Phenoxyethanol – Should Increased Use Concern Us?

Phenoxyethanol is typically one of the undisclosed ingredients in many products containing “fragrance.”  However, it may also be used as a preservative and there has been a recent upsurge in the frequency with which formulators are using it for this purpose.  The public became aware of it when the FDA recently issued a warning concerning its use in a cream (Mommy Bliss) for nursing mothers.  Their warning concerned the potential of Phenoxyethanol to cause vomiting, contact dermatitis and even to shut down the central nervous sytem.

This chemical is an aromatic glycol ether.  It begins as phenol, which is a toxic powder created from benzene and treated with ethylene oxide and an alkalai.  Both benzene and ethylene oxide are known carcinogens.  Glycols are a family of chemicals that are frequently found in paint, lacquer, and even airplane fuel.

It is restricted for use in Japan, it has been linked to central nervous depression, eye and lung irritation.  It is important to note that many of these reactions occured at moderate and even low doses.  The EPA has issued data sheets demonstrating chromosomal changes and genetic metation effect, along with reproductive interference.  Of more than 3000 allergens recently evaluated, Phenoxyethanol was ranked among the top 10 most likely chemicals to create allergic reactions in users.

The frustrating truth is that manufacturers are making the switch to Phenoxyethanol to steer away from parabens and formaldehyde donors.  Unfortunately, they are causing their customers to do little more than exchange one set of serious concerns for a new set entirely.  Phenoxyethanol should be avoided when at all possible.

Learn more about other ingredients of concern or contact us with your specific requests.

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We have gathered several additional resources for your consideration.

http://chemicaloftheday.squarespace.com/todays-chemical/2009/6/19/phenoxyethanol.html

http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/ingredient/704811/PHENOXYETHANOL/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phenoxyethanol

http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/content~content=a786909694&db=all

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Fragrance Free, Better for You, Better for Me

Excellent article from Organic Authority.  Please read & share!

Everywhere we go, we smell fragrances. Everyone we encounter on a daily basis usually wears perfume, cologne, fragrant aftershave, deoderant, or uses scented soaps, hair products such as shampoos and hair gel or washes their clothes with fragrant detergent and uses scented fabric softeners, products that “smell nice”, or so we were brought up as a conventional society to believe.

However, synthetic fragrances found in these products are very harmful to the human body. More than 20 percent of our population experiences adverse health effects when exposed to fragrances. 95 percent of fragrances are synthetic compounds made from petroleum products, not flowers or anything else found in nature. These synthetic compounds include benzene derivatives, aldehydes and many other known toxics and sensitizers – just one perfume can contain more than 500 chemicals. Another common ingredient in scents is toluene. Toluene triggers asthma attacks and is known to cause asthma in previously healthy people.

Negative health effects caused by synthetic fragrances include the following-watery or dry eyes, nose or throat irritation, dry cracking skin, rashes, headaches, asthma, double vision, sneezing and nasal congestion, fatigue, nausea and vomiting, nervous system changes, and swollen lymph glands.

Scented products contain numerous toxic chemicals which constantly vaporize into the air and attach themselves to hair, clothing, and surroundings. Fragrances are one of today’s major sources of indoor air pollution and they are one of the least regulated substances.

Even though you can’t prevent your exposures to synthetic fragrances when you go out in public and are exposed to other peoples’ fragrant products, you can clean up your own environment and in your own dwelling area, you can substitute unscented personal products for scented ones. You can find these products at your local health food or online store. There are many online companies that specialize in unscented or unscented, natural products which is even better for the body.

Many conventional products can be found in a “fragrance free” version. Read the ingredient label and look to see if it says “fragrance.” If it doesn’t list it as in ingredient and if the bottle specifies fragrance free, it should indeed be fragrance free.

For more great articles from Organic Authority, visit their website.

Healthy Hair Product Company Claims Hair Care Industry Not Honest About Ingredients

WICHITA, Kan. / As important health and safety distinctions like “natural” hair care product or “organic” shampoo continue to be reduced to meaningless hair care industry buzz words, one healthy hair care product company is fighting back to help create a safer, more informed customer. Salon Naturals, an environmentally and ethically conscious hair care product manufacturer not only puts the ingredients of its shampoos and conditioners on its website, it also explains the ingredients’ effects (both positive and negative), and will send customers to websites that have reviewed the ingredients so they can get third-party information and research. 

The company says honesty and transparency are born out of necessity because there is no mandatory pre-market testing for cosmetics ingredients in the United States. In fact, only one in 10 cosmetic ingredients is even tested for safety, and that’s by the Cosmetic Ingredient Review, a group founded by leaders in the cosmetic industry. The Food and Drug Administration has no authority over cosmetics other than labeling requirements, and even then most companies largely ignore regulations and do not properly disclose their ingredients on their labels. The FDA only tests a specific ingredient if someone gets sick or hurt, and even then, the injuries or illnesses need to be fairly catastrophic to prompt a change in policy. This lack of regulation is why terms like “organic” shampoo or “natural” hair care products really don’t mean anything. The term “natural” is completely baseless, and even though the USDA has a branch called the National Organic Program that now regulates the use of the term “organic,” a lot of these regulations aren’t fully enforced yet. Words such as pure, non-toxic, gentle and mild are also undefined. Any product can make these claims.

