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Welcome to our new Beauty Features section, where we feature articles on Beautiful People, Natural and Organic Beauty tips and expert advice as well as the stories behind our favourite paraben and synthetic-free beauty labels! Our focus is always organic natural beauty, on the inside and out...

Friday
May142010

Are parabens safe in beauty products?

Parabens occur naturally in fruits to fight against moulds. But are they safe in beauty products?This is not the first time we've tackled the paraben debate, but in view of increasing scaremongering on both sides of the debate, coupled with new evidence coming to light, it's timely to share our standpoint on parabens and invite our readers to get involved in the debate. Our key question is: Are parabens safe to use in beauty products?

In the first of our Cosmetic Safety features, the spotlight is on parabens, one of the most contentious ingredients. In a scientific nutshell, parabens are a group of alkyl esters of p-hydroxybenzoic acid, commonly used as antimicrobial preservatives in cosmetic, food and pharmaceutical products.

We are in daily contact with parabens, not least because they occur naturally, in apples for instance. But their synthetic, nature identical counterparts are also widely found in different toiletries and cosmetics, from shampoo, conditioner, facial cleanser to fake tan, toothpaste and deodorants.

Synthetic parabens are widely in use as they are known to act as effective preservatives against mould and yeasts, are practically pH neutral, do not cause product discolouration and they cost little to use. What's more, the European Cosmetics Directive deem parabens to be safe, with a maximum concentration of each one of 0.4% and a total maximum concentration of 0.8%. So if parabens are supposedly safe, why all the fuss?

Parabens have attracted considerable controversy in recent years, with scare stories like 'Killer Cosmetics' and 'Toxic Toiletries' making the headlines. The controversy centres around the claimed link between parabens and breast cancer. The link has been aroused by several findings:

  1. We apply a lot of topical treatments around the breast and upper chest area... think deodorants, body creams, sun tanning lotions, body sprays, on a frequent basis, allowing for cumulative exposure;
  2. The commonly used paraben esters, nearly ubiquitous in the above products, have now been shown to possess oestrogenic activity (1);
  3. Many scientific, evidence-based studies confirm that oestrogen plays a pivotal role in the development, progression and treatment of breast cancer (2);
  4. Intact paraben esters have been found in human breast cancer tissues and therefore are absorbed by our bodies and escape metabolism/breakdown (3).

These claims are highly disputed by the pro-paraben camp. For instance...

  1. The key scientific study demonstrating the coupled presence of parabens in breast cancer tissue was undermined as the blank controls in the study also had faint microscopic traces of parabens... probably due to parabens contained in cleaning detergents;
  2. Parabens are found in nature's larder, and the presence of parabens does not necessarily mean they are derived from beauty products, instead they could come from the food we eat;
  3. To quote Estee Lauder as the general stance taken "Proof of presence does not necessarily indicate proof of cause or harm."
  4. The oestrogenic or hormone disrupting effect of parabens are too mild to affect human health.

Now before you run out to load up your beauty cabinets with paraben products thinking they are safe, let's address the pro-paraben camp's lines of defence one by one.

Firstly, the scientific study indicating the presence of parabens in breast cancer tissue needs to be replicated, with a robust scientific control. Why hasn't this happened? More importantly, other groups (e.g. 4, 5) have found that paraben esters can remain intact once absorbed as indicated in human urine samples. In other words they are not completely broken down by skin esterases if applied dermally, or by our intestine/liver metabolic processes if ingested. This leads us to the second line of defense - the source of the parabens.

The pro-paraben camp claim that just because parabens have been found in body tissues, it doesn't mean they are necessarily derived from topical cosmetics. Rather, they say they could be the result of ingesting an apple let's say, as they contain natural parabens. According to NOW Foods, "The total consumption of parabens from all sources (via cosmetics and personal care products, food and pharmaceuticals) is estimated as about 77.5mg/day, with food accounting for approximately 2.5mg/day, cosmetics and personal care products 50mg/day and drugs 25mg/day." So while absorbed paraben esters may come from food, in light of this it appears the bulk of them are delivered via cosmetics.

