By: Afterglow Cosmetics

Over 90% of all ingredients in commercially available cosmetics are of synthetic origin and directly linked to serious health risks like cancer, infertility, kidney and liver disease and severe skin issues.

Skin Deep’s Report which recommends Natural Cosmetics has identified over 900 chemicals commonly available for use in cosmetics that have toxic substances and are dangerous to your health.

Environmental Working Group report called, “Skin Deep” found that almost 90 percent of the more than 10,000 ingredients used in personal care products have not been evaluated by government regulators. At the same time of the 20,000 different off-the-shelf cosmetic products that are for sales in the US, over 80% of the products surveyed contained one or more ingredients that have caused documented adverse reactions in humans and animals in the past.

Most of the large cosmetic and personal-care companies will tell you not to worry. They agree that there are many chemicals in their products, but say that the quantities are small and will not affect you. At first glance this seems reasonable. Unfortunately, this is a sugar coated public relations response and does not identify the true issue at hand. Medical science has proven that humans exposed over time to very small quantities of harmful chemicals do indeed suffer the consequences.

“Due to gaping loopholes in federal law, companies can put virtually any ingredient into personal care products. Even worse, the government does not require pre-market safety tests for any of them.” Cosmeticsdatabase.com

Medical science has proven that even the thin patches we stick to our arms or stomach with very small amounts of pharmaceutical chemicals can very effectively deliver chemicals into the bloodstream, totally changing the body’s chemistry. Trans-dermal patches containing small traces of nicotine can effectively deliver chemicals directly into the bloodstream to alter tobacco cravings. The new contraceptive alternative to the “Pill” is a patch which contains very low levels of hormones and still has the ability to stop a woman from getting pregnant.

Little is known about the long term effects of the petroleum chemicals and synthetic products that we rub into our skin on a daily basis in the form of cosmetics, lotions, shampoos, etc. At this point scientists and researchers know that these chemicals pose a threat to human health and fertility and have been found in our bodies and breast milk.

Chemicals found in cosmetics and personal-care products are linked to birth defects, hormone disruption and reduced fertility not to mention more pervasive cosmetic damage such as rashes, mild to severe acne and eczema. Many people use cosmetics and lotions to cure skin issues. Ironically, the products they are using and hoping for a cure are the very same products that are causing the problem.

Your skin absorbs nutrients and chemicals as much if not more than taking food internally. Play it safest by only putting products on your skin that you feel comfortable eating. There are plenty of recipes for homemade cosmetics and personal care products using ingredients found in your kitchen. If that doesn’t appeal to you then seek out organic.

Additional Resources:
Skin Deep
Shop for Organic Cosmetics
Afterglow Cosmetics

Source: www.PRWeb.com
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Author: Mike Stronghill

You want to be healthy, look good and smell good, so whats with all the over the counter skin care products? You eat organic foods, you drive a hybrid vehicle, and then you plaster yourself with chemicals!! Whats up with that?

Here is the scoop. We have all been using these products that we have been told to use by advertisers for years. Have you looked at the labels and read the ingredients of these products? Wow, you will be shocked to see the amount of chemicals that are being used. Maybe you are comfortable with that because the chemicals used are at levels that the US government has stated as safe. Are you good with that? I mean, have the US standards ever been wrong?? Think about all the medicines that you hear about that are advertised on TV and then a few months later you will see ads in papers and on TV stating that this product has been pulled from the market because they have discovered all these people getting sick and dying from using them. Does that make your ears perk up?

“Our skin has adapted to protect us from Mother Nature’s onslaught, but it is also designed to let things in as well. Back before the industrial age came along, the types of chemicals that touched our skin were pretty much those that the Earth made on her own. Today it’s a different story. What you are putting on your skin day after day, year after year, may be doing much more harm than good.” Suisskin.com

Yes, we are using chemicals on our bodies everyday and sometimes many times throughout the day. How often do you was your hands? Have you read what is in the soap that you are using? You might be surprised. You might be angry once you do.

So, yes, organic skin care products such as organic shampoo, organic deodorant, organic makeup and many more might appear to be a little more expensive than regular off the shelf products. But, I want you to think about this. What can happen from long term exposure to chemicals? Have you heard of cancer, bone diseases, all kinds of ailments. Now ask yourself what the medical expenses might be for a serious ailment? I do not know about you, but I have read about people having their family bankrupted due to an illness. So, which is more expensive, the long term use of chemical products or the long term use of organic skin care products? I think that you will agree with me that the use of organic skin care products is way cheaper than any of your other choices. Think about your loved ones, your children.

It is time for us to take action by doing our part. Our part can be a little as purchasing organic skin care products that are your for you, good for your family and good for the environment. I hope that you will think about this the next time you put on make up or the next time that you are bathing your children in a tub. A simple choice can make a huge difference.

