Nail polish shades to try this summer

[phote credit: Nailmatic]

It’s summer time and time to set your toes free and bring out the brightest, boldest shades for your next pedicure. Summer inspires many colorful nail looks than the rest of the calendar year– shiny and glistening shades like a juicy watermelon or a lemon granita.
There are many clean brands offering “# - Free” and those are the ones you should invest on.
What does “# - Free” means? It means free of the following ingredients that could wreak havoc to your endocrine system:

5-free contains no formaldehyde, toluene, DBP, formaldehyde resin, camphor

7-free contains no formaldehyde, toluene, DBP, formaldehyde resin, camphor, ethyl tosylamide, xylene

9-free contains no formaldehyde, toluene, DBP, formaldehyde resin, camphor, ethyl tosylamide, xylene, parabens, acetone

10-free contains no formaldehyde, toluene, DBP, formaldehyde resin, camphor, ethyl tosylamide, xylene, parabens, acetone, TPHP, TBHP, gluten

To learn more about specific ingredients, visit ewg.org or cir-safety.org 

Below are summery shades to keep you vibrant and safe during a heatwave:

Aila - 14 Free - Pinecuporn - $12
Kure - 10 Free - Frenchie - $18
Habit - 9 Free - Prairie - $18
Ella + Mila - 7 Free - ‘Cause I’m happy - $10.50
Lakur - 16 Free - Weekend Cheers - $18
Nail Matic - 10 Free - Eva - $12
Ten Over Ten - 8 Free - LA - $12
Sundays - 10 Free - Fuchsia - $18
Pacifica - 7 Free - Summer Fling - $9
Zoya - 10 Free - Harbor - $10
Orosa - 14 Free - Snow Cone - $12
Jin Soon - 10 Free - Baroque - $18

How to avoid plastic in personal care

Zero Waste Alternatives to microbeads products:
Meow Meow Tweet Body Soap Scub and SW Basics Oats Face Scrub

What are MICROBEADS? These are tiny plastic balls that are less than five millimeters in size and are used in personal care products as exfoliants – for face, body and teeth.

Why was important to banned them? Environmental researchers found that microbeads do not dissolve or wash away but remain intact. They are so tiny that most systems can't filter them out so they travel from your bathroom into rivers, lakes, and oceans. Once there, fish confused them with food, and if you are a fish eater, well, you eat them too. In the US, President Obama signed the Microbeads bill on December 28th, 2015 prohibiting the manufacture and introduction into interstate commerce of rinse-off cosmetics containing microbeads.  

These beads are made of polyethylene or high density polyethylene or a combination of both, and as you may know these materials are not biodegrable. A single bottle can contain up to 300,000 microbeads.

How to know if your personal care product has microbeads? The website BEAT THE MICROBEAD has an extensive database that allows you to identify which products contain microbeads by name or brand. There is also an app available for both Iphone and Androids. In addition, they offer a listing of products that do not contain microbeads by categories, ie, face makeup, deodorant, toothpaste, etc.

Now that you know what microbeads are, and which products contain them, you can make an informed decision next time you need a face scrub.

Below is a list of exfoliants/scrubs that are safe for you and the planet. Zero Waste Alternatives mark with *

FACE

Acure Brightening Facial Scrub - Gently exfoliates your skin while french green clay and organic lemon peel remove impurities from your pores.
SW Basics Exfoliant* - USDA Certified Organic oat and almond flours that are not too rough with mineral-rich sea salt, make a simple, nourishing, super-effective exfoliant that leaves your skin soft and glowing.
PAI Skincare Kukui & Jojoba Skin Brightening Exfoliator - Jojoba Beads gently roll over skin, lifting away dead skin cells and surface impurities as they go. Enriched with exotic oils, the nourishing gel formula transforms into a silky milk, washing away to leave skin refreshed and radiant.

BODY

Meow Meow Tweet Tangerine Basil body soap* - Loaded with poppy seeds to massage and stimulate circulation in the skin while exfoliating.
Earth Tu Face Sea Salt + Organic Oils *- Detoxifying Sea Salt stimulates circulation of the lymphatic system, while dead skin cells are scrubbed away and organic oil is absorbed for moisture.
Meant The Wonder Polish - Blended with fine-grain sugar crystals, ground coffee, and deeply hydrating oils of avocado, argan, and monoi to exfoliate, firm and moisturize in one go.

MOUTH

Weleda Salt Toothpaste - Fluoride-free toothpaste with sea salt and gentle mineral cleansers to work with your body to effectively clean teeth.
Bite Toothpaste Bits * - Activated charcoal and sodium bicarbonate gently scrubs your teeth and natural mint keeps your breath fresh.
Uncle Harry’s peppermingt toothpaste * - Ingredients like colloidal silver water, sea salt, ionic minerals encourages remineralization of tooth enamel by neutralizing acids and bacteria.

 

Cleaning Up Your Act

[photo credit: Credo Beauty The store for the largest, safest clean beauty assortment ]

It’s truly shocking the amount of chemicals found in personal care products these days. The average woman uses 12 products a day and the average man uses 6 products.

80% of the chemicals in those formulations have NEVER been tested for safety. 

