Sweetsation Blog

Three Anti-Aging Products You Don’t Need

2012-01-31T12:53:00.000-05:00

With the thousands of anti-aging products available in stores, online and even in vending machines at your local airport or shopping malls, it’s no surprise that consumers get overwhelmed when deciding what to buy. Over time, some of us end up trying the entire drugstore, while others just play it safe with the same rotation of products that they’re never completely happy with.

My goal is to help those who want to look as young as they feel but don’t want to spend their hard-earned cash on marketing gimmicks or experimental, yet-to-be-proven products. Cut through the clutter and make practical, scientifically sound choices with my advice on what you don’t need in your anti-aging routine.

1. Cleansers With Botanical Extracts

What they are: Botanical extracts are ingredients extracted from plants (flowers, roots, stems, trees, etc.) for use in skin care for everything from healing blemishes to reducing fine wrinkles. They have been used for centuries and have anecdotal purposes in just about, if not, all cultures. In anti-aging creams, toners and serums, they work effectively.

The issue: Botanical extracts need to remain on your skin in order to work. In cleansers, there is simply not enough contact time on your skin for any true anti-aging benefit to take place. Another issue is that most botanical extracts are water soluble, which means that the moment you wet your skin and begin to wash your face, they’re watered down and rendered useless.

How to solve it: You may love how your cleanser makes your skin feel, or how it evens out your skin tone, but it’s the effects of the balance of surfactants (cleansing agents) that you actually like – not the botanical extracts! To save on your cleanser, but still get the feel you love, find a formula containing similar surfactants – matching botanical ingredients does not matter.

2. Lip Exfoliators

What they are: Dry, chapped lips are uncomfortable, but you don’t need to purchase a special product to relieve them. Most lip exfoliators consist mainly of sugar and natural oils in a wax base to hold everything together.

The issue: Lip exfoliators work, but they’re pricy, ranging from $10 to $25.

How to solve it: Spare yourself this unnecessary expense! Before going to bed, apply olive oil and with a light hand, rub a toothbrush on your lips in a circular motion to get rid of the dry skin. This quick-and-easy exfoliation technique will leave your lips feeling smooth and soft.

3. Retinol and Acids in One Product

What they are: Retinol is one of the best anti-aging ingredients available. It can help reverse the visible signs of premature aging due to excessive sun exposure, help control acne and reduce wrinkles. Likewise, acids such as alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) like glycolic acid or beta hydroxy acids (i.e. salicylic acid) are wonderful chemical exfoliants that breakdown the gunk holding dead skin cells together. The end result is silky smooth skin, a more even skin tone, and a reduction of fine lines. It’s no wonder skin-care manufacturers want the benefits of these ingredients in one power-packed anti-aging product.

The issue: These ingredients, retinols and acids, can’t coexist in the same product without one of them being compromised. Retinol is notoriously unstable and can breakdown if proper caution is not taken when creating the base formulation. One factor that helps keep retinol stable is the pH. Simply speaking, pH is the measure of how acidic or alkaline something is. For example, vinegar is very acidic and has a pH of about 3, water is considered neutral with an average pH of 7; and hair-removing creams are very alkaline with a pH of about 12. Retinol’s pH comfort zone is about 6-8.

Acids by their very name are acidic and are most effective at pHs below 5; in fact, the lower the pH the more effective they are. I think that you can see where this is going. If acids are more effective with pHs below 5 and retinol is more stable above pH 6, then one of them is going to be compromised if placed in the same formulation. That doesn’t mean that the product won’t work; it just means that you will be reaping the benefits of either the retinol or the acids, but not the comprehensive benefits of both that you are paying for!

How to solve it: Some companies understand this problem, and solve it by encapsulating one of the ingredients so they are chemically “hidden” and will not be affected by the outside pH. Encapsulating means one ingredient is enclosed in another (similar to the way an egg yolk is enclosed in the egg shell). This is the best way to make sure that you are getting the full benefits of both!

Source:doctoroz.com

Feed Your Skin and Be Beautiful

2011-10-26T21:59:00.000-04:00

Research proves that consuming healthy foods can help your skin have a youthful, plump, radiant, glowing appearance. In 2007, the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition published a study done by British researchers that examined whether the food people eat affects the way their skin looks—and the answer was clear. More pronounced wrinkles were found in those with a higher intake of bad fats and processed carbohydrates (such as white bread and packaged cookies and snacks), while a diet rich in vitamin C was found to reduce wrinkling later in life. It’s just more proof that food has a lot to do with the beauty of your skin.

Foods that are rich in Vitamin C:

#1: Red and Green Hot Chili Peppers
#2: Guavas
#3: Bell Peppers
#4: Fresh Herbs (Thyme and Parsley)
#5: Dark Leafy Greens (Kale, Mustard Greens, Garden Cress)
#6: Broccoli, Cauliflower, Brussels Sprouts
#7: Kiwi Fruits (Chinese Gooseberries)
#8: Papayas (aka: Lechoza, Mamão, Pawpaw)
#9: Oranges and Clementines (Tangerines)
#10: Strawberries
And for topical cosmeceuticals full of antioxidants, preventing premature wrinkles, visit www.sweetsationtherapy.com

Berry Shake a day - keeps Cancer away

2011-10-18T11:32:00.000-04:00

We all know there are benefits to healthy eating - but what you may not realize is that a wholesome diet along with exercise and a healthy weight can prevent cancer. Below is a recipe from Dr. Julia Greer that includes some of the best secret-weapon ingredients to prevent cancer.

The night before preparing this shake, wrap sliced banana in plastic wrap or place in a freezer storage bag and freeze. This recipe's anthocyanins, found in berries, and calcium, found in milk, may help prevent colon and breast cancers.

Ingredients

Makes 2 servings

1 medium banana, sliced into chunks and frozen

1/4 cup fresh or frozen unsweetened blueberries

1/4 cup fresh or frozen unsweetened raspberries

1-1/2 cups low-fat (1%) milk

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 tsp almond extract

Pinch of ground cinnamon

Table spoon of ground Flax seeds.

Directions

In a blender, combine all ingredients except cinnamon. Blend 20 seconds or more until smooth. Pour into glasses and garnish with a sprinkle of ground cinnamon. Enjoy!

Substitutions:

Cow's milk can be substituted with Almond or Coconut milk.

Weekend skin treat. Nourishing Hydration Masque

2011-10-14T22:46:00.000-04:00

½ avocado (peeled & pitted)--moisturizing. vitamin-rich

3 seedless grapes--tightening, toning, antioxidant

1 egg--tightening, hydrating and adds protein value

1 teaspoon mayonnaise--nourishing

1 teaspoon honey--anti-blemishes & anti-wrinkle

1 tablespoon baking soda--ph balancer, gentle cleanser

2 teaspoons apple juice--exfoliating

Puree the avocado and grapes until smooth. Add remaining ingredients and blend on medium speed for 45 seconds. Apply mixture evenly to face & leave on for 10-15 minutes. Feet up - relax and have some "me" time, gorgeous.

Working With Winter Skin Ailments

2011-10-13T22:43:00.000-04:00

Winter is coming. Even though around the country the climates vary, the problems our skin experiences are similar. In the winter your skin deals with a lot of harsh environments, strong winds, cold air, indoor heaters, rain, snow, sleet and an overall lack of a good healthy dose of sunlight. We are left with dry skin that can become chapped and cracked. But have no fear the cures to your skin’s winter ailments are simple. Your skin’s goals this winter should be to moisturize, exfoliate and moisturize again. Keep moisture in mind with all the choices you make in your skin care regime. Your skin functions differently in the winters so you need to change your routines.

Cleanse:
Winter is the time of year when you need to put away your foaming and soap cleansers and stock up on crème cleansers. Cleansing crèmes, lotions and milks are very effective cleansers and they do not contain the typical surfactant or detergent ingredients that most cleansing gels contain which can be too harsh on your skin in the winter months.

Tone:
Put away your astringents and switch to a toner for winter. Your skin needs to be soothed and balanced and not dried out further by an astringent.

Moisturize:
Choose heavier crèmes in the winter than you would in the summer months. Feel free to use your heavy eye crème around your lips and entire face. If your skin is itching it is because the dry air of winter is causing the moisture in the top layer of your skin to evaporate quickly. You will need to slather those areas with extra moisture until you feel relief. Never be afraid of using pure oils on your skin in the winter months. A bottle of jojoba oil or olive oil is a great thing to have on hand all winter. During the cold and flu season you should wash your hands liberally but be certain to apply a heavy hand crème every time you wash your hands.

Exfoliate:
Exfoliate twice per week to remove dead skin cells and allow your skin to absorb the extra moisture you are lathering on. The central heating plays havoc on the sebum our skin normally produces, which makes our skin lose water which should be retained in the lower dermis of the skin. Have you ever wondered about the areas of your skin that looks like your skin is flaking off your body? What happens is that during the winter months there are thousands of dry skin cells ready to be sloughed off the surface and they become clumped together with oil which forms what appear to be flakes. Don’t be flaky, exfoliate! Exfoliate your skin with crème based exfoliates with jojoba beads and your body will soak up the rich oils of a butter or oil based body scrub.

Hydrotherapy:
For a simple in home hydrotherapy, start out your day with a hot steamy shower and just as you are finishing switch the water to cold for about fifteen seconds. Repeat the process for two minutes. This hydrotherapy technique will revitalize your skin by stimulating the flow of blood through the skin.

In the Shower and Bath:
One of the greatest times to apply body oil or creme is right after a hot bath or shower, but did you know you can apply any oil, lotion or creme while you are in the shower or bath. You can even use your hair conditioner all over your body for soft and supple skin. The heat and steam from the shower allows your skin to thoroughly absorb moisture. Once you bring your body oil, lotion and creme into the shower try shaving with them. The rich oils protect your skin and give your razor a perfect glide. After you try it you might never go back to shaving with soap or shaving cream.

Your skin will benefit from following some of the tips of summer, eat healthy whole food, use SPF products and drink plenty of water. But for winter you simply need to remember to moisturize, exfoliate and moisturize again!

This article first appeared in the November/December issue of HK Magazine Online.

Weekend (and any day) skin treat - Fruit Facial Masque

2011-09-17T23:11:00.000-04:00

Many cosmetic companies are now using fruit acids (AHAI’s), vitamins (antioxidants) and enzymes in many beauty products. In organic beauty, only fresh ingredients are used and therefore a highly active and most effective cure can be given. You will be amazed at how something as simple as dabbing some fresh lemon juice on your face every morning can make an vast difference in how soft your skin feels.

Try any of the following fruit acids, but always take care to avoid your eyes.

→ Lemon juice
→ Strawberries
→ Grapes
→ Malic acid (apples, vinegar, applesauce, cider)
→ Lactic acid (buttermilk, yogurt, powdered skim milk, sour cream, blackberries, tomatoes)
→ Tartaric acid (grapes, grape juice, wine, cream of tartar)
→ Citric acid (citrus fruits such as lemons, limes, grapefruit, and orange)
→ Glycolic acid (sugar cane)

We all are aware of the fact that fresh fruits are good for health and the core vitamin and the mineral lies in the pulp and the skin of any fruit. And just as they are useful to the body, these nutrients can provide excellent rejuvenating factor for our skin too. If you know the properties of each fruit, you can pamper yourself with an all-natural fruit mask, without spending too much time or money.

First up:

Carrot Facial masque
Ingredients:

1 medium sized carrot (rich in vitamin A)
Half a cup honey (anti bacterial)
Mashed papaya or banana (contains enzymes, rejuvenating)
2 table spoons of yogurt (mild AHA)

Procedure:
Blend the carrot in a blender along with honey, and papaya or banana. Add yogurt to make a thick paste. Apply all over face for around 20 minutes. Wash with lukewarm water. Your face will instantly glow. Have fun.

Magic of Honey for your skin

2011-08-19T12:08:00.002-04:00

Honey is great for the skin. It can be used directly on the skin as a mask or added with other ingredients. The following recipes are designed to be mixed and used immediately. Honey will only suspend ingredients for a short period of time. We have retail ready honey spa products at Essential Wholesale for those wishing to create a product line from honey.

There are plenty of reasons to add honey to your beauty regimine for all skin types. Honey is a well known antibacterial and antifungal agent. It is rich in vitamins, minerals, and amino acids. Honey also contains powerful antioxidants which fight free radicals. Honey is a humectant, which means it binds moisture to the skin.

Honey Exfoliating Masque
1 tbsp honey
1 tsp poppy seeds
Mix together thoroughly and gently exfoliate in upward circular motion, leave on as masque for up to 20 minutes, rinse thoroughly.

