Are you using all natural and organic skin care products with only safe and healthy ingredients yet? Or have you been struggling to find the healthy products and make the transition?
Here’s a program to help you focus on making the transition and actually doing it.
Now, having a goal isn’t enough to be successful at transitioning to using all healthy and safe cosmetics and skin care products. You need to know what products are safe to use and how to get them.
If you need help determining which products are safe and healthy to use, Dying To Look Good “Best Brands” has done all the leg work for you. Every one of the products listed in this program - from more than 20 different, prescreened companies - are guaranteed to be safe and healthy.
So, here you have a winning combination. Set your goals. Choose your pre-screened, safe and healthy products. And protect your health and that of your family.
Yours in health,
Christine H. Farlow, D.C.
The Ingredients Investigator
Protecting you from harmful ingredients www.dyingtolookgood.com
Every day, we use soaps and body washes, creams, lotions, makeup and other products, one on top of the other, to make ourselves look prettier (or more handsome), younger, erase blemishes, smell better, feel sexier and to attract, or keep, the perfect partner. Looking well-groomed and attractive is important. It’s good for your self esteem too. But not all the ingredients in the products that make you beautiful and sexier are good for your health.
The cosmetic and personal care product industry is a multi-billion dollar a year industry … and growing. New products are coming onto the market every day. Manufacturers play to your emotions in their advertising and packaging, frequently misrepresenting products as healthy which really are NOT.
With the fast growing interest in natural and organic skin and body care products, companies that typically manufacture the mainstream products containing synthetic ingredients and chemical preservatives, are coming onboard the organic bandwagon.
Natural and organic standards that were once noticeably absent now abound. Instead of no certifying agencies for cosmetics and skin care products, there are currently several. But not all organic certifying organizations abide by the same organic standards. Mainstream companies, trying to get their piece of the organic pie have developed their own lower organic standards, allowing synthetic chemicals and preservatives, not allowed by the true organic standards.
Talk about confusing! If you were confused before, you may be even more bewildered now.
Are you concerned about cancer-causing chemicals in your cosmetics and skin care products … but hate to read labels?
Announcing … the quickest, simplest, easiest way to choose safe and healthy, natural and organic cosmetics, skin care and personal care products NOW … without ever having to read a single ingredients list!
I know you want to use safe and healthy, natural and organic skin care and body care products because you’re reading this page.
Choosing the safest and healthiest products just got easier.
You may be among the many people who are frustrated with reading ingredients lists, or just choose not to. Or maybe you just want a little easier way to pick your products.
Now you don’t have to read ingredients lists when you want to buy natural or organic products for your skin care. You don’t have to wonder any more if the products contain cancer-causing contaminants. That work has already been done for you.
Dying To Look Good “Best Brands“ lists the safest and healthiest natural and organic cosmetics, skin care, body care and personal care products on the market. They have been thoroughly researched to make sure their ingredients are truly pure, natural, safe and healthy.
It’s a 3-month membership program. You’ll receive weekly product lists, every week for 12 weeks. Each week, you’ll also get information on one company whose entire product line is exceptional. In fact, there are more than 12 companies that have been identified as having superior healthy and safe products. So, there will be bonus “Company Spotlights” coming to you every once in a while, between your regular weekly product lists.
Many companies in this program are offering discounts to Dying To Look Good “Best Brands” members. And the best part, many of the discounts can be used more than once and some will even be in effect after your membership expires.
Learn more about how you can make choosing healthy, organic and natural skin care products for yourself and your family quicker and easier, and how you can save money in the process.
Why it’s important to choose your natural cosmetics and skin care products carefully
I’ve been researching the safety of ingredients in food, cosmetics and skin care products since 1991. My research turned to identifying healthy, natural and organic cosmetics and skin care brands in about 1999.
While some of my research has been done in stores, copying ingredients from product labels, most has been done online. The reason, frankly, is because most of the best products are available only online and some products that are potentially good are not available in stores in my area.
That said, another factor to take into consideration, which I’ve mentioned many times before, but which was just blatantly demonstrated to me yesterday, is to make sure you buy from companies committed to producing safe and healthy products.
There are a number of companies on the market who are committed to the ultimate in purity and safety. A great many of them are USDA certified organic. There are some who are just as committed who don’t have the certification. These are the companies I search out.
