"Product, product upon the wall, who is the fairest of all?"

Oh pretty products, how I love thee. But the time has come for my first product swap! Part of me is excited, as I get to buy more products! Another part of me is dreading the switch. I fear I will be wasting money on things that do not work and do not make me feel good! So why am I doing this again? Well, how about we take a look at some of the ingredients that are found in the products we buy.

In her book "There's Lead in our Lipstick", Gillian Deacon supplies a long list of chemicals found in products. Here are just a few from her list:

Coal Tar - a chemical derivative of coal. It is used in dry skin and anti-redness skin treatments, bath soaks and anti-dandruff shampoos. It is also used as a colourant in hair dyes. It has been banned in the EU since 2004 and it is a known carcinogen.

DEA/TEA/MEA (diethanolamine,triethanolamine,monoethanolamine,cocamide DEA) - So not only are these little chemicals a mouthful to say,  sounds like they may not be all that good for you. They are used as emulsifiers and foaming agents in products like shampoos, face and body washes and makeup. They are suspected carcinogens, are readily absorbed by the skin and the organs, and can combine with nitrates to cause cancer-causing nitrosamines.


Ethoxylated surfactants and 1,4-dioxane - Present in many beauty products but never listed on the label because it is a contaminant - or by-product- rather than an ingredient. It is said to be a probable human carcinogen. This one is found in lots of products including  children's soaps. The Environmental Working Group in the United States found 57 percent of baby soaps contaminated with 1,4-dioxane.

Parabens - A class of chemicals used as preservatives, parabens are found in a range of beauty products, including shampoos, moisturizers, shaving cream, cleansing gels and toothpaste. Parabens are linked to endocrine disruption, reproductive toxicity, immunotoxicity, neurotoxicity and skin irritation. Also linked to breaks cancer.


Sodium lauryl (ether) sulfate (SLS, SLES) - A chemical addictive that makes a product soapy, SLS began as an industrial degreaser and garage floor cleaner. It is easily absorbed by the body and it is a known skin irritant.  You can find it in body wash, bubble bath, shampoo and even toothpaste.

And the list goes on and on and on. So, just some of the reasons I am willing to try alternative products.

May I please have a drum roll!?

PAA DAAA RUMPA PAAAAA PAAAA

(That was my drum roll)

Let the product swap begin.

The other day, I hopped on the subway destined for Whole Foods. I chose Whole Foods for my first shopping adventure as I am still not really sure where to buy kinder, gentler beauty products. I still need to do more research in that department. I headed to Whole Foods as  I remembered seeing shelves stocked with products there. Heck, just as good a place to start as anywhere!

Now, my rule for the day was to only buy one product. I wanted to be measured, rational and responsible. No sense tossing every product in my bathroom into the trash. Running out and spending hundreds of dollars replacing everything was not an option. A move like that would not be fiscally sound. This is an adventure. I want to explore this process and make the right choices. So, only one product at  a time!

Well, as  you can see from the picture above I bought more than one product. Rule number one already broken. I bought four products my first time out. And you know what? I am lucky I only came home with four! My basket was filled with smelly soaps, goopy creams and slick oils.

You see, I recognized many of the products in the store from Deacon's book. Products both Deacon and a host of other experts recommend. So, when I spotted a product I recognized, I would smell it, read the label and then pop it in the basket. I tried to rationalize this move by saying to myself : "buying all these products isn't just a silly spending spree, it's investment in my health."

Thankfully, as I was doing this over and over again, a friendly store clerk stopped and asked if I needed any help.

"Can I help you today," asked the friendly store clerk.

"No, I am just looking," I reply.

"Looks like you are doing a little more than looking" she says with a great big grin.

I look sheepishly down at my basket. It is now very heavy. It is very full.

Part of me wanted to be annoyed that she was poking into my business, but instead I couldn't help smiling. I was sort of giggling inside. My basket looked ridiculous. It looked like I had never owned a beauty product in my life. It also looked like the basket would cost me hundreds and hundreds of dollars. I decided to tell her what I was up to.

Her response: "What a great idea.Good for you.Why don't I help you whittle down what you have in your basket. It might make exploring new products easier. It could get a bit overwhelming to tackle them all."

I smiled. She was nice. I obviously needed help.

Together we put most of the products back. We decided that starting with the basics might make things easier.  After a good chat and a couple laughs, the friendly clerk helped me pick four products. I had a soap, shampoo, conditioner and sunscreen. All pretty basic and in my opinion all pretty necessary.

May I please have another drum roll!?

PAA DAAA RUMPA PAAAAA PAAAA DAAA PATTA PATTA PAAAAA

(That was my drum roll again)

Product Review #1

What: Soap

Brand: Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps

Price: $3.99 (I chose the Peppermint scented one. It was a dollar cheaper than the others)

So full disclosure here: I have not purchased a bar of soap in years. No, I am not a dirty dish-pig. I just prefer liquid soap. I like the option of squirting the soap on a scrub. I think it's also easier than handling a slippery bar of soap. Another reason - I think liquid soap travels better that bar soap. But the top reason why I turned away from bar soap was that I always felt it dried out my skin.

So why did I end up with a bar of soap? Well, the friendly clerk suggested a bar of soap is the better purchase as there's less packaging. She also said that the bar is a "delightful product". Her words, not mine.

Turns out Dr. Bronner's soaps have been around for a while now. Gillian Deacon writes that Dr.Bronner's soaps are "a staple of the 1960s counter-cultural movement, (the) soaps have endured  to become eco-household favourites, not least because of their versatility as body wash, shampoo, dish soap and even pet shampoo."

Many of you may already be familiar with this soap. It's new to me. I have to tell you I was entertained by the idea that my little "hippie" bar of soap was a fixture of the counter-cultural movement. I imagine my bar of soap back in the 60's holding up a sign saying "Make suds, not war!"

I also like that the soap is certified fair trade and USDA certified organic (we will talk more about certification another day). The company is also active in trying to ensure folks selling organic products are legit. I am learning that there are a lot of "organic product poseurs" out there. This company launches lawsuits against shady operators!

So my hippie soap is also feisty! I like that. I also like that the packaging is minimal. It is made from100% post-consumer waste paper and the label is printed with water based ink.

But enough about what people say about it and how it looks. How does it work? That's what this is all about.

After one shower, I am quite smitten with Dr. Bonner's Magic Soap. While peppermint might not be everyone's choice,  I quite enjoyed it. It smelled fresh and natural. It was an energizing scent - good for sluggish mornings! It comes in other scents as well, so don't be turned off if peppermint is not your thing!

As for suds, there were plenty of those. I was quite impressed. The lather was consistent. I felt like I was getting a good scrubbing.

I also have to say that my skin did not feel as if it was drying in the shower or after. This soap has coconut oil, palm oil, olive oil, hemp seed oil  and jojoba oil in it. My skin soaked up all the moisturizing oil! I even felt as if I could skip a body lotion after the bath. Not that I wanted too, but I could have if pressed.

Thanks to slippery hands,  I did drop the soap a couple times.  That was a bit annoying. But to circumvent that problem, I brushed my body scrub over the soap a couple times, got a good lather and kept cleaning. I also have to tell you that I did not wash my hair with it. Nor did I invite my dog to jump in the bath to test it on him. For now, it is just soap. Soap to keep my body clean the kind way.

In summary, I like it. I actually like it quite a bit. I have no complaints as of yet. Because of my positive experience thus far, I am going to give Dr. Bonner's Magic Soap a whopping 4 kisses out of 5. 

Still burdened by chemicals......

Yes, I am still addicted to beauty products.

Yes, I am still going to try and reduce my chemical burden.

I know, the blogging has been slow going.  Time is my enemy. It's cruel and always sneaks away from me. I am certain we all feel this. There is never enough time in the day to do the things we really want to do! Just like, there is never enough chocolate in the house to satisfy that good 'ol sweet craving.

But today, I managed to trick Time. I was overly efficient at work. I skipped lunch and caught up on all those nagging "to do's". So now, I have a spare moment to catch-up on the blogging. Take that Time!

So see the picture at the top of this post? That is currently my bible. It is the book guiding my cosmetic crusade. Remember, Gillian Deacon? I mentioned her last time. Well, she is the author of my trusty beauty battle book. Deacon has done heaps of work when it comes to researching beauty products. She also includes in her book links to other authors and organizations doing the same thing. So for now, I am using Deacon's book as a guide. Now even though she is a respected journalist and environmentalist, I am not taking everything she says at face value. I always try to second source information. If you know my trade, then you know -  double even triple -  sourcing information is a must for me. Basically, its an occupational hazard. I hope to  share more information about the book and helpful links in blogs to come.

Now let's get down to the "nitty-gritty" as my mother would say. As you may recall, I am in the process of swapping some of my favorite beauty products for simpler, kinder products free of harsh chemicals. The process has begun. Recently, I hit Whole Foods here in Toronto and made my first purchase. But before, I write up my review let me explain how it will work. It's pretty simple actually.

What I will do:

1. Buy a product that I have researched. I will use websites, my beauty bible and the help of natural product experts when choosing the product.

2. I will try the product.

3. I will write a review of the product.

4. I will rate the product. I have decided to use a kiss icon to help me do this. It is my nod to Deacon. She has a tube of red lipstick on the cover of her book. I thought a glossy kiss would be appropriate. Totally cheesy, I know! Anyhow, the rating will follow a scale of one to five. You know the drill, one is usually not so good. Five is a fab!

  

So, there you have it. I have a plan! I have a product! Let the process of reducing my chemical burden begin.

"Holy poop balls" as my mother would say. Yes, she says that. And she says it when she is surprised, puzzled or overwhelmed. Why am I saying it? Well, once again Time is being nasty. I have to run. Life's nagging chores are calling. So I will have to keep you in suspense over my first product review. Think suds not mud. Stay tuned for more.......

My Chemical Burden...

Body Butter Coconut Cream.

What a simple yet inviting name.