Honey Masque for Dry Skin
1 tbsp honey
1 tsp olive oil
1 egg yolk

Mix together thoroughly, gently apply in upward circular motion, leave on as masque for up to 20 minutes, rinse thoroughly.

Honey Facial
1 tbsp warmed honey
Open facial pores with warm steamy wet towel, apply warm honey, leave on for up to 20 minutes and rinse thoroughly.

Honey Body Scrub
1 tbsp honey
2 tsp olive oil
2 tbsp fine salt

Mix together thoroughly and exfoliate body from the heart towards the outer limbs.

Enjoy and have fun beautiful!

Sensitive and Allergy-prone Skin

2011-08-19T11:46:00.003-04:00

For those who suffer from allergies there is a tendency to label a cosmetic ingredient or a cosmetic in general as bad, because of your allergy. I know, because I’ve had my moments as an allergy sufferer in which I want to assume all products that have allergy triggers are bad. But it simply isn’t true. The bad guy in my body really is my immune system and not the allergen.

An allergy is the body’s immune system rejection of a substance. It is caused when the immune system sees a substance as a foreign invader. In reaction to the “foreign invasion” the body sends T-cells (a group of white blood cells) out to fight, which in skin allergic reactions causes redness and irritation. Your risk of developing an allergy to cosmetics isn’t necessarily related to the natural or chemical formulation of a cosmetic, but instead it is related to your parents’ allergy history.

Skin Allergies
Skin allergies are very common, but allergies can impact any area of the body. A skin allergy reaction can appear in the form of a rash, welt or hives. These inflammations of the skin may be in isolated patches or in general areas.

To have an allergic reaction you simply need to have been exposed at least one time to a substance at which time your body identified it as a foreign invader. The next time you are exposed to that substance your body sends out the troops to protect itself and suddenly you have an allergic reaction. Your body has an exaggerated immune response. The same substance will cause absolutely no reaction in non-allergic people because the body sees the substance as harmless, because it is if you aren’t allergic to it. Many times an allergic reaction shows up on the skin whether it was caused by topical exposure or not.

Sensitive Skin
People with red hair, or who have Celtic, Irish, British or Scottish heritage often suffer from sensitive skin, which is characterized by very thin, fragile and pink colored skin.

Sensitive skin is often mistaken for allergy-prone skin. In sensitive skin the blood vessels and nerve endings are closer to the surface of the skin, which causes it to get irritated and redden easily from external or internal irritants. Not only can topical application of a cosmetic cause sensitive skin to redden, but so can eating spicy food, consuming caffeine or alcohol, taking niacin (Vitamin B3), exposure to sun or tobacco use.

Sensitive skin is much more likely to develop reactions and allergies to cosmetics, however many reaction to cosmetics for people with sensitive skin may not be associated with true allergies. It takes special attention to the details of foods and cosmetic ingredients to isolate what is causing simply red irritated skin and what is the cause of a true allergy. Either way anyone with sensitive skin knows that whether it is a true allergy or simply a reaction from sensitive skin it is desirable to avoid the cause of the reaction in the future.

Hypoallergenic Cosmetics
There is no such thing as hypoallergenic cosmetics. It is an oxymoron, because there are absolutely no substances on earth that can be guaranteed to not cause an allergic reaction for some people. Hypoallergenic really means that it is less likely to cause an allergic reaction.

Common Allergens is Cosmetics and Household Products
Fragrances are a common source of allergic reaction in cosmetics. Again, there simply is nothing on earth, whether man-made or natural that is guaranteed to be hypoallergenic. A commonly unknown cause of allergic reaction to “fragrance free” cosmetics is actually fragrance chemicals. Yes, you read that right. There are often still fragrance oils in fragrance free cosmetics. This is one loophole in the cosmetic law that I would love to see closed. It is perfectly legal to call your product fragrance free and not label it with the term fragrance if, and only if, the fragrance was added to mask the aroma of another chemical in the formulation.

“The ingredient or mixture of ingredients acting as a masking agent, i.e., covering the undesirable off-odor of a product without adding a discernable odor to it, may be declared by their individual name(s) or as "fragrance" (in lieu of a better designation). A masking agent present in a product at an insignificant level may be considered an incidental ingredient under § 701.3(1)(2)(iii) in which case it need not be declared on the label.” Source: FDA Labeling Manual

Sunscreens contain ingredients that are common allergens, but on the other hand no use of sunscreen can cause sun light allergies. You simply can’t win when you are allergy-prone. One tip that can be given is to apply sunscreen prior to going out in the sun. Hot skin can intensify the reaction.

If you are allergy-prone the very best first step you can take in stopping ongoing reaction is to change your laundry detergent, dryer sheets and fabric softeners. Your clothes comes in contact with a large portion of your body and can commonly be the cause of rashes, hives and welts. Switch to a chemical and fragrance free laundry products.

If you’ve determined your laundry detergent is okay, do a patch test on your shoulder blade. Simply put a dab of product on your shoulder blade and then cover it with a large plaster in order to avoid rubbing of the product off on your clothes. After an hour you should know if there is a reaction.
By Kayla Fioravanti

What you didn't know about the cellulite.

2011-05-18T23:49:00.002-04:00

Until recently cellulite was considered a solely cosmetic condition. Now, research has shown that changes over time in the body's skin structure actually lead to the transformation of fat cells into cellulite. And that falls into a medical condition.

Cellulite develops in five stages, described below:

Stage One

Blood microcirculation, venous flow, and/or lymphatic drainage to the subcutaneous layer are impaired. Reduced blood microcirculation starves and weakens the surrounding tissue, making it more susceptible to cellulite. Reduced venous flow translates to higher fluid retention and pooling of the blood. Reduced lymphatic drainage means that lymph fluids, which normally carry waste away from the cells, are trapped in the area. The septae connective tissue may begin to become more fibrous. In this stage, all of the changes are not visible to the naked eye. There may not be any other symptoms, with the possible exception of cuts and bruises taking longer to heal because of the impaired circulation.

Stage Two

Once circulation is lessened, the capillaries and veins become weakened and leak blood into the surrounding tissue. This increases the pressure in the tissue, and restricts circulation and fluid drainage even more. In this stage, you may notice thicker and more tender skin than normal, as well as discoloration or broken veins. The skin may also bruise more easily. However, there is no appearance of the lumpy cellulite bumps yet.

Stage Three

After a few months of lymphatic fluid build up, the fat tissue become swollen and begin to push against the outer skin In this stage, the first signs of lumps and the "orange peel" look appear.

Stage Four

The stagnant lymphatic fluid cause the fibrous septae to congeal into thicker fibers. Cells starved of oxygen and nutrients may also become incorporated into these fibers, thus adding to the fibers' thickness. These fibers begin to trap and squeeze the fat cells, which press on the surrounding tissue and reduce even more circulation in the area. Because of the lack of circulation, the skin may feel cold to the touch.

Stage Five

Because of the high pressure, blood circulation is re-routed around the cellulite area. Septae fibers continue to grow to an extent that the fat cells are completely trapped. Although fat continues to be stored in these cells, it is not efficiently removed from it (through exercise or diet) because of the poor circulation. In this stage, the thick fibers, trapped fat cells, and stagnant fluids form a huge honeycomb structure called steatomes. This causes large lumps and bumps that are the hallmarks of cellulite.

Aside from the poor blood circulation, excessive cellulite maybe caused:

* On lower portion of stomach. It's thought to be linked to digestive disorders. Indeed, many women with stomach cellulite have irritable bowel, constipation, or liver disorders.
* Neck. Constant stress is thought to increase the likelihood of a cellulite accumulation or fatty lump in the back of the neck. Prolonged stress can manifest in tension in neck muscle, leading to misaligned vertebrae and inflammed tissue. In turn, this inflammation can cause fluid retention which can lead to cellulite formation. Fortunately it's not one of the most noticeble places.
* Upper arm. Cellulite in the upper arm usually occurs in older women, and is usually associated with cellulite in the leg. It is thought to be triggered by reduced venous flow or impaired vein systems in the arm.

The predisposition to cellulite seems to be genetically inherited also, just like a lot of other disorders. Some people simply have more fat cells, weak veins, fragile lymphatic vessels, poor circulation or hormonal sensitivity. And stress can be a cause too. Prolonged stress and the associated increased surge of adrenaline, can actually lead to increased fat storage in the stomach, hips, buttocks, and thighs.

And last, but not least. Smoking. Everyone knows that smoking is a health hazard. But it is not widely known that cigarette smoking can also lead to cellulite. Cigarette smoke contains free radicals or highly charged oxygen molecules that are very damaging to vein and capillary walls, causing inflammation and leaking. Furthermore, cigarette's nicotine is a vasoconstrictor and can also cause small blood vessels to constrict, and thus reduce microcirculation.

FDA allowable active ingredients in sunscreens

2011-04-12T11:47:00.000-04:00

UV filter	Other names	Maximum concentration
p-Aminobenzoic acid	PABA	15% (USA, AUS); 5% (EU)
Padimate O	OD-PABA, octyldimethyl-PABA, σ-PABA	8% (EU, USA, AUS); 10% (JP) (Not currently supported in EU and may be delisted.)
Phenylbenzimidazole sulfonic acid	Ensulizole, Eusolex 232, PBSA, Parsol HS	4% (USA, AUS); 8% (EU); 3% (JP)
Cinoxate	2-Ethoxyethyl p-methoxycinnamate	3% (USA); 6% (AUS)
Dioxybenzone	Benzophenone-8	3% (USA, AUS)
Oxybenzone	Benzophenone-3, Eusolex 4360, Escalol 567	6% (US); 10% (AUS, EU); 5% (JP)
Homosalate	Homomethyl salicylate, HMS	10% (EU, JP); 15% (USA, AUS)
Menthyl anthranilate	Meradimate	5% (USA, AUS)
Octocrylene	Eusolex OCR, 2-cyano-3,3diphenyl acrylic acid, 2-ethylhexylester	10% (USA, AUS, EU, JP)
Octyl methoxycinnamate	Octinoxate, EMC, OMC, Ethylmethoxycinnamate, Escalol 557, 2-ethylhexyl-paramethoxycinnamate, Parsol MCX	7.5% (US); 10% (EU, AUS); 20% (JP)
Octyl salicylate	Octisalate, 2-Ethylhexyl salicylate, Escalol 587,	5% (EU, US, AU); 10% (JP)
Sulisobenzone	2-Hydroxy-4-Methoxybenzophenone-5-sulfonic acid, 3-benzoyl-4-hydroxy-6-methoxybenzenesulfonic acid, Benzophenone-4, Escalol 577	5% (EU); 10% (US, AU, JP)
Trolamine salicylate	Triethanolamine salicylate	12% (USA, AUS)
Avobenzone	1-(4-methoxyphenyl)-3-(4-tert-butylphenyl)propane-1,3-dione, Butyl methoxy dibenzoylmethane, BMDBM, Parsol 1789, Eusolex 9020	3% (US); 5% (EU, AUS);10% (JP)
Ecamsule	Mexoryl SX, Terephthalylidene Dicamphor Sulfonic Acid	10% (EU, AUS)

*Source, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/sunscreen

Pomegranate - a Cosmeceutical Ingredient

2011-01-22T20:24:00.003-05:00

Pomegranate fruits have been cultivated since historic times as symbols of fertility, royalty,
hope and abundance. Its herbal use dates back to more than 300 years. Celebrated in art,
mythology, religious texts and literature for centuries. Some have suggested that it was
pomegranate, not an apple that led to the expulsion of Adam and Eve from the Garden of
Eden. The pomegranate probably originated in Iran and Afghanistan and was brought to
China a century and a half before the Christian era. The pomegranate tree leaf, in the
Zoroastrian religion is considered as the representative of the vegetable world which
supplies sustenance to man and much used in rituals and domestic observances.

Pomegranate is freely sold in the United States as a fruit juice. Grocery store pomegranate
juices are not usually standardized and a large part of the price you pay goes to cover the
cost of shipping the heavy glass bottles, which contain mostly water. A recent profusion of
pomegranate nutraceutical products, "standardized to 40% ellagic acid," has appeared in
the marketplace. The beneficial neutraceutical properties of Pomegranate are due to the
synergy among the various pomegranate fractions and phytochemicals and not simply the
concentration of ellagic acid. It is considered undesirable to design and engineer
pomegranate nutraceutical products to maximize the concentration of a single
phytochemical. UK-based Reading Scientific Services (RSSL) has now developed a reliable
test based on ellagic acid, which can be used to indicate the pomegranate concentration.
Ellagic acid is a dimer of gallic acid and an extremely common plant phenolic with anticancer
and antioxidant benefits.