There are other companies, probably most of them, who are in it for the profit. They claim to be natural and organic and some even get marginal organic certifications even though they don’t really qualify to be certified organic by “true” organic standards.
So, what happened yesterday?
I got an e-mail from a DyingToLookGood.com member who had just purchased Zuzu Luxe mascara, which is a brand I recommended in Dying To Look Good. I just finished researching mascara for the new Dying To Look Good Best Brands project that I’m working on right now. I checked the Zuzu Luxe ingredients online just the other day. They were perfectly fine, so it was my intention to include them in the new program.
However, I was asked by this member about the ingredients in this product because the ingredients label on the product she bought contained titanium dioxide, which I do not recommend.
I asked her to send me the list of ingredients on the label for the Zuzu Luxe mascara she bought…
It looked like two totally different products.
Here’s the list of ingredients that were on the actual label:
Whether you know what these ingredients mean or not, I’m sure you’ll agree that these two sets of ingredients don’t look like they are for the same product.
Bottom line. Know the companies that you purchase products from. Make sure they are truly committed to producing safe and healthy products AND they operate with honesty and integrity. The mainstream companies starting to create organic lines to get a piece of the organic pie are NOT going to give you the quality of product that the truly committed companies will.
I’ve been chastised by some for being too strict about the way I check ingredients and evaluate products. However, not only does this experience confirm my committment to the best, safest and healthiest natural skin care products and ingredients, I may just tighten the reigns a bit more here.
Zuzu Luxe, you are OUT!
Yours in health,
Christine H. Farlow, D.C.
The Ingredients Investigator
Protecting you from harmful ingredients www.dyingtolookgood.com
Product Review - Soleo Organics All Natural Sunscreen
Sunscreens are controversial. The mainstream says you absolutely must slather it on every time you go out into the sun. However, sunscreen prevents your body from making vitamin D. You need some exposure to the sun, without sunscreen … during the time of day when the sun is not at its hottest, before 10 am or after 4 pm, in order for you body to make vitamin D.
With natural skin care growing in popularity, there are a lot of sunscreen products claiming to be natural. However, not all of them live up to the claims when you read their ingredients lists.
There’s also the discussion about the so called natural sun protective ingredients zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. Are they micronized? Are they nano size? Or are they larger particle size? In the non-micronized larger size, they go onto the skin leaving a white film. Most sun products contain the micronized or nano sized particles.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer has classified titanium dioxide as a possible carcinogen. Some companies now leave it out, but still use the zinc oxide.
Recent research is reported to say that micronized zinc oxide is not absorbed through the skin into the bloodstream if it is greater than 100 nanometers in size. That is not true for particles less than 100 nanometers.
Soleo Organics recently introduced their All Natural Sunscreen with 22.3% zinc oxide. The rest of the ingredients include oils and botanical extracts.
The zinc oxide is well above the 100 nanometer size, according to the company.
One other ingredient caught my attention… vegetable oils. They specifically named four other oils. Why is vegetable oil listed as ingredient instead of naming the specific vegetable oils? It usually means they’re hiding something. When I contacted the company they did admit that the vegetable oils included soy oil and canola oil, both undesirable oils. However, they said it only makes up about 1% of the product.
Compared to the majority of the sunscreen products on the market, this is definitely a better choice.
However, here is an even better choice … without the vegetable oil.
From what I could find, MAC does not claim to be a natural skin care line. They do claim to be cruelty free. However, since I received a call asking me about the ingredients in the MAC Cosmetics, I will review one product here and provide the link to the ingredients for the rest of their products.
Finding the ingredients for this product line was not easy. Below I have listed the ingredients for one of their skin care items. The ingredients in red are the objectionable ingredients and the reason why I do not recommend MAC Cosmetics.
What you put on your skin is absorbed into your bloodstream. So you want to make sure that your skin care products are truly natural, preferably organic. The skin care products you use should feed and and nourish your skin with the same kind of healthy ingredients you would find in your kitchen. The best natural skin care products are made from food-grade organic ingredients and are certified by the USDA National Organic Program.
A recent review of the Decleor Product line called it “Solution-Based Holistic and Natural Skincare.”
