Acid, CI 77891/Titanium Dioxide, Linalool, m-Aminophenol, N-BIS(2-Hydroxyethyl)-p-Phenylenediamine Sulfate, Limonene, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Citronellol, 2, 4-Diaminophenoxyethanol HCl, Geraniol, Dimethicone, F.I.L. D7326/1.

Fruit Oil Concentrate: Vitis Vinifera/Grape Seed Oil, Parfum/Fragrance, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionine, F.I.L. D1108/3.

Rinse-Out Conditioner: Aqua/Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Chloride, Cetyl Esters, Amodimethicone, Parfum/Fragrance, Methylparaben, Persea Gratissima/Avocado Oil, Trideceth-12, Citric Acid, Linalool, Chlorhexidine Dihydrochloride, Limonene, Hexyl Cinnamal, Cetrimonium Chloride, F.I.L. D10011/1.

Legend:

Carcinogenic ingredients

Irritants, potentially carcinogenic

Irritants, allergens

Some ugly truth: All permanent dye must use p-phenylenediamine (PPD) to adhere to the hair shaft and hydrogen peroxide to open it. Nutrisse is no exception. Other proven toxic ingredients include coal tar dyes, resorcinol (darker shades), and hydroquinone (some shades), all proven carcinogenic in at least one animal species. Since 2001, hydroquinone is no longer allowed for use in cosmetic formulations in European Union countries. However, it remains in many hair dyes sold worldwide.

Other carcinogenic ingredients include aminophenol, phenylenediamine, and ethoxylated compounds that may contain carcinogen 1,4-dioxane.

Carcinogen-forming ethanolamine, potent allergen polyquaternium-22 and a yet unnamed host of chemicals hiding under the “fragrance” label round up the picture.

Compared to this combo, estrogen mimickers, parabens and phthalates, seem to be harmless and benign.

Solution? Switch to greener hair dyes that contain much fewer if any carcinogenic additives. Experiment with black henna if you dye your hair black, because black permanent colorants are most loaded with deadly chemicals. If grey hair is a trouble, considering going blonde because hydrogen peroxide is not nearly as damaging to your health as ingredients of darker hair colorants.

The current European legislation requires all cosmetic manufacturers using essential oils to list all constituents of essential oils such as limonene, linalool etc on the label.

However, conventional cosmetic makers can simply put “fragrance” or “perfume”, and that’s it. But if you really look into the ugly stuff that goes into some of the most popular cosmetic and skincare products, you’d be amazed.

With this post, I begin a series of posts investigating some of the most obnoxious ingredients in synthetic fragrances. These posts are based on outtakes from my book THE GREEN BEAUTY GUIDE.

Let’s begin with benzaldehyde, an almond-smelling chemical that can be easily derived from apricot, cherry, laurel leaves, and peach seeds, but now is most often made from toluene.

Benzaldehyde was proven as a strong contact irritant back in 1977, but remains one of the most frequently used fragrance components. Its highest reported concentration of use was 0.5% in perfumes.

Benzaldehyde is generally regarded as a safe food additive in the United States and is accepted as a flavoring substance in the European Union. Benzaldehyde rapidly metabolizes to benzoic acid in the skin, absorbed through skin and by the lungs, and distributed to all the organs.

In 2006 fragrance manufacturers via Cosmetic Ingredient Review assured that benzaldehyde is not a carcinogenic, reproductive or developmental toxicant at concentrations used in cosmetics.

However, a new 2007 study determined that “exposure to aldehydes represents potential risks to human and animal health.” Scientists from ChemRisk in Colorado found that this chemical induced formation of stable DNA-protein cross-links in cultured human lymphoma cells.

In plain English, benzaldehyde promoted cancerous cell growth. Today, synthetic benzaldehyde is contained in many popular shaving foams, deodorants and, moisturizers (Lubriderm Intense Skin Repair Body Cream) and even baby products (Aveeno Baby Soothing Relief Creamy Wash and Soothing Relief Moisture Cream).

As for me, I don’t find this information soothing. Do you?

It perhaps takes two years after giving birth for a new mom to start feeling like a woman again. At least that’s how long it took me. On Marie’s second birthday I gave myself a mani/pedi; a week later, I’ve got Victoria Beckham’s short bob and super-dark brown Aveda hair color that I have been maintaining with LUSH’s Caca Brun ever since.

