Did you say free? June 2, 2009

Physicians Formula has a line of cosmetics called Organic Wear. The line has many products for the face, eyes, and lips. All Organic Wear products:

• are 100% natural origin makeup.
• contain 100% certified organic ingredients.
• have the Ecocert Organic Certification (“an internationally recognized guarantee that environmentally-friendly practices are upheld in all aspects of the product.”).
• have eco-conscientious packaging.
• are 100% free of harsh chemicals, synthetic preservatives, parabens, synthetic fragrances, Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO’s), and animal cruelty.

I personally have used their Tinted Moisturizer and Eye Shadow Duo, which I’ve liked very much.

Organic Wear Tinted Moisturizer

Organic Wear Eyeshadow Duo

Would you like to try their Organic Wear 100% Natural Origin Mascara for free? Just purchase one with the “TRY ME FREE” label attached to the packaging. Mail your original receipt with the purchase price circled, this form, and the packaging before December 31, 2009 to the company for a mail in rebate.

Organic Wear Mascara

Unfortunately, Skin Deep does not have a listing for this mascara where you can see how “safe” they rate the product, but there are some other items from the line for you to see. Just be sure you’re looking at the Organic Wear line and not the basic Physicians Formula brand.

Physicians Formula Organic Wear products can be found at many drug stores. You can see a complete list of where to find them here.

Copyright © 2008. Trying To Be Greener. All rights reserved.

I’m ready for my close up February 16, 2009

Having a young child who I often hold close has encouraged me to rethink the makeup that I use each day. As each of my current choices run out, I’ve been replacing them with items that have a lower, safer rating on Skin Deep’s web site.

Over the past two weeks, I’ve had the opportunity to try out Miessence Organics Translucent Powder. Skin Deep gives it a “low hazard” score of “1″. To compare with other powders on Skin Deep, I did a search of powder for the face and found that most powders that you can purchase in a drug store, for example, have a score of “4″ or more – many have a “high hazard” score of “7″ – “10″.

Miessence Organics personal care products and makeup are the first skin care line to be certified organic to food standards. They’ve also received the seal of approval by Australia’s leading certifying body, The Australian Certified Organic (ACO). Skin Deep has tested 84 of their products, all of which have a “low hazard” score. Many of them have a score of “0″, the safest score possible.

Miessence Translucent Powder

What I really love about the Miessence Translucent Powder is that it blends very well with my skin and doesn’t appear to “sit on top” of it, like I’ve found other powders to do. It lasted all day without the need to “re-fresh”, has a very pleasant scent, and although it comes in a small container, I can see it lasting a long time.

If you’re interested in purchasing the Translucent Powder I’ve reviewed here, let Linda over at Grand Strand Organics and Myrtle Beach Organics help you with this product or any other Miessence items.

Copyright © 2008. Trying To Be Greener. All rights reserved.

How Sweet It Is February 11, 2009

When I first became pregnant almost 2 years ago, I stopped wearing perfume. I was semi-green thinking at the time but I knew enough then that the scent I was smelling couldn’t be healthy, so I gave it up.

But recently, I started thinking about how nice it would be to wear it again. I searched all over the internet for something without synthetic fragrances but had no luck. I even went so far as making some myself – how’s that for being “eco” and “crafty”?! It was actually really easy but the hardest part about it was finding the right low, middle, and high scent tones to mix together. I’m very particular about perfume and I just didn’t like what I mixed.

So, I sort of gave up and asked for help. I reached out to Kathy over at Lovely SafeMama to see if she knew of anything, and that resourceful woman did. She did a post about it and passed the info along to me. Wasn’t that nice? I went to Red Flower nearby where I live and checked out some of their other products as well (I’m in love with their Blood Orange Moisturizing Body Lotion – the citrus scent is to die for). I also picked up their Organic Perfume in Guaiac that Kathy wrote about.

Red Flower Organic Perfume

Then, as luck would have it, I found out about Pacifica Perfume. Pacifica:

• is free of parabens, propylene glycol, phthalates.
• has no synthetic fragrances.
• packaging is both recyclable and made with recycled content.
• does not use any animal ingredients, including beeswax, and does not test its formulations on animals or use ingredients that are currently tested on animals.

Tuscan Blood Orange

I bought their Blood Orange scent and I like it but it’s a little more “sweet” than “citrus”. Pacifica also sells soy candles, body butter and natural soaps. To see where you can find Pacific products, click here.

Copyright © 2008. Trying To Be Greener. All rights reserved.

