Thursday 4 October 2012

“I’ve got a lovely bunch of coconuts...”


 
Palm fronds, golden sand, endless blue skies, hammocks and all things tropical is what I associate with coconuts....

I can now add lovely moisturised skin to the list! I began using coconut oil as a face moisturiser after a close friend raved about how wonderful it was. My skin at the time was quite dry and I had been breaking out quite a bit (which SUCKS)! Well I got almost instant results. Overnight my skin transformed and after a couple of weeks has significantly improved!

This is due to the amazing anti-bacterial and moisturising properties of coconut oil. It is full of amazing fatty acids, antioxidants and Vitamin E.  All of which will make your skin glow, look more youthful and feel great!

The other great thing to do with Coconut oil is EAT IT! It is one of the best oils to use in cooking because it can withstand high temperatures. Plus it is fantastic for your heart, your thyroid and your immune system.

Coconut oil can be purchased from health food shops or supermarkets in a jar for about $10. Depending on the room temperature it will be solid or liquid (If it is solid, chip a bit off and roll in your palms to liquefy it). If possible buy organic extra virgin coconut oil as it will not have been made with the use of chemicals.  

Enjoy the benefits of this tropical wonder!

xo

Miss Chemical Detective

 
 
References and links for further reading:



 

Sunday 10 June 2012

The Dirty Dozen

Fruit and vegetables should be the staple food in any diet. They are the wholesome, natural, disease combating wonders that should be consumed in abundance! This is why it is so wonderful that your favourites are generally available year round, are blemish free and relatively cheap. Unfortunately such things come at a price. Surprisingly farmers do not just wave a magic wand in order to get your shiny red apples every month of the year for a couple of dollars a kilo. They use a cocktail of synthetic chemical pesticides which remain on your produce long after they are shipped to your local supermarket.

Pesticides ‘are created expressively to kill living organisms’ (EWG, 2011). This is to enhance and enlarge crop production to keep up with population needs and to maximise profit. This is all very well except for the fact that pesticides have been controversial for DECADES.  In fact there are pesticides being used all over Australia today that are listed as ‘probable carcinogens’ and endocrine disrupters. It irritates me but doesn’t surprise me that some of these particular pesticides are already banned in Europe and the UK! Once again Australia seems to be the slow cousin, dragging its feet through the bureaucracy that comes with banning a dangerous chemical.
The EWG has developed a list called ‘The Dirty Dozen’ of the 12 fruits and vegetables that have the highest amounts of pesticide residue.

These are:
#1 Apples
#2 Celery
#3 Strawberries
#4 Peaches
#5 Spinach
#6 Nectarines
#7 Grapes
#8 Capsicum
#9 Potatoes
#10 Blueberries
#11 Lettuce
#12 Kale


If possible, you should buy these products organically. If this is unaffordable you could also try Karen Fischer’s technique of washing your produce in water with two tablespoons of vinegar added which will assist in removing the pesticide residue.
Luckily for us, the EWG also compiled a list of the 15 cleanest fruit and vegetables which can be found at: http://www.ewg.org/foodnews/summary/

We have all heard about DDT right? The evil pesticide that causes baby birds to be hatched deformed? Well it was used widely in Australia for 30 YEARS before the authorities decided it probably wasn’t all that safe. Makes you wonder what pesticides are out there today disrupting the ecosystem and damaging our health doesn’t it?

xo

Miss Chemical Detective






References and links for further reading:







Fischer, Karen (2008) The Healthy Skin Diet. Wollombi. Exisle Publishing Limited


Monday 23 January 2012

Nanoparticles: tiny technology raising gigantic issues

Nanotechnology has been on my radar for some years however I never found the time to look into it properly. Recently a few of my friends have raised eyebrows at the topic which has spurred me on to find out what this technology is all about.
Nanotechnology involves reducing the size of a chemical or mineral to “100 times smaller than a red blood cell” (Miller, 2009). The cosmetic companies adore this technology as it enables them to create products with a smoother or clearer consistency that performs better, hides wrinkles or makes skin glow.  As consumers, we also think that the product is superior for the exact same reasons! However, this very new technology is associated with many danger warnings and the consequences of using it are still largely unknown. The small amount of research that has actually been conducted into using this technology in personal care products is looking pretty grim at this stage.
The scary thing about nanoparticles is also the same reason that the cosmetic companies love them: their teensy weensy size allows them to penetrate the skin very effectively. As I mentioned previously, they may lessen your wrinkles or moisturise more successfully but they may also be entering your blood stream. If you have damaged skin i.e. sunburnt or have eczema, then your skin’s barrier is compromised meaning that these particles can pass through it with even more ease. Once in your system, there are further concerns that these particles can cross membranes and enter organs including reproductive organs hence potentially endangering unborn babies.
 