The specific trienoic fatty acid and a major component of Pomegranate Seed Oil is Punicic
acid. Punicic acid potently inhibits prostaglandin biosynthesis and contributes to the total
anti-inflammatory potential of pomegranate. Chemical name 9Z, 22E, 13Z-octadeca-9, 11,
13-trienoic acid.
In recent years there has been an increase in use of botanicals with antioxidant properties
as skin photo protective agents. Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) fruit has been
extensively used in traditional medicine in various parts of the world. Pomegranate fruit possesses strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. It is a rich source of many
phenolic compounds, which include flavanoids such as anthocyanins, anthocyanidins,
catechins and other complex flavanoids, ellagitannins and hydrolyzable tannins such as
punicallin, pendunculagin, punicalagin, gallagic and ellagic esters of glucose. Whole fruit
extract has been standardized to provide the biologically active punicalagins that are unique
to pomegranate. Studies have shown that pomegranate juice possesses antiproliferative,
antiatherogenic, antiinflamatory and antitumoriogenic effects. These effects of
pomegranate-derived products appear to be attributable to its free radical scavenging and
antioxidant properties.

Win the War against Dry Skin

2011-01-22T19:36:00.003-05:00

The main cause of dry skin (Xerosis) is exposure to factors that strip away essential, protective lipids from our skin. There are also medical reasons for dry skin such as certain drugs, hypothyroidism or diabetes which should be evaluated and treated by your doctor. But for the 100 million of us that suffer from the other common causes of dry skin, here are some tips to help protect the largest organ of our body.

With every change in the season, there’s a new battle that you need to fight to keep your skin in good health. And the toughest of these is fighting dry and hard skin, which is usually seen during winters. And well, it’s not just the weather that makes your skin dry and cracked; there could be several other reasons behind the problem such as poor eating habits, malfunctioning subcutaneous oil glands, thyroid malfunction and side effects of prescription drugs.

The intensity of the dry skin problem may vary, and if the problem is mild, a regular application of some basic moisturizer may be quite enough way to prevent the skin from drying out. However, when your dry skin problem is a little on the extreme, and you experience cracking of the skin, then you need to think beyond the regular moisturizers and cold creams. Whatever be the severity of the problem, make it a golden rule to never use hot water to wash your face and to never rub the towel on your skin. Be gentle to your skin and always pat it dry, because vigorous rubbing can irritate and damage the skin. And while your skin is still damp, apply some moisturizer to your skin. This will help to lock in the moisture in the skin tissues before it evaporates into the air. Cleansing and moisturizing are two activities which must take place one after the other. And when you apply the moisturizer, be sure to apply it around your eyes and on your throat, because most women tend to ignore these areas. To cleanse your skin, go in for the mildest of the cleansers, and preferably one which has a neutral pH balance as these are less likely to contain skin irritating detergents.

And before you finally crash for the day, make it a habit to cleanse and moisturize your face and you’ll be glad to see soft and moisturized skin when you get up the next morning. And lastly, milk is known to offer a lot of relief in dry skin problem, so how about pampering your skin with a milk bath at least once a week.

You are what you eat. Eating foods rich in Vitamin E and F such as green leafy vegetables, nuts and salmon or taking omega rich supplements will result in a visible difference to your dry skin within 6 weeks.

A high carb, high sugar diet, on the other hand, will increase your cortisol or stress hormone levels triggering the inflammatory response that leads to dry, sensitive skin.

Stop the hand-sanitizer epidemic! The main antiseptic ingredient in anti-bacterial hand sanitizers is 70% or more ethyl alcohol which can dry and irritate skin. Many people don’t even wash their hands anymore opting instead to use sanitizer. At a minimum, choose one that also contains glycerin and aloe.

Use sunblock everyday all year round. UVA and UVB rays are always there. They don’t disappear as the seasons change or when daylight savings time kicks in. In fact, snow reflects 85% of UV radiation compared to 2% from grass (known as the Albedo Effect) so applying a 30 SPF sunblock is essential to protect your skin from oxidative stress. This leads to an inflammatory response in the skin resulting in more wrinkles and drier skin.

Few things to know about your eyes

2010-11-18T10:50:00.007-05:00

We know very few people who are satisfied with condition of skin around their eye area. As we get older, fine lines, crow’s feet, dark circles and eye bags become more prominent. Indeed we would like to get rid of all those, and quick. But is it possible? Let’s first take a look at the various factors causing the problems that plague our eye area.

1. Thinner skin

The skin around our eyes is said to be seven to ten times thinner and more delicate than the skin on the rest of our face. This is why it is always said that our eye area is more sensitive and we should treat it delicately and not rub our eyes as that action can contribute to wrinkles. Maybe the worst fact is that as we age, the skin around our eyes get even thinner due to a loss of collagen and elastin.

2. Hereditary factor

Hence, because the skin under you eye becomes thinner over time, dark circles become more apparent due to the dense capillary network beneath and when the blood that passes through the large veins close to the surface of the skin produce a bluish tint. So if you’ve inherited a thinner and more transparent skin, chances are, your dark circles can be very apparent.

3. Leaky capillaries

And as these are not enough, with age or illness, the tiny capillaries in our skin can get weakened and thus leaky. The fluid from these leaky capillaries along with the hemoglobin slowly accumulates below the eyes, thereby forming the look of dark circles. Hemoglobin is the main ingredient in red blood cells and contains a heme group whose iron atoms bind to oxygen molecules. When oxygen molecules are detached and hemoglobin becomes oxidized, red blood cells turn bluish in color. That is what happens with dark eye circles.

4. Sebaceous glands

The skin around our eye area is highly prone to dryness because it has few sebaceous glands unlike skin around other parts of our face. So on a whole, it has a poor lipid barrier, and more prone to lines forming.

5. Skeletal framework

If you have prominent cheekbones and a pair of deep-set eyes, chances are, you’ll get these deep hollow contours below the eyes. As such, it would seem like your dark circles are very pronounced although it could be an illusion caused by the shadow.

6. Toxins in your organs

Dark skin under the eyes may mean sleep problems or toxins in the kidney and or the liver. Accordng to TCM, the top of the eye and directly below the eyes is the kidney zone. Puffiness and fluid retention in this area is a sign the body is holding on to too much fluid (watery and swollen with a blue tinge) or is mucus congested (fatty and swollen with a yellow tinge). Blue circles or white under the eyes indicates tiredness or even exhaustion. A yellow tinge shows the liver and gallbladder are working too hard.

If your gall bladder is not functioning well enough to process and break down fats in your body, this may contribute to milia (milia seeds) around the eye area for some people.

7. Frequent eye movements

The skin around the eyes is affected by the number of times you blink, and your facial expressions. Often called expression lines, these unfortunately calls attention to your eye area for the wrong reason.

8. Shape of eyebrows

Don’t underestimate your eyebrows as the shape of your brow can make your eyes look larger and brighter. So a better arched eyebrow can make you look more awake and enhance your overall appearance.

So if you’re troubled by your eye area like most of us, the best help you can get is get enough rest and sleep, drink plenty of water, reduce consumption of salt and foods rich in sodium and... don't squint too much..

To compliment all your efforts we can suggest using newest on the market I*Light Organic Advanced Brightening & Line Smoothing Eye Treatment, designed to help you achieve the best eyes ever. It offers quadruple action. Unique blend of natural oils and plant extracts instantly smooth out fine lines and wrinkles, de-congests and lightens the eye area, instantly minimizing visible under eye shadowing and puffiness. After 4 weeks it visibly reduces fine lines and wrinkles, dark circles and puffiness. More information.

NEW! Introducing Lumi*Essence Organic Advanced Brightening Repair Treatment with Kojic Acid, Arbutin & Vitamin C

2010-11-18T01:34:00.003-05:00

Lumi*Essence Treatment is an Anti-Dark Spot Concentrate recommended for:

* Dark spots / Sun spots / Age spots
* Uneven skin, Melazma
* Skin discolorations

Lumi*Essenc e visibly corrects dark spots and helps even skin tone with a breakthrough formula that delivers professional-grade results. Contains Kojic Acid (helps lighten and reduce the appearance of dark spots), Alpha-Arbutin (derived from the leaves of cranberry, blueberry and bearberry shrubs. Skin lightening agent that prevents conversion of pigment-forming enzymes) Papaya and Pineapple extract (provides intense exfoliation to help reduce the size and color intensity of dark spots and help even skin tone). Niacinamide has an inhibitory effect on the transfer of melanosomes to skin cells, thus it can interrupt the process that causes irregular pigmentation to form. Milk thistle (sometimes called Silymarine) There are many studies that show it to be effective as an anti-oxidant, an anti-inflammatory, and for UV protection and repair. It has also been shown to reduce the spread of skin cancer.

Benefits

* The appearance of dark spots and discoloration is visibly diminished
* Skin radiance is increased
* Skin complexion is more uniform
* Lightweight, fast absorbing essence leaves skin fresh
* Artificial Fragrance free
* Non comedogenic
* Hydroquinone-free
* Safe for sensitive skin

Ingredients: Purified Water, Organic Barbadensis Leaf Juice (Aloe), Organic Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower Oil), Glyceryl Stearate, Kosher Vegetable Glycerin, Octyl Palmitate, Organic Cocos Nucifera (Coconut Oil), Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa Butter), Cetyl Alcohol, Potassium Stearate, Organic Beeswax, Organic Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba Oil), Hyaluronic Acid, Alpha-Arbutin, Organic Centella Asiatica (Kojic Acid), Rosa Damascena (Rose) Essential Oil, Calophyllum Tacamahaca (Tamanu Oil), Organic Borago Officinalis (Borage Oil), Organic Linum Usitatissimum (Flax Seed Oil), Organic Oenothera Biennis (Evening Primrose Oil), Organic Rosa Canina (Rose Hip Oil), Panthenol (Vitamin B5), Organic Lycium Barbarium (Goji Berry) Fruit Extract, CoQ10, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate (Vitamin C), Organic Ganoderma Lucidum (Reishi), Caviar Extract, Organic Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea), Punica Granatum (Pomegranate), Silk Protein Amino Acid Blend (Sodium L-Pyrrolidone Carboxylate, Sodium Lactate, L-Arginine, L-Aspartic Acid, L-Pyrrolidonecarboxylic Acid, Glycine, L-Alanine, L-Serine, L-Valine, L-Proline, L-threonine, L-Isoleucine, L-Histidine, L-Phenylalanine), Organic Silybum Marianum (Milk Thistle), Rubus Idaeus (Raspberry) Seed Oil, Organic Vaccinium Macrocarpon (Cranberry), Organic Myrica Cerifera (Bayberry), Santalum Album (Sandalwood) Essential Oil, Helichrysum Italicum (Helichrysum Essential Oil), Hippophae Rhamnoides (Seabuckthorn Oil), Carica Papaya (Papaya), Ananas Sativus (Pineapple) Fruit Extract, Niacinamide, Pearl Powder, Citrus Limon (Lemon Essential Oil), Organic Aspalathus linearis (Rooibos Tea) Extract, Silica, Allantoin, Organic Arnica Montana (Arnica), Organic Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender), Organic Calendula Officinalis (Calendula), Organic Anthemis Nobilis (Chamomile), Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Oil, Macadamia Integrifolia (Macadamia Nut Oil), Sodium Carbomer, Phenoxyethanol, Ethyl Hexyl Glycerin.

Buy it here.

The great-skin diet

2010-11-18T00:32:00.003-05:00

All sorts of supplements, special eating plans and complexion drinks promise glowing skin from the inside out. But not everything that is being dished out is based on science. We digested the research and polled experts to determine which foods to add to your diet to truly benefit skin, which may be worth an occasional munch and which to pass up. Get ready to eat, drink and be beautiful!

Proven complexion perfecters

Pile these on your plate. All pack nutrients essential for healthy skin.

