Household Products
With the approaching winter comes dry skin, and I start piling on lotion to combat the effects of the cold.
Ah! It's the governator!
I've been checking out two websites that talk about concerns in products. The first, great one is Skin Deep @ http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/, put on by the environmental working group. For almost two decades, the EWG has been using the power of public information to protect public health and the environment.
The EWG "brings to light unsettling facts that you have a right to know. It shames and shakes up polluters and their lobbyists. It rattles politicians and shapes policy. It persuades bureaucracies to rethink science and strengthen regulation. It provides practical information you can use to protect your family and community."
The other one is put on by the National Institute of Health: http://hpd.nlm.nih.gov/.
A friend's blog touched on this topic, too, and I was introduced to Skin Deep and Slow Death by Rubber Duck (which I've quoted many times here and IRL) by her.
For example, Dove Energy Glow Brightening Eye Cream contains Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, which is said to contain and contribute towards "developmental/reproductive toxicity, neurotoxicity, and organ system toxicity (non-reproductive)." Its contamination concerns include arsenic, lead, and heavy metals. What is Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate? I don't really know. So, why would I want to put something like that on my skin, especially if it would affect any kids I might one day have (developmental/reproductive toxicity).
But, I'm sure Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate makes skin "look" healthy, so that's why it's included.
3 comments:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12042058
...Oral studies using Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate or its related sodium salt produced no adverse systemic, reproductive, or developmental effects. Dermal injections produced no abnormal skin or systemic reactions in guinea pigs. Ocular toxicity was assessed in rabbits and using an in vitro test (chorioallantoic membrane vascular assay). In both cases no toxicity was seen. An acute inhalation toxicity study in rats was negative. Clinical tests indicated little irritation potential and no sensitization...
I still think the largest organ in my body should not have heavy metals slathered all over it. And testing on animals is NOT cool- poor bunnies...
I would like to point out that the website wasn't wrong here, as the website I was referencing simply states that there is "moderate evidence" that Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate contains "chemicals known to be neurotoxic to humans." It just says "contains" not "contains an alarming quantity of..."
But anyway, I don't know why Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate (something I can't even pronounce) needs to be in a moisturizer.
This is all that should be included in any moisturizing lotion: olive oil, almond oil, avocado oil, borage oil, macadamia extracts, cocoa butter, beeswax, sesame oil, coconut oil, rose water, galbanum oil, and rose oil.
This stuff also helps cure other problems, too, like arthritis, reduce age spots, heal sun damage...
No need to test on guinea pigs, either.
Furthermore, "the safety of Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate has been assessed by the Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel. The CIR Expert Panel evaluated the scientific data and concluded that Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate was safe for use in cosmetic formulations provided that established limitations on heavy metal concentrations are not exceeded."
I agree with Little Pebble that I don't know why I'd be adding heavy metals to my body.
An infinite amount of a cream whose heavy metal concentration is "not exceeded" contains an infinite amount of heavy metals.
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