A Guide to Safe Suncreen

Summer is coming – which sunscreen will you slather on your skin?

Sunscreen is a product that we are encouraged to use to protect ourselves from harmful UV rays while enjoying the outdoors. If you’re a parent, it’s likely you are even more concerned about protecting your children’s sensitive skin and making the safest choice possible.

But what to do we really know about the safety of the products we are choosing – in my research – it seems clear that we don’t know enough.

Note – be prepared when switching to safer sunscreens you are going to move into products that are going to be thicker, whiter and slower to absorb that other sunscreen choices.  This is because they rely on a high concentration of zinc oxide or titanium dioxide to block the suns rays.

Look for:
At least 7% zinc oxide or titanium dioxide for UVA & UVB protection.

What to Avoid:
Spray and Powder Sunscreen
Sunscreen insect repellent combo – pesticides absorbing into your body
Ingredients; Oxybenzone or benzophenone-3, skin absorption, allergies, hormone problems
Brands; Coppertone, Banana Boat and Most Neutrogena

From the EWG:
No one understands the health implications of our exposures to complex mixtures of industrial compounds and pollutants: remarkably, federal health standards do not require companies to test most products for safety before they are sold, including nearly all chemicals in sunscreen and other personal care products. Little is known about the safety of most industrial chemicals. In the absence of data the federal government approves new chemicals for the market using computer models to predict if they are toxic to humans.

After 30 years of debate,the government has failed to set mandatory sunscreen safety standards. Companies are free to make their own decisions on everything from advertising claims to product quality. FDA now stands in direct violation of a Congressional mandate requiring the agency to finalize sunscreen safety standards by May 2006, flouting not only Congress but also consumers, who are reliant on sunscreen to protect their health.

EWG’s Top Ten List:

Blue Lizard
California Baby (SPF 30 or Higher)
CVS (with zinc oxide
Jason Natural Cosmetics – Sunbrellas Mineral Based Sunblock
Kiss My Face – Paraben Free series
Neutrogena – Sensative Skin Sunblock
Olay Defense Daily UV Moisturizer with zinc
SkinCeuticals Physical UV Defense
Solar Sense Clear Zinc for Face
Walgreens Zinc Oxide for Face, Nose, & Ears

My Picks:

After studying the EWG’s extensive list the following products have an EWG score of 0-3 for toxicity. My selections are for individual products, not the brands in general, as brand scores can vary widely.

Natural:
Jason Natural Cosmetics Sunbrellas: Mineral Based Physical Sunblock SPF 30+
Kiss My Face Sunscreen Spf#30 + With Oat Protein 100% Paraben Free
Nature’s Gate Organics Be Solective Sunscreen for Face, SPF 30
All California Baby Sunscreens

Luxury
Dermalogica Super Sensitive Face Block, SPF 30
Mustela Sun Cream for Sensitive Areas, SPF 50
Kiehl’s All-Sport ‘non-Freeze’ Face Protector, SPF 30
DDF Organic Sunblock, SPF 30

Value:
CVS Sunscreen with Zinc Oxide, SPF 45+
Walgreens Sunblock with Zinc Oxide for Face, Nose & Ears, SPF 45+
Olay Complete Defense Daily UV Moisturizer, SPF 30 – Available at my Target
No-Ad Ultra Sunblock Lotion, SPF 60

If you must use a spray – these are your best bets:
Almay Sun Protector for Body Spray, SPF 30
Dermalogica Waterblock Solar Spray, SPF 30
Banana Boat Ultra Mist Kid’s Tear Free Continuous Spray Sunblock Lotion, SPF 30 – Only SPF 30 the SPF 50 is rated 9!

Shopping at Target:
I was recently at target, they had walls of sunscreen. I could only find one of the above products – After an hour of research using my telephone I was able to find 2 sunscreens that were an EWG 3 and the lowest score for a spray was a 5.
Coppertone WaterBabies Pure & Simple – SPF 50 – oil, fragrance & dye free
Neutrogena Sensitive Skin Sunblock Lotion – SPF 60+
Banana Boat Kids Continuous Spray Sunscreen – SPF 50

To learn more:
www.ewg.org/cosmetics/report/sunscreen09

Miessence Organics: Diva Review & Giveaway

Congratulations to the winner!