Strawberries, citrus fruits, red peppers, broccoli

Beauty benefit: a smooth texture

Eat-right evidence: Vitamin C, plentiful in this produce, is vital for the production and formation of collagen, skin's support structure, says Toby Amidor, R.D., director of nutrition for DietTV.com in New York City. And a strong support layer helps smooth what's on top and prevent wrinkles, she says. Aim for: two 1-cup servings of fruit and 1 cup of red peppers and/or broccoli a day

Sunflower seeds and almonds

Beauty benefit: sun protection

Eat-right evidence: These seeds and nuts are loaded with vitamin E. Collectively, antioxidants act like an army, protecting skin from UV-spawned free radicals. But E is on the front lines; skin's top layers contain high levels that guard cells' outer membrane so cells stay healthy. Plus, strong membranes hold water in, keeping skin hydrated. Aim for: 2 tablespoons hulled seeds or 23 almonds daily

Dark orange, leafy green and red veggies

Beauty benefit: a fresh complexion

Eat-right evidence: Squash, sweet potatoes and spinach are full of the antioxidant beta-carotene. Your body converts it to vitamin A, which regulates cell production and turnover so skin's surface is smooth, says Valori Treloar, M.D., coauthor of The Clear Skin Diet (Cumberland House Publishing). Carotenoids may also decrease skin's sensitivity to sun. Aim for: three 1-cup servings a day

Fortified cereal, lean meat, pork, poultry, oysters

Beauty benefit: a youthful glow

Eat-right evidence: You'll get zinc and iron, minerals key to skin functioning. Zinc contributes to cell production, plus natural cell sloughing, which keeps dullness at bay. Red blood cells need iron to carry oxygen to skin, helping give you a glow, says David Bank, M.D., a derm in Mount Kisco, New York. Aim for: 1 serving of cereal (a cup), 1 palm-sized serving of meat or poultry or 3 oysters per day

Water

Beauty benefit: dewy skin

Eat-right evidence: Skin cells contain mostly water, and if you're dehydrated, skin will look and feel parched, too. But you needn't chug 8 cups a day; University of Pennsylvania researchers found no studies to back up the recommendation. Simply ward off dehydration—and dryness—by drinking when you're thirsty. Aim for: 6 cups a day. It's a good starting point, says Keri Gans, R.D., of NYC.

Smart skin suggestions

New research hints at these foods' beauty power, but effects aren't totally proven yet. No need to wait, though; the goodies are part of a healthy diet.

Wild salmon, Atlantic mackerel, walnuts

Beauty benefit: fewer wrinkles

Eat-right evidence: These fish and nuts, plus fortified eggs, are bursting with omega-3 fatty acids, which fight inflammation in the body caused by sun and stress. "Inflammation produces free radicals, and free radicals contribute to aging by attacking collagen," says Susan Taylor, M.D., a dermatologist in Philadelphia. But research still needs to connect the dots definitively and show that the anti-inflammatory abilities of omega-3s translate to younger-looking skin, she says. One study did find that older people who consumed more fish and veggies over their life had fewer wrinkles than those who ate more meat, the Journal of the American College of Nutrition reports. The research didn't focus solely on fish, however; vegetables' antioxidants, for example, may have been a factor. Aim for: two 5-ounce servings of fish per week; on other days, 1 oz of walnuts or 2 omega-3 eggs

Whole wheat and grains

Beauty benefit: clearer skin

Eat-right evidence: In the past, derms have maintained that unless you wipe greasy fingers on your face, food doesn't cause zits. But some are rethinking the party line: Australian researchers found that a low-glycemic diet (more whole grains, protein and produce versus refined carbs such as white bread) may reduce acne. One explanation: Low-glycemic foods keep insulin steady, and refined carbs and sugar spike it. The surges may boost production of androgens, hormones that, when elevated, can cause zits. After 12 weeks of a low-glycemic diet, subjects' pimple counts dropped 20 percent, a study in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition notes. More studies are needed to prove the link, but no doctor will discourage you from eating whole grains and veggies! Aim for: 3 servings a day (one serving equals a slice of bread or 1/2 cup cooked grains)

Today's special: gorgeous skin If your complexion could choose everything you ate for the day, here's what would be on the menu, says Keri Gans, R.D., who put together this plan.

Breakfast

1 cup whole-grain, fortified cereal such as Total
1 cup skim milk
1 cup sliced strawberries or 1 medium grapefruit
1 cup green tea

Lunch

Grilled chicken sandwich
5 oz chicken breast
2 slices whole-grain bread
2 slices tomato
1 leaf lettuce
1/8 of avocado
1 tsp mustard
1 medium apple

Dinner

5 oz wild salmon
Spinach salad
2 cups fresh spinach
1/2 cup sliced red bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped tomato
1/2 cup broccoli
Toss with 1 tbsp each olive oil and balsamic vinegar
1 medium baked sweet potato

Snacks/dessert

8 oz nonfat plain yogurt or 1 part-skim string cheese
1 oz sunflower seeds
1 small orange or 1 cup baby carrots
1 oz dark chocolate or 1 glass red wine

Beauty treat or trouble?

Guess if the following foods are good or bad for your skin—and find out the reasons why.

Sweets

Trouble Chowing candy and other sugary snacks may make you feel like a kid, but it's likely aging you. The rush of glucose into your bloodstream sets off a process known as glycation, in which sugars attach to proteins and form advanced glycation end products (AGEs). These molecules naturally build up in skin as you get older, but the more sugar you eat, the more AGEs you have. Bad news: They cross-link with collagen and elastin fibers, making the normally resilient tissues weak or inflexible, Dr. Bank says. And skin that doesn't bounce back easily leads to wrinkles and sagging. In fact, the study showing fish lovers had fewer wrinkles revealed the opposite for those with a sweet tooth.

Dark chocolate

Treat Although there might be some truth to the claims that sugar-laden chocolate contributes to acne (and wrinkles), the high-quality, dark variety—70 percent or more cocoa—may actually be good for your skin. Preliminary studies found that cocoa's flavonols (a potent type of antioxidant) can help increase blood flow, supply skin with oxygen, improve skin hydration and reduce sun sensitivity. But dark chocolate is high in calories, so treat yourself to only 1 oz a day.

Milk

Trouble Got acne? Milk may not be doing your skin good. Three new studies have found a connection between teens' milk intake and pimples. This could potentially translate to adults; however, it's not been proven. More research is under way, but the probable explanation is hormone-related. Androgens naturally found in milk (even organic versions without added hormones) may add to a drinker's own level of androgens, which are associated with oily skin and acne. Milk also raises insulin levels and contains growth factors that act like insulin, Dr. Treloar says. Both may lower the production of molecules that bind to and deactivate hormones—meaning there may be more free-roaming androgens able to cause pimples. It's too early to prescribe a dairy ban for anyone zit-plagued. But it may be worth experimenting with a milk-free diet if you have excessive, stubborn breakouts, Dr. Treloar says. (Be sure, however, to take a calcium supplement with vitamin D.)

Spicy foods

Trouble Rosacea sufferers know to avoid five-alarm meals. But if you have fair, sun-damaged skin, hot-and-spicy foods may lead to the condition or to a red, blotchy complexion. "UV exposure weakens blood vessel walls. If your skin then repeatedly flushes, which swells vessels, they may not be able to shrink back down," Dr. Treloar says.

Wine

Treat Reds are rich in polyphenols, antioxidants that help fight skin-damaging free radicals. But sip no more than one glass a day, says Katherine Brooking, R.D., of NYC. Excessive alcohol halts your body's release of its antidiuretic hormone. As a result, you make extra visits to the ladies' room and end up not only feeling dehydrated, but having skin that looks dry, with a dull tone and more visible wrinkles. So enjoy wine in moderation—and make a toast to great skin! Cheers!...

Importance of exfoliation for younger, clearer and beautiful skin

2010-10-03T01:58:00.005-04:00

Over the past decade the popularity in chemical peels, surgery, and chemical based products has greatly increased due to the promise of drastic results and eternal youth. Today however, the trend is beginning to lean more towards natural ingredients and simpler treatments for skin care and health.
Natural ingredients incorporated in exfoliators, scrubs, toners, moisturizers, and face cleansers are proven to be safer and healthier than the popular chemical approaches while delivering just as great results. The antioxidants, proteins, vitamins, enzymes, and other nutrients in these products are becoming more understood as society becomes better educated on their health and well being. Today we want to feel young and look healthy at all ages. Although aging is a natural process that we cannot stop (oh nooooo), we keep ourselves healthy inside and out so the aging process will not be so harsh on us.

You can’t really reverse the process of aging, but you can improve and slow it down by encouraging collagen production, increasing the skin’s moisture content, improve the skin’s ability to protect itself, neutralize skin damaging free radicals, and stimulate the skin cell renewal and repair. Over time, the skins ability to accomplish these processes lessens. Skin needs proper care and nourishment inside and out in order to protect itself and prevent further damage as well as encourage the repair and rejuvenation process.

In addition to regular cleansing and moisturizing, exfoliating is a must to reveal the most healthy and ageless complexion. During the aging process, visible changes in tone and complexion occur as circulation slows providing less of the needed nutrients. As these changes occur, skin can begin to sag, become dry and start to lose its elasticity. The internet provides a great deal of information regarding exfoliation, often conflicting for consumers. Most of us are aware of the general benefits of exfoliation; softer, smoother, less aged complexion. However, the science behind why we need to exfoliate is a mystery to most and likely not thought of enough to know the importance of exfoliating properly.

Exfoliation occurs naturally every day, the technical term “Desquamation” means the shedding of the outer layers of the skin. For example, the skin sheds dead skin as it heals from a wound. This process however is faster for some more so than others. Aging causes the cells in the skin to become thickened, resulting in a buildup of skin cells atop the skin causing a less toned complexion and thicker appearance, preventing absorbency of any skin treatment applied to it. Once this process begins to slow, the natural exfoliation process slows and becomes more difficult to exfoliate.

Environment influences can cause slowing of the natural exfoliation process, influenced by the actual physical environment, hormones (estrogen, androgens, and epidermal growth factor), vitamin deficiencies, and let’s not forget smoking. Aside from smoking, these factors sometimes happen whether we like them to or not, making exfoliation vital to the health of your skin. Eliminating the dead skin cells (known as stratum corneum) allows for new skin cells to rejuvenate, resulting in an improved appearance, tone, and feel. The two most widely used approaches for exfoliation are chemical and physical exfoliation.

Over the past decade, dermatological peels costing consumers thousands of dollars have become popular. On the milder side, toners and scrubs containing ingredients that assist in exfoliating (natural ingredients used by Sweetsation are: Papaya, pineapple, vitamin C) have become popular as well as people tend to turn to natural remedies these days. Chemical exfoliation treatments contain a variety of hydroxy acids, enzymes, and retinols (not limited to) and have been most commonly used. The ideal physical exfoliants contain natural ingredients that are massaged gently on top of the skin.

The idea behind exfoliating is to normalize cell turnover in the epidermis; stimulating the formation of healthy skin, ridding dead skin cells and dry scales, and stimulation of new cells, reviling the new beautiful you. It is important to note that exfoliating on irritated skin can slow the healing of that skin and should be avoided. Further, sun protection is a must as you rid the out layer of dead cells and your body produces new cells your skin is left exposed. Studies recommend between SPF15 and SPF30, however, we recommend nothing less than SPF30 for maximum protection.

Consistent exfoliation can benefit and enhance your skin. The process prevents clogged pores, acne, ingrown hairs, some types of infection, prevent small scarring from blemishes and reduces the appearance of present scars. In addition, exfoliation unblocks pores through the increases of blood circulation in your skin, the cleanser and moisturizer you use will work better to clean and protect your “healthy” skin as the dead cells clear away.

"Doctor Recommended” and “Award Winning" Claims. Do you believe them?

2010-09-29T00:46:00.003-04:00

Or let's say, do the claims like this help to shape your decision to buy the product or not.

