Cosmetics

So what are Parabens and why have they become a health concern?

Stories about parabens in cosmetics being harmful to health have come into the spotlight more and more recently, and we really should take heed of the warnings. Parabens are a chemical compound of para-hydroxybenzoic acid. They occur naturally in foods such as blueberries, prunes and cinnamon however the parabens you find in cosmetics are synthetic. You may be familiar with terms such as butylparaben, propylparaben and ethylparabens – these are common preservatives found in everyday products such as the following:

- cosmetics

- deodorant

- face cream

- shampoo

- toothpaste

- bubble bath

Take a look at the ingredients in some of these products at home – an estimated 90% of cosmetic products include parabens.

Products containing synthetic parabens such as face / body creams and sun lotions are used more frequently and therefore increase the amount of parabens being released into the blood. Parabens are easily absorbed as they have lipophilic properties, enabling them to gather in fatty tissue, e.g. breast tissue. There has been widespread debate over the alleged link between parabens and breast cancer, this has yet to be validated.

However, Dr. Elizabeth Smith has written that “It is a known medical fact that estrogen stimulates breast cancer” and that “anything absorbed through the skin may be as high as 10 times the concentration of an oral dose.” (Think about how nicotine and birth control/hormone patches work-the chemicals are absorbed through the skin!). She also reported that, in one study, a paraben was injected under the skin and was found to have an “estrogenic response on uterine tissues.” Scientists observing these harmful effects on the uterus remarked that “it is suggested that the safety in use of these chemicals should be reassessed.”

It has also been suggested that parabens act like oestrogen (hormone largely found in women which is essential to the menstrual cycle), disrupting the natural process. Allegedly certain concerns in men such as a low sperm count alongside a decrease in testosterone can be directly related to the intake of parabens.

There has been a massive public and scientific interest about parabens. Yet despite a large number of clinical trials to determine the toxicity of parabens, to date, there is still no conclusion.

Ideally you should opt for quality, natural skincare brands that provide products FREE from parabens, artificial colours and synthetic fragrances for your peace of mind.

For the best skincare tips and helpful information to keep your skin healthy, check out my blog at http://matildaarcher.blogspot.com/

To buy natural, paraben free skincare products online, visit http://www.matildaarcher.co.uk now, our products are dispatched direct from the UK from a secure site.

We all use cosmetics to some extent. Most men, women, and even kids use some beauty products to look good. But did you know that the very same products that you use and love, were tested on innocent animals before they were presented to you in pretty packaging? It is a fact that most beauty products available on the market today, have been tested on animals. And the cosmetics companies will not deny it.

The Draize Test

Here is one of the most common tests conducted on animals when testing a beauty product for safety. In 1944, an FDA toxicologist named John H. Draize devised what later came to be known as the Draize test. The basic premise of the test is to evaluate the risks that one could be subject to, when exposed to new cosmetics products for a short period of time.

Here is how it is done. A small amount of the substance to be tested, in this case your moisturizer or shampoo, is applied either to the eyes or on the skin of an animal for hours in a row. If it is in the eyes, the animal is strapped into a contraption that keeps it from touching its face, the eye lids are clamped open, and drops of the product are put into the eyes. For the equally horrific skin version of the test, the animal’s fur is shaved, then several layers of skin are removed, and only then is the substance applied to the raw skin and then covered with a plastic sheet.

The animal is then under observation for a couple of weeks to see if the product causes any irritation.

Have you ever gotten shampoo into your eyes by mistake? Know how it burns? Now imagine not being able to immediately splash some water and wash it away for a week or two. That is what the animal has to go through. And that is what you are indirectly condoning every time you buy a product that is tested on an animal. Ignorance is no excuse.

The tests are obviously painful. The animals are put to death after the tests. The cosmetics companies treat animals like things, not living beings. They are only kept alive for as long as they are useful, after which they are discarded like so much unwanted garbage. This is completely wrong and we all must appose it.

Thus, to show your disapproval to the above test and similar tests, do not buy products that are animal tested. Some day, this will stop if all of us work together.

So the next time you go online, instead of searching for something as regular as free makeup advice, try to make a difference in the world by reading up on animal testing. Learn about cosmetic companies that test on animals and boycott their products.