I was introduced to Miessence Organics by Erin Ely an Independent Representative who has been following PND and knew that I had to check out their line!

What I love about Miessence Skin Care products is that every ingredient in the skin care line is certified organic to food standards by the Australian Certified Organic (ACO).

They also ship all of their products fresh from the factory and suggest their product be used within 6 months to ensure you get the full benefit of the active ingredients.  Miessence also uses cold pressed formulations – this ensures that heat will not kill the active ingredients during processing.

They have a full line of body care products,  skincare and makeup that you can use with confidence – the entire product range scores from 0-2 in the Cosmetics Database.

I wish I could go to the store to try all these fantastic products, but they are only available through independent distribution.  The line prices out with  cleansers at $42, shampoo & conditioner that are $22 each, and at $40 their facial serums are a bargain.

Erin did send me their Rejuvenessence Facial Serum to try – it was  little too rich for daily use on my skin, but I adjusted to using it 2 or 3 times a week and that has been just right.  It has a rich botanical fragrance and absorbs quickly into the skin.

Lucky for us, Erin has agreed to give one lucky reader a $50 gift certificate to try Miessence for themselves!  Use it for toothpaste, sunscreen, shampoo, make up – it’s your call – but use it with confidence because this company prides themselves on being 100% organic and natural.

Win a $50 Gift Certificate for Miessence Organics

HOW TO ENTER:

There are a few ways you can enter, leave separate comments for each entry.

Mandatory

Become an Email Subscriber to PND using the form in the sidebar. Leave a comment with a name I can print in our newsletter if you win. Winners are only announced in our newsletter – so don’t forget to check!

• The subscription must be confirmed. You will receive and email that you must reply to for your entry to be valid.
• Already a confirmed Subscriber. Complete any one of the additional entries options – Leave a comment letting Diva know you’re subscriber name and the entry option you selected.

Additional Entries

1. Go to ElyOrganics and share what you will use your $50 to buy!
2. Stumble, Digg, Kirsty, or Technorati favorite this post. Leave a comment with your name and the link.
3. Follow @purenaturaldiva (use link on the sidebar) and @erinely on twitter. Leave your twittername in a separate comment.
4. Become a Fan of Pure Natural Diva and Miessence Organics on Facebook. Post this giveaway as an update, leave your FB Name or Name with a copy of your update in a separate comment. One entry for each.
5. Tweet this giveaway. Copy and paste “WIN a $50 Gift Certificate for Miessence Organics, make-up, skin care… Diva Giveaway http://bit.ly/bhvrJ8 @purenaturaldiva #ElyOrganics”. Leave a comment and link in the comments.
6. Write a post on your blog linking to my blog and to the – Good for two entries. Leave this comment twice so you get both entries!

This giveaway will run through midnight on May 22, 2010 PDT, with winner being announced May 24, 2010 in the PND Newsletter. Winner will be chosen using Random.org from all valid entries. Winner will have 24 hours to contact me before the contest is re-opened until the following weekend.

Giveaway is open to residents of the U.S.

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Costco Line of Green Cleaners

Costco  introduced a new line of environmentally friendly cleaning products.   It is their own Kirkland Brand – and it’s packaged in 70% recycled material.

The Line Includes:

Liquid Laundry Detergent
Dish Detergent
Automatic Dishwasher Detergent
All Purpose Cleaner

I’ve happily replaced my laundry detergent (method $12 + per 64 load ) with the Kirkland green brand, around $13 for 110 loads. – I like the fragrance, leaves the laundry with a light fresh smell – but not at all over powering.

For all purpose cleaner – I make my own for less than $1 per bottle – but I did buy a bottle to try. I’ll report back once I’ve used it.

The Automatic Dishwasher Detergent works equally well in my dishwasher as the Seventh Generation. The packaging doesn’t the little metal pour spout -which is greener, but I must confess I miss it. It won’t stop me from using this detergent.

Some reviews have said Kirkland Brand is not as green as brand like; Planet and Seventh Generation, but for those of you moving in the green direction it’s a much better alternative than conventional brands, a big step in the right direction by Costco. Not to mention being much kinder to our wallet that other green brands.