Life has become focused on quick fixes, if the results don’t prove fast enough, we look elsewhere searching for that supposed “doctor recommended” and “award winning product" that offers, yet another, a proven quick fix. These products are purchased with the idea that immediate results will occur because of what the label says, or the commercial with the celebrity and the TV show marketing a product. However, unless you’re going to have some type of invasive surgery, that only provides short term results, there is no quick fix. The fact is, there are just endless amounts of money being wasted on proven ineffective products with the health risks and problems they pose. What is disconcerting is that anyone and any company can make the claim, “Dr. Recommended” and/or “Award Winning.” The reason being is that as long as no name is attached and no award is attached to the claim, a company can say this all day long. The only time you have to actually cite or reference is if you specifically reference someone words, award, or name. We all feel our best when we look our best, that certain confidence we get when our face looks fresh and healthy we become comfortable in our own skin. Billions of dollars each year is spent on products that promise to deliver results that will make us “feel good.” And just as many millions are paid to celebrities to announce to us from our TV screens that they themselves use this and that miracle product, and that's why they look so good..... yeah right.... Does anyone still buy it? Unfortunately, most of the time the hundred dollar miracle product does nothing, but a short term glow on the face, with chemicals, making the appearance shine to a new health so the customer feels like a new person and buys more. However, people find that in the long run with such product, even after the first few weeks of use, no miracle occurs; in fact that initial feeling that sold the product to begin with, fades. This mind game companies play with consumers stealing in a sense, but the problem is that as long as we are willing to spend the money, companies will still produce “miracle” products that do nothing more than potentially harm. Major corporations use celebrities to market their products, making the product more appealing to purchase. What consumers don’t realize is that it’s not the product that has the star looking like she or he does, it is the makeup done by a professional makeup artist and in many cases some type of botox and/or surgery. Oh, and how could I forget Photoshop, the true miracle of this century. This pressure society puts on us to conform to an idealized appearance can shape our every move. The common belief that the more attractive an individual tends to be the better that person is in relationships, at work or school, and even court. Today’s media places great importance on celebrities, typically young, slim, attractive and healthy looking (Sainsbury, 2010). Cultures center on physically attractive people performing more successfully in many aspects of life, and others are more willing to please them (Sainsbury, 2010). The way we look and feel can vary with age, mood, or clothing and is almost how we picture ourselves in our own minds. Our ideal body is how we want to appear and how we will change in accordance to our age and emotional feeling. In general, the media, society, and culture have influence on appearances beginning in early adulthood. Studies prove that body image is related to but differs from self-image, self-esteem, and self-concept. Our faces are the main point of focus during social interaction, providing conscious and unconscious expressions. Approximately two-thirds of communication is nonverbal, mediated principally by facial expression. For all these reasons discussed, companies and the media have great influence over society, almost leaving some powerless in their path of selling the “miracle” product.

US women opt for flawless skin over color cosmetics. This is study and survey. Your thoughts?

2010-09-21T15:10:00.004-04:00

Source: Cosmeticsdesign

A national survey has suggested that American women expect their cosmetics to deliver flawless skin and sun protection, over fashion-forward colors.

"As a professional makeup artist I'm pleased to learn that American women are tuned into what so many professionals already know – beautiful skin is essential to any look," said Amy Oreasman, makeup artist to Neutrogena Cosmetics Brand Ambassador Hayden Panettiere. "It's the canvas women work with everyday and when it looks great so will everything else."

The cosmetics company teamed up with Harris Interactive, who executed the survey, to explore the complex relationship American women have with cosmetics.

The survey found the key benefits women want from their cosmetic products and makeup are directly related to beautifying their skin's appearance.

‘Flawless’ skin and minimizing wrinkles the top consumer desires

‘Flawless skin tone’ was the leading response for all women (58 percent), whilst half of women over 55 report the key benefit they want is to minimize the look of fine lines and wrinkles.

However, regardless of age, these skin-related benefits were chosen ahead of more traditional cosmetic benefits including elongated lashes, 8 percent, full-looking lips, 3 percent, and defined cheekbones, 2 percent.

“While color cosmetics add drama, we're thrilled to see women embracing their own beauty and choosing products that work harder to help deliver a perfect complexion,"

Recognition of the dangers of UV rays

The dangers of UV rays were also highlighted in the survey, with women turning to their cosmetics products to help prevent future skin damage.

Fifty-six percent of American women wear cosmetics and makeup with SPF to provide protection from harmful UV rays with older women more likely to wear SPF cosmetic products and makeup all year round.

Despite the increased popularity of the ‘natural look’, the study found makeup application still remains an integral part of many women's morning routines.

Forty-two percent of women said if they had to choose between makeup and breakfast when pressed for time before work, they would choose to apply makeup.

Nearly half of women, 46 percent, say they view using or wearing cosmetic products and makeup as an extension of their overall skincare routine.

Interesting.... your thoughts?

Spreading of misleading Information on Sunscreens and the EWG

2010-09-20T23:54:00.007-04:00

By guest writer Elizabeth Wagner BABA, MSCJ, PhD Criminal Justice Learner (ABD)

The media created by skin care companies increasingly makes the public think their product is capable of achieving a significant and lasting improvement of sun-damaged skin This advertising is misleading and confuses the public into believing skin care products purchased over the counter are capable of miracles. Once applied to the skin, most over the counter products sit at the surface of the skin and do not penetrate deeply where the damage needs are, therefore no effects occur except a waste of money.

What the public needs to know is that the majority of over the counter products do not have associated data and evidence from studies (studies produce knowledge and facts) to prove the effectiveness of their products. Such evidence is available in peer-reviewed articles. As long as society vales a tanned complexion, and the media continues to promote tanning either from the sun or from tanning beds, the effects of skin damage will continue to rise. The public needs valuable information, information that has evidence to the effectiveness of applying sunscreen. What society does not need, is a false reports from websites such as the Environmental Working Group, or EWG.

Latest EWGs claim that sunscreens are ineffective, lack the scientific credibility. The result of such is the negative feedback on companies that are truly working to decrease the incidents of sun cancer and other damage caused by the sun. Companies that are developing sunscreens that not only prevent sun damage, but promote health of people are finding reports that discredit the use of sunscreens. However, there is no scientific evidence that proves such.

The EWG establishes its own scientific and regulatory safety assessment process for sunscreen products and ingredients. Further, a sunscreen product rating system developed by the EWG guides their opinions and experts have proven the data promoted by the EWG as inaccurate and unreliable. Most alarming, is the citing of increasing skin cancer rates and questioning of sunscreen efficacy in preventing cancer by the EWG. The problem is a failure to consider the skin cancer rates as a result of excessive sun exposure from not reading true statistics produced by scholars from actual scientific studies (Bailey, 2010).

Medical research has proven well established data to the consensus that sunscreen use helps to protect against skin cancer. The 2010 EWG sunscreen report claims that sunscreens break down when exposed to sunlight and instantly stop working. However, sunscreen developers take this breaking down into consideration to develop the most effective product. Companies are not going to continue to develop sunscreens if they didn’t support the prevention of cancer and other health problems.

The time, money, and research it takes in developing a sunscreen is the life and blood of the company. Years spent on research as a result of the statistics on cancer and other health problems is what makes the most effective and safe sunscreen. Overall, the EWG lacks the rigor and reliability of formal, expert evaluation, and does not have peer-reviewed data (articles produced by scholar experts) to support their claims, misleading consumers. As a scholar myself, I understand and value the importance of peer-reviewed articles. To be published and presented as fact, articles and claims have to be evaluated and tested rigorously, often taking many months or years to perfect.

Peer review is essential before results of a study can be accurately interpreted or used to support conclusions. The process of peer-reviewing involves scholars and practitioners spending a conservable amount of time justifying the results of studies and claims. In the end, peer-reviewed articles become the knowledge we know and what our children in the future will be taught. As the highest form of knowledge, peer-reviewed articles set the knowledge base for the world we know.

The EWG report has no peer-reviewed articles or studies to back its findings. The scholarly world does not accept information from websites like the EWG or Wikipedia. The fact of the matter is that if it is not peer reviewed, it is not fact. Endless websites offer information on the value and effectiveness of their products, however, they lack the studies to prove such and the result are consumers who are misled into buying their products, which have no benefits what’s so ever. If you want valuable information seek the right sources, do not believe everything that is on the internet, as most of what you see is posted by every day people like yourself.

Keeping Your Skin Protected

2010-09-17T02:06:00.006-04:00

Our skin is what protects us against injury, heat, and light radiation. Our skin allows us to adjust to the various weather conditions. However, we want to make sure that we protect our skin from getting dry and damaged. With dry skin, it can’t be as effective in protecting us from outside factors, nor can we look our best.

Cosmetic products are very important for protecting our skin, as with age our skin becomes depleted and will need extra help. And to prevent premature skin aging we need also to protect it from the early age. An ounce of prevention is better then a pound of cure - is very appropriate saying here. If you’re an outdoor person, sunscreen is your best friend, for it’ll protect you from skin aging and skin cancer. Lotions provide moisture for your skin to keep it hydrated, as well as necessary vitamins and nutrients essential for it's health. Lotions also replenishes moisture lost by the skin itself.

As soon as you feel your skin dry after exposure to the sun, it means your skin ages faster than normal. Most blonde-haired people are not physiologically equipped to withstand the amount of sun they seek in summer. Sunless self tanners would be a great alternative for those without compromising skin's integrity.

Most people mistake the danger of UV rays with warmth. They start wearing sunscreen only at the warmest summer days. The fact is that UV rays posses the same danger in winter as well as summer, regardless of the temperature outside.

One of the ways to support healthy skin is to flash toxins out of the system by making sure you intake the minimum requirement of water. You should drink about 8-10 8 oz. glasses of water on a daily basis. This will help to keep moisture flowing through your skin, and will wash out anything unnecessary that can cause acne to develop.

Follow these tips for keeping your skin moisturized and you’ll be amazed on how your skin will look and feel.

Natural Fruit Acids and Enzymes

2010-09-14T15:49:00.003-04:00

Fruit acids, such as Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHAs), glycolic acid, and enzymes are very helpful in the exfoliation process of dead skin cells, thereby promoting the proliferation of new skin cells and repair sun damage. Both fruit acids and enzymes are naturally occurring substances found in many common fruits and other foods such as pumpkins, cherries, pomegranates, pineapples, papayas and grapes; lactic acid, similar to fruit acid, comes from sour milk. Glycolic acid is naturally derived from sugarcane.
AHAs, enzymes, and glycolic acids work by breaking down the protein bonds making up the superficial layers of the skin. This loosening of the outer layer of the skin leads to a gentle exfoliation of the dead skin cells. As these skin cells are sloughed off, the process of making new skin cells is accelerated, giving the skin a fresher, healthier appearance. However, care must be taken not to overuse these acids and enzymes, so that the integrity of the skin is maintained. Because this exfoliation process thins the outer layer of the skin, always apply sunscreen before you go outdoors.
Fruit acids and enzymes are incorporated in most of Sweetastion products. Discover them today.

Got coffee? Wake-me-up coffee scrub it is. DIY Series.

2010-09-12T00:35:00.004-04:00

Nothing rouses you in the morning quite like the smell of fresh brewed coffee, and if it offers skin beautifying benefits, you definitely can't lose, so go ahead -- slather some on. A skin-softening body scrub, that also helps to control cellulite, made from coffee grounds and aromatic plant essences is a traditional treatment that's used in Thai and Balinese spas, and it's a luxurious way to start the day.

This recipe couples a rich, smoky coffee aroma with the sweet scent of peppermint -- known in aromatherapy for its mentally stimulating, energizing properties. Thanks to raw sugar crystals and olive oil, which exfoliate and moisturize, your body gets a pick-me-up, too. It makes enough for two to three applications.

Tools and Materials
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup pure turbinado sugar
15 drops peppermint essential oil (Mentha piperita)
1/2 cup used coffee grounds from a freshly brewed pot

Wake-Up Scrub How-To:
1. Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl; using a fork, thoroughly blend. Transfer the scrub to a wide mouthed jar, and store in a cool place until ready to use. The scrub will keep for one to two weeks, longer if refrigerated.

2. While showering, apply handfuls of the coffee scrub to wet skin in circular motions, starting at the feet and working up. The scrub contains oil, so it's best to do this over a rubber mat to avoid slipping. Pay particular attention to rough spots such as heels, ankles, knees, and elbows and cellulite affected areas.

3. After scrubbing, cleanse skin as usual using a mild natural soap or body wash. Pat skin dry with a fluffy towel, and follow with lotion to seal in the moisture.

Pamper yourself and let us know what you think.

Miracle of eggs for your hair. DIY Series.

2010-09-12T00:21:00.003-04:00

Eggs' high protein content helps improve hair's resilience, strength and luster. Whisk together 1 egg, 2 tablespoons coconut oil (rich in moisturizing fats), 2 tablespoons sesame oil and 3 drops of Rosemary essential oil. Apply the mixture to dry hair and wrap a hot, moist towel around your head. Relax for five to 10 minutes (you can use one of our masques at the same time to maximize your pampering time). Without wetting hair first, work in a handful of shampoo, and then rinse and condition your hair the usual way.

Miracle of Oranges for your skin. DIY Series.

2010-09-12T00:02:00.002-04:00

The fruit acid of Oranges loosens dead skin cells. Cut a fresh orange in half and squeeze the juice of one half into a bowl. Add 1/4 cup granulated sugar and 1/4 cup olive oil and then blend into a moisture-rich scrub. Next, rub the exposed side of the other half of the orange over knees, elbows, heels, and any other dry spots. Last, rub in the sugar mixture to slough off dead skin. Rinse with warm water and pat skin dry. Not only it smells upliftingly delicious, but it will give you smooth and beautiful skin.