Commercial skincare and cosmetic products are loaded with chemicals and they are absorbed quickly and easily through our skin. They are not regulated by the government individually and no one has ever studied cumulative, combined use of these chemicals. While there are many fabulous organic, cruelty free products on the market today, they are still too expensive for many people. Please don’t let cost be a reason to continue to buy commercially prepared products for your skin. Many skin care and beauty products can be prepared right in your own kitchen.

Buy: Pangea Organics Shower Gel - Egyptian Basil & Mint

Click here for an alphabetized list of chemicals commonly used in the beauty industry

About the author:
For a place to find organic skin care products that have been certified by the United States Government (USDA) as being organic, please visit: Healthy You Today

Are hair dyes safe? Are they safe to use if they don’t touch your scalp or skin? What about those toxic fumes? These are many questions that women who color their hair and cannot bear the thought of mousy or gray locks, have to know.

It is important to remember first of all, that just because you do not see or feel an immediate reaction, that a chemical is not harming you. Some chemicals build up in your body and add to your chemical body burden, causing cancer or other disease years later. Chemicals may also cause seemingly unrelated problems, such as infertility that you will never associate with the beauty or cleaning products you were exposed to throughout your lifetime. When you use chemicals on or near your body, you are essentially performing a science experiment on yourself and your family that you will never know the results of.

That is why you should not put products on your skin or breathe the fumes of products that you are not willing to eat. This is especially true if you are pregnant, trying to become pregnant or breastfeeding, because a developing fetus or newborn baby is especially vulnerable to toxic chemicals. Just because you have colored your hair without an immediate reaction does not mean that there are no potential dangers. If there is a possibility that your newborn will suffer reproductive difficulties in twenty years or have cancer in forty because you colored your hair while pregnant or breastfeeding, would you still do it?

Hair dye, like other cosmetics and personal care products, is not regulated for safety. The government is not looking out for your welfare so it is up to you to research the products that you wish to use to determine if they are safe to use or not. Roughly 400 out of the 456 hair colors ranked at the Skin Deep cosmetics database of the Environmental Working Group are considered high hazard, which means they contain toxic ingredients linked to cancer, developmentive and reproductive toxicity, neurotoxicity, immunotoxicity, organ toxicity, not to mention allergies and irritation of the eyes, skin or lungs.

Whats a girl to do? Women are programmed at every turn to avoid the appearance of aging. We lust after luscious Aniston-esque bronde (yes bronde) high and low lighted shimmering locks. This is a conundrum of the highest magnitude. If you are a women who has always colored your hair, the thought of simply going natural one day is unthinkable. Friends and family would have opinions and comments, much of which will be unsolicited and possibly not so nice. If you are largely gray under your color, then you may face a certain amount of discrimination in the workplace. Forget about being seen as an attractive woman when you are out on the street unless you live in a commune.

Fortunately there are safer options for coloring your hair that will leave less of an impact on your body burden and the earth and will also allow you to wear your hair with confidence and pride. It is important to remember that no amount of color can compensate for a poor haircut. The first rule of hair care is to get a really great cut. The second rule is to keep your hair in great condition. If you have healthy hair and a fabulous cut, then hair color becomes a complement rather than the center stage on your head.

Generally speaking, the more permanent the color, the more toxic the product is. Semi-permanent and temporary colors are much less toxic than permanent colors. Darker colors have been shown to be more toxic than blonde and red shades. Hennas, herbal dyes, vegetable dyes and food based ingredients are the least toxic of all and can leave your hair luscious, healthy and full of shine. If you do insist on a permanent color then there are some smart ways to reduce your exposure to the toxins from hair dyes.

Safe Salon Hair Color
Salons are a safer environment than your home for hair coloring in some ways and a more toxic environment in other ways. because they often highlight/lowlight sections of hair rather than the whole head and the solution rarely touches the scalp. Salons are also usually larger and better ventilated than your bathroom is. You may still get all over hair coloring at a salon by request or prior to the highlights. If you receive all over color plus highlights then you are getting the double whammy of chemicals. You are also exposed to the fumes of every other person getting their hair chemically treated that day.

The easiest way to minimize your chemical exposure at the hair salon is to seek out a chemical free, odor free or herbal hair salon that caters to patients with multiple chemical sensitivity, allergies or cancer. This will also benefit you when you are visiting the salon for a cut because you will not be exposed to the secondhand coloring toxins.

You can also seek out an environmentally friendly salon because many of the same chemicals that harm your body also harm the earth either in the manufacture or disposal process. Many salon employees now suffer from multiple chemical sensitivity themselves or they are trying to avoid the cancers that they are more predisposed to than non-salon workers.