Decleor is described as a natural skin care product line that “combines Aromatherapy to purify the skin, and Phytotherapy to protect it from environmental damage” resulting in “high-quality products that support the skin and delight the senses.”
Looking at the ingredients in a couple of these supposedly natural products in this new skin care line quickly demonstrated that their definition of holistic and natural skin care was NOT natural and holistic at all.
Take for example the ingredients in the Decleor Cleansing Gel:
The ingredients listed in red should never be found in a truly natural product. The best natural skin care product lines will contain truly natural ingredients. The ultimate best natural skin care brands that are those that are also certified organic.
Don’t be fooled by misinformation about the healthfulness of organic and natural skin care products. It is abundant. Protect yourself by learning the simple basics of reading product labels.
Yours in health,
Christine H. Farlow, D.C.
The Ingredients Investigator
Protecting you from harmful ingredients www.dyingtolookgood.com
It’s vitally important to use the purest organic and natural skin care products on your babies and children because they are more susceptible to harm from dangerous ingredients in their skin care products than adults.
“Through its review of 23 peer-reviewed studies of cancer incidence from the past 50 years, EPA has determined that infants up to age two are, on average, ten times more vulnerable to carcinogenic chemicals than adults, and for some cancer-causing agents are up to 65 times more vulnerable. The Agency also found that children from age two to 15 are three times more vulnerable to carcinogens than adults.”
In addition, “…the new risk assessment methods show that children accumulate up to 50 percent of their lifetime cancer risk by their second birthday.” Source: Environmental Working Group.
With the increasing incidence of childhood cancers, it’s very wise to make sure you’re doing everything possible to protect your young ones from unnecessary exposure to cancer-causing chemicals.
This month Miessence is making your shopping for the best certified organic and natural skin care for your babies and children easy. Just purchase one Mother and Baby Range Pack, you will get one complete pack FREE. A Pack includes one of each baby product Miessence offers.
To make sure you get your FREE pack, remember to enter the special babypromo code when you check out.
You can find descriptions for each of the products here.
Do you know how to determine if the ingredients in your natural and organic skin care products are safe?
Here are two valuable resources you can use to make sure the skin care and personal care products you buy contain only healthy ingredients.
The Environmental Working Group has developed the Skin Deep database to help you choose safe and healthy products. But you have to know how to use it properly to get accurate information.
If you search for safety information for organic and natural skin care products and their ingredients in the Skin Deep database and you’re not taking into consideration all the information on the page, you may be making assumptions of safety that just aren’t there.
For example, just looking at the number rating without understanding what the number means, you may very well be assuming certain ingredients are safe or pose a low hazard, when in fact there’s not enough information to actually determine the safety of the ingredient.
Let’s look at carrageenan as an example. Carrageenan is sometimes found in organic and natural skin care and body care productsas well as mainstream personal care products. Many people assume it’s safe because it’s derived from seaweed.
Here are several of the listings for carrageenan that come up in ewg’s Skin Care database:
If you look at just the number scores indicating a low hazard, you may believe the ingredient is safe and doesn’t impose any risk. However, you’re not getting the whole picture. You must also look at the data gap. It tells you how much is actually known about the safety of the ingredient. The concerns tell you possible safety issues you should take into consideration in making your decision to use the products with these ingredients.
A low hazard of 0 with a 100% data gap means there is no information about the ingredient. So, a 0 rating for such an ingredient has no meaning because the safety is totally unknown. The concerns for this ingredient are the lack of information.
A low hazard of 1 with an 85% data gap means there is very little known about this ingredient. The concern that cancer may be a safety factor is important to take note of and factor into your decision to purchase the product.
A low hazard of 2 with a 76% data gap indicates that there is not much known about the ingredient. The concerns of cancer, contamination, organ system toxicity, neurotoxicity, data gaps are important to pay attention to when deciding to purchase a product with this ingredient.
The ewg, on the Skin Deep site explains that “…some ingredients may appear to have low hazards, but this may be due to the fact that they have not have been studied or assessed completely. Other ingredients may appear to have low hazards and have been thoroughly studied or assessed. This score helps differentiate between ingredients and products that have been studied to different degrees.”
So, when using the Skin Deep database, it’s important to pay attention to all the information for each ingredient because just looking at the hazard number can be very misleading and cause you to believe that an ingredient is safe when there are serious concerns and a great lack of information about safety.
