Nasty Chemicals for $1000 please Alex...

Let’s play a little Absolutely Natural Jeopardy:

I'll take "Nasty Chemicals for" $1000 please, Alex.

The answer is: What are Parabens, Sodium Laurel, Sodium Laureth and Phthalates?

Buzzzzz … What are three common chemicals that Absolutely Natural has totally eliminated in their new spa line?

Correct!


I always wanted to go on Jeopardy but I’d end up being one of the guys that has $220 at end of the game and the scorn of Alex Trebek. Unless, of course, all the categories were about skincare and suncare.

Most of you have heard about the chemicals referred to above, but don’t know the potential dangers. The run down:

Parabens
Parabens (preservatives in shampoos, lotions and most personal care products) can mimic estrogen in the body. Excess estrogen in the body can increase the risk of breast cancer.

In addition, a study done in 2002 by Dr. S. Oishi in Tokyo concluded that newborn male babies exposed to Parabens “adversely affects the secretion of testosterone and the function of the male reproductive system."

A report done by our own EPA, stated that Parabens can mimic your own body’s hormones and can have endocrine-disrupting action when they are rubbed into your body. These disruptors interfere with your endocrine system, your hypothalamus, your ovaries, your thyroid and virtually every system in your body.

Sodium Laurel and Sodium Laureth
These particular sulfates (lathering agents in shampoos and body washes) have been shown to produce eye and/or skin irritation. Research by OSHA and CTFA (Cosmetic, Toiletry and Fragrance Association) concludes that Parabens are a known carcinogen (low levels of carcinogen 1,4-dioxane) and irritant.

Phthalates
Phthalates are a group of chemicals used in the making of polyvinyl plastics but are common in personal care products including shampoos and lotions. Exposure to these chemicals has been linked to:

• Adverse effects on genital development of male fetuses in utero
• Premature breast development in young girls
• Affects on puberty functions
  

Now I’ll be the first to admit that nothing has positively concluded that these chemicals are the primary cause of these adverse reactions but there is enough evidence to warrant caution. When you consider that anything absorbed through the skin may be as high as 10 times more concentrated than an oral dose.

In the words of one of my favorite customers, “Why take the chance?”

Especially when there are great alternatives provided you by Absolutely Natural.

Best regards,

Charley

SPF’s Impact on the Environment

It is estimated that every year 8000 tons of chemicals are deposited on our precious ocean coral reef to disastrous results. These chemicals are choking the life out of our reefs and no one dares to predict what will happen if they die out.

The culprits are not only chemical factories spewing run off into our oceans, greenhouse gases and cruise ships dumping waste. The damaging chemicals come from millions of people innocently playing in the oceans while wearing chemical sunscreens.

The main offenders from these perfectly legal and highly marketed sunscreens are the chemicals used for the sunscreen factor, emulsifiers and preservatives. Some of these ingredients can take months to biodegrade all the while causing damage.

High SPFs Are They For Real?
Let’s take SPF 100 as an example. Technically that would mean that a sunscreen at that level would give you 100 times more protection than wearing no sunscreen. So, if it takes you 20 minutes in the sun before you start to redden, this means, in theory you could enjoy the sun without consequence for 2000 minutes! Ridiculous! The serious issue is that people are exposing themselves to potentially toxic levels of chemicals when they fall for the marketing hype that leads them to believe you need such high SPF numbers.

Most reasonable researchers agree that an SPF 15 is a maximum sunscreen and that anything over an SPF 30 is unnecessary. Because our natural sunscreens reflect UV instead of absorbing it the way chemical sunscreens do, our all-natural higher SPF’s are more than sufficient for all levels of UV exposure.

Absolutely Natural’s SPF and the Environment
Recently, we funded a study done by Dr. Joel Olson from the prestigious Florida Institute of Technology. We are still evaluating Dr. Olson’s findings but one of the outstanding discoveries that came from this study is that Absolutely Natural sunscreens are 80% biodegraded within two weeks. Of course, there are no chemicals in the formulas and there is no adverse effect to our waters or our coral reefs.

Since 1992, we have been on the cutting edge of working with naturals and organics … better for your skin, your health and the future for our children.

Best regards,

Charley