Holistic Feathers

“Beauty is not in the face, beauty is a light in the heart” ~ Khalil Gibran

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15 ingredients to evict from your bathroom and toilet bag

Is your bathroom cabinet bulging with toxins?
Is your make-up or toilet bag a cocktail of chemicals that could do you harm?

We are not saying any one of these is a direct cause of cancer, although several are known carcinogens while others affect your immune system, nervous system or internal organs. If you are at all interested in Cancer Prevention, you might think to check out the ingredients list on your bottles and jars: the higher up the list these 15 come, the greater the concentration.

So chuck out the offenders, look before you buy and invest in safer alternatives.

1: Formaldehyde
A Class A carcinogen it is used as a disinfectant, fixative, germicide and preservative in a wide variety of products from deodorants to liquid soaps, and from nail varnish to shampoos. Also known as formalin, formal and methyl aldehyde, it has been linked in research to lung cancer and leukaemia. It can damage DNA, irritate the eyes, upper respiratory tract and mucous membrane, and may cause asthma and headaches. It is banned in Japan and Sweden.

2: Phthalates
Sometimes refered to as “gender benders”, these are a family of industrial plasticisers already banned in the EU from being used in plastic toys, but still widely found in plastic bottles and plastic cups. If the contents is heated, the heat can further denature the plastic causing a greater release – forever. Phthalates can be absorbed through the skin, inhaled as fumes and ingested in liquids and contaminated food, and even via breastfeeding. They are xenoestrogens, or oestrogen mimics. They can be found in shampoos, shower gels, and even your posh mountain fresh water bottles. Also found in hairsprays, top-selling perfumes and nail varnishes. Animal studies have shown they can damage the liver, kidneys, lungs and reproductive system – especially developing testes.

“They are banned in the EU from being used in plastic toys, but are still in toiletries”

3: Parabens
Listed as alkyl parahydroxy benzoates -butyl/methyl/ethyl/ propyl/ isobutyl parabens on products such as some toothpastes, moisturisers and deodorants. They are used as a preservative but, like phthalates, can act as oestrogen mimics. Research suggests that mimics can increase levels of active oestrogens in the body – oestrogen lies behind many cancers like breast cancer, testicular cancer, colon and prostate cancer. Xenoestrogens have been linked to reductions in sperm count.

Bisphenol A: Found in plastics, the white linings inside cans, and babies bottles. Recent Canadian research turned BPA up in cans of fizzy soft drinks too. Banned in Canada, and in toys for the under 3´s in California, BPA is another plastic-based oestrogen mimic

4: Sodium Lauryl Sulphate (SLS)
is one of the ingredients in many a shampoo, bubble bath, liquid soap etc. Why, when it is a known skin irritant, stops hair growth, can cause cataracts in adults, damage children´s eye development and cause urinary tract infection?

Because it´s cheap and produces lots of bubbles when mixed with salt. Hardly compensation! Sodium Laureth Ether Sulphate (SLES) is a slightly less irritant form of SLS, but may cause more drying. Both can lead to potentially carcinogenic cocktails of nitrites and dioxins forming in shampoos and cleansers, by reacting with other ingredients. SLS actually increases the permeability of the skin by about 40 per cent. Skin is not a barrier – it´s a carrier. If anyone tells you otherwise, ask them how HRT and nicotine patches work?

5: Toluene
is a common solvent found in nail enamels, hair gels, hair spray, and perfumes. It is a neurotoxin and oestrogen mimic and can damage the liver, disrupt the endocrine system and cause asthma.

6: Fluoride
In America toothpaste labels clearly warn about fluoride use. Consider carefully this warning: ‘As in all fluoride toothpastes, keep out of the reach of children under 6 years of age. If you accidentally swallow more than used for brushing, seek professional assistance or contact a Poison Control Centre immediately’. Fluoride is even added to mouthwash. It probably does no good at all if you are over 35 and the FDA has stated that it should be avoided by pregnant women.

7: Alcohol
Recent research from Australia linked alcohol-based mouthwashes to higher rates of mouth, tongue and throat cancer. (These cancer are on the increase particularly in 40-something adults). Smokers and people who drunk alcohol as well as using these mouthwashes had 3 to 5 times higher rates of these cancers. ´Should be banned´, was the researchers conclusion.

8: Propylene Glycol
is a cosmetic form of mineral oil (refined crude oil) used in industrial anti-freeze. People handling it are warned by the manufacturer to avoid skin contact and wear respirators and rubber gloves etc, and yet this is a major ingredient in most moisturisers, skin creams, baby wipes and sun screens. Why?