Beauty wonders in your kitchen.

2010-09-11T19:47:00.009-04:00

While spa visits are worthy a splurge sometimes, you don't need a lot of high-tech concoctions to achieve lustrous locks and a clear complexion. Well, with a little effort...

Easy, all-natural solutions abound, and you can find them right at the grocery store. Achieve a quick, affordable glow with these one-ingredient problem solvers.

Sour Cream
Treatment: Moisturizing mask and gentle exfoliant

What it does: Its lactic acid (an alpha-hydroxy acid) helps speed cell turnover, brightening dull complexions. Natural fats restore skin's moisture.

How to use it: Using your fingers, smooth 1 to 2 tablespoons of cool, full-fat sour cream in a thin layer over your clean face and neck, avoiding the eye and lip areas. Wait 7 to 10 minutes, then remove the mask with a wet washcloth. Splash skin with warm water and pat dry.

Chamomile Tea
Treatment: Calming compress

What it does: A natural anti-inflammatory, chamomile reduces redness and puffiness around the eyes. It also soothes irritated complexions.

How to use it: Soak a clean washcloth in cool chamomile tea steeped to a golden yellow and apply to the skin as a compress. (To treat puffy eyes only, roll the washcloth to create an eye pillow.) Rest the compress on your skin for at least 10 minutes before rinsing and drying.

Almond Oil
Treatment: Hand moisturizer

What it does: With a light texture and loads of vitamin E, almond oil quickly penetrates dry skin and protects hands and nails from environmental damage.

How to use it: Rub 1 teaspoon of oil into hands and cuticles. Wrap each hand in a small towel, and allow the oil to penetrate for at least 5 minutes. Wipe the excess oil off hands, but don't rinse them; any remaining oil will be absorbed over the next few minutes. Follow with a rich hand cream.

Pineapple
Treatment: Foot rub

What it does: Bromelain, an enzyme present in pineapple flesh, breaks down protein bonds and facilitates the sloughing of dead skin cells. It's especially good at softening the callused skin on feet.

How to use it: Puree 1 cup of fresh pineapple in a food processor until smooth. Sitting with feet in a washbasin, massage the puree into soles, heels, and between toes (you may feel some tingling). After 7 to 10 minutes, rinse feet with warm water and dry.

Kiwi
Treatment: Facial scrub

What it does: Its high vitamin C levels fight free-radical damage and even out skin texture. When scrubbed on the face, the seeds act as tiny exfoliators, leaving skin smooth.

How to use it: Peel and slice a ripe kiwi, then mash the flesh thoroughly with a fork. With circular motions, work the kiwi paste onto a damp, clean complexion, avoiding the eye and lip areas. After 30 to 60 seconds of scrubbing, rinse skin with warm water and pat dry.

Olive Oil
Treatment: Hair conditioner

What it does: Rich in vitamin E and fatty acids, olive oil is a Mediterranean-inspired favorite for moisturizing brittle and overstyled hair.

How to use it: Before showering, comb several tablespoons of "light" olive oil (it will say so on the label) through hair, working from roots to ends. Cover hair with a shower cap. After showering for 5 to 7 minutes, remove the cap. Shampoo, rinse, and condition as usual. Hair will feel super soft.

Now, go raid your refrigerator and beautify yourself.....

There is more to come! :-)

Treat yourself for a beautiful clear skin. The Papaya home-made masque.

2010-09-08T01:44:00.004-04:00

This is not a secret that we love and promote fresh, bright and clear skin, here at Sweetsation. So it is not a surprise that we have Papaya incorporated almost in every facial product of our beauty line. But here we would like to share something you can do yourself, to treat your precious skin for the freshest look it deserves. This brightening mask exfoliates and stimulates circulation, resulting in a warm, rosy glow.

Here's how it works: Unripe papaya contains natural alpha-hydroxy acids and high levels of papain, an enzyme that helps dissolve dead skin cells. Yogurt adds lactic acid (another alpha-hydroxy) and gives the mask a creamy texture, and honey helps skin retain moisture. When left on, the mask should tingle slightly; if you have sensitive skin or prefer a gentler exfoliation, use ripe papaya, which has less papain.

Gather up for Green-Papaya Brightening Mask:
1/2 cup unripe papaya, diced
1 teaspoon plain yogurt
1 teaspoon honey

Blend ingredients in a food processor until smooth and creamy. Apply to clean skin using fingers; leave on for 8 to 10 minutes. Rinse off using cool water and pat dry. Finish by applying a gentle moisturizer. That is it. Pretty simple and it works.

Enjoy!

Saturday night in Oat'n'Honey beauty mask, pampering treatment.

2010-08-21T14:22:00.002-04:00

If today is one of those days when you don't feel like going anywhere, it can be a perfect time to spoil yourself and treat your skin to a very pampering exfoliating Oat'n'Honey masque treatment. And the best of all, it's very easy to make with the ingredients you find in your kitchen, and very inexpensive.

While this preparation may look like a hearty recipe for breakfast, it actually is a nourishing facial treat! (No worries if you happen to get a little in your mouth while applying it.)

Oats'n'Honey Exfoliating Face Masque:
1/2 cup oatmeal
2 T Honey
1 T Olive Oil
2 T plain yogurt
*all ingredients are easy to find organic if you so desire

Directions
~Grind the oats in a mill or clean coffee grinder.
~Add remaining ingredients and stir until you get a paste like consistency
~Apply warm wash cloth to face or steam for a few minutes.
~Gently rub in oats and honey exfoliating paste in upward, circular motions massaging the skin. You can leave the masque for 5-10 minutes.
~Rinse thoroughly.
~Apply skin hydrating Aqua*Tica Night moisturizer or Q*Lumiere skin perfecting day cream.
~Use entire mixture or share with a friend. If you have extra, don't forget to apply to your neck and chest area.

What it Does
Oat is known as soothing and calming, rich in proteins, lipids and beta glucan. It's very beneficial to the skin and has been successfully used for the treatment of skin problems and disorders such as acne, pimples, blemishes, eczema and dermatitis. Oatmeal is a natural, soothing exfoliant known for it's calming and anti-inflammatory properties. It also has astringent qualities but is gentle enough for sensitive skin. It helps to draw oil and impurities out of the skin.

Olive oil is moisture rich in vitamin e. It has many antioxidant properties known to fight free radical damage and slow signs of aging.

Honey: this sweet treat helps attract dirt, oil and clean skin with breakouts. Bees release a glucose enzyme when creating honey that is a natural antiseptic and has antibacterial properties. When applied topically, it draws body fluids and nutrients to the area assisting in cell growth and scar prevention.

Yogurt contains a naturally occurring alpha-hydroxy acid from lactic acid that exfoliates and renews the cellular surface of the skin

Have fun and relaxing weekend!

Nanoparticles in sunscreen may prove toxic if accidentally eaten

2010-06-25T15:14:00.003-04:00

Nanoparticles commonly contained in zinc oxide sunscreen formulations could prove potentially toxic if inadvertently taken orally, a peer reviewed report claims.

Particles smaller than 100 nanometers (nano) are marginally more toxic to colon cells than conventional-sized zinc oxide particles, the report in the ACS’ Chemical Research in Toxicology states, documenting a study conducted at the University of Utah.

“Manufactured nanoparticles are being marketed as having unique properties due to their size, shape, surface area, and composition as compared to bulk material, but there remains concerns regarding toxicities associated with these novel materials,” the report states.

The team of six researchers led by Philip Moos also found that solid zinc oxide was more toxic than equivalent amounts of soluble zinc and that direct particle-to-cell contact was required to cause cell death.

Eating nano sunscreen endangers colon cells.

Direct contact with colon cells is likely to be triggered even if a small amount of zinc oxide nanoparticle containing sunscreen is inadvertently consumed orally.

The scientists said their report particularly flags up the dangers of children eating sunscreen containing zinc oxide nanoparticles, particularly as smaller infants often experiment by orally testing all kinds of substances as part of their development process.

“Unintended exposure to nano-sized zinc oxide from children accidentally eating sunscreen products is a typical public concern, motivating the study of the effects of nanomaterials in the colon,” the report states.

The scientist’s experiments compared the effect of conventional zinc oxide powder on a culture of colon cells compared to the effect from a zinc oxide nanoparticle formulation.

Nano formula had twice the toxicity

This procedure found that the nanoparticle formulation was twice as toxic to the colon cells as that of the formulation with the larger cells.

Likewise, the experiments also concluded that the concentration of nanoparticles that were toxic to the colon cells was the equivalent of eating 2 grams of sunscreen, an amount that would normally provide enough sun protection for the face.

The scientists say that the next stage of the research will be to take the experiments beyond cell cultures to discover the effects of zinc nanoparticle toxicity on both laboratory animals and humans

The Hypocrisy Of Using Scare Tactics To Impact Public Policy

2010-06-24T22:59:00.011-04:00

This post was written by an owner of Indie Beauty Network and it brilliantly expresses the opinion of natural cosmetic and skin care manufacturers about EWG and it's scare tactics. I have been talking with some of our customers discussing this issue that I can't spill any light on, nor get any intelligent answers from the source, EWG people themselves. And there are many confused manufacturers of natural cosmetics that feel betrayed by the EWG's scare tactics and it's twisted message aiming for one thing - your donations.

Great post by Donna Maria, and I totally share her opinion.

"Lately, I have enjoyed fast and furious conversations with IBN members about non-governmental organizations’s efforts to spread unwarranted fear about ingredients used in cosmetics. One of those organizations is the Environmental Working Group (EWG), which continues to publish “reports,” which are really thinly veiled scare tactics to support an agenda that seems to include promoting itself as the new FDA.

One of their latest publications places certain products containing active sunscreen ingredients and claiming certain Sun Protection Factors (SPF) on a “Hall Of Shame” list. Also included in the Hall of Shame is the FDA, which regulates cosmetics, and The Skin Cancer Foundation.

Scare tactics of any kind are usually irresponsible and always unhelpful. Let’s consider the details here.

EWG’s Hall Of Shame slams Aveeno Baby Continuous Protection SPF 55, saying this:

“Can a product be ‘mild as water to the skin’ if the label warns to “Stop use and ask a doctor if rash or irritation develops and lasts”? And certainly when swallowed this product is nothing like water: “Keep out of reach of children” and “get medical help or contact a Poison Control Center right away,” reads the warning label.”

EWG is slamming the targeted product and the company that makes it for placing language on its labels that reminds consumers to keep sunscreen out of the reach of children. I want to keep all kinds of things away from my children, but that doesn’t mean those things are undesirable or inferior in and of themselves. And what is wrong with letting parents know that, if a sunscreen product is mistakenly ingested, they shouldn’t just panic or sit around whining — they should call for help?!! Of course you should get help if your child eats sunscreen! Duh!

I also noticed that you cannot comment EWG’s Hall Of Fame page. You can Tweet and share it on FaceBook, but you cannot share your opinion, ask questions, or disagree with EWG on their turf. Publishing information designed to affect consumer health and important public policy issues in a forum that does not welcome public discussion and comment is arbitrary and capricious. Again, just my opinion.

Another disturbing consideration is the hypocrisy. Many pages at EWG’s website remind site visitors of how expensive it is to create reports that unnecessarily scare them. Because it’s so expensive to whip you and your friends into an unnecessary tizzy, they invite you not only to donate to the cause, but also to head on over to their Amazon affiliate page to purchase all of the products (including the above-mentioned Aveeno Baby Continuous Protection SPF 55, available at Amazon), they say are worthy of heir Hall Of Shame. Of course there’s a disclaimer that they don’t endorse any of the products they earn commissions on, but still, shop ’til you drop, I guess literally, for all those dangerous sunscreens and other cosmetics that can harm you and your family.

If some of the products sold by Amazon are inferior or not to be trusted, then it seems disingenuous to encourage the people you claim to be trying to protect to buy them. This sends a potentially conflicting message to consumers that the products are inferior, but if we get paid when you buy them, it’s not so bad after all."

Unbelievable, isn't it? No, it's not unbelievable - it's infuriating that some little organization that appeared from the woodwork just recently, promoting themselves as experts while peddling one sided convenient to them "science" and attempts to shape minds of the consumer. And not only planting misleading information in everyone's brains but asking to be paid for it.

For those who hasn't noticed yet, EWG appears to take one study that suits "their message best" and use that as a fact without taking into account dosage, other studies or common sense. (based on many product ratings on Skin Deep that appear to be taken out of the blue) That sort of fear-mongering and breathless activism scares consumers and makes them question their own knowledge and understanding of the issues.