We find refuge in words like Natural, Herbal, Pure, and even Organic, but unless it is certified Organic, all these words do NOT mean anything at all. The FDA does not have a legal definition for the word Natural, so anything goes in shampoos, lotions, toothpaste, etc.

You must become savvier than the industry so you are no longer fooled by their claims. Learn the widely used TOXIC ingredients, so when you spot them on the label, you can start cleaning out your own stash.

In ALL personal products, avoid Parabens: Methylparabens ethylparaben, butylparaben, methylparaben and propylparaben. Used as preservatives, these chemicals disrupt hormonal function. Look for products that say “Paraben Free”.

Shampoo
Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) and Sodium laureth sulfate (SLES) are used to create the foaming effect in shampoos but are skin irritants and cannot be metabolized by the liver - Check for SLS free.
Cocamide diethanolamine (DEA) It’s the sneakiest of chemicals because it’s derived from coconut oil and some brands pass it as “Natural”. Also a foaming agent, that when combined with synthetic DEA is a known carcinogen that has been banned in California.
Better Option: John Master's Shampoo

Hand Soaps & Hand Sanitizers
Triclosan is supposed to kill bacteria but it’s so dangerous that the FDA is having it removed from the shelves. It is an endocrine disruptor and helps to create resistance to bacteria. All you need to do is to thoroughly wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
Better Option: Seventh Generation Hand Soap and Clean Well Hand Sanitizer.

Deodorants & Anti-Perspirants
Aluminum’s function is to block the sweat ducts from releasing sweat. Aluminum is potentially harmful to breast tissues and has been associated to breast cancer.
Better Option: Nourish Deodorant

Nail Polish
Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP), Formaldehyde,Toluene, Formaldehyde Resin, and Camphor. Toxic effects caused by these ingredients: Birth defects, carcinogen, skin irritant, allergen, irritant. This is why “3 free” or “5 Free” nail polishes are becoming more popular.
Better Option: Zoya Nail Polish, Vapour Organics

Body Lotions
Petrochemicals like Mineral Oil, Petroleum Jelly, Propylene Gycol are petroleum-based ingredients with the intention to moisturize but they clog the skin and dry it even more. These ingredients are normally use in gasoline, paint, and antifreeze.
Better Option: Hugo Naturals

So to recap: Avoid SLS, SLES, DEA, Triclosan, Aluminum, Mineral Oil – Make a memo in your phone for the next time you are shopping for personal care products. Add to that: Buy only “3 free” or “5 free” Nail Polish. There’s your cheat sheet. Better yet, download the EWG app, they have already vetted thousands of products for you.

The Truth about Make Up Cleansing Wipes

[picture credit: Natracare]

Make Up cleansing wipes have become a popular beauty item because they help to remove make-up or to freshen up in a cinch. They are also easy to carry in your purse, gym bag, or while traveling. A few swipes and you are feeling clean and refreshed.
However, depending on the brand, instead of cleansing your skin, you are leaving toxic chemicals behind. This quick video explains how:

The Dirty Truth About Make-up Wipes - click here

I checked the ingredients of 3 of the leading cleansing wipes in the market and at first glance I noticed: FORMALDEHYDE AND PARABENS. Formaldehyde and parabens are used as preservatives in order to discourage the growth of microbes. Unfortunately, Parabens are known to disrupt hormonal function, an effect that is linked to increased risk of breast cancer and reproductive toxicity.*

Make Up Cleansing wipes

Formaldehyde is classified as “carcinogenic to humans” by the International Agency for Research on Carcinogens (IARC). If due to consumer demands, formaldehyde was removed from nail polishes - why is still used for cleansing wipes? “In the U.S. approximately 20% of cosmetics and personal care products contain a formaldehyde-releaser and the frequency of allergic reactions to these ingredients is much higher among Americans compared to incidents in Europe”.**

As of now, there are no restrictions in the US on the levels of formaldehyde allowed in any body-care products, no requirement to test products made with formaldehyde-releasing preservatives for levels of formaldehyde, and certainly no obligation to inform consumers that the products they use each day are likely to contain a cancer-causing chemical that does not appear on the list of ingredients.*

There are alternatives that are nurturing to the skin and as well biodegradable. Here are a few of them:

Natracare

Natracare - Infused with the organic essential oils of almond, apricot and chamomile, Natracare Cleansing Make-Up Removal Wipes leave your skin moisturized, cleansed and refreshed naturally.
 

Josie Maran Bear Naked Wipes- These handy wipes are soaked in pure, skin-balancing Argan Oil, aloe vera that soothes the skin,  refreshing cucumber extract, and Vitamin E that conditiosn and refines. Each wipe is biodegradable and a portion of what you pay goes to the Natural Resources Defense Council's Polar Bear SOS Initiative.

Blum Naturals

Blum Naturals- These Towelettes are infused with natural and organic botanicals like Aloe Vera Extract, Chamomile, and Organic Ylang Ylang Oil that help remove eye & face make-up.

Yes to Cucumbers

Yes To Cucumbers Facial Wipes - These wipes gently remove dirt, sweat and makeup without the need to rinse. Packed with green superfoods like Green Tea and Cucumbers, these all-natural, biodegradable wipes naturally exfoliate, detoxify, and rejuvenate all-in-one.

*Source: Campaign for Sage Cosmetics
**Source: EWG Cosmetics Database