L.O.H.A.S. stands for Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability which is essentially a socioeconomic term that describes a segment of conscious shoppers i.e. people who not only consider their own personal benefit but the impact on the wider community and planet. In Australia this represents around 26 % of the adult population. However, this is a global trend and not only do I think the number of people that start making more conscious choices will rise, particularly in Australia where such a wide range of choices are available but also the variety of sustainable and ecological products and services available will increase.
You can see evidence of this trend impacting on companies and brands alike particularly in the cosmetic industry where there is such a strong trend towards natural & organic products.
In the cosmetics industry it is about ensuring coherence between what is said and what is done. Some examples of this may include:
ensuring that products are actually in fact natural – i.e they don’t contain any ingredients considered harmful or toxic to the body
choosing natural or organic products and certified organic where possible
when products claim to be Fair Trade ensuring that they actually do support the growers and manufacturers of these ingredients and that fair conditions and wages are adhered to. You can ask your retailer for proof of Fair Trade ingredients if you are unsure
choosing brands that use post-consumer recycled packaging where possible or at least that the packing is recyclable
ensuring all products are Palm oil free or that the Palm oil used is from sustainable sources
retailers and manufacturers being transparent by providing as much information about products so that you can make an informed choice about what you use on your skin
choosing cruelty-free products
having a multiple-modality team on hand to help you with your health & well-being including naturopaths, aromatherapists and beauty therapists
companies responding to consumer demand for green, sustainable and ecological options
cutting the green-wash – this term implies that companies or brands are pulling the wool over consumer’s eyes by pretending to be more green than they actually are. It is a significant issue and I believe companies should make transparent their “green credentials”. It may be that a company has a way to go but that’s ok as long as there is a plan in progress and they are honest about where they are at.As a consumer you have the choice.
For more information about natural & organic skin care products contact Ananda Mahony ND at http://www.vitalenatural.com.au or at info@vitalenatural.com.au
As a naturopath Ananda has been involved in the natural skin care industry for many years. She specialises in the treatment of skin disorders such as acne, eczema, rosacea and dermatitis as well as anti-aging.
Please include this credit if you use this article.

The cosmetic industry has been pulling the wool over your eyes as their cosmetics continue to have ingredients that are harmful and even deadly to human health. But they have no shame since they continue to add these ingredients to their cosmetics because they make the product smell better, flow nicer, cost less, dilute easy, easy to obtain, and fool you that they work.

These ingredients contaminate all forms of personal care products, such as soaps, facial creams, lotions, shampoos, conditioners, hair gels, and toothpaste. If you can not eat these products, than you should not be using them. Every time you put cosmetics and their ingredients onto your skin, they are suck into your blood and immediately go to your liver just as if you had chewed them and swallowed.

Does the cosmetic industry care about how harmful these ingredients are? Not really. They have been using these ingredients since these ingredients were discovered and found useful for their products. Of course, they do testing to make sure there are no major side effects on the skin or scalp, but a lot of the side effects don’t show up quickly, since side effects would be related to diseases, which takes awhile to develop. And when these diseases develop, they are no longer related to the skin products used.

Here are some of the most frequently used cosmetic ingredients, which are toxic to your body and can create disease.

o Acrylamide, Acrylate, Butylaminoethyl, Methylacrylate polymer – These are synthetic polymers that are used in some body creams, shampoos, nail lacquers, fabrics. Animal laboratory testing has been linked to tumors. They are also known to cause various skin issues and allergic reactions.

o Parabens, Are para-hydroxybenzoic acid esters (methyl, propyl, butyl) – Are used as a preservative in cosmetics. It is estimated that 13,200 cosmetic and skin care products contain parabens. These chemicals are toxic and cause allergies. Some studies connect these chemicals with cancer. They have also shown to have hormone-disrupting qualities by mimicking estrogen and causing problems in the endocrine system.

o Propylene glycol – This chemical derived from petroleum and is a synthetic product. Because it attracts water it is used in cosmetics as a surfactant, solvent and humectant. It is used as a moisturizer in cosmetics and as a carrier in fragrance oils. It is also used in antifreeze and hydraulic brake fluid. It is toxic and causes allergic reactions. It affects the health of the liver and kidney. It also irriates the skin and prevent normal skin health growth.

o Sodium laurel, lauryl sulfate (SLS), sodium laureth sulfate (SLES) – Is a white powder used in thousands of cosmetic products and non-cosmetic products. SLS is a strong degreaser that dries the skin and hair. It can also cause hair loss. Used in many products that are called natural as a result these products are not natural. This product is found in shampoos, toothpastes, lotions, and creams. It is also found in many car washes, engine degreasers, and garage floor cleaners. When combined Triethanolamine (TEA) it can become a nitrosamine, which is a potent class of carcinogen.

o Mineral Oil, Paraffin, and Petrolatum – Are hydrocarbons which come from petroleum products. On the skin, it is heavy and greasy and clogs pores. It is toxic and leads to skin issues. It disrupts natural skin grown causing skin aging. It is also suspected cause of cancer and disrupts hormonal activity. If take internally, it prevents the absorption of nutrient into the blood in the small intestines.