“People think terms like ‘organic’ and ‘natural’ are strictly regulated by the government or the FDA, but they’re not,” says Lorrie McBee, director of customer education for Salon Naturals. “Most people don’t know the European Union has banned nearly 1,200 ingredients from being used in cosmetics, but the United States has only banned 11. People think they’re getting natural or organic products, but the truth is they have no idea what chemicals they’re coming into contact with every day.”

This is a big problem for people with health conditions, skin sensitivity, allergies, or people who just want to live a healthier lifestyle. One Salon Naturals customer was recently diagnosed with fibromyalgia, a painful medical condition that causes skin irritation and overall chemical sensitivity in the body. The customer didn’t think she’d ever be able to find safe, natural hair products, but she found the Salon Naturals website, saw the hair care product ingredient breakdown, and contacted McBee for more information. Lorrie went as far as to send the customer an MSDS (material safety data sheet) so she could have as much ingredient information as possible.

“We’ll tell you exactly what’s in our products, how each ingredient was harvested or manufactured, where it came from, and how it can affect you,” says McBee. “The information we provide our customers gives them the truth not only about shampoo and conditioner, but all the products they use on their bodies and on their children. When our customers find us, they know they’ve found a resource that is changing the industry.”

The healthy hair care product company’s website provides consumers with a database of not only the ingredients it uses in its pure shampoos and nutrient-rich conditioners, but also the most controversial and commonly used ingredients in other cosmetics. If an ingredient is not listed on the site, Salon Naturals invites you to contact them and they will research it for you. The company’s core concepts are simple: its products have to perform, be easy to use, and they have to be good for the hair, safe for the body, and respectful of the environment. Jeffery McBee, Salon Naturals founder and CEO, thought the best way to do that was to use non-toxic, gentle ingredients and to adhere to a ground-breaking level of transparency and honesty with his healthy hair care products. 

For more information about Salon Naturals and its ingredient transparency policy, please visit www.SalonNaturalsOnline.com.

About Salon Naturals:  Salon Naturals, LLC is a dynamic hair care manufacturer dedicated to bringing safe, healthy, high-performance products to informed consumers and professionals. To that end, the healthy hair care product company has established the most transparent and honest ingredient ethics standard in the industry. Any customer can go to the Salon Naturals website to see a list of every ingredient found in its products, and see the positive and negative effects those ingredients can have. Whether it’s the Hydrating Shampoo and Conditioner, Sleek and Shiny Shampoo and Conditioner, or the Curl Defining Shampoo and Conditioner, Salon Naturals strives to create a healthier, more informed consumer.

Contact: 
Jeffery McBee
Email:  jeff@salonnaturalsonline.com
Phone:  (316) 258-0945
Web:  www.SalonNaturalsOnline.com

Why are Parabens Still in Use?

Parabens have been used as a microbial preservative since the early 1920’s.  For many years, they have been strongly suspected as having the potential to create health problems, yet they are more commonly used in today’s manufacturing world than ever before.  It is estimated that tens of thousands of cosmetic, personal care products, foods and pharmaceuticals contain this toxic ingredient. 

There are several different names by which parabens can be identified.  The most common start with propyl, butyl, methy, ethyl, or iso and in most cases, all of these end with “paraben.”  However, new INCI names for ingredients are often created when public concern for a commonly used ingredient name grows to a level that affects buying habits.  With this in mind, always conduct a search for unfamiliar ingredients at www.cosmeticdatabase.com to ensure their safety.

Researchers from England recently discovered the presence of parabens in eighteen of twenty samples of breast tumors tested.  Furthermore, these same tests strongly indicate that the origin could, with a reasonable degree of certainty, be traced to absorption into the body through a topically applied product.

For many years, the scientific community dismissed the possible link between parabens and breast cancer.  This theory was widely considered to be the self-induced worry of irrational and paranoid minds.  Yet in 1998, it was firmly and conclusively established that parabens create estrogenic-type activities in not only mice and rats in a lab setting, but also in human breast cancer cells.   The importance of this discovery is that the vast majority of breast cancers respond to estrogen.  Suddenly, scientists began giving more serious consideration to the link between parabens and breast cancer in women.

These types of discoveries have led to significant and potentially lifesaving conclusions.  Even prior to these scientific realizations, it was known that parabens were easily absorbed by the body.  However, the assumption was made that they were slowly eliminated from the system through the urine.  The discovery of intact parabens in tumor tissue has completely altered how these chemicals must be viewed.  Scientists now realize that parabens are not only absorbed when present in products applied topically, but they have the potential to accumulate in breast tissue in particular.

It is also notable that consumption of foods containing parabens poses less risk to the health of the body than the use of products intended for the skin.  Parabens contained in food are degraded and lose their most harmful characteristics during the digestive process.