Safer Nail Polish

This is the story of Lil Diva and her first manicure and pedicure.

Previously – I had heard about opting for greener polish – but wasn’t compelled to try them until my daughter asked to have her nails painted. And I didn’t know what the problem was with regular polish.

So why should you consider switching?

Dibutyl phthalate (DBP), formaldehyde and toluene – big words right?
What makes them bad… well they are know to cause cancer or reproductive toxicity.

All three ingredients are banned by the European Union, but not by the FDA.

The good news – there are many companies making nail polish without these harmful ingredients.

Sally hansen has also removed the harmful ingredients.

Opi and Orly are continuing to use some of the ingredients, while removing others.

Ratana Eco Salon in Hollywood: Hair Salon Review

My husband has been asking me for ages to go back to the Auburn Hair Color I was when we first met.  I stopped coloring my hair when I was pregnant with Lil’ Diva.  After she was born and I’d learned even more about the toxins in hair coloring – I was happy to avoid the exposure and keep my natural color.

Little did I know – there are other options.  You can find salons that offer beautiful color with dramatically safer color options.

Today I visited Ratana Salon – A hidden gem in West Hollywood off La Cienega just south of Santa Monica Blvd.  You even enter the salon off the back lane!

You won’t find any hustle or bustle here – instead you’ll meet Ratana, possibly her sister, Suchana, and be soothed with zen-like music in an intimate Spa like atmosphere.  There is one station for one  client, and the first thing I noticed after walking into the salon was the absence any chemical smell.

Ratana began the process of becoming a greener salon a year ago -  they’ve come a long way in that time.  After working as a salon owner and stylist for over 20 years, she decided to change over to a less toxic coloring system because the traditional chemicals were making her sick.

The color process she uses – Organic Color Systems – employs heat  to open the hair follicle and prepare it for the color.  Traditional coloring uses ammonia.  This system does take a little extra time – so if you decide to try it out be sure to allow 2 hours for your color process.

Ratana offers Organic Care Systems hair care line and Eminence Organic Skin Care .

Ask for tea or coffee and you’ll get an organic offering – right down to the organic cream… and… oh… it will be served in a real mug.

A trip to the powder room and you’ll find the paper products are 100% recycled.

Ratana decided we should try a semi permanent process on my hair  and successfully transformed me into an Auburn Diva once again.  Semi permanent is a great choice for those who don’t need to cover gray and want to have less pressure to “get your roots done.”

Whether you live in Los Angeles or not – if you color your hair it may be time to ask your stylist to make a few changes or find an Eco Salon in your area.  When I asked my personal stylist why more salons aren’t offering organic options – he said when it comes to beauty women just don’t care.  I truly hope this isn’t true.

Ratana Salon
916 1/4 N. La Cienega Blvd.
(enter thru La Cienega alley)

Phone: (310) 659-2239

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Hardwood Floor Cleaner: Home Recipe

Mixing up new cleaning formulas has become a recent hobby. I love not spending hundreds of dollars on cleaning products and knowing exactly what I’m using in my home.

2 tbs Oil
2 tbs lemon juice
2 tbs alchohol
24 oz Water

or

2 tbs Oil
2 tbs Castille soap – I like the almond for wood floors.
2 tbs Alchohol
24 oz Water

If you like a little more fragrance add an essential oil of your choosing. PND likes almond and citrus for cleaning products.

Mix in Method Spray Cleaner Bottle – Spray on floor using a damp cloth over a mop to wipe. Because these cleaners contain oil – you do need to make sure you shake the bottle, to keep the liquids mixed while cleaning.

I’ve also used Method Hardwood Floor Cleaner, using about 1/2 cup and putting it in a spray bottle, fill with water. Spray directly on the floor and mop with a damp cloth.

Also try:
PND All Purpose Cleaner Recipe
PND Foaming Handsoap Recipe

Fruits and Vegetables May Be Taking a Bath In Toxic Chemical

It keeps getting scarier to eat!

It seems more and more important that we stay informed, get involved, buy local produce whenever possible from the farmers and wash, wash, wash what you buy from the market!

The Short Version:

Fruits and vegetables are packed on pallets for shipping, turns out the industry is moving towards using more plastic pallets, turns out a bunch of these pallets contain Deca a chemical linked to Cancer, Brain and Reproductive Disorders in animal studies.