Proof of presence does not provide proof of cause of harm? Well, simply put, it doesn't rule it out either! 

As for the oestrogenic effect of parabens, this is where it gets very complex, and the jury seems to be out and many are calling for more research. Whether parabens are oestrogenic is not in dispute. Instead it's the extent to which they are. Nonetheless we are intrigued by the recent results of an in vitro test performed recently by Dr Philippa Darbre at Reading University. 

Via Dr Barbara Olioso, the clever lady behind natural skincare brand, Forest Secrets, the results, while in vitro, definitely demand a closer look, and more replication across a wider range of parabens. The study was simple: breast cancer cells were incubated for 4 days with and without 0.00019% isobutylparaben. The results, pictured below, indicate the breast cancer cells before the incubation (left) and after the incubation without (middle) and with isobutylparaben (right).

Now my pre-schooler, who loves to play spot the difference, can easily, like you, spot that the sample incubated with a member of the paraben group has clearly accelerated the growth of cancer cells. This results demands replication, and tested with other parabens too. In our opinion, this study, and plenty of others, places a question mark over the safety of parabens. For us, the jury is still out.

Let's take a step back. Why is it that the beauty industry and regulators still claim that parabens are unquestionably safe? To answer this, we need to look at their evidence-base. Toxicology studies, here and elsewhere in industrial chemistry, tend to suffer from a blind spot when it comes the chemical stew we are exposed to over the course of our lifetimes. The current gold standard is assessing the tissue damage from exposure to a single chemical over a limited time. So what's wrong with this?

Over our lifetimes, we are exposed to a cocktail of chemicals and as such the current evidence-base supporting the pro-paraben camp fails to look at the synergistic effect of this chemical stew we are bombarded with. Secondly, the current gold standard fails to look at the lifelong, cumulative exposure to "safe" chemicals.

Until toxicology embraces a new standard for realistic robust safety testing of chemicals, synthetic or natural, then no-one can unequivocally state that parabens are 100% safe in cosmetic and personal care products.

But that's exactly what the pro-paraben camp claim. Unexpectedly, we even found this claim on Liz Earle's blog, surprising in that this high profile brand is famous for being 'naturally active' ... Liz Earle's answer to whether parabens are dangerous? "it is a total and unequivocal No!".

What's more, at the beginning of this special feature, we mentioned there has been scaremongering on both sides of the debate. In view of the above, are beauty products killers or toxic? Perhaps. But if the pro-paraben camp hold such scaremongering in disdain, why do they participate in it themselves. Again, according to Liz Earle: "We must seriously hope that no-one ends up getting hurt by using toxic skincare – not toxic because it contains preservatives, but toxic because it doesn’t."

What's becoming increasingly clear is that there are a number of effective natural preservatives that perform equally well. Margo Marrone, the founder of the highly respected organic brand, The Organic Pharmacy, told us "Our natural preservatives are  Japanese Honeysuckle, Essential oils of tea tree and other essential oils, lactic acid (the acid present in milk) and organic alcohol. A combination of these gives very effective preservative systems. The problem with parabens are the hormone disrupting aspect which can be absorbed through the skin and have shown an oestrogenic action in the body. Even companies who claim to use naturally sourced parabens still should avoid it as the end molecule has the same detrimental activity.

Having personally used natural skincare and cosmetic products for many years, it is without a doubt that these natural, paraben-free preservatives do the preservative job nicely, without the threat of potential oestrogen agonist behaviour. But they are more expensive (remember, parabens are cheap), so this may well be the reason so many of the beauty giants want to cling to the belief that parabens are "safe".

And there's one more point we'd like to make before we wrap this up and invite an open debate. Even if most of the parabens aren't absorbed and wash off, they don't miraculously disappear down the plug hole. Our wastewater system is laden with synthetic chemicals, and while treated to "safe" levels, heavy doses of nutrients and chemicals still end up in our waterways and harm ecosystem health. I should know. I spent countless hours of my life submerged in sewage-polluted waters measuring the impacts. Do we really want this synthetic chemical stew disrupting plant and animal life too? Can the pro-paraben camp truly say their ingredients are safe?

