The Wrong Stuff

You should really, really know this. Not just because the following list of chemical cosmetic ingredients are toxic, but because you also should know that what you put ON your skin goes IN.

These chemicals makes beauty products cheaper to produce or longer lasting or prettier. They do everything for the manufacturer and nothing for you.

Read the labels and avoid these evils.

Here they are:

1. Methyl, Propyl, butyl and Ethyl Paraben.

2. Diethanolamine (DEA) and Triethanolamine (TEA).

3. Diazolidinyl Urea, Imidazolidinyl Urea.

4. Sodium Lauryl/Laureth Sulfate.

5. Petroleum (mineral oil, petroleum jelly).

6. Propylene Glycol.

7. PVP/VA Copolymer.

8. Stearalkonium Chlorida.

9. Synthetically Derived Coloring.

10. Synthetically Derived Fragrances.

I am immensely grateful for the booklet, Natural Ingredients Dictionary, given away free by Audrey Organics for most of this information. If you don't happen to come across one at places where their excellent products are sold, try the Web site: http://www.aubrey-organics.com/.

Pure Stuff

Recommended. I've tried these Evan Healy products (Sea Algae Serum and Chamomile Eye Care Cream) and perused the labels of a bunch more. No allergic reactions to report, because there is nothing in them to react to. Like Dr. Hauschka, the philosophy is that your skin needs to be encouraged to take care of itself. Trust the skin. The up-side of this is that there are no anti-aging ingredients, like peptides. The down-side is that there are no anti-aging ingredients, like peptides. There are anti-oxidants like Co-Q10.

Look Before you Slather

So, you were wondering why I don't just use the cheap stuff. There are some good cheaper alternatives out there that are pretty allergy free. I'm thinking here of products like Cetaphil. The problem is, they are full of things that aren't healthy, such as Propylene Glycol and Dicaprylyl Ether and well, petroleum. Cetaphil is basically petroleum jelly with some chemicals added. The truth is, I'm just not into loading my body with petroleum products and chemicals, such as mineral oil, because what goes on your body also goes in it. I cannot rationalize slathering my body with the stuff. If I wanted to do that, I guess I could go swim in the Gulf off Louisiana.

Here's a good site that outlines in a really clear way some of the problems that plastics and petroleum can cause: http://www.ecologycenter.org/erc/petroleum/body.html.

Basically, these incredibly unnatural products cause cancer, disrupt our endrocrine systems and our brain function and so on and so on. They are in pretty much every drug store and department store beauty product. It's cheap, and its bad. Look before you slather, that's all I can say.

No Wen

Not recommended. At a friends suggestion I tried the "conditioning cleanser" Wen to help with my dry, dry hair. It's a glycerin-based, non-lathering cleanser. No soap, no striping of the hair. Sounded good, and it did help with the dryness, but it also gave me a exzema on my scalp that caused much empbarassment and took many months to clear up. This is because it contains the preservatives Methylchloroisothiazolinone and Methylisothiazolinone (related to isothiazolinone) both of which are allergens known to cause skin irritations, including chemical burns. Not to mention Dimethylamine (basically methanol and ammonia) and Butylene Glycol. Nice one, eh?

Do this instead? This "revolutionary" cleanser is really just glycerin watered down with aloe and some other herbal waters with added wheat protein (for body) and panthenol (to seal the hair surface and add shine - basically B5acid). So skip the Wen and make your own. Good vegetable gylcerin is available for a few dollars at any health food store. Obviously, you can buy aloe juice there too, but did you know you can also buy pantothenic acid and wheat protein? http://www.organic-creations.com/. I think I'll give it a try....