Search for salons that use Ecocolors, Hybrid or European brands. Some salons use infrared technology to open up the hair shaft to absorb color rather than peroxides and ammonias. Tell the salon that you suffer from MCS (multiple chemical sensitivity) and they can point you in the right direction if they are unable to accommodate your needs.

Safer Home Hair Color:
You cannot beat the price and convenience of home hair coloring. While you miss out on the spa treatments, the cappuccino and the professional highlights, you can give yourself a quick boost and cover your gray for less than $20, wearing your pajamas, in less than an hour.

In addition to being exceptionally toxic however, home hair dyes can leave your hair one dimensional with flat, lifeless unicolor that has been clearly colored at home. Natural, healthy hair has multiple colors and tones that the salons are always trying to emulate.

A great solution to the toxic, unicolor home dyes are henna based dyes which can also cover your gray. Henna is plant based, totally safe and non-toxic. Henna enhances your natural color rather than totally covering it, which allows some of your natural highlights to come through. Henna coats and seals the hair shaft so it not only products your hair from environmental and weather related damage, but it also makes your hair gleam.

Look for home based hair dyes that are henna or herb based, and do not contain PPD, ammonia, peroxide, heavy metals, pesticides or other chemicals. In addition, you probably want to seek a product that is environmentally friendly and not tested on animals. Another way of choosing a safe brand, is to check the Cosmetics Database for products that are rated low hazard (0-2) on the safety scale such as the Light Mountain line of hair colors.

Herbal Home Hair Color
A variety of herbs have been used throughout history to color hair. Using herbs, food or infusions is the safest, non-toxic and gentle way to color your hair. The changes to your hair are often more subtle, take much more time to see a noticeable difference and are frequently temporary. While the rinses and infusions will often condition your hair, you can also add some Vitamin E, Wheatgerm Oil, Avocado Oil or any other hair healthy oil to your rinses for extra shine and conditioning.

There is a great selection of shampoos, conditioners and styling products on the market today that will enhance and protect every color of hair from brunette to gray. This is a much more convenient alternative to creating your own infusions and rinses but most of these products still come with a toxic pricetag. You can check the cosmeticsdatabase to see if you want to take that risk otherwise whip up an infusion and treat yourself to old-school hair enhancing with no toxic additions to your body burden. Create an infusion by boiling the herbs in water then cooling and straining prior to using the rinse.

Brunette Rinses:

• Rinse your hair with the cooled water left after boiling unpeeled potatoes.
• Rinse with teas made from Rosemary, Sage, Raspberry leaves, Parsley, or Catnip
• Rinse with black Coffee or black Tea
• Rinse with an infusion of Tea, Walnuts and Coffee
• Rinse with and infustion of Apple Cider Vinegar, Rosemary and Coffee .

Blonde Rinses:

• Rinse with infusions or teas made from Saffron, Turmeric, Calendula (marigold), Mullein.
• Rinse with an infusion of Avena Sativa (oat straw), Licorice Root and Saffron
• Rinse with Chamomile tea
• Boil chopped rhubarb in water then cool, strain and rinse hair with water.

Red Hair Rinses:

• Rinse hair with cool, strong black Coffee
• Rinse with teas made from Rosehips, Red Hibiscus, Caledula or Saffron

Gray Hair Rinses:

• Use a Hollyhock infusion or Betony rinse to remove the yellow from gray hair.

Find great recipes for hair infusions and rinses at Geocities/Heartland/Prarie, longlocks.com and Vegfamily.

Visit AMuchBetterStore.com to find the safest hair coloring products for Brunettes, Blondes, Redheads and Graceful Grays.

Visit any drugstore and the shelves will be full to bursting with pills, lotions and potions claiming to halt - or at least slow down - the aging process. The products themselves vary widely but they all have one thing in common - and that’s a hefty price tag.

Fortunately, there are plenty of ways you can make your own anti aging creams in the comfort of your own home. You just need to know what ingredients to use, and where to find them.

Refrigerator, Pantry… Or Garden?
You can actually obtain ingredients to make your own anti aging creams in a few different places, and if you enjoy producing home made creams you’ll soon have a wide selection of ingredients to choose from.

Safflower oil is a good ingredient to have, as it doubles as both cooking oil and a natural antioxidant when applied to the skin to moisturize it. Keeping your skin properly moisturized is the best way to make sure it doesn’t age prematurely. Avocado oil is another good bet for achieving this, and both oils can be used as a base to add other ingredients to. Oils are actually more easily absorbed than creams as well.

If you are serious about wanting to make your own anti aging creams you need to incorporate them into your whole beauty routine. Get rid of dead skin cells by exfoliating regularly. You can use crushed sea salt, oatmeal or cornmeal for this. Citrus fruits are also ideal as they help to break down the dead cells. Lemons are wonderful - your face will sting slightly but the results are worth it!