As we feel the jury is still out, The GIN Lady magazine will adhere to the Precautionary Principal. Playing it safe, with natural non-oestrogenic agonist preservatives, is our chosen course of action until the evidence proves otherwise. What do you think?

References:

1. Harvey PW, Darbre P. 2004. Endocrine disrupters and human health: could oestrogenic chemicals in bodycare cosmetics adversely affect breast cancer incidence in women? A review of evidence and call for
further research. J. Appl. Toxicol. 24: 167–176.

2. Lonning PE (ed.). 2004. Endocrinology and treatment of breast cancer. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 18: 1–130.

3. Darbre PD, Aljarrah A, Miller WR, Coldham NG, Sauer MJ, Pope GS. 2004a. Concentrations of parabens in human breast tumours. J. Appl. Toxicol. 24: 5–13.

4. Ye X, Bishop AM, Reidy JA, Needham LL, Calafat AM. 2006a. Parabens as urinary biomarkers of exposure in humans. Environ. Health Perspect. 114: 1843–1846.

5. Ye X, Kuklenyik Z, Bishop AM, Needham LL, Calafat AM. 2006b. Quantification of the urinary concentrations of parabens in humans by on-line solid phase extraction–high performance liquid chromatography–isotope dilution tandem mass spectrometry. J. Chromatogr. B Analyt. Technol. Biomed. Life Sci. 844: 53–59.

Monday
Apr192010

Plump up and refresh your facial skin

Toners no longer have the essential role they once did - to wash away the final traces of cleanser. Most cleanser formulations are now much easier to clean away, but having tried and tested a lot of products (by no means all!), we have come to love a few products... and have rediscovered some toners as the best wake-me-up tool - first thing in the morning, mid afternoon and while out and about for a refreshing cool down. Enjoy our three favourite picks to refresh, calm and plump up your skin!

1. Akamuti Organic Rose Facial Toner

110 ml, £6.95 - BEST VALUE

Wow, we just love spritzing the essence of rose water to wake us up first thing and throughout the day (starring at a computer screen is tiring!). Even better this toner is organic and contains absolutely nothing else! We were initially sold on the idea of organic rose water for its gentle conditioning and nourishment via Pukka, but Akamuti's version is just as good, but much better for value, so while we haven't fallen out of love with Pukka (we adore their teas and health elixirs), when it comes to organic rose water, Akamuti is the product to buy.

If you have broken capillaries, you may be interested to know that rose water also has a calming effect on this nuisance ailment (unfortunately we know only too well), so what with this elixir's gorgeous aroma, very gentle astringency and powerful refreshing effect, Akamuti's Organic Rose Water Spray is a sure bet.

Buy from Nature's Boutique, the new Green, Glam & Gorgeous beauty site!

 

2. Beyond Skin Care, Organic Uplifting toner

100ml, £15.04

This fabulous toner is flying off the shelves, most likely as it's just earned a Natural Health 2010 Beauty Awards Winner - and we're not surprised - this toner is great! It's certainly won a place in our beauty cabinet...

This 100% Organic Uplifting Toner is more complex than Akamuti's rose water - which doesn't make it better necessarily, but the difference may suit a person looking for a slightly more astringent toner, but still very gentle.

With a refreshing blend of mandarin and lavandin, it acts to refreshen and stimulate cell regeneration. It also claims to aid stretch marks and acne. On the latter, if you do suffer, we do reckon this would work, as you can just spritz it on without unnecessarily agitating the skin with a cotton pad. And with its award winning soothing ingredients, it's bound to work its magic.

Buy now from Beyond Skin Care.

 

 

3. Dr. Alkaitis Organic Replenishing Serum

120ml, £38.00

Otherwise known as a toner, this product gets the big thumbs up because it's multifunctional. It tones, balances, soothes and heals, and plumps up facial skin nicely. At night, we don't think it's a good idea to clog up your pores with a moisturiser, but this product (plus a light serum if you have dry(ish) skin) is just the ticket to restore and feed your skin.

Dr. Alkaitis's organic skin food is brilliant, and while very pricey, if you can afford it without blowing your monthly budget, then this product will last a lengthy time while feeding your skin with pure 100% nourishment - think organic Aloe Vera gel, witch hazel, organic grain alcohol, wild chamomile flowers, European Elder Blossoms, French Lavender flowers, Rosemary, Wild Fennel, natural vitamin B, vitamin C complexes and 100% pure essential oils.

Buy now from Love Lula.

Tuesday
Mar162010

Calendula and its beautiful healing power

Calendula, known as 'mother of the skin' among herbalists, is a super plant for healing a number of ailments - acne, grazes and scabs, skin inflammation, sun burn, insect bites, eczema, athlete's foot, even herpes sores. In other words, it's a great all rounder of an ingredient for sensitive or hurt skin. Calendula's name refers to the calendar, as the plant blooms every month of the year and can be grown here in the UK. If you so wish, you can grow it yourself (make sure it's the Calendula officinalis variety) to make up your own ointments, but be careful how you do it! Alternatively, you can find plenty of natural beauty products with this tried and tested ingredient to heal your skin. Today we put five beauties in the spotlight to 'mother your skin' - a must if you have sensitive skin.

The first Calendula product The GIN Lady was hooked on and convinced of its gentle but effective powers was Calendula and Arctic Berry Ultracalm Cleansing Milk by REN for sensitive skin. It is by far one of the best milk cleansers we have used and is spot on for sensitive delicate skin. It calms and soothes while doing the job - cleansing - well. It even manages to wash off eye make-up rather well - not bad for a mild cleanser and is due to the triglycerides in the coconut oil. While the Calendula is brill for the calming effect, its blend with bio actives from Arctic Blackcurrant Seed and Arctic Seabuckthorn Berry Oil to "boost skin lipid content and preserve moisture levels" is a claim we attest too as the skin is not dried out at all - quite the opposite in fact. All in all, REN's cleansing milk gets a whopping 9/10 from The GIN Lady and at £16.50, it's a mighty fine investment to look after your skin. Buy now from REN.

Having been sold on the idea of Calendula we turned to Love Lula, the organic apothecary, to tap into their expertise to tell us which other products we should be buying to look after our skin. After an informative chat, the products highly recommended include a light night cream, two pots of goodness to heal inflamed and hurt skin - a gel and a cream, as well as a body oil, perfect for both babies and adults with sensitive skin.

Kimberly Sayer's Tangerine & Calendula Healing Light Organic Night Cream sounds like a cracking product if you have oily blemished skin or want to heal acne scars. The problem facing any lady with blemishes is the need for a light cream - your skin needs moisturising but you don't want anything heavy to exacerbate your skin's condition. Friends of Love Lula who use this product firmly recommend it to others, a sure sign of its effectiveness. It won't cure your acne, but it will help reduce outbreaks, moisturise and brighten the skin while keeping the inflammation down. It's a little pricey at £24.10 but when you consider its balancing and calming power, it sounds like it will be worth every penny. Buy now from Love Lula.

Every household needs a pot of gold to heal burns, inflammations, insect bites, break outs, chapped skin, sore nipples. What we all need is the power of Calendula to heal it on the spot - and it works and is safe for both adults and babies. While Viridian's packaging is not the prettiest we've seen, it's a tried and tested product that gets a high score for effectiveness. And at £5.30, this pot of organic healing power sounds like a great deal for such an essential beauty cabinet staple. Buy now from Love Lula.

Another pot of gold to heal an array of skin ailments just like Viridian's but also is exceptionally good as a facial moisturiser is from the Harley Street Cosmetic brand. Clean of chemical nasties, it's comes in a gel, which is oil free and sinks into the skin quickly. Lula says "I turn to this wonderful moisturiser when my combination skin goes awol; breaking out in spots that don't want to go away and my sebum glands going into overdrive. The calendula speeds healing and acts as an anti inflammatory to calm skin and because it is oil free it hydrates and plumps skin without blocking pores." So this product is useful as a moisturiser as well as treating problem areas. Sounds good to us. Buy now from Love Lula.

