Natural Organic Anti-Aging Skin Care

Natural, Organic, Non-Toxic (advertisement)
Belle Peau Natural Organic Anti-Aging Skin Care Gift Set - 6 Products in a gift bag (Belle Peau - French for Beautiful Skin)

FREE Vinyl organza drawstring gift bag with FREE Travel Size Eye Herbal Comfort Buddy - $136.00 Retail Value

Compare our prices to the competition - you can't buy anti-aging products for this price let alone organic and natural!

Natural Organic Ingredients ~ Certified Vegan, Chemically Safe ~ Paraben Free ~ USDA Certified Organic, Organically Preserved. Non-Toxic, Clean & Pure Anti-Aging Skin care

"I really love them! Everything is really nice. Great product line!"

The JES Belle Peau Natural Organic Anti-Aging Skin care set contains:

• Belle Peau Organic Anti-Aging Revitalizing Cleanser (8oz)
• Belle Peau Organic Anti-Aging Firming Toner (8oz)
• Belle Peau Organic Anti-Aging Rejuvenating Moisturizer (8oz)
• Belle Peau Organic Anti-Aging Refining Exfoliant (4oz)
• Belle Peau Anti-wrinkle Eye Crème (1oz)

The Belle Peau Anti-Aging skin care line will help you to have fresh, softer, and younger appearing skin. Skin texture and fine lines visibly improved in weeks.

Belle Peau
STEP 1: Exfoliate (Use this step 3 times per week)
Natural Organic Anti-Aging Refining Exfoliant

JES Belle Peau Natural Organic Anti-Aging Skin care system.
Organic Anti-Aging Refining Facial Exfoliant is perfect for maturing skin. This gentle exfoliant will uncover soft gorgeous radiant skin.

Testimonials:

GREAT! My daughter and I have been trying out your new organic products and we LOVE this exfoliant! Mild scent, gentle but thorough exfoliation, and cleanses great.

I love this product, it works really great, very nice.

Belle Peau
STEP 2: Cleanse (Morning and Night) Natural Organic Anti-Aging Revitalizing Cleanser

JES Belle Peau Natural Organic Anti-Aging REVITALIZING Cleanser is packed with advanced anti-aging and free radial fighting antioxidant ingredients. This cleanser leaves your skin velvety smooth, clean, and nourished. Aloe, rooibos tea, and pomegranate have a soothing effect on the skin. The green papaya, pineapple and papaya extracts have gentle exfoliating properties.

Testimonials:
This is the cleanser I've been wishing for! I love it!

I'm turning 50 and have always taken great care with my skin. I've known about natural cleansing with oils for a long time, and have tried many other options. This is the BEST cleanser I have ever found...my skin is looking amazing.

This does not leave your face oily or dry. It imparts the most wonderful velvety texture to my face. I use it with the DMAE/MSM toner ...what a combo! I'm hooked & happy.

I tried a sample of this product and I can't believe how velvety soft my skin feels after just one use. In the past I was lazy about using my skin care regime but now I am addicted and use this program religiously because it makes my face look noticeably younger and feels wonderful!

Belle Peau
STEP 3: Tone (Morning and Night)

Natural Organic Anti-Aging Firming Toner

DMAE is an amazing nutrient that extends the life of cells, inhibits the cross linking of proteins, which gives the skin a tone and firm appearance. MSM is soothing and calming for the skin. Toners are a critical part of a daily skin regime to help close the pores, adjust the PH of the skin and lift any dirt or oil brought to the surface with your cleanser. DMAE can cause a tingling sensation.

Testimonials:

Awesome Toner and Value! Thank you!

Wow! I love this toner. It makes my skin feel wonderful. I had bought something similar for a whole lot more. Wish I'd found you sooner. Your products are top-notch and an incredible value! Carol, Washington

Mild and soothing toner for my mature sensitive skin. Fantastic! Vicki, Vermont

We sell your products in our salon and this facial toner is our #1 selling skin care product and is totally awesome! It's super hydrating and has a slight tingling sensation on the skin. We can't keep it on our shelves! Thank you! Judy, Wisconsin

Great Great Product. I have always used an astringent in my skin care routine but have not incorporated a toner until now. This product really works and I can't wait to wash my face so I can use it! Shelly, Nevada

I have been using all the DMAE items for a layering affect.. working great so far and I am in my 60s in a dry climate! Nancy, Idaho

Belle Peau
STEP 4: Moisturize (Morning and Night)
Natural Organic Anti-Aging Rejuvenating Moisturizer

This moisturizer is perfect for maturing skin with rose, DMAE, MSM, rooibos & pomegranate extracts and hyaluronic acid that work together to provide your skin with the ultimate moisture, minimizing fine lines and rejuvenating your skin, leaving it velvety smooth.