To make your own anti aging creams successfully it’s worth spending some time exploring which ingredients are right for you. As with any store bought anti aging cream, home made ones can irritate your skin if they are particularly sensitive, and it’s best to try a patch test for any new ingredient you are going to try.

Go For Variety
Make your own anti aging creams from a variety of different ingredients to begin with - try some different combinations to see what works best for your skin tone. Always select fresh products to gain the most vitamins and minerals as you can from them. This is one of the best advantages to making creams at home.

Remember the keys to keeping a young looking skin for longer - cleanse, tone and moisturize regularly. Doing this with natural products will help you save money - and wrinkles!

About the Author:

To learn more about antiaging, please visit our website: http://www.doantiaging.com.

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By: Carrie Lauth

Are you convinced of the benefits of eating organic, but the price tag has got you down? The good news is that with a little creativity and perhaps a change in routine, it is possible to eat a mostly organic diet within the confines of your existing grocery budget. Try some of these ideas that have worked for my family.

Farmer’s Markets
Search your newspaper or online for farmer’s markets in your area. Many times these small farmers utilize organic practices, but you can always ask if in doubt. You can also find “you pick” farms locally if you search. These often have great prices since you have to do the work! Going berry picking is fun as well as educational. Bring the kids and make a day of it.

Buy In Bulk
Larger health grocery stores often have a nice variety of bulk items. Some have bulk bins that allow you to bring your own containers for your grains, soap, maple syrup, and many other products. These can offer huge savings, especially on certain items like spices and herbs. While it may seem odd to buy a 15 pound bag of organic brown rice, if you eat it frequently and have a little space in your freezer, bulk is a smart idea. Bring a calculator and see how much the cost is per serving. You might be pleasantly surprised. Large wholesale chains are also now offering some organic choices.

Skip Boxed and Prepared Foods
Grocery stores typically have a fairly large selection of boxed, convenience foods in the organic section. But you pay a premium for these products. The same goes for precut and washed veggies and fruit.

Spend More Time in the Kitchen
A homemade stew made from organic ingredients will still cost less than non-organic frozen lasagna. It will also be much healthier, without preservatives and other additives. If you have a bread machine gathering dust somewhere, put it to use and make a couple of loaves a week with organic flour. You’ll likely still save money over premade bread from the store. This would be a great task to assign one of your kids.

“From Manhattan to Mexico, from China to Chile, farmers, consumers and independent businesses are resisting the invasion of Wal-Mart and the Corporate Chain stores and building grassroots power through local, green, and just commerce.” –Breaking the Chains Call to Action (sign the petition here) Organic Consumers.org

Know What’s Important to Buy Organic
There are certain foods that are more likely to contain pesticide residues. For instance, fatty items like dairy products, butter, and meats. If you’re on a tight budget, it would be better to buy these items organic than organic produce. Why? Because hormones and pesticide residues will collect in the fatty tissues of animals. You can’t really wash a stick of butter!

Focus on Veggies
If you eat more whole grains, vegetables and beans and use meat as a topping or seasoning agent, you’ll naturally spend much less. Many families find that they can afford to eat mostly organic when they eat less animal protein. Try making vegetarian, bean based dinners at least 3 nights a week.

CSAs and Co-Ops
Do a Google search to find a local community sustained agriculture (CSA) that allows you to trade a little work (or a little money) for fresh organic homegrown goods. You can also join a co-op to buy just about anything from boxed organic food, vitamins and personal care items. Or just get together with a friend to pool your resources and buy from companies that offer a wholesale program. Search online for co-ops for everything from organic skin care to vitamins to raw milk.

Grow Your Own
If growing your own garden seems overwhelming, just start with one tomato plant or a small windowbox herb garden. Enlist the help of your kids and make it into an educational experience. Or find a neighbor who you can start a small garden with and share the work.

Go Online for Organics
Believe it or not, you can save money by buying organic food online. Some retailers offer free shipping with a small minimum purchase, others offer great prices on bulk items. You can also find coupon codes for some of the retailers. The time and gas savings can also make it very worthwhile.

If you would like to find a local co-op/farm/csa or farmers market then check out localharvest.org Nothing near you? You can easily buy delicious, fresh organics online at diamondorganics.com but you will still be impacting the environment with shipping unfortunately but the quality is far superior to what you will usually find in your grocery store that your geographic location may leave you no choice. Learn more about organic foods by visiting Organic Consumers and The Environmental Working Group.

About the author:
Are you a busy Mom who is looking for natural solutions for your family’s health? Visit http://www.NaturalMomsHealth.com and download your free report. For free healthy whole foods recipes, check out http://www.NaturalMomsRecipes.com

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