Tag Archives: chemicals

WHAT IS IN YOUR SKIN-CARE?

Posted on March 24, 2010 | 4 Comments

“The European Cosmetic, Toiletry and Fragrance Association (COLIPA) informed the Cosmetic, Toiletry, and Fragrance Association (CTFA) that the Legal Services of the EU Commission has accepted the names in CTFA’s International Cosmetic Ingredient Dictionary (ICID) without translation. These names, which are now designated as International Nomenclature Cosmetic Ingredient (INCI) names, will be used by EU members to identify ingredients in the EU Inventory of cosmetic ingredients and are expected to be the basis for ingredient labeling on products that will be required in the EU in 1997.”

(taken from a FDA document that you can look closer at here.)

Simplified, this means that until this time there were no regulations regarding the declaring of ingredients in skin-care. You could put anything you liked in there, and nobody would ever know. Because of, or maybe thanks to, increasing allergic reactions, the demand for clarity about ingredients in skin-care pushed the need of this law. To simplify the communication and understanding of ingredients, INCI (International Nomenclature Cosmetic Ingredient) was decided upon: This means that all ingredients by plant extracts are named by their Latin botanical names (according to Linneae) and for other ingredients the chemical names are used. These names are recognized world-wide. Regulations also stipulate that on the label the ingredients should be listed in falling order with the largest ingredient first. To give you an idea of the amounts: A cream consists of about 50-60% water, a lotion of 70-90% water. The ingredients way down on the list are in the proportions of 0,x% or even 0,0x%. So if you buy, for example, a product that is labeled with something special; lavender or Aloe Vera or something, check the list. Chances are that you find this ingredient among the last on the list, and then you know the amounts are around 0.x%. There is no law stipulating WHAT you can say, only that you list it. Following are the INCI-lists of 2 well-known, popular body-lotions. I have highlighted the pure natural ingredients.

This is the INCI-list of a popular body lotion: Aqua, Ethylhexyl Cocoate, Cyclopentasiloxane, Paraffinum liquidum, Glycerin, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract, Linoleic Acid, Magnesium Sulfate, Zinc Sulfate, Cera Microcristallina, Disodium Phosphate, Propylene Glycol, Parfum, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Sorbic Acid, Benzoic acid, BHT, Pentaerythrityl Tetradi-t-butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Benzyl Alcohol, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Citronellol, Coumarin, Geraniol, Hexyl Cinnamat, Hydroxyisohexyl 3-Cyclohexene Carboxaldehyde, Limonene, Linalol.

Several of these chemicals are known toxins.

This is the INCI-list of a natural body-lotion: Water/Aqua, Rose (Rosa Canina) Hip Extract, Rose (Rosa Gallica) Petal Extract, Sweet Almond (Prunus Dulcis) Oil, Alcohol, Glycerin, Quince (Pyrus Cydonia) Seed Extract, Shea (Butyrospermum Parkii) Butter, Carrot (Daucus Carota) Extract, Jojoba (Buxus Chinensis) Oil, Cetearyl Alcohol, Beeswax/Cera Flava, Rose (Rosa Gallica) Wax, Rose (Rosa Damascena) Essential Oil, Fragrance/Parfum (Essential Oil), Citronellol*, Geraniol*, Limonene*, Linalool*, Citral*, Coumarin*, Eugenol*, Benzyl Benzoate*, Propolis Wax/Propolis Cera, Lecithin, Xanthan Gum


I leave it up to you to make your decision about what kind of stuff you want to put on your skin. Remember though that if molecules are small enough, they go straight through your skin and into your bloodstream from where they can access every cell of your body.

If you want more information on different chemicals or skin-care ingredients, you can check out this website: http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/

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Posted in Lifestyle, Product information, Skincare, Wellness

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PERFUMES – synthetic fragrances

Posted on December 6, 2009 | 1 Comment

Your perfume may not be as rosy as you’d like to believe. Even though perfume may evoke images of a field of wildflowers, it actually consists of a variety of synthetic chemicals that are manufactured in laboratories. Many perfume ingredients are far from natural. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) listed 20 common perfume ingredients on the EPA’s Hazardous Waste list, such as benzene, benzyl alcohol, limonene, acetone and ethanol. Many of these chemicals list headaches, nausea and other complications as side effects.