Testimonial

"I really love this whole line of products. I have noticed a visible difference in my skin in just a very short time and I get compliments all the time on my skin. Everyone tells me that I have no wrinkles and I am 60. It pays to take care of your skin with good products. I want to say too that the price is very reasonable. I compared your prices to the other anti-aging skin care lines and it was shocking. With your skin care, I am getting larger bottles and the prices are still less than the other companies. The others had alot of chemicals too - that is really important to be organic and non-toxic. I can't say enough about it! Thanks so much for great products and fair prices!"

"I love it, not greasy or heavy. It takes just a little bit so I have a feeling this bottle will last me a really long time - great value and fantastic ingredients. I must say it is making my skin look and feel great!"

Belle Peau
STEP 5: (Morning & Night)
Natural Organic Anti-Aging Anti-Wrinkle Eye Crème

Eye Crèmes are designed to super moisturize the finest skin on your face. When you apply eye crèmes always use your ring finger or pinky to apply products around the delicate area of your eyes with only gentle pressure.

Testimonials:

Wonderful! I started out on the eye area and was impressed with the results. So much so that I used it on my whole face...WOW! I look like I've gotten more sleep than I actually did! My face is moisturized even in our 10 degree weather! Plus it doesn't make me break out like everything else on the planet does...Love it. Melissa, California

Really rich. I bought a sample of this product and a little goes a long way. I use it under the eyes and on my eyelids. I originally didn't think this would make a good facial cream, but I was wrong. I have used it on my entire face (a little goes a long way) and it's one of the better moisturizers I've ever used. Not oily on my normal skin at all. Great product! Becky, Colorado

50 turn 20 again! I bought some samples for my friends and family to try out before I see about selling it and WOW! Everyone LOVES it!!! My aunt says her eyes have not looked so good in 30 years! Great stuff, keep it up!

Love It! So Thick! Wow...what a wonderful crème! I ordered a sample, use it every day, and it's still mostly full! Thick and creamy and feels so good I put it under my eyes and on my eyelids. Best I've ever used. I will definitely be ordering this again.

Ostera™: Revolutionary Nutraceutical Addresses an Unfilled Gap in Postmenopausal Bone Health

Ostera™: Revolutionary Nutraceutical Addresses an Unfilled Gap in Postmenopausal Bone Health

San Clemente, CA (March 9, 2009) — Metagenics, Inc. said today that it has launched a new nutraceutical called Ostera. This unique nutritional supplement supports the special needs of postmenopausal women, whose bone health may be affected by declining estrogen levels.*

Ostera is formulated to target bone remodeling, the normal lifelong process whereby old or damaged bone tissue is replaced by new bone tissue.

Conventional approaches to postmenopausal bone health may have adverse affects or not be well-tolerated. By contrast, Ostera is a gentle, all-natural formula without reported serious adverse effects.

Ostera is intended to complement natural bone mineralization support products, such as calcium and other minerals.* Its active ingredients are:

· Extracts from berberine and rho iso-alpha acids from hops — key botanical compounds shown to beneficially influence key markers of bone remodeling. In postmenopausal women, a decline in estrogen levels can contribute to changes in bone remodeling, where the rate of bone breakdown outpaces the rate of new bone formation.*

· Vitamin K – necessary for the metabolism of bone proteins crucial to bone integrity.*

· Vitamin D – associated with healthy bone formation and bone mineralization.*

Ostera was developed using Metagenics’ proprietary nutraceutical development model called the ExpresSyn® process. This exclusive model combines cellular research, safety evaluations, human ex vivo research, and clinical research. Through the ExpresSyn Process, Metagenics researchers have discovered a new generation of natural ingredients, such as acacia and hops, which function at the cellular level as selective kinase response modulators (SKRMs).*

Clinical research included a randomized, single-blinded, placebo-controlled study in which 77 postmenopausal women with low estrogen were placed on a lifestyle change program that included a Mediterranean-style, low-glycemic-load diet and 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week. The participants in the “Ostera arm” received the supplement twice daily for twelve weeks following a two-week run-in phase. The participants in the “control arm” received a placebo.

According to Joseph J. Lamb, MD, Metagenics Director of Intramural Clinical Research, “The Ostera arm reported no serious adverse affects and showed greater improvement in key biomarkers of bone remodeling.”* These biomarkers included:

· Osteocalcin (OC), an indicator of the rate of bone remodeling. A lower level of serum OC, moving towards reference range, is associated with a slower rate of bone breakdown in postmenopausal women. The Ostera arm displayed a statistically significant reduction in serum OC, while the control arm displayed an increase.*

· Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), a recognized marker of bone formation and important in the maintenance of a healthy skeleton. IGF-1 declines after menopause. Both arms displayed a statistically significant increase in serum IGF-1; however the Ostera arm showed a greater average increase.*

· Vitamin D, which influences bone formation and is critical for calcium absorption to facilitate mineralization. The Ostera arm displayed a statistically significant increase in vitamin D status. The control arm displayed a decrease.*

· OC/Urinary N-telopeptide of type 1 procollagen (NTx), a marker of bone resorption. Ostera arm participants with high baseline NTx levels displayed a statistically significant reduction in serum OC. Control arm participants with high baseline NTx levels displayed an increase in serum OC.*

“Early on, we identified a need for a clinically tested, all-natural formula to support healthy bone remodeling,” said Lamb. “We believe Ostera fills that gap, thereby providing a further degree of support to postmenopausal women for whom bone mineralization support products, such as calcium and other minerals, may not be enough.” As with all Metagenics nutritional formulas, Ostera is only available through licensed health care practitioners.

Individuals interested obtaining Ostera should contact their health care professionals. Meta-eHealth

About Metagenics, Inc.
Metagenics, headquartered in San Clemente, CA, is a global life sciences company focused on reversing chronic illness and improving health. Founded in 1983, the company serves tens of thousands of health care professionals and more than a million patients throughout the world and holds more than 40 propriety formula patents for use in nutraceucials, medical foods, and pharmaceuticals. Today, Metagenics continues its leadership role by successfully merging the disciplines of nutritional genomics, functional medicine, and therapeutic lifestyle change programs to find solutions to society’s most pressing health concerns.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. ####

Adrenal Support Formula

Adrenal Support Formula with 14 researched nutrients

Our product developers were assigned the task of developing the most advanced adrenal support product based on published research. After a thorough review of the literature, they formulated Energy Multi-Plex™ --- the total energy formula. A favorite among doctors and patients, Energy Multi-Plex™ is a reasonably priced answer to many people's dreams of more energy.

“I have improved energy after supplementing with NT Factor Energy and Energy Multi-Plex. Especially notable are the increased maximal sudden power, endurance, and ability to recover during exercise and also for the next day events - for example in distance bicycling on hilly roads and weight lifting and aerobic exercising at the Y. These two Researched Nutritionals products were added to a thorough treatment program for a longer-term fatigue illness from tick borne infection complex illness in the later, more recent stages of therapy. I think the products address some of what we know about mitochondrial damage in the longer-term fatigue- like syndromes and look forward to discussing this further with others interested in increased energy. I have no conflicts of interest in my dialogues regarding Researched Nutritionals products.” --- H. Smith MD

Each bottle provides a one month supply of the following complexes and health benefits:
Energymax™ Complex: Targeted blend of D-ribose, panax ginseng which
• promotes healthy energy levels by raising the level of the body’s energy fuel, ATP
• supports healthy cognitive performance

MuscularEnergy™ Complex: Combination of malic acid and rhodiola rosea which
• plays a key role in energy producing Kreb’s Cycle
• has an adaptogenic affect to support physical activity

Mitrochondria Energizer™ Complex: Powerful duo of acetyl-L-carnitine and alpha lipoic acid which
• acts as a catalyst for ATP production in mitochondria
• improves mitochondrial function while promoting healthy cognitive function

Metabolism Plus™ Complex: Natural, non-stimulation blend of pyruvic acid and 7-Keto DHEA which
• naturally increases, without artificial stimulation, resting metabolism
• multiple studies show increased fat utilization (fat loss) as an energy source
• promotes fat loss through thermogenesis

HeartStrong™ Complex: Hight potency Co Q10 and L-Taurine which
• is used by the body to transform food into adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the energy on which the body runs
• promotes healthy heart and gum tissue
• modulates the immune system
• promotes healthy heart beat and cell wall stability

Key Nutrient Blend: pantothenic acid, vitamin B-12, magnesium and potassium which
• are essential nutrients involved in producing, transporting and releasing energy from fat
• promotes healthy neuromuscular function and muscle contractions

Suggested Use
As a dietary supplement, take three capsules per day (at one time or throughout the day) or as directed by your healthcare professional.

Buy Researched Nutritionals

Medical Food with Ribose, l-Carnitine, Acetyl l-Carnitine, Malic Acid & Magnesium

Medical Food with Ribose, l-Carnitine, Acetyl l-Carnitine, Malic Acid & Magnesium

RibosCardio™ has been designed to support serious energy needs of patients. The product has been formulated with CardioPerform™, a potent blend of L-carnitine (transports fuel into the heart to be burned as energy) and Acetyl L-carnitine (improves heart & brain health, protecting against oxidative damage), plus the patented form of D-Ribose, malic acid and magnesium gluconate to optimize energy production and synthesis.

Published research shows our patented form of D-ribose may be an effective adjunct in promoting cardiovascular, skeletal muscle, and neurological health. With heart patients, D-ribose has been found effective in restoring energy, improving ventilatory efficiency, oxygen uptake, stroke volume, diastolic function, physical performance, and quality of life. In neuromuscular disease, D-ribose helps to reduce pain, overcome fatigue, increase exercise tolerance, and help patients live more normal, active lives.

RibosCardio™'s magnesium gluconate and malic acid help your body use energy more efficiently. Your cells use magnesium in over 300 enzyme reactions, and it distributes energy evenly throughout the cell so it is available when and where it is needed. Malic Acid helps your mitochondria recycle the energy you have, maximizing cellular energy output.

D-Ribose Research Highlights
Cardiovascular Function: Scientific and clinical studies have repeatedly shown that our patented D-Ribose can restore energy and improve function in ischemic, hypoxic, and failing hearts. Oxygen deprivation causes hearts to use energy faster than it can be replaced through normal processes of tissue energy turnover. The result is a depletion of cellular energy reserves translating to a loss of heart function.

Mid-study results of an ongoing double blind, crossover trial with congestive heart failure patients were recently reported. Results showed conclusively that when patients were given ribose (15 grams per day for three weeks) they had improved diastolic heart function, increased physical function score and enhanced quality of life score. Echocardiographic studies of these patients showed that ribose administration enhanced relaxation of the left ventricle and improved the efficiency of filling from the left atrium. No such improvements were found during placebo administration (3).

RibosCardio™ increases cardiac energy to help fuel the heart. For patients, this can mean more energy and a higher quality of life.

Sports Nutrition: In skeletal muscle, high-intensity exercise can lead to a loss of up to 26% of cellular adenosine triphosphate, or ATP. One consequence of this energy drain is an increase in free radicals in affected muscle. Free radicals attack cell and mitochondrial membranes and can destroy the genetic material that helps muscle tissues synthesize proteins.

RibosCardio™ helps in three ways. First, if enough ribose is present in the cell or the circulating blood, energy compounds can be saved, or salvaged, before they wash out of the cell and are lost. Second, ribose accelerates energy synthesis, so if energy compounds are lost, they can be quickly replaced. Finally, by keeping the energy compounds in the cell, RibosCardio™ reduces free radical formation and preserves the energy the tissue needs to make proteins essential for maintaining muscle health and performance. This energy improvement has been shown to increased performance over time. A study published in the journal, Current Therapeutic Research, showed that male recreational bodybuilders experienced a significant improvement in both muscular endurance (20% increase over the four weeks versus a 12%for the placebo group) and muscular endurance (3.2% increase over the four weeks versus a 1.7% for the placebo group) following 28 days of our patented D-Ribose supplementation(1).

Fibromyalgia & Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: The muscle in patients with FMS and CFS is generally severely energy starved. This lack of energy leads to a number of physiological reactions within the muscle cell, ending in debilitating fatigue, muscle pain, soreness, and stiffness. By increasing the energy level in affected muscle, our patented D-Ribose helps patients overcome fatigue, and lessens the pain associated with their conditions.

Natural and Organic Products

Natural and Organic Products

You might expect a product labeled "pure, natural and organic" to be, well … pure, natural and organic. But you might be in for a surprise.

Unlike the food industry, there are no legal standards for organic or natural personal care products sold in the United States. This means that companies can, and often do, use these terms as marketing gimmicks. For example, the top-selling shampoo in the United States is Clairol Herbal Essences, which until recently claimed to offer users an "organic experience." However, there isn't much about this product that is either herbal or organic; it contains more than a dozen synthetic petrochemicals and has a moderate toxicity rating in Skin Deep.

Even top-selling brands in the natural products sector have been found to contain 1,4-dioxane, a synthetic chemical carcinogen.

New industry standards are emerging that may help consumers differentiate between the natural and not-so-natural products, but multiple standards with different meanings may not be helpful for consumers. For example, some require safety substantiation from a certifying body and others don't. The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics is advocating for a standard that means ingredients are both natural and safe for people.

What You Can Do

Encourage your favorite retailers and manufacturers of natural and organic products to clarify their use of the terms. Most importantly, be a critical consumer and remember that natural is a marketing term, not a legally binding description.

More Information

Science and health effects: 1,4-dioxane

Very few, if any, cosmetics or personal care products list 1,4-dioxane as an ingredient (i), even though an analysis by Campaign for Safe Cosmetics co-founder the Environmental Working Group suggests that it may be found in 22 percent of the more than 25,000 products in the Skin Deep database of cosmetics products (ii). That's because 1,4-dioxane is a frequent contaminant of common cosmetics ingredients (iii), but as a contaminant it is not listed among intentionally added ingredients.

Products That May Contain 1,4-dioxane

Because it is a contaminant produced during manufacturing, the FDA does not require 1,4-dioxane to be listed as an ingredient on product labels. Without labeling, there is no way to know for certain how many products contain 1,4-dioxane—and no guaranteed way for consumers to avoid it.

Most commonly, 1,4-dioxane is found in products that create suds, like shampoo, liquid soap and bubble bath. Environmental Working Group's analysis suggests that 97 percent of hair relaxers, 57 percent of baby soaps and 22 percent of all products in Skin Deep may be contaminated with 1,4-dioxane (iv). Independent lab tests co-released by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics in 2007 showed that popular brands of children's bubble bath and body wash contained 1,4-dioxane.

Besides sodium laureth sulfate, other common ingredients that may be contaminated by 1,4-dioxane include PEG compounds and chemicals that include the clauses "xynol," "ceteareth" and "oleth."

Where It Comes From

1,4-dioxane is generated through a process called ethoxylation, in which ethylene oxide, a known breast carcinogen, is added to other chemicals to make them less harsh. This process creates 1,4-dioxane. For example, sodium laurel sulfate, a chemical that is harsh on the skin, is often converted to the less-harsh chemical sodium laureth sulfate (the “eth” denotes ethoxylation), which can contaminate this ingredient with 1,4-dioxane.

Alternatives do exist, but many companies don't take advantage of them. Vacuum-stripping can remove 1,4-dioxane from an ethoxylated product, or manufacturers can skip ethoxylation entirely by using less-harsh ingredients to begin with (v). Organic standards do not allow ethoxylation at all. A study by the Organic Consumers Association (vi) shows that 1,4-dioxane is nonexistent in a variety of cosmetics produced and certified under the USDA National Organic Program, as well as other products.

Health Concerns

Research shows that 1,4-dioxane readily penetrates the skin (vii). 1,4-dioxane is considered a probable human carcinogen by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (viii) and listed as an animal carcinogen by the National Toxicology Program (ix). It is included on California’s Proposition 65 list of chemicals known or suspected by the state to cause cancer or birth defects (x). The California Environmental Protection Agency also lists 1,4-dioxane as a suspected kidney toxicant, neurotoxicant and respiratory toxicant.

It is highly unlikely that any one product containing 1,4-dioxane will cause harm on its own. However, repeated exposures from many different products add up. The same baby could be exposed to 1,4-dioxane from baby shampoo, bath bubbles and body wash in a single bath, as well as from other contaminated personal care products today, tomorrow and the next day. Repeated exposures to a single carcinogen, synergistic effects from exposures to multiple carcinogenic and mutagenic ingredients, and concerns about exposures at key points in development (such as pregnancy, infancy and puberty) are cause for concern even though little risk is evident from a single small exposure. Buy only natural, organic, non-toxic products.

The Health (and Beauty) Dangers of Common Soaps & Antibacterial Ingredients

The Health (and Beauty) Dangers of Common Soaps & Antibacterial Ingredients
Buy only natural, organic, non-toxic products.