o Phenol carbolic acid, Phenolic compounds – Are used as a preservative and found in many lotions and skin creams. They are toxic and can cause paralysis, convulsions, coma and even death from respiratory failure.

o Benzoic Acid, sodium benzoate – is used as a preservative in cosmetics and foods. Often combined with sodium bisulfites, which are banned in some countries. This is a dangerous additive, since in low amounts it has been associated with brain damage, neurological disorders, and cancer.

o Dioxane PEG, Polysorbates, Laureth, ethoxylated alcohols – Found in many cosmetics and other personal care products. It is easily absorbed through the skin and has been found to be carcinogenic.

o BHA and BHT – Butylated hydroxyanisole and butylated hydroxytoluene. These chemicals are synthetic antioxidants used in foods and cosmetics. Please avoid them, since they are toxic and may contain toluene which quite toxic.

There are hundreds of other chemicals you should know about so that you can avoid them in the products you use. All of them create problems on your skin, cause internal organ damage, or create diseases – acetone, aluminum chemicals, amyl dimethyl para, chloroxylenol, butylenes glycol, diammonium citrate, formalin or formaldehyde, and list goes on.

If you want good cosmetics and ingredients, check the cosmetics you plan to buy and look for more natural ingredients. Here is a list of good natural cosmetic ingredients – herbs, aloe vera, jojoba oil, coconut oil, natural palm oil, shea butter, olive oil, castile soap, yucca root, lactalbumin, balsam tolu, coconut fatty acids, benzoin gum, witch hazel, myrrh. This list is just a start for you to start looking for more good ingredients in cosmetics and other personal care products you use.

Cosmetics are more commonly used by females than males; however there are some useful cosmetic applications that men can use in today’s world. Cosmetics are required to have ingredient labels that indicate what is contained in the product. It is not specific when it comes to fragrances though, and the manufacturer is not required to list the actual composition of a fragrance. Cosmetics are common culprits. Allergic eyelid dermatitis is more often attributed to cosmetics applied to the fingernails, face, or hair than to cosmetics applied directly to the eyelids.

Cosmetics are not a valid line of acne control, but they can camouflage an acute acne outbreak. One must remember, however, that any kind of topically applied oil-based compound will aggravate acne. Cosmetics are not good for the proper function of the human body. Even natural cosmetics may contain products which are harmful. Cosmetics are an important resource as well. It is necessary for parents to recognize the helpful effects of cosmetology for children who are bothered by their appearance.

Cosmetics are the weapons. Recent articles that extol the youthfulness of models 40 or older, like Lauren Hutton or Isabella Rossellini, are not meant to comfort aging females–on the contrary. Cosmetics are located on the outside of the support. When the support is rotated the cosmetics are brought, in turn, to the aperture where they are accessible to the user. Cosmetics are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), but compared to food and drugs, cosmetic products receive little government scrutiny. Except for nine? chemicals that are prohibited or highly restricted, as well as color additives, which are strictly regulated, virtually anything can be put in a cosmetic product.

Makeup cosmetics are important to how most women feel on a day to day basis. They like to feel confident and beautiful. Makeup artists have their work really cut out for them, for mineral foundations do not change color either under natural light or artificial light.

Mineral makeup, vegetable-based cosmetic and beauty products and other natural cosmetic products are an excellent way to avoid poisoning yourself and the planet. In addition, such mineral-based chemical free cosmetics are also cruelty-free ? Mineral cosmetics can be very good for women who like to wear light, natural looking makeup or who have problematic skin. While quality and ingredients of traditional makeup can vary from brand to brand, there are a lot of really bad makeup products out there in the market. Mineral Secrets’ micronized mineral makeup is a light, non-shiny cosmetic. Originally designed for people with highly sensitive skin types, Mineral Secrets makeup does not irritate skin conditions like rosacea, acne or post laser skin.

Jaison Jacob is an expert article writer. You can read a lot of cosmetics related articles at Cosmetics Or Facial Skin Care

Situated between Israel, Jordan and the West Bank, the Dead Sea, also known as the Salt Sea is a treasure trove for those scavenging for natural solutions to their skin and certain health problems. Because of several chemical and geographical factors, this sea enjoys an atmosphere which makes it offer such a plethora of recipes for skin specialists.

Not only does it consist of a high incidence of salt with 33.7% salinity, a high atmospheric pressure, but also boasts of being relatively eased of the ultraviolet rays of the sun. All these factors have contributed towards making this water body a hot spot for therapeutic treatments. The mineral content is such that it has also proved to be beneficial for skin ailments. The world has taken to the boons of such cosmetics, where there’s no fear of suffering bad side effects because the products are all natural.

Hence, a lot of cosmetic companies have brought the benefits of the dead sea salt and minerals to the masses by including them in to all natural products that pass on the benefits of the dead sea. These are often called dead sea cosmetics because they have been derived from the dead sea minerals and have the same benefits for the skin.