“Healthy Child, Healthy World” December 19, 2008

A few months ago, I read the book “Healthy Child, Healthy World: Creating a cleaner, greener, safer home” by Christopher Gavigan. It’s a very helpful resource for information on making your home non-toxic and healthy by looking at plastics, toys, personal care products, cleaning supplies, and home furnishings. Many specific websites to help you with safer examples in these categories are listed throughout the book.

In addition to the book, take a look at the Healthy Child, Healthy World website where you can find similar information, along with checklists, pocket guides, articles, and videos.

Copyright © 2008. Trying To Be Greener. All rights reserved.

Startling fact about formaldehyde November 24, 2008

I was watching “Stuff Happens” on Planet Green yesterday and Bill Nye was talking about insulation for your home. He mentioned that formaldehyde is in traditional fiber glass insulation and the “anti-green” issue with it is that after we’re through with it, it goes in a dump, thus reeking havoc on the environment. Two “greener” alternatives to fiberglass insulation were given. One was recycled blue jeans and the other was vegetables, believe it or not. There is now a vegetable oil polyurethane insulation foam where bubbles within it trap air. Both are amazing products.

What really struck me during this segment was a horrifying fact he gave about formaldehyde. Twenty years ago, two times the amount of formaldehyde was needed to embalm a body. Now, only half the amount is needed due to the fact that we have so much formaldehyde already in our body. Here are typical products that contain it:

• cosmetics
• paper
• wood
• clothes
• mouthwash
• nail polish
• hair spray
• perfume
• floor polish
• toothpaste
• wax
• spray starch
• deodorant

According to Wikipedia, formaldehyde is “classified as a probable human carcinogen by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has determined that there is “sufficient evidence” that occupational exposure to formaldehyde causes nasopharyngeal cancer in humans. Formaldehyde has been banned in cosmetics in both Sweden and Japan.”

Scary, isn’t it? Probably the simplest ways to reduce the amount of formaldehyde you come in contact with is to read the ingredients on all your personal care products, visit Skin Deep for safer ones, and use “greener” cleaning supplies. Remember, small changes over a long period of time can make a big difference.

UPDATE: December 1, 2008 – The EPA has announced that it will be looking into the health risks of formaldehyde in pressed wood products

Copyright © 2008. Trying To Be Greener. All rights reserved.

EWG’s Report on Chemicals From Cosmetics Found In Teens September 26, 2008

Eco Child’s Play has written a great summary on the Environmental Working Group’s report of toxic chemicals from cosmetics found in teens. These chemicals include triclosan, phthalates, parabens, and musk, which have been linked to cancer and hormone disruption. Take a look at their site for the full report and suggestions on how to avoid these chemicals.

How Safe Is Your Mascara? August 28, 2008

It’s time to buy new mascara so I’m passing off all of my research.

The Environmental Working Group has a website called Skin Deep. This site is an excellent resource for consumers in that it lists thousands of personal care products in an organized way and rates them on how safe their ingredients are.

“Skin Deep pairs ingredients in more than 25,000 products against 50 definitive toxicity and regulatory databases, making it the largest integrated data resource of its kind.Why did a small nonprofit take on such a big project? Because the FDA doesn’t require companies to test their own products for safety.”

At Skin Deep, you can find hundreds of specific items for hair, skin, eyes, nails, baby, oral care, fragrance, and makeup rated from 0-10, zero being the safest. Each item’s score is explained in detail and safer options are given.

In today’s post I’m listing safer mascara choices from Skin Deep’s site that can easily be found at your local drugstore. I’ve also listed some common items with high (not safe) scores as comparisons. It should be noted that although Skin Deep gives products a “moderate hazard” score, some of them contain the chemicals below with cautions from testing results of these chemicals:

PEG-10 Dimethicone and laureth-12: Also known as 1,4-Dioxane: Endocrine disruption, identified as a probable human carcinogen by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Propylene Glycol: FDA says is safe for general use but can cause cancer and contains toxins that affect reproduction

Alcohol Denatured: Cancer, Developmental/reproductive toxicity, Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive)

Benzyl Alcohol: Neurotoxicity

Parabens: May cause breast cancer due to hormone mimicking properties

Sodium laureth sulfate: Can cause skin and eye damage

Phenoxyethanol and Potassium hydroxide- Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive), eye irritation

Butylene glycol – Eye irritation

Panthenol – Alcohol

Triethanolamine, Polyethylene – Cancer concerns

Midazolidinyl urea, quaternium-15 and imidazolidinyl urea – Formaldehyde

Oryza sativa (rice) starch - Pesticides

Ethylacrylate and Methyl methacrylate – Cancer, developmental/reproductive toxicity

Mascara with a score of 3 having a “moderate hazard”:

Boots No. 7 Lash and Brow Perfector (clear) – Parabens, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium hydroxide, Panthenol, Butylene glycol

Max Factor Stretch No color Mascara – Triethanolamine, Midazolidinyl urea, Parabens

Almay Bright Eyes Mascara, Waterproof Black Brown and Black – Polyethylene, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Parabens, Phenoxyethanol

Almay One Coat Mascara, Thickening Black Brown and Blackest Black – Quaternium-15, Imidazolidinyl urea, Parabens

L’Oreal Paris Voluminous Mascara Waterproof Black – Oryza sativa (rice) starch, Parabens

Maybeline Sky High Curves – Waterproof Mascara, Very Black and Brownish Black – Oryza sativa (rice) starch, Parabens

Mascara with a score of 7 having a “high hazard”:

Cover Girl CoverGirl LashExact Mascara – Triethanolamine, Benzyl Alcohol, Sodium laureth sulfate, Parabens, Phenoxyethanol, Propylene Glycol, Alcohol Denatured

Cover Girl Super Thick Lash Mascara, Black Brown and Soft Black – Triethanolamine, Benzyl Alcohol, Sodium laureth sulfate, Parabens, Phenoxyethanol, Propylene Glycol, laureth-12

Mascara with a score of 8 having a “high hazard”:

Maybelline Illegal Lengths Washable Mascara, Black Onyx; Brownish Black (old formulation) – Ethylacrylate, Methyl methacrylate, Polyethylene, Triethanolamine, Parabens, Propylene Glycol

There were many more popular mascaras listed with a score of 3 – 7. Visit Skin Deep and look up what you’re using. Then decide if you need to choose a safer option with a lower score next time you’re running low.

Take a look at earlier posts of mine on how safe is your deodorant, bar soap, baby shampoo and soap, and shampoo and conditioner.

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How safe is your deodorant? August 19, 2008

The Environmental Working Group has a website called Skin Deep. This site is an excellent resource for consumers in that it lists thousands of personal care products in an organized way and rates them on how safe their ingredients are.

“Skin Deep pairs ingredients in more than 25,000 products against 50 definitive toxicity and regulatory databases, making it the largest integrated data resource of its kind.Why did a small nonprofit take on such a big project? Because the FDA doesn’t require companies to test their own products for safety.”

At Skin Deep, you can find hundreds of specific items for hair, skin, eyes, nails, baby, oral care, fragrance, and makeup rated from 0-10, zero being the safest. Each item’s score is explained in detail and safer options are given.

In today’s post I’m listing safer deodorant choices from Skin Deep’s site that can easily be found at your local drugstore. I’ve also listed some common items with high (not safe) scores as comparisons. It should be noted that although Skin Deep gives products a “low hazard” score, some of them contain the chemicals below with cautions from testing results of these chemicals:

Aluminum Chloride: Organ system toxicity, in vitro tests on mammalian cells show positive mutation results, reproductive effects at moderate and high doses, and animal studies show brain and nervous system effects at high doses

Aluminum Chlorohydrate: Developmental/reproductive toxicity, Neurotoxicity

Aluminum Zirconium Tetrachlorohydrex Glycine: Strong evidence of human neurotoxicity when product is airborn

Gylcerin: One or more animal studies show kidney or renal system effects at very low doses, mammalian cells show positive mutation results, animal studies show reproductive effects at moderate doses

Diproplyene Glycol: One or more animal studies show brain and nervous system effects at high doses

1 PEG-14 Dimethicone, PEG/PPG – 18/18 Dimethicone, PEG-8 Distearate, and Triclosan: Also known as 1,4-Dioxane: Endocrine disruption, identified as a probable human carcinogen by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Propylene Glycol, which the FDA says is safe for general use but can cause cancer and contains toxins that affect reproduction

Alcohol Denatured: Cancer, Developmental/reproductive toxicity, Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive)

Butane and Propane: Allergies and immunotoxicity

fragrance: often means Diethyl Phthalate or DEP: endocrine disruptor that has been linked to reproductive and abnormalities

PEG/PPG – 18/18 Dimethicone - Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive)

Benzyl Alcohol: Neurotoxicity

Silica: Cancer, Allergies/immunotoxicity

Deodorant with a score of 0 having a “low hazard”:

• Crystal deodorant stick, roll-on, and spray

Deodorant with a score of 1 having a “low hazard”:

• CVS Ultra Dry Anti-Perspirant Roll-On Unscented – Aluminum Chloride,
• Ban Antiperspirant & Deodorant Original Roll-On Unscented – Aluminum Chlorohydrate
• Ban Classic Original Antiperspirant & Deodorant Original Roll-On Unscented – Aluminum Chlorohydrate:
• Almay Antiperspirant & Deodorant, Clear Gel; Fragrance Free – Aluminum Zirconium Tetrachlorohydrex Glycine, Gylcerin, Diproplyene Glycol
• Almay Antiperspirant & Deodorant, Clear Gel – Aluminum Zirconium Tetrachlorohydrex Glycine, Gylcerin, Diproplyene Glycol
• Almay Antiperspirant & Deodorant Fragrance Free (Powder Fresh and Soothing Aloe) – Aluminum Zirconium Tetrachlorohydrex Glycine, Gylcerin, Diproplyene Glycol
• Lady Mitchum Clear Gel Antiperspirant & Deodorant Unscented – Aluminum Zirconium Tetrachlorohydrex Glycine, Diproplyene Glycol,
• Mitchum Antiperspirant & Deodorant Clear Gel – Aluminum Zirconium Tetrachlorohydrex Glycine, Diproplyene Glycol
• Almay Stay Dry Hydro Solid Antiperspirant & Deodorant, Fragrance Free – 1 PEG-14 Dimethicone, Aluminum Zirconium Tetrachlorohydrex Glycine, Diproplyene Glycol

Deodorant with a score of 7 having a “high hazard”:

• Right Guard Sport Deodorant – fragrance, Triclosan, Propylene Glycol, Alcohol Denatured
• Right Guard Sport Deodorant Aerosole, Original – fragrance, Triclosan, Propylene Glycol, Butane and Propane
• Dry Idea Antiperspirant Clear Gel Powder Fresh – fragrance, Aluminum Zirconium Tetrachlorohydrex Glycine, Propylene Glycol, Alcohol Denatured
• Dry Idea Antiperspirant & Deodorant Clear Gel Powder Fresh – fragrance, PEG/PPG – 18/18 Dimethicone, Aluminum Zirconium Tetrachlorohydrex Glycine, Propylene Glycol, Alcohol Denatured
• FDS Feminine Deodorant Spray White Blossom and Baby Powder – fragrance, Benzyl Alcohol, Propylene Glycol

Deodorant with a score of 8 having a “high hazard”:

• Secret Platinum Antiperspirant & Deodorant Invisible Gel Powder Fresh Scent – fragrance, Aluminum Zirconium Tetrachlorohydrex Glycine, Propylene Glycol, Alcohol Denatured
• Dove Invisible Solid Antiperspirant & Deodorant, Powder Fresh – fragrance, Silica, PEG-8 Distearate, Aluminum Zirconium Tetrachlorohydrex Glycine, Propylene Glycol

Last week, it was time for me to buy new deodorant (this post is research I did in anticipation of this). I had always heard of “crystal deodorant” but it I just couldn’t understand how it could possibly work. Well, I’m very pleased to say that it does. I’ll be honest, though, it wasn’t perfect but I don’t know of a deodorant that is.  It’s nice to know that a deodorant with one of the safest scores works as well as others. By the way, according to the packaging, the crystal stick can last up to a year!

Visit Skin Deep and check out some of your favorite products to see how they rate. Then decide if you need to make some changes. If you do, don’t feel you need to do it all at once. Just make changes as you run out of things.

See my other posts on how safe is your bar soap, shampoo and conditioner, and baby soap and shampoo.

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Copyright © 2008. Trying To Be Greener. All rights reserved.

Don’t be fooled August 15, 2008

I was walking through the personal care aisle of Trader Joe’s today when I noticed their own brand of deodorant (with cotton in it) that said on the front, “Paraben Free” and “Aluminum Free”. My heard started to race – had I found a “safer” new deodorant to try? So, I turned it over and that’s when I saw the first item listed in the ingredients - propylene glycol. The FDA says propylene glycol is safe for general use but can cause cancer and contains toxins that affect reproduction. Trader Joe’s should be commended for recognizing that parabens and aluminum are not safe ingredients. I was disappointed to see, however, to see the propylene glycol.

The point of this post is this – Do not be fooled by proclamations of safety on the front of products! Always turn things around to read the ingredients and know what to look for. The Green Guide has a downloadable card with 12 chemicals often found in cosmetics that you should avoid. I keep one in my wallet and have hand written other things on it to avoid as well.

To see other things to avoid, see my earlier posts on how safe is your bar soap, baby shampoo and soap, and shampoo and conditioner.

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That’s (eco)news to me – recycling plastic bottle caps August 6, 2008

I just found out that not all recycling centers can take plastic bottle tops. This can cause them to end up as litter or floating in oceans and rivers. If you take them to any Aveda store, they will recycle them into shampoo caps. What a great idea!

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