If you are like most people, you believe that bar soap - the oldest cleanser around -is harmless. So you may be quite surprised to learn that today's popular commercial soaps contain synthetic compounds that are loaded with health risks.

These are some of the most common health symptoms that studies have linked to ingredients found in common commercial soaps and commercial personal care products:

• Sinus Problems


• Exacerbated Asthma Conditions


• Fatigue


• Dizziness


• Nausea


• Migraine Headaches


• "Unexplained" Sore Throats & Cough
  
• Rashes, Hives, Dermatitis, Eczema


• Irritations to mouth, eyes, skin, lungs


• Chest Tightness


• Shortness of Breath

You should know right away that the government does not regulate what "natural" means in soaps labeled natural, so commercial soaps can freely claim to be natural while still using the synthetic compounds discussed below - and they do. If you are already using a "natural" soap, or if you intend to seek a safe alternative, please keep this in mind.

Three Potentially Risky Synthetic Compounds

While there are a number of chemical concerns, there are three synthetic components in commercial soaps you need to be most concerned with:

1) Triclosan

2) Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS)

3) Fragrance

Most of the commercial bar soaps (and liquid and other forms) on the market today are composed of these and other chemicals.

Triclosan

The first antibacterial liquid hand soap exploded onto the market in 1995, claiming to be ten times more effective at eliminating disease carrying germs than regular liquid soap. In the eleven years since, antibacterial soaps have become a 16 billion dollar a year industry, adding shampoo, dishwashing detergent, toothpaste and various household cleaners to the "antibacterial" list.

Today, 75% of liquid soaps and over 30% of bar soaps in the US are antibacterial, all containing the synthetic chemical triclosan. Triclosan is the main ingredient in antibacterial products. The intention of triclosan is to prevent bacteria from reproducing, limiting the amount of bacteria on your skin, thereby decreasing illnesses.

Yet a study published in March 2004 found that people who used antibacterial soaps and cleaners developed cold and allergy symptoms as often as those who used regular soaps and cleaners, offering little more protection than ordinary soap against the most common germs.

Current research is showing us that if the widespread use of anti-bacterial soap continues in such an overused frenzy, we could be faced with super germs we can't get rid of.

What the Antibacterial Soap Makers Don't Tell Us

The triclosan in antibacterial soaps does NOT discriminate between good and bad bacteria. But we need good bacteria to survive, to help defend us against bad, harmful bacteria. Our immune systems are being left increasingly vulnerable with the use of antibacterial soaps. Children especially should be exposed to some bacteria in early childhood in order to strengthen their immune systems, but the primary marketing target of the commercial antibacterial soaps is parents with young children. Children who are not exposed to these common bacteria -- because they are being wiped out by antibacterial soap -- may be more prone to allergies and asthma.

Numerous studies have also found that the ongoing use of triclosan:

• Has been shown to kill your skin cells


• Dries your skin


• Can aggravate skin disorders such as eczema and psoriasis


• Does nothing to prevent most illnesses, since colds, flues and more are typically viral (and antibacterial only kills bacteria, not viruses)


• Dioxin, a highly carcinogenic may be formed during the manufacturing process of triclosan, making it a likely contaminant.


• Finally, triclosan has now been found in 3 out of 5 women's breast milk. It is also one of the most detected compounds in rivers, streams and other bodies of water, often in high concentrations, and is highly toxic to a number of different types of algae. This could have very destructive effects on aquatic ecosystems.

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate(SLS)
One of the most dangerous chemicals being added to virtually every personal care product you can imagine, including soap, shampoo, conditioner, and cosmetics, is Sodium Lauryl Sulfate(SLS). SLS is an anionic surfactant and the most commonly used chemical in car soaps, garage floor cleaners, engine degreasers and personal care products. Buy soaps free of sulfates.

SLS has been found to have many side effects:

• Eye, skin and mouth irritations


• Membrane alterations


• May be harmful for the brain, heart, spleen and liver


• Chronic irritant contact dermatitis


• Compromising the overall integrity of your skin barrier, rendering it open to exposure to bacteria


• May actually harm cell function


• Can corrode the hair follicle and cause hair loss


• Fragrance

95% of the chemicals used in fragrances are petroleum-based synthetic compounds. Most of these chemicals are not tested for safety. Manufacturers are only required to print "fragrance" on the label, nothing more.