    History

Up until the 20th century most perfumes were made with natural animal or plant ingredients and were a luxury to have. Perfume became more accessible with the introduction of synthetic ingredients. The first synthetic fragrance was created from coal tar. Now waste byproducts could be used to make fragrances that smelled like flowers and be sold to the masses for less money.

    Features

Over 4,00 chemicals are used in today’s fragrances. According to a 1991 study by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 95 percent of these chemicals are derived from petroleum and some are potentially hazardous. Common ingredients found in perfumes are: acetone, ethanol, benzaldehyde, formaldehyde, limonene, methylene chloride, camphor, ethyl acetate, linalool and benzyl alcohol. Phthalates and synthetic musks are also commonly used potentially hazardous ingredients.

    Effects

EPA Material Safety Data Sheets for the most poplar perfume ingredients list many nasty side effects from exposure. Acetone, often found in cologne, acts as a central nervous system depressant and can cause nausea, dryness of the mouth and slurred speech. Inhalation of ethanol vapors can produce symptoms similar to those of indigestion. Benzaldehyde is a narcotic and a local anesthetic. Limonene is a carcinogenic and should not be inhaled. Methylene chloride was banned by the FDA in 1988 but still may pop up in fragrances due to lack of enforcement. Another carcinogenic substance is benzyl acetate, which has been linked to pancreatic cancer. All these chemicals are found in everyday perfumes and are readily absorbed into the body with every spritz.

    Considerations

Even though personal-care products must list their ingredients, fragrances can keep their ingredients a secret because they fall into the “trade secret” category. Critics saytThe FDA is lax on regulations for the fragrance industry. The word “fragrance” may be used on any product that has a given odor, but there’s no telling what “fragrance” can stand for. It may contain one or 100 chemicals.

    Significance

Many people experience adverse side effects when exposed to second-hand perfume. People with asthma or allergies generally don’t tolerate being around fragrances. Chemical sensitivity, also referred to as Multiple Chemical Sensitivity, or Environmental Illness, is a condition in which people experience headaches or breathing difficulties from exposure to fragrance. Some workplaces have banned employees from wearing perfume as a result of these conditions.
(source: Sarah Valek, e-How)

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Posted in perfume, Product information, Scents

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THE SCENT-VOID

Posted on September 15, 2009 | 2 Comments

smelling-1A friend called me yesterday and talked – interestingly enough – of the absence of smell; he had been to America and noticed that both the hired car and the hotel-room were entirely devoid of smell, the non-odor environment, he called it.

A few years back I was involved in a scientific group in Sweden. It was called GustOlf and was created by a group of scientists and other people involved in the art and science of taste and smell.  I was invited as an aromatherapist. The scientists came from different universities and were all experts in their fields; biology, chemistry and physics. There was also a chef representing a restaurateur institute and an art-professor. A most interesting group. We had a few conferences where we would discuss taste & smell for a couple of days; from pheromones and insects through the make-up of an odorous molecule to the digestive system and emotional impact of scent. I was a frequent speaker at these occasions since I work with the emotional reaction to scent. What we all agreed on was this:

The sense of smell is completely subjective and different for each individual

The most ardent group of participants were from the automotive industry, all with the same question: “How do I make a car smell attractive?”

Scented trees

Smells are smells; some are nice and some not. The problem with “scenting away” an odor is that it usually gets even worse; perfumed deodorant on strong sweat?…well, you get the picture. So how do we avoid smells? (following is taken from Wikipedia)

Air fresheners are consumer products that mitigate unpleasant odors in indoor spaces. They can be in the form of candles, aerosol sprays, potpourri, gels and mechanical or heat release products. [1]

They work in one of five ways:

  1. Masking: Many “fresheners” obscure odors with a fragrance.
  2. Adsorption: Adsorbents like activated charcoal or silica gel may be used to absorb offending, chemical odors.
  3. Chemical neutralization: Substances such as rubber or TEG may be used for some odors.
  4. Disinfection. Odors caused by bacterial activity can be eliminated by disinfectants like ozone, TEG, or bleaching agents containing hydrogen peroxide, chlorine or hypochlorites.
  5. Anesthetization: Some air fresheners use anesthetics to dull the sense of smell.

A Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) study of 13 common household air fresheners found that most of the surveyed products contain chemicals that can aggravate asthma and affect reproductive development. The NRDC called for more rigorous supervision of the manufacturers and their products, which are widely assumed to be safe:

“The study assessed scented sprays, gels, and plug-in air fresheners. Independent lab testing confirmed the presence of phthalates, or hormone-disrupting chemicals that may pose a particular health risk to babies and young children, in 12 of the 14 products—including those marked ‘all natural.’ None of the products had these chemicals listed on their labels.” (wikipedia)

It doesn’t paint a pretty picture, does it?

Air-Freshener-Spray

What is an odor? An odor is a molecule; some agents, such as ozone, function by severing the bonds in the molecule. Odors can arise from most anything, many odors are caused by bacteria and fungi. At one point we need to accept that odors are part of life, messages about our surroundings. It is better to smell the smoke and realize that something is burning, than to suddenly find yourself in a burning inferno…?

An alternative is to use essential oils….more about that in my next post… Stay tuned.

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Posted in Product information, Scents

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New Federal Legislation Targets Baby Bath Products

Posted on August 24, 2009 | Leave a comment

Baby bathSource: Happi Magazine; Vol. 46, No. 6; June 2009

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York recently introduced the Safe Baby Products Act, which would direct the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) to investigate and regulate hazardous contaminants in personal care products marketed to or used by children.

Sen. Gillibrand-who was appointed to fill the vacancy created when Senator Hillary Clinton became U.S. Secretary of State-introduced the bill in response to a study by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, which revealed that many widely used baby shampoos and bubble baths contain formaldehyde and 1,4-dioxane, which may be hazardous in certain quantities. The chemicals are not listed on labels because contaminants are exempt from labeling laws.

The campaign also recently sent a letter to Johnson & Johnson asking the company by the end of August to reformulate its personal care products so that they are free of 1,4-dioxane and preservatives that release formaldehyde.

The Safe Baby Products Act would direct FDA to test a wide range of children’s personal care products, publicly report the findings and establish good manufacturing practices to reduce or eliminate hazardous contaminants from products.

“We applaud Sen. Gillibrand for being a champion for children’s health,” said Lisa Archer, national coordinator of the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics.

“This bill is a good step forward, because it would give parents the right to know what’s in the bath products they use on their kids, and would give FDA authority to keep dangerous chemicals out of children’s bath products. Next, we need to overhaul cosmetics laws so the FDA can fully assess and assure the safety of all personal care products.”

The campaign released its test results in March. At that time, Dr. John Bailey, chief scientist for the Personal Care Products Council, said the “extremely low” levels of chemicals in the products tested “are not a cause for health concern.”

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Posted in Babies & Children, Product information, Skincare

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SMOKING

Posted on July 19, 2009 | Leave a comment

smoking-fashionI was always a smoker. The first time I smoked a cigarette was right before I turned 12, and it was the most wonderful experience. I didn’t feel sick, only a bit dizzy and I liked this feeling very much. I was deeply unhappy and lost in this time of my life, and smoking gave me something nice, something to look forward to. Nobody knew that I smoked, it was my private sanctuary. Both my parents were heavy smokers who smoked everywhere; in the house, in the car, in bed the last thing before sleep and first thing upon waking up. My mother smoked during pregnancy and during breastfeeding. Smoking at this time was most fashionable and even attractive, remember the fashion-pictures of the time? Or the advertisements that went before:

When I started my training as a therapist it was very obvious to me that I had to stop smoking, but I couldn’t. I tried and just couldn’t. Years went by and I learned to sort of “control” my smoking. A lot of people didn’t even realize I smoked. I was always ashamed of it and made all kind of excuses to why I smoked. The main one being – of course, considering my history – emotional. Which, in a way, was true but not the whole truth. In my youth I did drugs and stopped without too big problems, so what was going on with the cigarettes?

A lot of people my age were heavily programmed with the smoking; everywhere we went – there it was; smoking in restaurants, bars, waiting rooms and in fashion. Beautiful and attractive smoking paraphernalia, advertisements… smoking was very much a part of life. Added to that, our receptors for nicotine were up and kicking just from existing in society…well, the outcome is given – smoking is the way to go! For me and a lot of others, the “ingredients” in cigarettes were part of our physical make-up, seeing as we were constantly imbued with the toxins from even before the moment of conception.