I pick-up the cylinder shaped container and give it a good look.

Classy black lid. Simple font. No extra packaging.

On the back it says:

"Fresh coconut milk and roasted almonds blended with Hawaiian honey, vanilla mousse and precious musks."

Yummy.  Sounds good enough to eat (minus the musk).

But wait there's more:

"Rejuvenates with natural shea butter in vitamin rich moisture, protects against moisture loss with natural beeswax."

Wow. This little bottle is not only going to make me new again, it's going to keep me safe from loosing precious moisture.

I open the container. I need to inspect the goopy white goodness inside. I am hit with the smell of a tropical dream. It smells like paradise. I can see myself right now on a beach with sand between my toes and a pina colada in my hand! Who needs an expensive sun vacation when you can just slap this beauty butter on your skin?

With that final thought, I marched to the cashier and purchased the little bottle of bliss. And I have been purchasing it -over and over again - for the past four years.

But that's not the only product I buy. 

Face Cream.
Eye Cream.
Hand Cream.
Body Cream.
Elbow Cream.
Knee Cream.
Anything and Everything Cream.

I love creams.

You know how some women love to buy shoes. Well, that's how I feel about creams. But it doesn't stop there. I love different shampoos, conditioners and styling products. I love body oils and scrubs. Give me masques and exfoilators. Toss in some toners and serums. Give me lip balm and cuticle salve. I'll take it all.

I AM A SELF-CONFESSED BEAUTY PRODUCT JUNKIE.

It's true. I've known for a long time. You see products can be instant pleasure. It's not like shopping for clothes. Clothes you have to try on. You have to go into those god-awful change rooms with the crappy light and horror-hall mirrors. You know the ones. The ones where you can't concentrate on the clothes because you look green and as round as a plum? I tend to run from those change rooms. They make me feel totally unattractive and force me to turn to ice-cream for comfort. Buying cream has never made me feel bad! Or so I thought.

A while back, I happened to catch an interview on CBC News Network. The interview was with Gillian Deacon. She is a broadcaster, author and environmental advocate.  I actually only heard about a minute or so of the interview as I was on the run. But I caught her saying something along the lines of this:

"The average woman uses a dozen personal care products every day....And due to that a woman's chemical burden is great.... It's beauty that really is to die for."

At the time my reaction was:

"Huh, interesting.Oh, look at the time, gotta get into editing."

Later, I caught myself thinking about two words Deacon said: CHEMICAL BURDEN.

Those two words kept dancing around my head for a couple days.

So much so, I decided to google it.

Oh google. You are both a blessing and a royal pain in the arse.

This is what I found:

Chemical burden refers to toxic chemicals that often get into the human body. We may inhale them, swallow them in contaminated food or water, or in some cases, absorb them through skin. The term "body burden" refers to the total amount of these chemicals that are present in the human body at a given point in time." These chemicals are often stored in our fat cells for years if not our entire lives. Every person alive today, whether living in industrial centers or remote areas, carries a chemical body burden of over 300 chemicals, most of which did not exist before World War II. The health effects of some of these chemicals are documented, but many others have undergone little or no testing. How these chemicals might interact with each other to affect human health is rarely tested and poorly understood.

My response to what I found:

"Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm......" 

In response to that hmmmmmmm:

I started researching some of the products I was slathering on my skin.

What I discovered totally freaked me out. 

Yes, I always knew deep-down that there are nasty chemicals in products. I am not a total ignoramis! But to be honest, I did not really let myself go there. I guess I thought: 

"Hey, we eat local organic food. We buy green cleaners. I bloody-well walk everywhere. I must be doing ok?"

Remember that delightful body butter I was talking about. Well, I recently took a good look at the ingredient list. I only recognized two ingredients out of about fifty. A little more digging and I found that my tropical dream was more like a toxic nightmare. Turns out the risks assocated with some of the ingredients are:

 - Neurotoxicity

-  Allergies

- Irritation

 - Endocrine disruption

 - Organ system toxicity

 - Biochemical or cellular level changes

 -  Developmental/reproductive toxicity,

 - Cancer

- Persistence and bioaccumulation

What the hell?

So my friends, that little container of body butter prompted me to have a product ponder. I need to take a hard look at all my products. Perhaps, I even have to ween myself off many of them. Most of my products boast long ingredient lists. Ingredients I don't recognize. Ingredients Mr.Google tells me are pretty toxic. 

I pledge to take a good hard look at the things I put on my body.

I pledge to give myself a year to swap my beloved chemically-laced products with ones that are easier on the 'ol body and the environment.

I pledge to share my findings with you.

It's not going to be easy. But I am going to give it a try. In the coming months, I will try to document my progress here in this blog. I will even test so-called "friendlier" products and give you my take on how well they work. 

Now don't go thinking that I am going to start pouring pacholi all over myself. Or that I am going to stop shaving my legs. Or that you will soon see me sporting dreadlocks.  No, that's not for me.

This is just one girl's pursuit to be kinder to her body while still indulging in her love of goopy, smelly, feel-good creams. Wish me luck!