Additionally, a product labeled "unscented" may contain a masking fragrance. A product must be marked "without perfume" to indicate no fragrance has been added.

Low-dose Exposures

Low-dose Exposures

Two decades of research indicate that very low-dose exposures to toxic chemicals can have profound health effects. This counters the long-held belief that “the dose makes the poison” – a rationale that underlies much chemical regulation, including the use of various chemicals in cosmetics (i). The inaccurate assumption that very small amounts of toxic chemicals are safe allows for the continued use of toxic chemicals in personal care products (ii). Buy only natural, organic, non-toxic products.

There are at least three key problems with this assumption. First, this assumes that low doses are truly safe, which may not be the case. Research on laboratory animals, cell cultures and wildlife suggests that in some cases low-dose exposures may have more profound effects than higher exposures (iii). Second, this assumption of safety at low doses overlooks the fact that many of the toxic chemicals that appear in cosmetics and personal care products tend to show up in several products an average person uses daily, and that many of these chemicals show up in other consumer products as well (iv). As a result, what seem like small exposures add up to larger doses.

Finally, a long-standing approach to chemical regulation looks at chemicals one at a time. However, daily life exposes individuals to a multitude of various ingredients. For instance, an Environmental Working Group report shows that women use 12 cosmetic products with 168 unique ingredients each day and men use 6 products with an average of 85 ingredients (v). These ingredients, in combination with exposures from other consumer products and pollutants in the air and water, add up to a phenomenal array of combined exposures, in effect adding up to hundreds of exposures every day (vi).

Research indicates that, in many cases, these exposures add up and work in combination to affect health in ways that may be more profound than single exposures. Taking in multiple chemicals can have an additive effect, whereby multiple small exposures add up to a lot (2+3=5), or a synergistic effect, whereby multiple exposures increase the toxic effects of one another (2+3=10) (vii). For instance, several studies have found that combinations of various chemicals with estrogenic properties may have additive (viii) or synergistic effects (ix).

In addition, the timing of exposure may moderate the effects of low doses, so that low doses at certain points in development – prenatally, during puberty, etc. – may have stronger or qualitatively different effects on health (x).

More Information

For more information about how small doses of chemicals impact our long-term health, visit The Endocrine Disruption Exchange.

i Gray, J (2008). State of the Evidence: The Connection between Breast Cancer and the Environment. San Francisco, CA: Breast Cancer Fund.

ii Environmental Working Group (2004). Exposures Add Up – Survey Results. Available online http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/research/exposures/php. Accessed August 19, 2008.

iii Gray, J (2008). State of the Evidence: The Connection between Breast Cancer and the Environment. San Francisco, CA: Breast Cancer Fund.

iv Environmental Working Group (2004). Exposures Add Up – Survey Results. Available online http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/research/exposures/php. Accessed August 19, 2008.

v Environmental Working Group (2004). Exposures Add Up – Survey Results. Available online http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/research/exposures/php. Accessed August 19, 2008.

vi Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (2003). Second National Report on Human Exposure to Environmental Chemicals. Available online at http://www.cdc.gov/exposurereport/. Accessed August 19, 2008.

vii Gray, J (2008). State of the Evidence: The Connection between Breast Cancer and the Environment. San Francisco, CA: Breast Cancer Fund.

viii Ramamoorthy K, Wang F, Chen IC, Safe S, Norris JD, McDonnell DP, Gaido KW, Bocchinfuso WP, Korach KS (1997). Potency of combined estrogenic pesticides. Science 275: 405-6.

Foster WG, Younglai EV, Boutross- Tadross O, Hughes CL, Wade MG (2004). Mammary gland morphology in Sprague-Dawley rats following treatment with an organochlorine mixture in utero and neonatal genistein. Toxicological Sciences 77: 91-100.

ix Xie L, Thrippleton K, Irwin MA, Siemering GS, Mekebri A, Crane D, Berry K, Schlenk D (2005). Evaluation of estrogenic activities of aquatic herbicides and surfactants using a rainbow trout vitellogenin assay. Toxicological Sciences 77: 91-100.

Kortenkamp A (2006). Breast cancer, oestrogens and environmental pollutants: a re-evaluation from a mixture perspective. International Journal of Andrology 29: 193-198.

x Gray, J (2008). State of the Evidence: The Connection between Breast Cancer and the Environment. San Francisco, CA: Breast Cancer Fund.