Here is a list of all the 599 known additives in cigarettes; upon reading it I was wondering if there is anything they haven’t put in there. It almost verges on being ridiculous if it wasn’t for the severe dangers of so many of the additives.

http://quitsmoking.about.com/cs/nicotineinhaler/a/cigingredients_2.htm

The nicotine that seems to have everybody so worried is only one of all the additives in cigarettes. Nicotine leaves the body quite rapidly but heavy metals and other chemicals are stored in your body-system and takes a very long time to get rid of. I would say that nicotine is only a part of the problem. Too bad not enough attention has been focused on some of the other additives: (following is taken from about.com)

Benzene
Benzene can be found in pesticides and gasoline. It is present in high levels in cigarette smoke and accounts for half of all human exposure to this hazardous chemical.

Pesticides
Pesticides are used on our lawns and gardens, and inhaled into our lungs via cigarette smoke.

Formaldehyde
Formaldehyde is a chemical used to preserve dead bodies, and is responsible for some of the nose, throat and eye irritation smokers experience when breathing in cigarette smoke.

Chemicals in Cigarettes: Toxic Metals

Toxic / heavy metals are metals and metal compounds that have the potential to harm our health when absorbed or inhaled. In very small amounts, some of these metals support life, but when taken in large amounts, can become toxic.

Arsenic
Commonly used in rat poison, arsenic finds its way into cigarette smoke through some of the pesticides that are used in tobacco farming.

Cadmium
Cadmium is a toxic heavy metal that is used in batteries. Smokers typically have twice as much cadmium in their bodies as nonsmokers.

Chemicals in Cigarettes: Poisons

Poison is defined as any substance that, when introduced to a living organism, causes severe physical distress or death. Science has discovered approximately 200 poisonous gases in cigarette smoke.

Ammonia
Ammonia compounds are commonly used in cleaning products and fertilizers. Ammonia is also used to boost the impact of nicotine in manufactured cigarettes.

Carbon Monoxide
Carbon monoxide is present in car exhaust and is lethal in very large amounts. Cigarette smoke can contain high levels of carbon monoxide.

Hydrogen Cyanide
Hydrogen cyanide was used to kill people in the gas chambers in Nazi Germany during World War II. It can be found in cigarette smoke.

Nicotine
Nicotine is a poison used in pesticides and is the addictive element in cigarettes.

In coming posts I will tell you my story and some of all what I discovered. Hopefully it will be of help to others, I certainly wish I had had this information from the start.

to be continued…

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ESSENTIAL OIL QUALITY – part 4

Posted on June 16, 2009 | Leave a comment

Modified Chemical PictureThere are  methods with which to change, increase or replace essential oils.

  • Synthesizing: Chemically recreating the aroma in a laboratory. Then you have an essence, not an essential oil. In my earlier entries I have spoken of the synergy in an essential oil and how important it is when we are using it for therapeutic/pleasurable reasons. A synthetic essence is nothing but an aroma. As far as making you feel better, it is only because the aroma is pleasurable…it stays in the nose. Synthetic aromas are often  sweet and slightly overpowering.
  • Cutting: Mixing a more expensive essential oil with other, cheaper, essential oils, or synthetic aromatics,  to create larger amounts of oil for economic purposes. Lavender (Lavandula officinalis)will sometimes be mixed with Lavandin (Lavandula fragrans). Lemonbalm (Melissa officinalis) will be mixed with Lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus). These oils are of course useless for aromatherapeutic use.
  • Standardizing: In industry (perfumery/toiletries/foods/pharmaceutical) the oils always need to be exactly the same, which they by nature are not, and this system was created to ensure a homogeneous aroma every year: The main 1 or 2 chemicals present in the essential oil are usually the ones that give the overall aroma.  When the proportion between them stays the same, the aroma will stay the same. Therefore certain standards are given to essential oils which decrees the percentage of the main constituents within the essential oil. If the percentage is too high, some is taken out. If the percentage is too low, some will be added.  Sometimes synthetics might be added, but mostly isolated chemical-extractions are used. Sometimes chemicals are extracted from the oil and used as they are, an example is Menthol that is extracted fromPeppermint (Mentha piperita). A much standardized oil is Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus) where the main constituent is  cineol (60-85%).  The commercial standardization is 98% cineol.

All plants do not contain essential oils. A wide misunderstanding is that everything that has a scent has an essential oil, this is not so.

Apple, Lily of the Valley, Lilac, Peach, Strawberry….the list is long…DO NOT CONTAIN ESSENTIAL OILS. These are all synthetic aromas created chemically in a laboratory. They will do nothing but smell.

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