The problem is that EWG has successfully positioned themselves as THE only authority on cosmetic safety, pretending to mind your best interests at heart. That's a problem because they don't have the credentials. Nor provide any two way communication for those who dares to question. Emailing notoriously and shoving their "science" and reports down the consumer's throat is the only way of communication for them - one sided - regular release of latest panicky breaking news. While asking you for your donation again and again and again. Skin Deep database is still a generally good idea but the result is not unlike putting an elementary school class in charge of deciding public policy. Of course, the class might do better because they wouldn't be swayed by the things adults are. . .but bloopers are eminent and big ones.

If you've heard in one of their reports about Vitamin A and harm it apparently possesses in relation to sunscreens, please read Response to The Environmental Working Group 2010 Report and Senator Schumer.

Are We Being Duped?

2010-06-14T16:23:00.004-04:00

This post is shared with permission from Personal Care Truth

“Manufacturers are using lead in lipstick”. “Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) and Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES) can cause

cancer”. “Dihydrogen monoxide (DHMO) is toxic and must be banned”. “If you can’t pronounce it, it can’t be safe”.

Those are just some of the things you will read on the Internet about personal care products that instill fear in consumers. Are we being duped? We sure are. Can you pronounce ‘Butyrospermum Parkii’? What about ‘Dihydrogen Monoxide’? How about ‘Vaccinium Macrocarpon’? Even on a good day I have a hard time pronouncing them and I’ve been in the personal care industry for 10 years.

While the chemical or botanical name of an ingredient can be quite alarming, the ingredient itself isn’t necessarily harmful. Alarmists are working 24/7 to scare consumers into believing many ingredients are harmful to your health. Butyrospermum Parkii is not one of them. It’s shea butter. Vaccinium Macrocarpon isn’t a harmful ingredient either. It’s cranberry seed oil.

Last night on Twitter, I was reading the tweet “If I can’t pronounce it, I don’t use or eat it”. It wasn’t tweeted by one but many. Just to give you an idea of how alarmists can use lack of scientific knowledge and exaggerated claims to cause fear, let’s look at dihydrogen monoxide.

In 1997, 14 year old Nathan Zohner completed a science project titled “How Gullible Are We?”, which he won first place. Nathan gathered a petition to ban DHMO or dihydrogen monoxide. Nathan proved that an alarmist can spread the word of junk science to instill fear in people. Where’s the proof? Here is what his petition contained:

BAN DIHYDROGEN MONOXIDE!

Dihydrogen monoxide is colorless, odorless, tasteless, and kills uncounted thousands of people every year. Most of these deaths are caused by accidental inhalation of DHMO, but the dangers of dihydrogen monoxide do not end there. Prolonged exposure to its solid form causes severe tissue damage. Symptoms of DHMO ingestion can include excessive sweating and urination, and possibly a bloated feeling, nausea, vomiting and body electrolyte imbalance. For those who have become dependent, DHMO withdrawal means certain death.

Dihydrogen monoxide:

is also known as hydroxl acid, and is the major component of acid rain.
contributes to the “greenhouse effect.”
may cause severe burns.
contributes to the erosion of our natural landscape.
accelerates corrosion and rusting of many metals.
may cause electrical failures and decreased effectiveness of automobile brakes.
has been found in excised tumors of terminal cancer patients.

Contamination is reaching epidemic proportions!

Quantities of dihydrogen monoxide have been found in almost every stream, lake, and reservoir in America today. But the pollution is global, and the contaminant has even been found in Antarctic ice. DHMO has caused millions of dollars of property damage in the Midwest, and recently California.

Despite the danger, dihydrogen monoxide is often used:

as an industrial solvent and coolant.
in nuclear power plants.
in the production of Styrofoam.
as a fire retardant.
in many forms of cruel animal research.
in the distribution of pesticides. Even after washing, produce remains contaminated by this chemical.
as an additive in certain “junk-foods” and other food products.

Companies dump waste DHMO into rivers and the ocean, and nothing can be done to stop them because this practice is still legal. The impact on wildlife is extreme, and we cannot afford to ignore it any longer!

The American government has refused to ban the production, distribution, or use of this damaging chemical due to its “importance to the economic health of this nation.” In fact, the navy and other military organizations are conducting experiments with DHMO, and designing multi-billion dollar devices to control and utilize it during warfare situations. Hundreds of military research facilities receive tons of it through a highly sophisticated underground distribution network. Many store large quantities for later use.

Do you know what dihydrogen monoxide or DHMO is? It’s the chemical name for water. Yep, water. “Water is composed of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom. Literally, the term “dihydrogen monoxide” means “two hydrogen, one oxygen”, consistent with its molecular formula: the prefix di- in dihydrogenmeans “two”, the prefix mono- in monoxide means “one”, and an oxide is a compound that contains one or more oxygen atoms”.

As reported on Snopes.com -

In March 2004 the California municipality of Aliso Viejo (a suburb in Orange County) came within a cat’s whisker of falling for this hoax after a paralegal there convinced city officials of the danger posed by this chemical. The leg-pull got so far as a vote’s having been scheduled for the City Council on a proposed law that would have banned the use of foam containers at city-sponsored events because (among other things) they were made with DHMO, a substance that could “threaten human health and safety.

Does that scare you? It scares me that organizations peddling junk science can spread that kind of fear. That legislation, regulations and the minds of free thinking people can be changed based on misinformation. Demand more from the people shoving half truths and false information down your throat. If the lobbyist organizations are asking for donations to fight the good fight, don’t give them a dime of your hard earned money unless you are 100% sure that what they are selling you is true, beyond a shadow of a doubt. Ask the hard questions. You deserve more than educated guesses, false information or scare tactics and fear mongering.

Time for me to fix a glass of dihydrogen monoxide.

Question: (added by dM): What do you think of the logic that concludes that if you can't pronounce an ingredient name, it must be bad for you? Do you buy that? If so, why?

From Sweetsation: Brilliant article. Spells out very clearly things that have been lingering in our minds for quite a while. Yes it concerns EWG and their mysterious system that noone seems to understand. A lot of product ratings don't make any sense and very often natural products rate the same as the ones containing a lot of toxic chemicals. Better yet, two identical products may rate differently... We have tried to contact them numerous times to get clarifications, or answers from the "expert" who in fact allocates those ratings. There's got to be someone... Nope. There is no answers, no responses to our emails, no logic, no accessible science or evidence, just notorious spreading of panic and demand for donations.

New and awesome sun protection with Superberries.

2010-06-12T23:32:00.005-04:00

Pleased to introduce another beautiful and genius Sweetsation's creation of Chocolate inspired skin care for kids - Sun'n'Berry Fun Organic Baby Sunscreen SPF 50 with Antioxidants & Superberries. It is not just a baby sun screen that provides high level of sun protection, it's a state of the art skin care pampering treatment - with sun screen. Water resistant and not greasy. It's been designed with delicate and sensitive baby's skin in mind and addresses not only protection from the harmful UVA and UVB sun rays but also helps to neutralize harmful activity of free radicals with strong cocktail of antioxidants from Superberries. PABA-Free, mineral based (NON-NANO particles) hydrating and moisturizing, it provides high UV protection for your active baby. The most powerful and well known antioxidants from superfoods like Goji berries, Acai, Cranberry, Pomegranate, Blueberry, Sea Buckthorn, Camu camu, Grapeseed and Raspberry rich with vitamin C and antioxidants fights skin damage and cellular oxidation ( that are causes of aging. Yes, aging starts the day we are born), caused by excessive free radical activity. It also contains Shea butter and Oat, excellent anti-irritant and anti-inflammatory properties. Green tea, thought to be 200 times more powerful than vitamin E for neutralizing free radicals joins the action and has a protective role to play here as well. It prevents free radical damage and possible skin tumors and cancers associated with it. Combination of Cocoa Butter, Cacao and hint of Vanilla create that yummy chocolate scent, that's achieved naturally, as well as have moisturizing and healing properties. This product was created for our tiny precious friends but our grown-up friends can use it too. It's highly addictive.... and rates very safe 2 on EWG (Skin Deep)

Want to super-size it? Now you can, for limited time only. Sun'n'Berry Fun SPF 50 Jumbo 9oz.

Enough of chocolate treat for all the sun worshipers.

2010-05-28T01:53:00.004-04:00

Well, mainly it is a baby sunscreen, but everyone can borrow. And you will not regret. Sun'n'Fun Organic baby sunscreen is chemical-free, toxin-free, full of antioxidants and smells like chocolate..... proud creation of Sweetsation Therapy. And now we offer it in Limited Edition Jumbo 9oz canister. It's small enough to fit in pretty much any bag but it's big enough to last a long time.Ingredients: Deionized Water (Aqua), Organic Aloe Barbadensis (Organic Aloe Vera) Leaf Juice, Isononyl Isononanoate, Isopropyl Palmitate (Palm Oil), Cetearyl Alcohol, Helianthus Annuus (Hybrid Sunflower) Oil, Kosher Vegetable Glycerin, Cetearyl Glucoside, Organic Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Seed Oil, Cetyl Alcohol, Vanilla Planifolia (Vanilla Absolute), Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil Unsaponifiables, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate (Stabilized Vitamin C), Lecithin, Prunus armeniaca (Apricot) fruit extract, Fragaria Vesca (Strawberry) Fruit Extract, Citrullus lanatus (Watermelon) fruit extract, Organic Althaea Officinalis (Marshmallow), Spirulina Maxima (Spirulina), Macrocystis Pyrifera (Kelp), Cucumis Sativus (Cucumber), Helianthus Annus (Sunflower) Seed Extract, Rubus Idaeus (Raspberry Seed Oil), Lavandula Augustifolia (Lavender Essential Oil), Theobroma Cacao (Cacao Butter), Helichrysum Essential Oil, Organic Ganoderma Lucidum (Reishi), Vitis Vinifera (Grapeseed Oil), Cannabis Sativus (Hemp Seed Oil), Hippophae Rhamnoides (Sea Buckthorn Oil), Calophyllum Inophyllum (Tamanu Oil), Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil (Macadamia Nut Oil), Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM), Vaccinium Macrocarpon (Cranberry Seed Oil), Organic Rosa Canina (Rosehip Seed Oil), Cucurbita Pepo (Pumpkin Seed Oil), Organic Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea) Leaf Extract, Phenoxyethanol (safe, paraben-free food grade preservative), Inulin Lauryl Carbamate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Limnanthes Alba (Meadowfoam) Seed Oil, Allantoin, Tocopherol (Antioxidant), Xanthan Gum. Active Ingredient: Zinc Oxide (6.5%) NON-NANO, Titanium Dioxide (2.5%). NON-NANO

And while you are exploring the world of Sweetsation, visit their Memorial Day SALE to stock up on delicious organic treats for your skin.

Bananas and apples in skin care. Weekend Home Spa.

2010-05-23T15:02:00.011-04:00

The Chemistry Behind Bananas

Bananas are rich in Vitamins A, C, B6 and B12. They also are full of potassium and magnesium. Therefore this offers great antioxidants for our bodies and are great at purifying our skin with these nourishing benefits. Plus they offer gentle fruit acid exfoliation for removing dead skin cells and leaves the skin looking revitalized, smooth and brighter.

The Chemistry Behind Apples

Apples contain an alpha-hydroxy acid, which refines and rejuvenates the skin. It is best known for it's moisturizing and anti-aging properties, making it perfect for dry or mature skin. It also has exceptional elastase inhibition activity, making it suitable for treatments aimed at maintaining the skin's youthful elasticity. Applying the fruit to your face and neck will give you a healthy dose of vitamins A, B, C and E as well as antioxidants protecting your skin from sun damage. Apple is beneficial for helping to keep your healthy complexion, treat and prevent acne breakouts.

If you are up for a home Spa treatment, here is the recipe of The Facial Mask Using Banana and Apple As Key Ingredients

Mash 1/2 of a ripe banana and a 1/4 of an apple either with a fork or use a food processor or Kitchenaid mixer. Then add a tsp of Honey or Jojoba oil. Mix well with 1/4 to 1/2 cup of Oatmeal. Apply to cleansed face and neck and leave on for the desired time (10-20 min). Rinse off with clean warm water and follow with your favorite toner and moisturizer. This mask moisturizes, tones and exfoliates the skin. Honey is an excellent humectant and also has antibacterial properties. Oatmeal is great for moisturizing, plus it helps soothe dry, itchy skin and reduce inflammation the organic way.

And if you are not up for just a weekend treat, a few of our Sweetsation skin care products contain both Banana and Apple in it's ingredients, to keep your skin clear, radiant and beautiful every day.