Common defenses for the use of parabens in personal care products always include the fact that parabens make up only a very small percentage of any given formulation.  While on the surface, this truth may seem to dilute the argument against parabens, it ignores several important considerations.  Even twelve years after these important scientific discoveries, a very high percentage of common personal care products contain one or more parabens.  The average woman uses no fewer than a dozen products on a daily basis.  The presence of this cumulative usage has the potential to bring exposure levels far beyond any that could be considered benign or meaningless. 

Cosmetics and personal care products require the inclusion of preservatives in their formulas to protect against the growth of bacteria, which in itself would create significant health risks.  While there are a handful of products that are preservative free or use only natural preservative systems, these typically require refrigeration and still have only a very short shelf-life.  That noted, manufacturers have a wide range of options in selecting the preservatives used in their products.  The evidence against parabens is overwhelming and consumers should insist on products that use other, less toxic preservatives in their formulations.

Aloe Vera (Aloe barbadensis)

Aloe vera has been recognized as a power nutrient for more than 4000 years.  Aloe is a herb that is a member of the Lily family and shares a close resemblance to the cactus.  It contains more than 75 nutrients, which include 19 of the 20 amino acids required by the human body for good health.  Eight of these aminos are not produced by the body – aloe contains all but one of these.  Among the other most prevalent nutrients are:

• Two different hormones which assist with healing wounds and reducing inflammation, along with stimulating the growth of new, healthier cells.
• A cellulose based substance called Lignin, which assists Aloe in penetrating the skin.  This allows the soothing properties of the plant to reach damaged skin areas and strip toxic materials that may be restricting blood flow. 
• The Salicylic Acid found in Aloe Vera serves as a pain killer that boasts anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties.  The four steroids found in the plant also have anti-inflammtory, antiseptic and analgesic properties. 
• Aloe Vera contains nine different vitamins:  A, C & E serve as antioxidants & neutralise free radicals; B1, 3, 5, 6 promote amino acid metabolism
• This miracle plant also contains numerous minerals, including calcium copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, potassium, phosphorous, sodium and zinc.  It is also currently the only known source for vitamin B12.

The list above is by no means, exhaustive, but it should provide a broad overview of the myriad of health benefits found in the Aloe Vera plant.

Aloe Vera is manufactured and marketed through numerous methods – some of which can undermine its potency and effectiveness.  These plants are not considered “mature” until they are four years old.  Before selecting a product made with Aloe Vera, it is important to educate yourself on the manufacturer’s policies regarding when the plant is harvested.  Also inquire as to whether or not the plant is derived from organic sources.  Unquestionably, this will impact the potency and to what degree the benefits are effective.

If you have stayed with me through the “History of Aloe Vera,” let’s move on to the specific benefits of this amazing plant to both the hair and the skin.  First of all, hair care cannot be considered separately from skin care. Obviously, one of the requirements for beautiful, vibrant, and strong, resilient  hair is a healthy scalp.  There are five widely recognized types of Aloe Vera.  Aloe Barbadensis is the most often used for health purposes and it is this species that we use as the foundational ingredient (instead of water) in all of our hair care formulations.  It is the synergistic quality of Aloe that is responsible for the numerous benefits of the plant to improved health, skin, hair and overall wellbeing.

Aloe vera benefits the scalp in numerous ways.  Firstly, it heals injured tissues and is an excellent remedy for abrasions, cuts, eczema and other conditions.  It encourages the skin to produce increased collagen and discourage the formulation of fine lines.  It is easily absorbed into the skin – even more easily than water.  Aloe Vera is equally beneficial for the hair.  It aids in thickening the hair cuticle and has been used for centuries as a hair conditioner.  Recent research studies even suggest that regular use of Aloe Vera on the hair can diminish hair loss, while it stimulates the growth of new hair.  Finally, it serves as an excellent treatment for scalp conditions such as irritation and redness. 

Today’s scientists refer to Aloe Vera as a diverse mixture of antioxidants, antibiotics, cell stimulators, scar inhibitors, anti-inflammatories, astringents, and pain inhibitors.  Clearly this nutritional jackpot serves as an excellent addition to your internal health, as well as exceptional support for strong, healthy hair and skin.

New and exciting benefits through the use of Aloe Vera are constantly being discovered as researchers delve deeper into this amazing plant.  The aloe vera used in our products is certified organic and processed according to stringent standards that allow it to maintain its full potency and effectiveness.  Substituting Aloe Vera as the primary base in our shampoos and conditioners instead of water is firmly supported by research in the medical and wellness communities.  Furthermore, older, more established cultures embrace the daily use of this herb so completely that we are inspired by their testimonies as to its effectiveness.  We hope you will research further this beauty and wellness miracle provided by nature for our use and incorporate it not only into your hair care routine, but into your wellness-based lifestyle also.  Visit salonnaturalsonline.com to learn more about Aloe Vera and our use of this natural powerhouse.  If you have any questions or comments, please share – we love learning for our readers’ own uses and experiences.