It´s cheap and gives the “glide” factor in body lotions – but is in fact robbing lower layers of skin of moisture. Lanolin and collagen can also clog pores and cause skin to age faster than if nothing was used.

9: Talc
is recognised as carcinogenic and has been linked to an increased risk of ovarian and endometrial cancer and general urinary tract disorders. On some baby powder tins it actually says, ´Do not use near mouth or nose´! The distant cousin of asbestos, so don´t dust it on your baby´s, or anyone else´s, bottom! And certainly not near your mouth and nose – of course it is in make-up face packs and ´powder puffs´.

10: Parfum/perfume
A typical cosmetic can contain up to 150 chemicals in the perfume alone! 95 per cent of these chemicals are synthetic compounds derived from petroleum -26 of which are on an EU hit list. Fragrances have been linked to allergies and breathing difficulties and they penetrate the skin. The ingredients do not legally have to be declared. Avoid all skin contact with fragrances.

11: Xylene
is also listed, for example, as xytol or dimethylbenzene on nail varnish bottles. It can damage your liver, is narcotic in high concentrations and causes skin and respiratory tract irritation.

12: Diethanolamine
Ans also Tri- and Mono- (DEA, TEA and MEA) are absorbed through skin where they accumulate. If found in products also containing nitrates, they react and form nitrosamines, which are carcigonemic.

13: Vitamin A – retinyl palmitate
is found in many skin creams, skin lotions and sunscreens. There is a growing body of research expressing concern that, far from helping with skin damage, this pre-sensitises the skin to the harmful effects of Ultra Violet (UV) rays in sunshine. The FDA is reviewing concerns that this may actually cause more skin cancers!

14: Triclosan
sometimes listed as 5-chloro-2 (2,4-dichlorophenoxy) phenol, is an antibacterial agent in deodorants, toothpastes, vaginal washes and mouthwashes. Toxic dioxins are produced during its manufacture or incineration. It is stored in breast milk and in fish, and can break down in water to create a member of the dioxin family, a proven carcinogen. Serious concerns are under investigation right now.

15: Paraphenylenediamine
or PPD is used in dark hair dyes. Tests on rats have shown that PPD may cause cancer, after long-term use with hydrogen peroxide. Now look at the next ingredient in the list! It has been implicated in numerous bladder cancer cases in California. The perfect excuse to go blonde?

While we are on this subject, the two top toxins found to accumulate in our bodies during our normal daily lives in research were formaldehyde and dichlorobenzene. And this occurs whether we live in cities or in the countryside. The dangers start at home (Dichlorobenzene is in many of those supposedly nice smelling things people freshen their toilets, carpets and rooms with).

(c) CANCERactive

Article discovered on CANCERactive’s website

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Pretty women wonder where my secret lies
I’m not cute or built to suit a fashion model’s size
But when I start to tell them
They think I’m telling lies.

I say,
It’s in the reach of my arms
The span of my hips,
The stride of my step,
The curl of my lips.

I’m a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That’s me.

I walk into a room
Just as cool as you please,
And to a man,
The fellows stand or
Fall down on their knees.
Then they swarm around me,
A hive of honey bees.

I say,
It’s the fire in my eyes
And the flash of my teeth,
The swing of my waist,
And the joy in my feet.
I’m a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That’s me.

Men themselves have wondered
What they see in me.
They try so much
But they can’t touch
My inner mystery.
When I try to show them,
They say they still can’t see.

I say
It’s in the arch of my back,
The sun of my smile,
The ride of my breasts,
The grace of my style.
I’m a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That’s me.

Now you understand
Just why my head’s not bowed.
I don’t shout or jump about
Or have to talk real loud.
When you see me passing
It ought to make you proud.

I say,
It’s in the click of my heels,
The bend of my hair,
The palm of my hand,
The need of my care,
‘Cause I’m a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That’s me.

~ Maya Angelou (taken from her book Still I Rise)

Note from Callie ~ we are ALL phenomenal women, we are all goddesses!  We just need to practice the art of being ourselves and loving what we are!!

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If you are worried about parading on the beach this summer, please have a read of an article we wrote for Just As Beautiful magazine in April 2008 (pages 12 – 13) about natural ways to get yourself ready for sunshine exposure!

Just As Beautiful : Destination Natural, pages 12 – 13

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We love this animated cartoon video which has just been released on NaturalNewsTV.

From Free Range Studio and “The Story of Stuff” is The Story of Cosmetics. It exposes the toxic chemicals used in everyday cosmetics and the failure of the FDA to regulate these chemicals.