Hyaluronic Acid a Go Go

Recommended: Now Foods (http://www.nowfoods.com/) the vitamin company, has been making some basic beauty ingredients for years, though without much market presence and with some pretty ugly labels. I've been buying them online from a vitamin retailer. But then the other day at Whole Foods.... there they were, repackaged and with some new products. What I'm talking about are the Hayluronic Acid Firming Serum and the Hyaluronic Acid Creme, both of which are terrific (and I don't react to them.) The cream is an avacado oil, shea butter based night cream with soluble collagen and, of course, hyaluronic acid, which helps to bind moisture to the skin (or something like that). The serum is basically aloe with hyaluronic acid. Can't really go wrong with that if what you need is moisture (and I do). There is also a related moisturizer that is a thinner version of the cream for day use. Great!

Avoid if allergic to milk: What's not great is the company's Wrinkle Rescue Moisturizer from the same line. It says "restorative lift and toning" on the label, but alas, it caused the dreaded contact dermitis. I'm not sure which ingredient is the culprit, but likely it's lactoperioxidase, which is apparently cow's milk derived. Even using it on my hands makes me itch all over. Boo.

Now Foods site: http://www.nowfoods.com/

My Topical Allergies LIst

I'm allergic. My childhood photos show a dumpling of a child with rosy cheeks. Precious. Unless you know that the rouge look was supplied by the rash I always had. My mother sent me to elementary school twice with the measles. She was so used to the red, bumpy face.

I intend to document my failures and successes as I try to find products I can use. It's scary out there. Stay tuned. Pitch in. If you're like me (and I know there are some other sufferers out there), let me know what works for you and why.

So far these are some of the things I know I'm allergic to and a little about each.

• Sunscreens - even those without PABA probably the chemical Octyl salicylate because it is made with salicylic acid and 2-ethylhexanol, meaning it is an ethylene oxide derivative = bad, though it may in fact be the Isothiazolinone (see below) or the Quaternium 15 (see below).
• Latex - I'm allergic to rubber accelerators ( Mercapto - benzothiazole (see below) and ethylenediamide (also below) as well as ethylenediamide (see below).
• Nickel Sulfate Ethylenediamide dihydrochloride - a preservative used in latex, Antifungal cream, Antihistamines, Eye drops, Insecticides, Merthiolate, Motion sickness medicines, epoxy.
• Isothiazolinone - with chloro and methyl parts - a fungicide and algicide also used in personal care products, sunscreens, eye shadow, foundation, mascara, concealers, baby wipes and makeup removers. This includes its kin: Methylchloroisothiazolinone and Methylisothiazolinone both of which include it in their evil formulations.
• Thiuram - a fungicide and pesticide used in neoprene and other rubbery things. Also in latex? Propylene Glycol? not sure - but I'm allergic to Tom's deoderants and there's not much else in there. It's used in hand sanitizers, moisturizers, toothpaste (yes, I'm allergic), foods, and personal lubricants (yes, ouchy).
• Propylene glycol causes kidney and liver damage.
• Quaternium 15 - preservative that releases formaldehyde (as do its buddies the ureas) - found in many foundations, eye makeup, shampoo, sunscreens, moisturizers. Mercapto - benzothiazole - used in the production of rubber products, including: tape, bandages, condoms, Antifreeze, balloon, Brassieres, Caulking, Earphones, Gloves , goggles.
• Thimerosal - this is the preservative found in vaccines that contain mercury that some people blame for the rise in autism.
• P phenylenediamine - used as a component of engineering polymers, hair dyes, clothing dyes and pigments. Found in gasoline, benocaine, PABA, and sulfa drugs. Found even in "natural" hair dyes contain it, even some hennas.
• Coal tar - used for coloring in hair colors (yellow dye # 10, #11, blue #1, green #3) and makeup and to make benzene, toluence, cresol, and phenol. They used creosote on all the phone poles when I was growing up - thus my exposure?
• Cow's milk - can't eat it, can't get it on my skin and there are lots of tricky ingredients that look like something else, but are cow's milk derived. Beware all "lacto" anything.
• Hydroquinone - linked to cancer and adrenal gland problems. It's banned in Europe, Japan, and Australia. It gives me a rash.

Let's get started.