And about a month ago, I have rediscovered the joy of painted nails.

I have ditched all nail polishes when my pregnancy began - and that coincided with my research for THE GREEN BEAUTY GUIDE. Four years ago, natural nail polishes looked yucky and stayed on nails even worse. While still in Toronto, I discovered ZOYA nail polishes, but the color selection was awkward, and the staying power was so-so, and I quietly passed them all to my Mom who could then boast to her veggie friends about an all-natural, toluene-free, formaldehyde-free polishes.

Three years later, ZOYA won my heart - again. The line of nail polishes, born by a pregnant estethitian Zoya Reitzis to protect her customers (and of course herself) of toxic fumes, now looks equally sumptuous compared to OPI or Chanel.

There’s an every imaginable shade of nude from pale pinks to deep beiges; from palest pink ABIGAIL to cute pinkish beige MILEY; there are all shades of red from sparkly crimson to sophisticated deep red wine red; there are gorgeous shades of gold and silver; and of course, all pinks, roses, and mauves you could wish for. ZOYA nail polishes are all toluene-free, phthalate-free, formaldehyde-free, and pretty much scentless unless you sniff very close. They are remarkably long-lasting, too, with my favourite sparkling red staying on my toes for two weeks without reapplying, under ZOYA top coat, actually.

ZOYA polishes also seem to be completely pregnancy-friendly (although, for the sake of it, I’d recommend not to paint your nails at all while with a bump, but if you really must do it, do it with ZOYA).

These days, I am happily surviving the Brit winter with the following ZOYA shades: MARIA, a perfect nude that seemlessly blends with my skin tone; LILY (for my Mom), a cheery warm pink, very upbeat but intelligent at the same time; and the most gorgeous deep red, ALIX, the truest, most luxurious shade of red you’d want to see on your toes peeking from Manolo cutouts.

I know it’s stupid to choose the nail polish shades after the names of your most beloved family members, but it worked perfectly well for me. MARIA for my daughter - she’s my skin to skin friend. LILY for my Mom, a bright, cheerful, pink who is very intelligent at the same time. ALIX for my Nana -  a lady who would wear her ivory manicure, “rachelle” powder, pink blush, MAGIE NOIRE perfume, and deep red lipstick well into her 80s, even when she walked her crazy dog. Especially when she walked her dog.

All three shades suit me amazingly well.

Dear Zoya, my deepest thanks.

A few years ago, my fascination for all things green and pretty began with Dr Hauschka Cleansing Cream. This pretty basic exfoliating cleanser is ridiculously expensive - one application costing nearly 50p! - but it smell gorgeously, and the results were really good.

After one tiny tube (the cream is sold in small tubes lasting approximately 2 weeks) my skin looked smooth and I think the post-acne marks slightly faded. The cream came with a precise instruction how to apply which was detailed to the point it explained how you were supposed to breathe in the process.

While this all looks funny to me at the moment (there’s no need to perform breathing excersises while you exfoliate your face with almond meal puree), the cream still has an aura of luxury that many organic beauty products unfortunately emit.

Organic doesn’t need to be a luxury if we want more people to use green products! For this reason I admire Dr Bronner who make his soaps, shampoos, and creams affordable yet green to the boot.

Back to the cleanser. A few days ago I received a lovely message from one of Petite Marie Organics customers. She wanted to share her recipe for a homemade version of Dr Hauschka Cleansing Cream.

I tried it - and it came out even better than the original! Perhaps due to the lack of alcohol which is notoriously overwhelming in Dr H products.

A note: while the author uses Jason Vitamin E Oil 5,000 IU which is a blend of mix of almond, apricot, avocado and wheat germ oils, feel free to use any vitamin E oil you can buy in your local health food store.

INGREDIENTS:
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon organic Kombucha (fermented green tea - but feel free to use finely ground green tea - JG)
2 teaspoons Jason Vitamin E Oil 5,000 IU
a few drops calendula flower extract
a few drops German chamomile flower extract
a few drops St Johns Wort extract
a few drops Witch hazel extract 

METHOD:
Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Gradually add almond meal until you reach the desired consistency you like.

“This recipe has definitely saved me a few pennies!” my reader wrote.