In fact, with the revolutionising of the cosmetics’ market, such beneficial aspects have been brought home to an international audience who might not have the privilege to travel all the way to the Dead Sea’s shores and bask in its therapeutic glories. Hence, the companies are working bringing the experience to everyone all over the world through careful research and product development.

In order to enhance one’s beauty and charm, these Dead Sea products can be highly effective when used correctly over a prescribed period of time. For the numerous companies engaged in manufacturing these items, care must be taken to ensure that the perfect amount of salts and minerals have been used to create the concoction that will heal skin problems and other health problems. To ensure this, customers would do well by steering clear of unknown brands that are in the habit of selling these products. One must always steer clear of such unknown companies since their credibility has not been proved. Such companies might just offer products which may harm the skin. A quick online search would ease much of this dilemma over credibility. There are numerous cosmetic companies partaking of the natural benefits of the Dead Sea and in order to narrow down one’s search to a credible recommended few, it is important to do a bit of homework. While purchasing a product it is important to find out whether that particular product is compatible with one’s skin type. It would be a waste of time and money to settle for a product that proves useless for you. For this, consulting a good skin specialist is a wise step, as well as researching the credibility of the products.

Visit Deadseaserum.com for dead sea cosmetics and dead sea of spa.

Let’s face it, reputable MAC cosmetics wholesale suppliers are few and far between. Finding authentic MAC wholesale makeup is the holy grail for all high end cosmetics sellers. There are a lot of sites selling fake MAC cosmetics that you need to beware of.

Anyway, here is the lowdown…

Only MAC sells MAC products. Luckily, with any brand there is always some overrun/discontinued/shelf pull stock that ends up on eBay or other discounted websites. Because MAC is so popular, there is even less of this type of stock to go around. Have you ever seen a sale on at your local MAC counter? Wow, never? See – that is exactly my point!

MAC also often have special edition product lines that are only available for a short amount of time. Discontinued items that end up being made available on the cosmetics wholesale market, have a rarity value that increases their value sometimes way above the original selling price. Super low cost + high demand and low supply = super high profits. That is why any cosmetics business owner worth their salt wants to get hold of authentic MAC wholesale makeup at any cost.

A final point to mention is that wholesale makeup suppliers offer new stock to their best customers first. That makes it even harder for newbies to get started. So always build a good relationship with your supplier. Small but regular orders are a good way to build up your profits and reinvest in your business, while at the same time showing suppliers that you are a reliable customer with staying power.

To find the trusted sellers of authentic MAC wholesale makeup you may need help from a specialist wholesale cosmetics source, like Cheap Slap. This information is so valuable that really it is a business investment and worth paying a little for.

To find MAC cosmetics wholesale join Cheap Slap today. Members get instant access to all the best deals from trusted MAC cosmetics sellers.

Becky Bradshaw is a freelance beauty journalist.

Lipstick Cosmetics have been a fascination through the ages, from ancient times to modern day. Lipstick has a long and evolving history down through thousands of years. It started back somewhere around 3000 BC, at that time women were using a lot of toxic chemicals to color their lips. You could say they were willing to die for their beauty.

Over the years lipstick cosmetics changed with the times and at one period in history women were burned at the stake for luring men in with their devil red lips. England’s Parliament during the 1700′s passed a law that a woman could be burned at the stake for wearing lip color. Queen Victoria said that lipstick and other cosmetics were not to be worn. Of course one of Queen Victoria’s predecessors Queen Elizabeth was a great fan of cosmetics. At her court women wore chalk white on their faces with bold red lips and lots of jewelry amidst their ruffled colors.

As time progressed, women who wore red lipstick cosmetics were thought to be “fast” or “floozies” with their red tempting lips. Many women yearned to wear the bright red lip color but refrained and satisfied themselves with paler colors, rather than be looked down on.
In the twentieth century lipstick came into vogue, women started to claim their own power and they used bright red lipstick as a symbol. Movie stars started to wear more lipstick and chose bold sexy vibrant colors to give them that pouty wanting to be kissed look.

Since these women were admired for their beauty and independence, women wanted to be like them and lipstick cosmetics were brought into a new era where women could paint their lips and be proud. Cosmetic companies started, Max Factor, Maybelline , and Elizabeth Arden just to name a few worked to develop safer ingredients to provide new colors and of course still allow women to achieve those lush kissable lips.

Lipstick cosmetics have come a long way through time to become a primary beauty staple for millions of women. Don’t leave home without it!

SJ Scott has lives in the US, worked in Health Care for over thirty years. Writing and marketing on the internet are currently occupying her time.
Discount Cosmetics
Discount Cosmetics