There is also reason to believe that they have the ability to harm DNA due to their ability to create free radicals which in turn can lead to cancer. Not to mention that they can also be inhaled or ingested (think powders, lip gloss, toothpaste etc). Pretty heavy stuff isn’t it!?
As the current state of things stands, there are no regulations on nanotechnology. No pre-use testing and no labelling which means that the cosmetic companies can run wild with this technology and we will not be aware we are using it or what its effects may be. The only way to be sure that your product is nano-free is to ask the cosmetic companies directly or check whether they provide any information about it on their website.
The positive news is that the good old pioneering EU is in the midst of releasing groundbreaking new rules on nanotechnology; specifically labelling and pre-testing which are due to be launched in 2013. Let’s hope that they create a workable model that other governments around the world can easily (and quickly) adopt!

xoxo

Miss Chemical Detective


References and links for further reading:

Monday 2 January 2012

This summer take a closer look at your sunscreen...

It’s that time of year again...another beautiful Australian summer is upon us. We are a truly sun-kissed country and so it is only natural that we have such a deeply entrenched beach culture.

However, we are a country with the one of the highest rates of skin cancer in the world and so have been taught from a young age to protect our skin from the sun.
So each year we go and buy our sunscreen, slather ourselves in it and feel protected as we spend our days on the beach.
But have you ever asked the question as to WHY sunscreen stops us from burning? What goes into the white cream that we all trust so much?
Sunscreen is made up of a mixture of synthetic chemicals that are arguably doing us more harm than good.  After scanning many very long (and difficult to pronounce) ingredients on different sunscreen bottles and then researching what the hell they were, I have come to the conclusion that they are all BAD! Every single one seemed to have something wrong with it! As there are so many, I have just provided a selection (and please note that each of these chemicals goes by about 15 different names!):
-          Octyl Methoxycinnamate: Potential endocrine system disrupter, reproductive system disrupter and can have an effect on functioning of the brain.
-          Retinyl Palmitate: Reacts when exposed to sunlight and can speed the development of tumours.
-          Oxybenzone: Easily absorbed through the skin and studies show that it is a potential endocrine system disrupter, reproductive system disrupter and reacts when exposed to sunlight.
-          4-Methylbenzylidene Camphor: Banned in the US and not recommended for use in Europe as possible endocrine disruptor and reproductive system disrupter. Still used in Australia.
Now the sun-safe message is still as strong as ever and there is no way I would spend a day on the beach without sunscreen, which is where my friend ZINC comes into the picture. Zinc is a naturally occurring mineral that that acts as a physical barrier reflecting both UVA and UVB rays. Luckily for us, it has advanced quite a lot since the days of fluoro stripes on noses.
Zinc sunscreen is readily available in most stores however it is a little more expensive than the old-school sunscreen. I have used zinc sunscreen and have found it to last for hours even in surf.
I still think that it is safer to wear ANY type of sunscreen rather than burn and if you cannot afford a mineral sunscreen, at least make sure that the product that you are using has not been sitting in your cupboard for two years and has gone bad.
Enjoy your summer and be sun smart!

Saturday 26 November 2011

Olive Oil: My New BFF

Olive Oil is fantastic for your skin! It's my number one makeup remover - it works a charm and even removes eye make-up. Plus have you ever had a look at the long list of chemicals in synthetic make-up remover and make-up wipes? – Disgraceful!

Now I know you are probably all thinking that I'm crazy and that putting oil on you face is going to cause you to break out.
Well I have news for you...it doesn’t!!! Since I have been using olive oil as a makeup remover I have actually found that the quality of my skin has improved and I actually break out less.
I thought that I better put a teenager to the test to make sure that I was correct – welcome to the stage my little sister of 17 years of age! She has been using it as a makeup remover for over a month and has not found that it made her skin oilier or break out.
Choose an extra-virgin olive oil as it is the most natural and no chemicals are used to produce it. If you can afford organic, even better! I purchased a small bottle of organic extra-virgin olive oil at the supermarket for around $6 – pretty damn cheap compared to synthetic make -up removers. All I do is put a small amount on cotton pad and use it to wipe my makeup off before cleansing.
Voila – a pure and natural make-up remover that is affordable and will improve your skin – what more could a girl want?!
xo
Miss Chemical Detective

References and links for further reading:

Tuesday 15 November 2011

Phthalates - What is your fragrance keeping secret?


I bet that most of you are attracted to a product with a sweet perfume or description that sounds good enough to eat -‘Strawberry Sundae' or ‘Pomegranate Cranberry Crush’ or ‘Whipped Chocolate and Vanilla’. You probably realise that your favourite moisturiser is not made out of strawberry sundaes but have you ever given any thought to what actually goes into your product to create that delightful perfume?


