This is the third in a series of posts defining the various different words, logos and certifications that appear on the things we buy, in the stories we read and on the news we watch and hear…so we can now all sprinkle these words into our daily conversation and sound real smart.
This week’s list, inspired by Burt’s Bee’s new ad campaign, is on personal care items.
This week – I’m going to list some of the ingredients found in cosmetics and personal care items, and explain what they mean.
1. Lanolin – found in many moisturizers - rendered sheep fat grease from sheep's wool
2. Titanium Dioxide – found in sunscreens - linked to cancer and developmental or reproductive toxicity.
3. Zinc Oxide- found in sunscreens -Linked to cancer and developmental and reproductive problems
4. Hydrogenated cottonseed oil – found in skin conditioners may have mercury which can damage brain function
6. Lead, Acetate - anything with these two words - found in hair dyes - a neurotoxin linked to issues with the developing brain
7. Mercury, Thirmerosal - found in mascara and eye makeup – can damage brain function
8. Fragrances – found in all sorts of personal care items - can contain neurotoxins and is often an allegen (among the top 5 allergens in the world).
9. Tallow, Sodium salts, Fatty Acids - anything with these words – found in soaps and other personal care items - Rendered beef fat. May cause eczema and blackheads
10. Mink oil, Emu oil, etc. – Any oil that sounds like it is from an animal probably is the rendered fat from one
11. Hydroquinone – found in skin lighteners - This skin bleaching chemical can cause a skin disease called ochronosis, with "disfiguring and irreversible" blue-black lesions.
12. Benzenedicarboxylic Acid, dibutyl - Found in nail polish – a phthalates plasticizer linked to reproductive disorders
13. Petroleum or Paraffin - found in face creams – yup, a petroleum byproduct can be cancer causing.
This is just a partial listing. You can find more terms and explicit information at The Skin Deep Cosmetic Database.
More Thursday Thirteen
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14 comments:
Thank you for the list. I love Burt's products, but am a little concerned with their merger with Clorox. Any thoughts?
Great post, i love this subject. You acn join me at the eco lifestyle group in cocomment. I am trying to gather all conversation around this subject over there.
Thanks
Joaquin
Great and informative list.
Isn't this list disturbing? Makes me want to use pomegranate and beet juice for makeup. (Yeah, I tried pomegranate juice once. Gets sticky.)
First of three, all great advice.
How can they use this stuff? If it causes all these things how can they use them in their procucts? Yikes. Very well done post. Have a great TT. :)
Actually, lanolin isn't rendered sheep fat but that oily waxy stuff that is in wool. It's the sheep version of greasy hair.
A lot of products have gluten in them as well which is a problem if you are on a gluten free diet! Even TP has gluten in it sometimes.
Lanolin is not rendered sheep fat. It is the coating on the wool, very good for your skin and totally natural, It is aquired during the shearing of the sheep, so they are not harmed as a result. Enjoyed your blog.
Interesting! Happy Valentine's Day!
That's a very useful list. Thank you.
I was disappointed with this post. Your posts are usually well researched and accurate. Not this one. Many of the "non-natural ingredients" you listed are in reality naturally occurring. Lanolin is a natural product that occurs in the sheep's wool. Shephards have used this for centuries. Zinc Oxide and Titanium Oxide are both the products of oxygen reacting with the metals. To say they are not natural is to say rust is not natural.
And just to say something may cause cancer does not mean it is not natural. The sun causes skin cancer but is sun "non-natural"?
Whaaaah!
You guys are right! I wrote this too quickly and got some facts wrong :-( Please forgive me...I'll do better!
According to Consumer Reports, one of the biggest problems with titanium dioxide is when it is made into nanoparticles then put into sun tan oil. In its regular form, it does not absorb into the skin. Consumer reports did an article about nanoparticles and how the jury is still out if some cause real problems. Skin Deep has a database just for suntan oils and I would suggest everyone look at it. CR said that nano TD can get into the blood stream via cuts. If I recall from the article Burt's Bee suntan oil had nanos in them. Google Consumer Reports to read this article. Very informative. Anna www.green-talk.com
Burt's Bees sold out long before they were sold...again. This time to a company that still tests on animals. They can put synthetic fragrances and hide them under the umbrella of "trade secrets". This is quite disturbing. Then their whole BS setting the natural standard thing is ridiculous. Burt's Bees is precisely the kind of company that consumers need protection from so that they can't label their products "NATURAL" when they are anything but.
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