BEE AN INFORMED SHOPPER

So you buy organic produce and read the nutritional information and ingredient list of every food you buy. But most people admittedly pay very little attention to the ingredients in their skin care products. And with all the mixed messages flying around the body care aisle, how can you be sure you are choosing the best product? It can be frustrating. Many products claim to be all-natural, organic and safe but are anything but. The truth is there is very little regulation of the cosmetic and skin care industry. It is up to companies to police themselves, and when left to their own devices, few companies will choose to do the right thing over what is cheap and more profitable. But don’t get discouraged. With a little knowledge you can feel empowered to make the right choices and weed through the confusion.

BEE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR:

PARABENS

Make sure that the product has no parabens in it. Parabens are a group of chemical preservatives that have been shown to disrupt normal hormone function. Parabens are estrogenic. In other words, they mimic the function of naturally occurring estrogen. Many companies view it as "too costly" to switch their formulas so instead of doing the right thing, they attempt to downplay the dangers parabens pose. A recent study published by the Journal of Applied Toxicology* has found parabens in breast cancer tissue, which has caused alarm about the use of parabens in cosmetics and skin care. On the label they might read as meythlparaben, ethylparaben, butylparaben or propylparaben. Other preservatives to Bee On the Lookout for are benzethonium chloride, BHA, BHT, diazolidinyl urea (which gives off formaldehyde!), imidazolidinyl urea, and methylisothiazolinone. BEE WARE!


SYNTHETIC FRAGRANCES

Scented with…1,4 Dioxane? Not in our products. Avoid any product that uses a synthetic fragrance. It will be listed in the ingredients as “fragrance” or “perfume” or “natural fragrance”. There is no natural fragrance other than an essential oil or the inherent aroma of an ingredient itself. Many “natural” companies use fragrance so be careful. A number of fragrance materials can accumulate in fat tissue, act as hormone disruptors and pass into breast milk. Synthetic fragrance can cause respiratory issues, neurological issues and dermatitis. The label will list only fragrance but this one ingredient could contain over 100 toxic chemicals such as 6-Acetyl-1,1,2,4,4,7-hexamethyltetraline (AHTN) or toxic pthalates. Does that sound like something that belongs in a “natural” product?

SODIUM LAURYL/LAURETH SULFATE

If a product has SLS in the ingredients list bee a smart consumer and move on! Sodium Lauryl Sulfate and Sodium Laureth Sulfate are anionic surfactants used in countless skin care preparations for their foaming capabilities. Anionic refers to the negative charge these surfactants have. These surfactants may be contaminated with nitrosamines, which are cancer-causing agents. They are also known irritants to the eyes, skin and respiratory tract. These surfactants are commonly used in car washes and engine degreasers-why would you want that in your hair?

LANOLIN

Lanolin is obtained from sheep’s wool. The majority of lanolin used in cosmetics is contaminated with pesticides such as DDT and any other number of chemicals that farm raised sheep are exposed to. Many “natural” companies still use lanolin. Can you bee-lieve it?

ARTIFICIAL COLORS

Most of these are made from coal tar, which is known to cause cancer. Even though the FDA requires that these colors be limited to 20ppm of arsenic and lead isn’t any arsenic and lead too much? We certainly think so. Pass on that blue lotion that seems so cute. They will read on the label as D&C color, FD&C color, such as FD&C Yellow # 4 and so on.

PETROLATUM

This is nothing more than petroleum jelly. It’s all in the name. Petroleum! That belongs in your car not on your skin.

DIMETHICONE

Silicone derived and skin occlusive. This blocks off the pores and doesn’t allow the skin to breathe and has been shown to accumulate in the liver. Avoid!

BeeCeuticals Organics never uses any of the ingredients listed above. We want our products to be safe for our customers, community and the planet!

*www.mindfully.org/Pesticide/2004/Parabens-Breast-Significance1jan04.htm

Information and statements regarding BeeCeuticals Organics products have not been evaluated by the FDA. BeeCeuticals Organics products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any health condition or disease. Always consult a physician before making any changes in your health regimen. Any information provided in this article is meant for educational purposes only.