A group of chemicals known as ‘Phthalates’ are commonly added to our cosmetics to help fragrances last longer. Through a loophole in the law cosmetic companies are permitted to hide this chemical in the ingredients by just listing it as ‘fragrance’. So how many of your products contain the word ‘fragrance’ in the ingredients list…if you check your products you will find that fragrance is actually listed on almost all cosmetic products.

Phthalates are also a regular ingredient in nail polishes – luckily for us, the chemical must be present on the ingredients listing for nail polish and cannot be hidden as it is in other products.

It is becoming evident in clinical studies that Phthalates are suspected to cause birth defects – primarily reproductive disorders in males; are listed as a ‘probable carcinogen’ and are highly toxic to children.

It has also been found that young women have the highest levels of phthalates in their systems – up to 20 times more than the average person - probably due to the fact that this age-group are heavy users of cosmetics .

As a side note, phthalates are also commonly used in soft plastics as they provide flexibility to the plastic. This includes products such as vinyl flooring, toys, carpets, food packaging and much more. This means that it is not only our cosmetics that are causing our exposure to this chemical but also many objects in the environment around us. The EU has held a ban on the use of phthalates in the manufacturing of plastic toys since 1999.

 Whilst the Australian Government usually lags behind Europe and the US when it comes to studies and bans on chemicals, for once they have taken action (even if it is very slow action). In 2006 it was declared that health risk assessments should be carried out on this group of chemicals. It wasn’t until 2010 that the first draft report of these studies was released and the findings of the report prompted the government to place an interim ban on the use of certain phthalates in plastic toys.

In fact, all of the studies that have been conducted recognise the risks that phthalates pose.  What is not taken into account is the amount of phthalates that we are exposed to on a daily basis. So while many agencies can say that phthalates in low doses are ‘safe’ it is not acknowledged that we are coming into contact with this chemical from numerous sources.
 I for one used to religiously spray myself with copious amounts of perfume in the morning and use all sorts of delicious smelling but phthalate-laced products.
Not to mention the bottles upon bottles of nail polish that I and probably every other girl owns - all of which contain this chemical.

I will leave you with a simple quote from the study done into the dangers of phthalates by the EWG –

“Chemicals that cause birth defects do not belong in products marketed to women of childbearing age.”

For your information, phthalates can be labeled as the following:
-          Fragrance
-          DBP (di-n-butyl phthalate) and DEP (diethyl phthalate)
-          DEHP (di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate
-          BzBP (benzylbutyl phthalate)
-          DMP (dimethyl phthalate)

xo

Miss Chemical Detective




References and links for further reading:











Friday 28 October 2011

SLS - Super Bubbly...Super Irritating

How many of your products foam? Let’s think about this…Shampoo, toothpaste, shower gel, cleanser, hand soap, bubble bath, dishwashing liquid…the list goes on and on.  It is most likely that these products contain Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) which is a synthetic detergent added to products to give them a nice consistency and that wonderful foaming action.


SLS damages your skin’s natural barrier allowing toxins, chemicals and bacteria to easily invade your body and your blood stream.

SLS is a known skin & eye irritant which has been proven in an enormous amount of studies done all around the world since 1945 (hasn’t stopped the cosmetic companies using it though)! It is especially irritating to people with sensitive or damaged skin (including eczema sufferers).
  In addition to this, it is a fact that SLS aggravates the occurrence of mouth ulcers. As a long time sufferer of mouth ulcers, this piece of information really intrigued me because every day I use toothpaste containing this chemical! I am now on the hunt for a good natural toothpaste (I will keep you posted).

 What about your everyday handwash? Ever had a ‘moisturising’ hand wash? It most likely contains SLS (go check in your bathroom if you don’t believe me)…what a joke then that this chemical actually dries out the skin by increasing moisture loss! Pair this with the fact that it irritates your skin and you might as well be washing your hands with sandpaper.

Most shampoos also contain SLS…but hang on, don’t most shampoos claim to moisturise?

It seems to me that the cosmetic companies are taking advantage of our ignorance big time. Now is the time to start waking up to the realities of marketing…just because the bottle says that the product is amazing doesn’t mean that it is true.
And just to top it all off – for all you bronzed-up fake tan lovers out there - washing with a product containing SLS will begin stripping your tan like turps strips paint!

Please be aware of the other chemicals that are closely related to SLS:
-Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES)
-Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate (ALS)
-Sodium Lauryl Sulphoacetate (SLSA)


xo

Miss Chemical Detective




References and links for further reading: