Category : Product Experts
My hair and I have a love/hate relationship. If I want to describe my hair, most days it looks like unruly, long, wavy, hippie hair. I’m okay with all that. It’s the color I struggle with. I get my hair streaked once a year and enjoy how my appearance seems brighter after I have some blond put in my hair. I truly don’t think there is a way to make your hair lighter without chemicals, so I haven’t researched the slightly less alternative options. I have also learned that damaging my hair to keep it lighter in color makes no poo methods of hair maintenance difficult. I enjoyed using baking soda and apple cider vinegar for 6 months before my hair started getting dry…brittle actually. So I got a good trim and started using Green Beaver shampoo & conditioner. This combination has been working well, but since it’s summer I’ve been looking for an all natural moisturizing treatment for a deep conditioning. I experimented with coconut oil and olive oil and have been using Tropical Traditional Virgin Coconut Oil in the ends of my hair every few weeks to give it some extra moisture & shine. The first time I made the mistake of applying a large amount of it to my entire wet head…I looked like I was caught in an oil slick. After receiving some tips from the greenies on the Mommy Footprint fan page, I really like how my hair reacts when I apply it to the ends of my hair when it starts drying out after regular trips to the pool.
Gillian Deacon, Author of There’s Lead In Your Lipstick: Toxins In Our Everyday Body Care and How To Avoid Them, has some great tips for DIY, all natural deep conditioning treatments. Check out:
Gillian’s tips:
Make your own conditioner: slather your hair in coconut oil, wrap your hair in a towel and leave it for a few hours. For a hot oil treatment, heat extra-virgin olive oil and massage through dry hair. Wash thoroughly after 20 minutes. For a revitalizer, mash an avocado and mix with two tablespoons of honey; massage into hair and wash out after 20 minutes.
Summer can be hard on hair – between trips to the pool and sun exposure. My jar of Virgin Coconut Oil for Hair Treatment is specially made for hair treatment because it contains a higher content of protein than the other oils Tropical Traditions sells. This is an unrefined coconut oil and is made from organic coconuts. I’ve mentioned Tropical Traditions before because I’m impressed with their packaging…my coconut oil arrived in a glass jar. So skip expensive, chemically laden conditioners and try an all natural approach with deep conditioner for your hair…it not only feels great but you won’t get a headache from the smell!
Related Articles:
No Poo Anyone?
Flame retardants are chemicals I’m always on the lookout for. These chemicals are often applied in combinations and they are added to materials (all various kinds) during manufacturing to reduce the material catching on fire or slowing down the combustion process. When I was researching for my article on greener life jackets I assumed that the US and Canadian governments are the ones mandating flame retardants be added to products. Healthystuff.org tested over 150 children’s car seats and over half (60%) tested positive for brominated flame retardants, PVC, and/or heavy metals. Brominated flame retardants are particularly scary because of how persistent they are in the environment (they don’t break down) and their accumulation inside the food chain and human bodies. With the sensitive developing systems of babies in car seats and for the length of time some are in their seats, this research one by Healthystuff.org is getting a lot of attention.
After learning about greener product foam (GAIA foam) rather than PVC based foam I asked 11 of the top car seat manufacturers if they had considered an ‘all natural’ car seat. If you think about it, new parents invest hundreds of dollars in organic mattresses and bedding all to avoid flame retardants, PVC, and other chemicals. Why not give them the option with car seats? A few of these companies got back to me, but not with any encouraging information. I’m mean how hard is it to replace toxic foam inserts with wool and ensure the materials are organic and lead free for the plastic buckles? We are already expecting to get charged through the nose for an option like this…it’s okay. Go ahead. Some of us will pay for it.
As quoted from the Healthystuff.org article summary, in the 2011 testing, car seats containing brominated flame retardants declined by 18% but some companies continue to use more potentially hazardous brominated flame retardants compared to their last tests in 2009. Hmm and three of these are Baby Trend, Recaro, and Britax. Makes me happy I never used the Baby Trend play pen I received for my first son. Think about products that are padded. Obviously babies need padded products to ensure safety, but before purchasing you need to ask and research how if the company is/isn’t using flame retardants. We are talking about play pens, highchairs, play mats, car seats, mattresses, swings, etc.
There are better car seats and worse car seats when researching chemical exposure. These brands are listed here from the Healthystuff.org testing. The top three for each include:
Worst 2011 Car Seats:
Infant Seat: Graco Snugride 35 in Edgemont Red/Black & Graco SnugRide 30 in Asprey
Convertible Seat: Britax Marathon 70 in Jet Set & Britax Marathon in Platinum
Booster Seat: Recaro Pro Booster in Blue Opal & Recaro ProSPORT Toddler in Misty
Best 2011 Car Seats:
Infant Seat: Chicco KeyFit 30 in Limonata, Graco Snugride 35 in Laguna Bay & Combi Shuttle 33 in Cranberry Noche
Convertible Carseat: Graco Comfort Sport in Caleo, Graco MyRide 65 in Chandler and Streamer, Safety 1st OnSide Air in Clearwater, and Graco Nautilus Elite 3-in-1 in Gabe
Booster Seat: Graco Turbo Booster in Anders
Yes, reports like these make all parents want to throw up our hands and trash items like this, BUT remember these are car seats we are talking about. They are important and need to be used no matter what the rating is from Healthystuff.org. And, this report was probably done to raise awareness for people in the market for new car seats when expecting babies. I have 3 booster seats in my van right now that are used everyday. They are not 2011 models so it might be hard to figure out what level of flame retardant exposure they have. But they will stay planted firmly in my van because when I purchase items like this I already have an awareness that these products contain this crap. I know because I didn’t pay an arm and a leg for them and when you are dealing with foam and cheap plastic…you will probably find flame retardants and PVC. Especially if these products were made several years ago. I hope the results from Healthystuff.org has a trickle effect in two areas of consumerism: 1) the companies listed using high amounts of chemicals will experience some significant loss of sales 2) will get parents asking questions. Only when a company has heard the same complaint and the same questions from thousands of parents will they do something to change their manufacturing protocols. Remember that flame retardants are added to materials when they are manufactured. If our governments are mandating that flame retardants be added, then I want the big companies giving me some alternatives than meet flame retardant testing without chemicals (wool, mineral based flame retardants, etc.). If the government is not mandating that flame retardant chemicals be added to these products…give parents the option of buying products that haven’t been coated or sprayed in flame retardant chemicals.
In Part I of learning about safer sunscreens, we shared the latest findings on sunscreen safety from EWG (Environmental Working Group) and they are surprising! Most of the points listed in their article about ’surprising truths‘ don’t need further explanation, but here is one that I’ve always struggled to understand. It’s the topic of nanoparticles and mineral (organic) sunscreens. We learned from Part I of this series that not every sunscreen (chemical sunscreen or organic sunscreen) is safe to be using, however it’s the mineral (organic) sunscreens made with zinc or titanium that receive the highest ratings for safety each year from EWG. My thanks to Gwen, owner of Nayla Natural Care for taking the time to write this great article on mineral sunscreen and the issue of nanoparticles. Take it away Gwen!
What is zinc oxide and titanium dioxide?
Zinc oxide and titanium dioxide are natural minerals found in the earth. Both have many uses such as ingredients in paints, foods, vitamins, cosmetics, and of course sun block. The reason why these minerals are used in sun blocks is that they have remarkable properties that give them the ability to reflect light and this is exactly what we want our sun block to do. Both of these minerals are excellent choices for sun protection because they both provide broad UVA and UVB protection.
What are nanoparticles?
Defined, a nanoparticle is a solid particle measuring between 1 and 100 nanometers. A nanometer is equivalent to a billionth of a meter. Manufacturers using zinc oxide and titanium dioxide must break down the natural particles before adding them to the sunscreen. If they didn’t, the particles would remain large and your sunscreen would go onto your skin as a thick and very white paste. Think of the pictures of lifeguards with thick white strips of sun block on their noses and ears. Not the most visually appealing look right? To lessen this “white” look, natural sunscreen manufacturers use a process called micronization. Micronization is the process that breaks down the particles so they are smaller and will give the sunscreen that more appealing look once applied. Natural sunscreens will still leave a whitish tinge to the skin, but because of micronization, you will not look like the lifeguards. =)
Some sunscreen manufacturers such as Thinksport, Thinkbaby and TruKid do not use nanoparticles in their sun blocks (but use micronization). The zinc oxide and titanium dioxide particle sizes in these formulas are greater than 100nm. Badger uses particles that range from 70nm to 300nm in size, so yes, a small fraction of their zinc oxide is made up of nanoparticles, but they assure that the nanoparticles in their formulas are safe. Badger also uses a special coating process on all of their zinc oxide particles that makes the zinc oxide “less likely to generate free radicals and will be less reactive with the skin than uncoated zinc oxide.” For more information on Badger’s stance on nanoparticles and to learn all about the coating process they use, please click here.
How will I know if my sunscreen contains particles that fall within the “safe range”?
The best way to know is to visit the sun block manufacturer’s website. Most manufacturers will post the nanoparticle info in the FAQ section like Badger has done. If you cannot find the info on the company website, contact them by email or by phone. If you are buying from a retailer, contact the retailer and ask them the questions you want answered before purchasing your sunscreen. You want to be sure that you are buying the best and safest thing for your family, so spend the time doing the homework and be confident in your purchase.
Related Posts:
I’m very appreciative of the folks at EWG (Environmental Working Group) for their hard work to help parents decipher through the toxic world of cosmetics, bath products, sunscreens and more. A few days ago, EWG issued a news release stating they only recommend 8 percent of all sunscreens. The reasons are exaggerated SPF claims and new developments in understanding possible hazards of some sunscreen ingredients – in particular Vitamin A. Equally helpful is finding a business owner that has done their research on products they sell. I often turn to Gwen, the owner of the web-based Nayla Natural Care to help me because she knows her stuff and I trust her. She has been great with providing information on the confusing topic of nanoparticles and sunscreen. This is one of the 9 ‘surprise truths‘ released by EWG so I’d like to start by summarizing some of the new – must read data listed on the EWG site. Some of the other ‘surprising truths’ in this article were kinda shocking for me and I encourage all parents to read the article in full.
All of the numbered bullets is direct research and quotes from the EWG site.
EWG Surprising Truths About Sunscreen
1) The International Agency for Research on Cancer and the FDA concur that “FDA is not aware of data demonstrating that sunscreen use alone helps prevent skin cancer”. The IARC recommends clothing, hats and shade as primary barrier to UV radiation and sunscreen should not be the first choice for cancer prevention. Read more here.
2) Some evidence that sunscreens might increase the risk of melanoma among sunscreen users. Scientists speculate that sunscreen users stay out in the sun longer or poor UVA protection over the last 30 years may have led to this surprising outcome. More info here.
3) In 2007 the FDA published draft regulations that would prohibit companies from labeling sunscreens higher than SPF 50+ because these values were misleading. ** Note from Suzanne – check out the article called Hall of Shame from EWG and lists Banana Boat Baby Max Protect, SPF = 100+ as a product with sky-high SPF protecting against sunburn but leaves skin exposed to damaging UVA rays. Think of how many parents read the title of the sunscreen and see the SPF 100+ and think they are giving their child the best sunscreen protection…it makes my stomach turn. ** More info here.
4) Adding to the confusion is the fact that sunshine serves a critical function in the body that sunscreen appears to inhibit – production of vitamin D. Read more info here.
5) The common sunscreen ingredient Vitamin A (retinyl palmitate) may speed up the development of skin tumors and lesions. Troubling because the sunscreen industry adds vitamin A to 41 percent of all sunscreens. Read more info here.
6) Pick your sunscreen: nanomaterials or potential hormone disruptors. The major choice is between chemical sunscreens which have inferior stability, penetrate the skin and may disrupt the body’s hormone systems and “mineral” sunscreens (zinc and titanium) which often contain micronized or nanoscale particles of those minerals. More info here.
7) Europe’s better sunscreens. Sunscreen makers in Europe can select from among 27 chemicals for their formulations, compared to 17 in the US companies. Companies selling in Europe can add any of seven UVA filters to their products, but have a choice of only three when they market in the US. Read more here.
