Squalane Facial Oil

This product is amazing. I’ve been using the Squalane Facial Oil for one week. It is definitely one of my favorite products from www.indielee.com.  It is extremely lightweight, clear and odorless. I have to admit that when I used it for the first time I was overly ambitious and used way too much. I thought, the more the better. With this oil a little goes a long way. I apply it in the morning after cleansing and in the evening on my face and neck. It absorbs quickly and does not rub off on your pillow or clothes. I love this stuff and you will too. Thank you Indie Lee!

This is just an FYI. I was once a fan of McDonald’s Chicken Nuggets along with their fabulous french fries. They remain one of my favorite fast food go-to places. The intent of this post is to be informative in nature. I am in no way suggesting, encouraging or attempting to influence anyone to stop patronizing McDonald’s or eating any of their menu items. McDonald’s is a company with great leadership and  has done great work and proudly gives back to the communities they serve.  

White boneless chicken

Water

Food starch-modified

Salt

Seasoning [autolyzed yeast extract]

Salt

Wheat starch

Natural flavoring (botanical source)

Safflower oil

Dextrose, [citric acid]

Sodium phosphates

Natural flavor (botanical source)

Battered and breaded with:

Water,

Enriched flour (bleached wheat flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamin mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid),

Yellow corn flour,

Bleached wheat flour,

Food starch-modified,

Salt,

Leavening (baking soda, sodium acid pyrophosphate, sodium aluminum phosphate, Monocalcium phosphate, calcium lactate),

Spices,

Wheat starch,

Dextrose,

Corn starch

CONTAINS: WHEAT.

Prepared in vegetable oil (Canola oil, corn oil, soybean oil, hydrogenated soybean oil with TBHQ and citric acid added to preserve freshness). Dimethylpolysiloxane added as an antifoaming agent. 

During my research, one of the most disturbing ingredients I found was the TBHQ or tert-Butylhydroquinone. This is used as a preservative. It is a form of butane (i.e. lighter fluid). It is also used in perfumes, varnishes, lacquers, resins and oil field additives. The FDA has supposedly evaluated this and determined it to be SAFE at the concentration allowed in foods. However, a number of studies have shown that prolonged exposure to high doses can be carcinogenic (capable of causing cancer). 

Another mystery ingredient is the “anti-foaming” agent Dimethylpolysiloxane. Why would you even need such a thing? Well, it’s added to cooking oil to prevent the starches from foaming during frying. It is a suspected carcinogen. 

References: Handbook of Food Additives

African-American women spend more on beauty products than white women do, but little research has been done concerning the safety of these products.

Many black women, myself included have for years strived for the “straight hair” look and perhaps this has unfairly become an occupational and personal requirement.

The ingredients of hair relaxers, which many black women use to straighten their curls, are anything but relaxing. Almost all of the samples of currently available hair relaxers tested by Environmental Working Group (EWG) were ranked highly toxic. Allergic reactions, hormone disruption, immune system toxicity and organ toxicity were four of the main risks.

I always wondered what was the REAL reason black women would choose to forgo getting their hair relaxed while they were pregnant. Well now I know. But it is so surprising that with the knowledge of the risks during pregnancy they choose to return to the relaxer after their baby was born…hmmmmm.

In response, the FDA this year sent a warning letter to the makers of the hair straightening product Brazilian Blowout, which was found to contain formaldehyde even though it was labeled “formaldehyde free.” (The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics provides a timeline and status update since complaints were first reported.) It’s interesting that the formaldehyde in Brazilian Blowout drew criticism from the FDA, while the many ingredients in hair relaxers African-American women use have remained under the radar. While hair dyes, bleaches and relaxers have already been linked to skin problems (including rashes, burns, itching and hair loss) a number of national studies are being conducted to determine whether women of color face higher risks of breast and lung cancer from beauty product exposure.

Many of you may not be aware that I started experiencing hair loss at the crown of my head when I was in my late 20s. Now, twenty years later, I still have the same bald/thinning spot at the crown of my head. As a result I am limited in the hair style I can wear so I have opted for ponytails and lace front wigs. I saw a dermatologist last year and she confirmed that she has seen this in many black women and suggested it is from the use of chemical hair relaxers. Her diagnosis, “Your hair follicles have been permanently damaged and there is nothing on the market yet to restore your hair. Come back in a couple of years to see if any advancements or new studies have been made in this area.”

 Here are some tips to help you make 2012 a safe and healthy year: 

• Choose products with simple ingredients listed.
• Avoid synthetic fragrances and use fewer products overall.
• Since the beauty industry is largely unregulated, it’s up to all of us to do our own research to find the safest products. Find out what’s in your favorite products by using the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep database at http://safecosmeticsdatabase.org

So my Blogging Hiatus did not last very long…lol. No problem.

I wanted to share with everyone some very disturbing information pertaining to the cosmetics industry. I have used all types of makeup, skincare, hair care and body care products since the tender age of about 14. I absolutely was totally blindsided when I made this recent discovery. The information is overwhelming so I will only give you bits and pieces at a time and hopefully you will be enlightened and encouraged to pay it forward.

“When you know better, you do better” ~ Maya Angela/Oprah Winfrey/and me…

Shout out to Indie Lee of http://indielee.com for  being the first to bring this to my attention.

You are exposed to over 168 hazardous chemicals each day.
Chemicals such as phthalates, mineral oils, sodium lauryl sulphate, propylene glycol, and parabens, are all commonly used in cosmetics and body care products, and are known to be carcinogens or otherwise toxic to the human body.

Most chemicals have not undergone any safety testing. Of the more than 80,000 chemical ingredients in cosmetic and personal care products less than 10% have actually been tested.

The Gov’t does not regulate chemicals in beauty products.
Of the more than 10,000 chemical ingredients in cosmetic and personal care products less then 10% have actually been tested and of those that have been tested virtually none have been banned. Health Canada and Environment Canada list restricted ingredients on the Cosmetic Ingredient Hotlist; however this has no legal authority and cannot be enforced. In the US, the FDA has stated that it does not regulate ingredients in personal care products and has only ever restricted 9 chemical ingredients in 67 years.

Infertility is rising in women under the age of 25.
A major study found that pregnant women and women of child-bearing age are at greater risk for infertility and reproductive problems as result of exposure to common chemical ingredients in beauty products.

Your skin absorbs things easily.
Anything that is applied to the skin is absorbed into the body and into the blood stream just as if you’d eaten it.

You can check the safety of your favorite products or check ingredients using the Cosmetic Database (www.cosmeticdatabase.com) , a searchable resource of cosmetic and personal care products.
Thank you www.glamology.com