What is Deca?
Deca is a Flame Retardant that is added to plastics to prevent them from catching fire at high heats.

Question:  How does the Deca get from the pallets onto our fruits and vegetables?
In preparation for shipping produce is hydro-cooled. Stacks of pallets containing produce are submerged in supercooled water, or have water dripped on top. The water is then recycled, raising the concentration of Deca in the water and increasing the likelihood of contamination.

General Mills, Borders Melon Company, PepsiCo, Cott, Okray Family Farmsand Martoni Farm are currently using plastic pallets. While Dole Foods and Kraft Foods are considering making the switch.

By the way, over 40% of the deca used globally is used in the US!

As a result of public health concerns officials in Maine and Washington State have restricted the use of Deca and 10 other states are proposing bans this year.

Canadian and European officials have banned the use of Deca in electronics. It seems clear that Deca should come nowhere near our food supply and yet, at the moment, it is much too close for my comfort.

This is summarized from an EWG report on another potential contamination of our food supply. Click to read their full report.

Image courtesy of Wahig.

Seventh Generation: Diva Review

Regular readers already know I’m a big fan of making my own cleaning supplies. You just can’t beat the price!

I know that MANY of you are not ready to start mixing your own cleaners – clearly your sanity is still intact. That said – You do  want to know the best options for non toxic cleaning in your own home.

When it comes to green home cleaning products you can’t get too far into any discussion without talking about Seventh Generation, a leader in the non toxic, greener  household solutions industry.

What they have to say:

Seventh Generation is committed to being the most trusted brand of household and personal-care products for your living home. Our products are healthy and safe for the air, the surfaces, the fabrics, the pets, and the people within your home — and for the community and environment outside of it. Seventh Generation also offers products for baby that are safe for your children and the planet.

Seventh Generation is their committed to inspiring change – their product labels are clear and you can understand what you are reading.  Their products will often  include a statement about the eco impact of your purchasing decision.  Statistics that have inspired me.

For Example

If every family replaced just one roll of virgin fiber 120 count Paper Towels with 100% recycled paper towels we would save 1 million trees!

If every family replace just one bottle of conventional liquid laundry detergent with a plant derived alternative we would save 466,000 Barrels of Oil!

Seventh Generation sent me their Free & Clear Home Started Kit to try out.

Pin It

The kit includes:
Free & Clear Natural Glass & Surface Cleaner
Free & Clear Natural All Purpose Cleaner
Free & Clear Natural Dish Liquid
Free & Clear Natural Laundry Detergent, 32 oz
Free & Clear Fabric Softener, 50 oz
Natural Paper Towels (-1) 120 Count
Reusable Tote

If you haven’t ventured into non toxic, eco friendly cleaning & household products, this is a great company to try.   As a leader in the “green household solutions’ market I’m proud to share their products with my readers. Seventh Generation is aware of the fact that if their products don’t do the job – people won’t use them!  So the product effectiveness is imperative to them.

As a company they have a goal of being as transparent as they can with consumers.  They share both their victories and where they fall short of their goals on their website.  Repeatedly their products lead the way for being some of the best choices from both an toxin standpoint and their environmental impact in the industry.  Green is more than a marketing ploy, it is part of their corporate vision.

As a mother – one of the most compelling things I read on their entire site wasn’t statistic or figures, rather this story that was shared in their corporate consciousness report:

Dear Seventh Generation:
My heart has been overflowing with gratitude since Saturday night. I was emptying the
dishwasher, and hadn’t realized that it had malfunctioned (all of the dishwashing powder
was still in there). My daughter had opened the little detergent door when I wasn’t paying
attention. I looked down to see her with two handfuls and a mouthful of your dishwasher
powder. Frantic, I called Poison Control. “My daughter ate dishwasher powder.” They asked
what brand it was. “Seventh Generation.” “Oh, it’s fine then. Just wash it off her hands, and
give her a glass of water.” Thank you, thank you, thank you!   — Gabrielle

From my perspective this letter illustrates so much of what motivates me to make better choices for my family and care more about the environment for the future.  It’s about our children and their future.