Another excellent source of ingredient safety information for natural, organic and all your skin care products is the book, Dying To Look Good. It rates ingredients a little differently than in the Skin Deep database. The rating system, in a nutshell, is:
S – no known toxicity, the additive appears to be safe
A – may cause allergic reactions
C – caution advised, may be unsafe, poorly tested or used in too many products we use on a regular basis
X – unsafe or very poorly tested.
Carrageenan is rated C with the explanation that it is extracted from red seaweed with powerful alkali solvents; possible carcinogen; native or undegraded carrageenan is IARC Group 3; degraded carrageenan is IARC Group 2B; not adequately tested.
IARC Group 2B means it is a possible carcinogen.
IARC Group 3 means it cannot be determined to be carcinogenic to humans. This can be for various reasons. In this case, it’s because the research hasn’t been done to make the determination.
IARC is the International Agency for Research on Cancer. They review studies that have been done to determine the carcinogenic status of different chemicals. They don’t do the research themselves. The IARC classifications are explained in Dying To Look Good.
Dying To Look Good also has a website, DyingToLookGood.com, that supplements the information in the book.
Both ewg’s Skin Deep database and Dying To Look Good are valuable resources to have in determining the safety of products and ingredients in the organic and natural skin care products, or any personal care products you buy.
The skin Deep database is a computer program with a huge amount of information that is formatted to fit the program. It provides a tremendous amount of valuable information. However, you need to be certain to take into consideration all the important information presented to make sure you’re making an accurate assessment of the safety of the ingredient or the product.
Dying To Look Good is not computerized. Every ingredient is hand researched and hand entered into the book. Important points and explanations about individual ingredients are added when it is a significant aspect to be taken into consideration when you’re deciding if you want to use a product with that particular ingredient. In addition, the book is an easy-to-use quick reference that’s convenient to carry with you when you shop.
The Skin Deep database and Dying To Look Good are some of the best tools you can use to protect yourself from harmful ingredients in not only natural and organic skincare and body care products, but all cosmetics and personal care items, for all members of your family.
Most people wear green clothes or drink green beer on St. Patrick’s Day. Real enthusiasts sometimes even dye their hair green. You don’t have to be Irish to celebrate this holiday. It’s typically a fun day that anyone can enjoy.
Here are some different ways to wear your green this year and to make a difference in the world…
Wear your green on your skin. By this I mean use “green” skin care products. USDA certified organic natural skin care products are free of synthetic and petroleum-derived ingredients. Not only are they good for your body because you won’t be absorbing harmful and toxic chemicals into your bloodstream, they’re also good for the environment because you won’t be washing toxic ingredients down the drain.
Eat “green.” Buy organic fresh whole foods. When you buy packaged foods, make sure the ingredients are healthy, whole food ingredients and do not contain toxic synthetic food additives, like artificial flavors and colors, cancer-causing preservatives, like nitrates, nitrites and BHA, trans fats, artificial sweeteners and MSG to name a few. Learn more about healthy eating here.
Use “green” laundry products to wash your clothes. The chemicals in laundry detergents stay in your clothes and can irritate your skin. The fragrance in these products can contain cancer-causing chemicals and toxic solvents. The ingredients in fragrances are considered proprietary information and the manufacturer does not have to disclose them. Choose instead, unscented, ecologically friendly laundry products.
Clean your home with “green” cleaning products. There are a number of companies offering household products that are biodegradable and eco-friendly with healthy ingredients. You can even make your own cleaning products with baking soda, salt and vinegar. You can find ads for little books using these ingredients for household cleaning in the newspaper junk ads. They have a lot of great tips and it makes cleaning very inexpensive. Here’s a site that has recipes using these ingredients and more to make your own “green” cleaning products.
Recycle. Take your own bags to the grocery store. Get cloth bags that you can reuse over and over again. Reuse the paper bags you have until they can’t be used anymore, then recycle them. Recycle plastic bags. Recycle your glass, paper and cans. Then always think reduce, reuse, recycle.
Follow these tips not only on St. Paddy’s Day but all year round and you’ll wear your green every day. And you’ll be making a difference, not only in your health and the health of your family, but also the health of the planet and future generations to come.