Some new information for some people I’m sure. I’m even surprised by the strong emphasis from EWG on the focus of shade, clothing, and hats over sunscreen this year. Plus, more than ever the EWG’s new calculations for recommending safer sunscreens really eliminates more traditional sunscreen products and organic sunscreens on shelves today. Follow the quick tips for sourcing good sunscreen from EWG to best understand ingredients and products to avoid or look for:
Sunscreen ingredients to avoid: Oxybenzone, Vitamin A, added insect repellent
Sunscreen products to avoid: Spray, powders, SPF above 50+
Look for these sunscreen ingredients: Zinc, Titanium dioxide, Avobenzone or Mexoryl SX
Look for these sunscreen products: Cream, broad spectrum protection, water resistant for beach, pool and exerice, SPF 30 + for beach & pool.
For a full list of all of these tips in one great guide – download the EWG’s Shopper’s Guide to Safer Sunscreens and post it where parents, co-workers, or family will see it. There are some wonderful tips that should be reviewed before the hot weather arrives for all of us.
Please check out next article on the topic of Nanoparticles from Gwen in our next post ~ Sunscreen Surprising Truths Part II. Gwen, the business owner of Nayla Natural Care continues to get more of my business because her sunscreen picks for the last few years have also been top picks from EWG. Join us while she breaks down the mystery behind nanoparticles in sunscreen.
In researching ways to remove toxins from your bedding, mattresses, and bedrooms, I received tips from the co-founder at Sleepy Sheep and Saplings that I wanted to share. These tips are things you can do immediately that will ease your anxiety level with dust mites, bacteria, mold, and chemicals. I appreciate that these two solid business owners would pass along product knowledge and freebies that can improve the health of our homes. Here are some tips you can implement tomorrow from the experts!
Chelsea from Sleepy Sheep told me that sunlight is a natural virus killer. To immediately de-tox your bed, pull your duvet down and expose pillows and sheets to sun light. Open your curtains in your bedroom during the day as this allows moisture to evaporate from your mattress and allows sunlight into your bedroom, which helps prevent mold and fungus from growing.
Wash your pillows monthly to keep dust mites and other allergens at bay. A clean pillow improves your sleep by helping you breath properly while you sleep.
When taking your bedding (or clothes for that matter) to the dry cleaner, try to find a cleaner that markets themselves as green. Why? Many dry cleaners will use a chemical cocktail to finish your items called sizing. Ask that this step not be used to finish your bedding so that sizing or Teflon agents aren’t being added to your ‘cleaned’ bedding.
Chris from Saplings Sustainable Kids Decor offered some great tips for removing common toxins from your bedroom starting with wall decals. These popular wall stickers are the hot decorating choice with parents because of their convenience and versatility, but most on the market are made from PVC (poison plastic that off-gasses chemicals). Look for decals that are stamped vinyl-free or PVC-free and are made from polypropylene or fabric.
One of the easiest ways to improve the air quality in your child’s bedroom is to use VOC free paint. Chris recommends the new Natura line from Benjamin Moore and Yolo Colorhouse in rooms they have done….both brands have great quality and are a safer paint choice.
Smell your room! Basically, your sense of smell is one of the best things you can rely on when safeguarding your room. If you are using anything that has a strong smell, be it your paint, bedding, decor ~ be cautious. Anything you put in your child’s room should be odour free straight out of the package (** great tip **)!
The last tip from Chris can be read in it’s entirety from this article and the great thing about it is you probably have most of the ingredients at home! A recipe to decrease chemical residues and smells from dyeing process and use of conventional scented detergents &/or fabric softeners:
Wash several times or soak overnight in a tub of water with one of the following:
1/2 cup of vinegar
1/2 – 1 cup of pickling salt (don’t use in an enameled tub as it will cause it to rust)
1/4 – 1 cup of baking soda (will have to rewash several times to remove residue).
For any and all organic bedding & decor requirements, the owners at Saplings are ready to answer your questions. They’ve done the research and put together their site to keep the confusing nature of shopping for organic bedding simplified. Two of my favorite rooms from their site are below.
Looking for more information on PVC? Check out the category on Mommy Footprint called PVC Info. Discover why this plastic doesn’t belong in your bedroom or anywhere near children.