Seventh Generation has a great website full of information & coupons.  So don’t forget to take advantage and save a few dollars – it all adds up!

Seventh Generation is Giving One Lucky PND Reader a Home Starter Kit (Retail Value $42)

HOW TO ENTER:

There are a few ways you can enter, leave separate comments for each entry.

Mandatory

Become an Email Subscriber to PND using the form in the sidebar.  Leave a comment with a name I can print in our newsletter if you win!

• The subscription must be confirmed. You will receive and email that you must reply to for your entry to be valid.
• Already a confirmed Subscriber. Complete any one of the additional entries options – Leave a comment letting Diva know you’re subscriber name and the entry option you selected.

Additional Entries

1. Go to Seventh Generation and share your favorite fun fact about this great company!
2. Stumble, Digg, Kirsty, or Technorati favorite this post. Leave a comment with your name and the link.
3. Follow @purenaturaldiva (use link on the sidebar) and @SeventhGen on twitter. Leave your twittername in a separate comment.
4. Become a Fan of Pure Natural Diva & Seventh Generation on Facebook. Post this giveaway as an update, leave your FB Name or Name with a copy of your update in a separate comment. One entry for each.
5. Tweet this giveaway. Copy and paste “WIN Free & Clear Home Starter Cleaning Kit!!! Diva Giveaway  http://bit.ly/aFC7kB @purenaturaldiva”. Then come back and leave the direct link to your tweet (go to your twitter account, click on the words when your tweet was sent (ie. 5 seconds ago) and copy and paste that link in comments.
6. Write a post on your blog linking to my blog and to the – Good for two entries. Leave this comment twice so you get both entries!

This giveaway will run through midnight on April 3, 2010 PDT, with winner being announced April 5, 2010 in the PND Newsletter. Winner will be chosen using Random.org from all valid entries. Winner will have 24 hours to contact me before the contest is re-opened until the following weekend.

Giveaway is open to residents of the U.S.

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“Safe” Mascara: Ask Diva

Dear Diva,

Help – what is your favorite “good-for-you” mascara?

Twitter follower @at1968media

Dear Twiva,

Good question.  Mascara is a product that we wear right next to our eye, so being careful with this selection is a prudent idea.

My  approach to converting to”safer” cosmetics and bodycare products has been to use up what I own, then replace that product with a safer product.  With Mascara I must have hit a good sale one day because it took me a long time to use up what I had, I finally switched to natural mascara earlier this year.

Part of switching to natural products has been to change buying patterns, my old habit of buying a few of one item and keeping them until I needed them no longer works.  Better for you products don’t contain as many preservatives, so they often don’t last as long.  I digress…

Very randomly one day I was at the drugstore (a rare event these days) and happened across Physicians Formula Organic Wear Mascara.  They were offering a rebate making the mascara free, cool deal and a win – win.  So I picked one up to try.  The mascara rates a 3 in the Skin Deep Cosmetics Database.

This is an improvement over my longtime favorite L’Oreal Voluminous Mascara, which rates a 6 and the always mentioned Maybelline Great Lash Mascara which scores a 5.

For those who are really committed to purity, check out Coastal Creations Mascara, which scores 0.

Another brand I’d like to try is 100% pure fruit pigmented mascara which scores a 2 in Skin Deep.

There you have it, 3 different natural or organic options for you to try out!  Let me know how it all works.

Love,

Sweeping Reforms for Toxic Chemicals in the Works

Historic plans are in place to reform the federal toxic chemical controls.

The principles of the reform has initial support from environmentalists, federal and state lawmakers.  Additionally -  The America Chemistry Council (ACC), The Grocery Manufacturers Associations and the Consumer Specialty Products Association are also supporting the new measures.

The key areas being addressed:

• Reviews of chemicals in light of safety standards, without cost-benefit analyses that have opened loopholes for dangerous chemicals;
• Consideration for vulnerable populations, especially children;
• New EPA authority to require chemical manufacturers to provide hazard, use and exposure data on new and existing chemicals and to act quickly when threats develop;
• Adequate funding for EPA safety assessments and regulatory programs;
• Priority for chemicals that pose higher risks to people and the environment, with clear deadlines and industry accountability;
• Incentives for innovation in green chemistry.

To Read the details: Read more

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