Watch The Story of Cosmetics now

I would be particularly interested to hear of your thoughts after watching this 8 minute animated video ~ after all, natural beauty is what we do!

If there is any way we can ever help you to cut back on pollutants within your home (especially within you and your family’s skincare) please just get in touch …

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Our very first glimpse of ourselves is likely found in the mirror of our mother’s eyes during infancy. In her glances and later through her words and behaviors we begin to develop a psychological and physical image of ourselves.

At best, a strong and appealing self-image starts when love is reflected back at us in the gleam of our mother’s eyes. If those eyes are filled with unconditional approval and affection, mother and child both bask in the immense pleasure, experiencing themselves as blissfully beautiful. It is in this mutual glow that the earliest seeds of positive self-esteem are planted.

We ask women to return to their experience growing up, most particularly in relation to Mom, to understand the psychological underpinnings of the role appearance played in the development of their sense of self. We impress upon them that as unrelated as these old memories may seem, and as hard as it is to go backward, it is a key step to help them move forward.

If we approach our appearance from a developmental perspective, it is easier to understand and alter how we see our selves. Sometimes we find the symbol of a reservoir useful in understanding the concept of self-image. We can visualize the fluid way physical and psychological factors blend to create our experience of beauty.

A typical reservoir is filled with provisions reserved for later use. A psychological reservoir is filled by life events and the interactions that nourish our emotional lives. The quality of those experiences determines how we perceive ourselves (self-image) and how we feel about ourselves (self-esteem).

What Fills Your Reservoir?

The self-doubter: Do you doubt yourself constantly? (“Please don’t ask me to give that speech … I’ll look awful, I’ll make a mess of it.”) It’s possible that your reservoir has previously been filled by criticism. You may have heard others doubt you and then, as often happens, you begin to believe those voices. Try talking back to the critic, and fill your reservoir with the confidence you are gaining.

The neglected: Do you fail to care for yourself? Avoid trying to improve your appearance? (“What’s the difference at this point?”) Your reservoir feels empty. You may have been neglected, emotionally and physically, and have internalized the neglect that previously surrounded you. You may treat yourself now the way you were once treated. Just because you lived with others who didn’t put much stock in the importance in you or your “beauty,” doesn’t mean you need to repeat the neglect. Fill yourself up with attention and care.

The competitor: Do you compare yourself to others? Compete with much younger women? (“I’ll show them who looks better in jeans!”) You may have been compared to others growing up, to your siblings or friends, but isn’t it time to fill that reservoir with a little well-earned maturity? In sports they call it going for your “personal best.” Do the same with your own unique self.

The perfectionist: Do you constantly fall short of a standard you set for yourself, or if you reach your goals, always feel you can do more? (“The chemical peel worked, why not go for something bigger?”) Your reservoir was likely filled by expectations that you be perfect, or at least better than you are. The media feeds that perception as well. Fill your reservoir with reasonable expectations.

The guilty: Do you blame yourself for almost everything, including aging? (“Honey, I’ve tried everything, but nothing I do makes me look like I used to.”) Your reservoir may have been filled with self-admonishments and apologies. You may feel undeserving, which makes it hard to feel good about looking good. Try filling your reservoir with more forgiveness and acceptance.

Recognizing self-image as an evolving and interactive developmental process is key to understanding and dealing with our looks as they change. It provides a perspective on beauty that is not static and gives support to the ability we all have to impact perception of ourselves as we age.

As adults, our psychological reservoirs are ours to fill. Unlike the lack of choices we have growing up—such as our inability to select our own family and environment—we can gain control over many of those choices as we mature into adulthood. Instead of feeling a loss of control as we get older, we in fact have increased opportunities to fill our reservoir with responses that can now come from our own selves and from people we choose to have in our lives.

By taking control over the voices that once controlled us, we can shift our current sense of attractiveness and potentially reconfigure the definition of beauty as we age.

(c) Vivian Diller, Ph.D.
- a clinical psychologist in private practice in New York City. Prior to becoming a therapist, Diller was a professional dancer with the Cincinnati Ballet Company and a model represented by Wilhelmina Models. Visit: www.VivianDiller.com

Article discovered at HealYourLife

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If we all took heed of Sophie’s wise words, imagine how happy we would all be – no self-esteem issues, all knowing we are perfectly unique and perfectly beautiful.

Wise words indeed from a 3 year old beauty!

“You have forgotten that you are unique”
“Why are you trying to look like someone else?”
“You have the power to Stop it!”
“Be healthy! Get to your right size. Not someone else’s …”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?gl=GB&v=fULtU2NfPQA

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