Aqua*Tica Organic Botanical Night Cream

Contains: Apple as well as Papaya, Watermelon, Guava, Apricot, Raspberry, Pomegranate, Argan, Acai and a lot more.

Q*Lumiere Organic Day Creme with Cucumber and Co Q10

Contains: Apple as well as Oat, Papaya, Guava, Watermelon, Raspberry, Sea Buckthorn, Strawberry, Apricot, Pineapple and lots more.

C*Perfect Skin Organic Foaming Face Cleanser with Enzymes, Antioxidants & Vitamin

Contains: Apple, Banana as well as Argan, Watermelon, Strawberry, Papaya and Calendula.

What is the Difference Between Sunscreen and Sunblock

2010-05-03T14:58:00.006-04:00

Sunscreen and sunblock are both sunscreens. Within this broad category are chemical and physical sunscreens. The difference between the two is how the ingredients treat ultraviolet rays.

Chemical sunscreens absorb ultraviolet radiation before it penetrates the skin. These sunscreens often are colorless and maintain a thin visible film on the skin. They usually contain UVB absorbing chemicals and more recently contain UVA absorbers as well.

Physical sunscreens, sometimes referred to as sunblocks, are products containing ingredients such a titanium dioxide and zinc oxide which physically block ultraviolet radiation (UVR) by scattering or reflecting UVR before it can penetrate the skin.

Physical sunscreens or sunblocks provide broad protection against both UVB and UVA light. However, they can be cosmetically unacceptable to many people, because they are often messy, visible and do not easily wash off. However, some new zinc oxide products are available in brightly colored preparations which are popular with young people. Physical sunscreen is recommended for individuals who have unusual sensitivity to UVR.

Sun Protection Factor

All sunscreens contain an SPF or sun protection factor, a measurement of the amount of UVB protection. Currently, there is no standard rating system to measure UVA protection.

SPF is not an indication of how much time you can spend in the sun. For example, if you use a sunscreen with an SPF 30 rather than one with an SPF 15, it doesn’t mean you can stay in the sun twice as long. In reality, an SPF of 15 filters out about 93 percent of the UVB rays; SPF 30 filters about 97 percent of UVB rays. The beneficial effects of sunscreen decreases over time, so after a few hours the difference between the two may be even less.

UVA, UVB and Broad-Spectrum Sunscreen

Although there is currently no rating system that measures UVA protection, both UVA and UVB are dangerous.

Ultraviolet-A: UVA are long wave solar rays. Although less likely than UVB to cause sunburn, UVA penetrates the skin more deeply and is responsible for wrinkling, leathering and other aspects of photoaging. The latest studies show that UVA increases UVB’s cancer causing effects, but may directly cause some cancers, including melanoma.

Ultraviolet-B: UVB are short wave solar rays. They are more potent than UVA in causing sunburn and are the main cause of basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas as well as a significant cause of melanoma.

Broad spectrum sunscreens protect against both UVA and UVB rays. Look on the ingredient labels for oxybenzone, sulisobenzone, avobenzone (Parsol 1789), ecamsule, titanium dioxide or zinc oxide.

Application

Most people use sunscreen too sparingly. A liberal application of sunscreen, recommended by the medical community, is about one shot glass or one ounce or 29 milliliters of sunscreen. If you have a four-ounce tube of sunscreen, you should use a quarter of it for every application.

Apply sunscreen about thirty minutes before going outside and reapply every two hours or more often if needed.

Be safe and have fun in the sun!

How much do you trust Skin Deep (EWG) and their database?

2010-04-26T12:40:00.004-04:00

This is a brilliant article below, that I came across with that literally covers everything that was lingering in my head for quite a while. Skin Deep database, is it a fact or a fiction? How much can we trust information it provides. I am aware that quite a few truly natural and organic companies (including us) were "upset" by finding their products rated incorrectly and often unfair only due to the "data gap" in their research of natural ingredients. Not to mention that inconsistencies in ratings of similar products are very common. So I think that it is time to enlighten consumers, who refer to Skin Deep for information, regarding the fact that Skin Deep and the Environmental Working Group are not using science to back up their claims. Nor they ever respond to inquiries or can explain anything about their ratings. Make your own conclusions after you read the article below by Dene Godfrey.

Scratching Below the Surface :: Dene Godfrey Article Regarding Skin Deep

Scratching Below the Surface, by Dene C Godfrey

From the EWG web site:

“The mission of the Environmental Working Group (EWG) is to use the power of public information to protect public health and the environment. EWG is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, founded in 1993 by Ken Cook and Richard Wiles.

In 2002, we founded the EWG Action Fund, a 501(c)(4) organization that advocates on Capitol Hill for health-protective and subsidy-shifting policies.

EWG specializes in providing useful resources (like Skin Deep and the Shoppers' Guide to Pesticides in Produce) to consumers while simultaneously pushing for national policy change.”

From the Skin Deep home page:

“In 2004 we launched Skin Deep, an online safety guide for cosmetics and personal care products. Our aim was to fill in where companies and the government leave off: companies are allowed to use almost any ingredient they wish, and our government doesn't require companies to test products for safety before they're sold. EWG's scientists built Skin Deep to be a one-of-a-kind resource, integrating our in-house collection of personal care product ingredient listings with more than 50 toxicity and regulatory databases.
Now in its fourth year and third major update, our Skin Deep database provides you with easy-to-navigate safety ratings for nearly a quarter of all products on the market — 54,866 products with 8,983 ingredients. At about one million page views per month, Skin Deep is the world's largest and most popular product safety guide"

The aims of both the EWG and their Skin Deep database are laudable – who could disagree that cosmetics should be safe? I doubt that any responsible manufacturer would ever knowingly put their customers at risk by placing products on the market that are not safe for their intended use. EWG insist that there is virtually no regulation of cosmetics in the USA, but this is not the case. The FDA requires that manufacturers do not place products on the market that are unsafe to human health and, whilst there may not be the same level of regulation as in , for example, the European Union, it is not true to say that cosmetics are unregulated. The EWG/Skin Deep promote themselves as the champions of safety (in cosmetics, for the purposes of this paper), but this is not actually what they achieve.

The database uses an impressive array of numbers (of products and data sources) and an impressive-looking amount of detailed explanation as to how their system of classification works, including some complicated-looking formulae. For the fine detail, click here.

The mainstays of this system are the following:

“Hazard (concern) rating. We developed a hazard rating that represents a synthesis of known and suspected hazards associated with ingredients and products. Hazard ratings within Skin Deep are shown as low, moderate, or higher concern categories, with numeric rankings spanning those categories that range from 0 (low concern) to 10 (higher concern).

Data gap rating. We developed a data gap rating within Skin Deep, primarily to describe the extent to which low hazard scores associated with some ingredients or products are based on definitive data demonstrating safety or, at the other extreme, on a near absence of data either demonstrating or disproving hazard. Data gap ratings are represented within Skin Deep by a numeric percentage ranging from 100% (complete absence of safety data) to 0% (comprehensive safety data). “
Already, several concerns creep in:

It is not possible (at least, not without a high degree of subjectivity) to assign a numerical value to a hazard. A hazard is a hazard. It is not logical to compare something that is highly corrosive to something that is toxic by ingestion – it is the same as comparing apples with pears.
On whose authority is the “suspected” hazard determined. Again, this is highly subjective. If there are no data, how is it possible to suspect a hazard?
How is it possible to rate a data gap so empirically? The impact of any data gap is wholly dependent upon the nature of the data that are missing.
They make the statement – “A hazard rating of "low concern" (shown as a green circle in Skin Deep) might be rated in that category because of definitive data proving its safety, or because of a near absence of any safety studies that would illuminate hazards.” How can absence (or near absence) of data ever be shown to illuminate hazards?
They claim to offer “safety ratings” – they do not – they only offer hazard ratings.

On looking more closely into the database and, specifically, at various products and their hazard scores, there are many obvious issues. There is a group of closely-related compounds that are assigned hazard scores entirely the opposite of their true relative hazardous nature. There are examples of the same chemical being listed under two different names with different hazard scores.

One word that has arisen many times in this discussion, and on the Skin Deep database is “hazard”, and therein lies the basic issue with Skin Deep. It is entirely based on hazard, with no attempt whatsoever to evaluate risk. It is not possible to evaluate safety of the basis of hazard alone. If a chemical was in existance that required only a single molecule to kill a human, that would be described as extremely hazardous. However, if only one molecule of that chemical actually existed, then the chance of human exposure is insignificant, and the risk to human health is also insignificant. I use an extreme example to better explain the relationship between hazard and risk, which may be summarised as follows:

RISK = HAZARD x EXPOSURE

Because the database only highlights the hazard of the ingredient, there is no possible way the consumer can know the actual risk involved in its presence in a cosmetic product. In our daily lives we constantly assess risk, albeit mostly subconciously. If we avoided every hazard without ever considering risk, we would never cross a road, and we would never stay in our homes (as the majority of accidents occur in the home, so there is a definite hazard associated with being at home). As it is nonsense to live our lives with assessing risk, it is equally nonsense to avoid any particular chemical without assessing the risk. It may even be the case that high exposure to a product classified by Skin Deep as zero is less safe than low exposure to a product classified as 10 on this database. Therefore, the database offers no useful information on the safety of cosmetic products, and is misleading to consumers.

Regarding hazard, it is possible, given the correct dose and route of administration to establish a hazard for EVERY chemical in existance, be it natural or synthetic. If anyone decided to carry out an inhalation study using any chemical either in vapour, mist or powder form, it would result in death. The only substance that would not have this effect is air (although the individual components of air would cause death), and even inhalation of too much air too quickly can result in dizziness and unconciousness. Therefore every chemical is hazardous.

For a little light relief, I suggest that you investigate the extreme hazards posed by dihydrogen monoxide by clicking here.

The treatement of data gaps is of particular concern. This is, again, highly subjective. Some ingredients with 100% data gaps are assigned zero, but others are assigned 3, or higher. How is it possible to assign a hazard rating when there are no data? It is entirely possible that many companies, appreciative of the marketing benefits of being able to claim a zero hazard rating on Skin Deep, are designing products specifically using ingredients with a zero hazard rating. There is certainly at least one company using this tactic. This means that products are being manufactured using ingredients with no safety data! Given that the EWG make great play of their claim that the USA do not regulate cosmetics, is it wise of them to encourage this practise, albeit tacitly?

The use of hazard classification alone enables Skin Deep to provoke concern amongst consumers. Without this concern, they would get little in the way of donations.

Another quote from the EWG site:

"Under federal law, companies can put virtually anything they wish into personal care products, and many of them do. Mercury, lead, and placenta extract — all of these and many other hazardous materials are in products that millions of Americans, including children, use every day," said Jane Houlihan, Vice President of Research at EWG.

This strongly implies that mercury and lead are deliberately added into cosmetic products which (apart from a few mercury-based products used as skin-whiteners) is simply not true. Again, the comment focusses on hazard only. I am not going to comment on placenta extract as I don't know why anyone would want to use that in the first place, and I am not sure of the potential risks involved in its use., but this is more evidence of manipulation of information in order to scare consumers in a misleading manner.

At the 2010 Expo West (which, for the benefit of those not based in the US, is the largest natural products show in the country) the Environmental Working Group's Skin Deep Safety Review Group's booth reportedly had a banner which read "If you can't pronounce it, it can't be safe"!

Following this logic it must be the case that if you CAN pronounce it, it must be safe. Try pronouncing “hydrogen cyanide”.

Two final quotes from the Skin Deep web site:

“This scoring system does not account for individual sensitivities or differences between the severities of different health endpoints within a particular category.”

And at the head of every product’s hazard rating:

“Given the incomplete information made available by companies and the government, EWG provides additional information on personal care product ingredients from the published scientific literature. The chart below indicates that research studies have found that exposure to one or more ingredients in this product -- not the product itself -- caused the indicated health effect(s) in the studies reviewed by Skin Deep researchers. Actual health risks, if any, will vary based on the level of exposure to the ingredient and individual susceptibility -- information not available in Skin Deep.” (My bold type; not Skin Deep’s)

Does the average consumer looking at the database even read these disclaimers, never mind understand that they are saying that their ratings refer to the individual ingredients and that information on the ACTUAL health risks of the product in question is not available in Skin Deep?

In summary, the Skin Deep database does not offer any insight into the true safety in use of any cosmetic product. Indeed, by encouraging the use of ingredients with no supporting toxicity data, they are risking the health of the very consumers they pupport to be seeking to protect. This database should be radically amended (and corrected) to better reflect it’s true worth, or closed down.