 

Last but not least is a multifunctional product as it can help babies as much as us ladies. Hands up who's got dry itchy skin? Why not use Weleda's Calendula Baby Oil.... even if you don't have a baby, this oil is perfect for ladies who are prone to dry, sensitive skin. While many of us prefer a body lotion, massaging in a body oil after a shower locks the moisture in, and it's simply a good habit to get into. But if you are a new mum, look no further than Weleda's Calendula Baby Oil to massage in or pour into his bath as it's terrific for baby skin and has none of the chemical nasties both little ones and us should try to avoid. Buy now from Love Lula

Whether it's for Calendula products or simply great organic skin care, we highly recommend a visit to Love Lula and REN's Clean Skincare.

Friday
Feb262010

Raw Fair Trade & Organic Shea Nut Butter

Akoma Skincare is a new discovery for The GIN Lady: Not just the brand, but the knowledge that raw, rather than refined shea nut butter is the true revolutionary component that will genuinely moisturise and restore your skin's health, from dry skin to serious dermatitis issues. We also didn't fully appreciate the reasons why Fairtrade shea butter is so important. If there's one ingredient we'd love you to swap for a Fairtrade one, it's Shea Butter. Read Akoma's story and you'll never look back...


Shea butter is known as 'woman's gold' in West Africa for its unique and highly effective ability to heal. It is well known to restore a number of skin health complaints - think blemishes, sore itches, eczema, psoriasis, lichen sclerosis and other forms of dermatitis. To cure skin conditions, what you'll need is the raw stuff. Refining shea butter, among other things, extracts the phospholipids, the very element you need to gain the full moisturising benefits of shea. So why invest in the refined version - which most beauty products contain - without the key moisturising ingredients? It would be nuts to buy the refined version, right?!

Akoma Skincare specialise in the raw version. But this is only the start of its special story. Akoma is the UK's first importer of certified Fairtrade raw organic shea butter from Ghana.

Angus Klufio from Akoma shared with The GIN Lady "Until the Fairtrade beauty category was launched and Akoma got its FLO Fairtrade registration, our Shea Butter was fairly traded. There are a lot of Co-operatives in Ghana but there's a problem with the middle men." Angus continued "The middle men buy very cheaply to export abroad and charge a premium. These benefits are not passed onto the women. Certain buyers promise the Co-operative women incentives, but they don't deliver."

Organic Shea Nuts that have been roasted and waiting to be milled.Angus at Akoma Skincare wants to turn the whole industry around in Ghana. "As well as wanting Fair Trade, we also looked at organic certification and invested accordingly. We are setting an example others can follow." To meet these ends, Akoma have been awarded Soil Association Organic Certification and have built a purpose built facility for these women. They first acquired land and built a centre for the Akoma Cooperative Multipurpose Society. Now they no longer work in huts and under bad conditions which Angus and his team witnessed when they first arrived in Ghana.

Nuts are kneaded by the women working in the Co-operativeWomen are typically exploited to meet the Beauty Industry's needs. The added value from beauty products made with Shea Butter is in its processing, but many of the beauty giants take the raw material - the shea nut - and process it back in Europe. This means the local people do not receive the appropriate reward for their local raw materials. Angus adds "But things are starting to change now by people like ourselves. Firstly, we supply the raw version. While the refined version is more stable, it also strips the best properties out, like its vitamin A and C etc. But more importantly, the women in the Co-operative manufacture the product that Akoma sells to our customers."

The Women's Co-operative melt it down and lightly whip it so the shea butter is easier to apply. Akoma also sell raw blocks as some people prefer to do it themselves and add essential oils for instance. Angus told us "We sell quite a lot of pillow packs [the raw blocks] or they can buy the shea butter already whipped. You don't need a lot so it lasts a long while. If you apply it twice a day, from head to toe, a 500ml size jar will last a month."

The Co-operative Women add water to separate the fat. Processing the nuts in Ghana keeps the value locally.In a nutshell, Akoma Skincare's shea butter products are not just amazing for your skin's health: Organic certification restores West Africa's ecosystem health; Its Fairtrade mark ensures the future of the Akoma Cooperative Multipurpose Society; This in turn empowers women and keeps them safe from exploitation. The myriad of benefits to the Co-operative includes the ability to school their children, reduces poverty and protects farmers. When you also consider the real benefits to your skin, this surely must be one of the most beautiful stories we've heard.

The range of finished products by Akoma keep women in good fair employment in Ghana

View Akoma's Fairtrade and Organic Shea Butter products online to make a difference!

Thursday
Feb182010

Natural Organic Products for Beauty Survival

Whether you're about to hit the London Fashion Week circuit, or you're buried deep in everyday chores, our beauty can take a beating if you are burning the candle at both ends. We've put together a Beauty Survival Kit of natural beauty items to restore your looks quicker than you can say Organic Beauty Rocks!

COCONUT WATER

Not what you were expecting for a beauty fix? Feeling dehydrated can rob us of our looks rapidly as skin is the first organ to feel the effects of dehydration. First your skin will feel dry - not surprisingly. Left unchecked and it will affect your skin's ability to restore itself. Neglected completely and you may develop deeper wrinkles. When you consider all the other health effects, it's just not worth it. If you're a fun party animal and drink the wrong sort of fluids, then this can exacerbate dehydration big time. This is a beautiful solution - drinking 100% pure coconut water is a fabulous dehydration cure. This isotonic drink is jam-packed full of the right stuff - vitamins and minerals, in particular Magnesium, Potassium, Sodium, Manganese, Vitamin C, B6 and amino acids. Coco water is so good it can even be used for emergency plasma transfusions! Replenish your fluids, get glowing skin and never feel hungover again! Buy Vita Coco Pure Water now! Another great way of keeping your face hydrated and your spirits high is to spritz on some Pukka Rose Water - This is The GIN Lady's favourite pick me up!

LIP CONDITIONER

The GIN Lady is bowled over by the effects Herbfarmacy's Beauty Balm and is one of the balms around. Yet it's our lips that can often get overlooked. Look no further than Herbfarmacy's organic lip conditioner which will get you puckering up for a kiss in a very short time. Containing its signature Marshmallow herb and infused with Vanilla oil - yummy - your lips will love this conditioning treatment as much as your face will love their Beauty Balm!

UNDER EYE CONCEALER

If you're looking for a quick fix, then you may be in search of a magic wand. And we don't recommend the best selling version (you know which brand we mean!) because it features the chemical bomb we try to avoid at all costs.

Jane Iredale has managed to successfully offer a much cleaner version - Active Light - to illuminate the under eye area and conceal the dark eye bags so many of get inflicted with when we've neglected our slow beauty regime - sleep, water and much needed time out. So how does Jane Iredale achieve this? Its revolutionary formula uses mineral particules to manipulate how light is reflected and by doing this it masks your dark under eyes. Every green, independent & natural party girl should have this in their handbags! Buy now from Content Beauty.

DEEP HAIR REPAIR

Nothing is more uplifting that a healthy head of hair. But if your locks are lack lustre then it can have a hard knock on your looks, however good your skin is. We recommend Live Native's little pot of wonder that will restore your hair's shine overnight. Deeply penetrating, this raw blended pot of coconut oil will be absorbed by your hair's shaft to replenish your hair's natural protein levels. While you can use a tiny amount to give your hair an extra bit of shine each day, this hand made organic remedy does its best job if you massage in and leave overnight before rinsing it out in the morning. Buy now from Live Native.

EXFOLIATING CLEANSER

What we really need to do is take a small amount of our time every day for a tiny bit of TLC to maintain our looks. The GIN Lady has been trialing organic skin care brand Eminence and is quietly confident with its results. The first thing that hits you is the absolutely delicious smell of the blueberries. These clever little berries are rich in anti-oxidants and tannins while its soy content heals and soothes your skin back to a healthy looking glow. Unlike normal exfoliators, it doesn't have the grit, its texture is smoothe and washes away the old skin to renew your face's looks. While we think the packaging is a little dull, your face certainly won't be after your own trial. Buy now from The Skinsmith.

We hope you enjoy our natural cures, quick beauty fixes and routine maintenance measures to restore and sustain your natural beauty.