lapiduli

"The events of her life are like the lapiduli of a grand mosaic: each of them is a small thing, but the combination of them makes such a picture..." {Richard Baptist O'Brien}

Profile ↓

Everything old is new again

I just listened to a great new song on the radio only to find out it's been recorded before - several times.

That's how I feel about my search for organic skin care and makeup. I started this journey, and this blog, to help me keep track of what I had tested and to possibly find some satisfactory answers to the question of whether this is even a useful quest (I believe it is). But for the past few posts, I've been feeling guilty that I haven't listed all of my sources for the products I've chosen to try, keep or trash (properly, of course). I came to the realization that I cannot list everyone I have consulted over the past few months. This blog would be just one big list of links. Good links, of course, but links that you would have to wade through, just as I have done, to find the green nuggets of information that have brought me to the semi-organic state I am in today. 

So, green as I may be getting (or crazy, as some friends think) I am committed to changing my little corner of the world for now. I thank all of the bloggers, researchers and environmental groups who have provided a virtual library of reading material. I do believe this is good change. The research is really starting to fall in the direction of getting rid of environmental toxins. I think that in time we will realize that we were very wrong about the way we make both products and food. I just hope it's soon as I'd really like to see what happens. I'd also like to see a time where we don't have to ask where our produce comes from. At five years old, Isabella knows that if the strawberries had to travel internationally, they can't be very good. 

The adage these days is, "If your grandmother wouldn't recognize it, don't eat it." That seems to work for food, but not makeup. My grandmother has been wearing makeup for as long as I can remember. And at 93, she finally stopped coloring her hair not even a decade ago. It was black. I mean, coal-tar black; the worst kind of hair color imaginable (according to research, anyway). Yes, I wonder how she's managed to live this long. We should all be so lucky. But what if it isn't luck?

I had an old boyfriend who declared, very excitedly, to a group of my friends one night that he had discovered a new way to clean his shower. We all waited to hear his revelation when he explained that he simply got naked and took his tub and tile cleaner into the shower with him. We probably should have patted his clean (and hopefully toxin-free) back, but we shrugged and went about our night. I saw the look on his face, but I wasn't in a place at the time to be the girlfriend who made him feel better about his shower of brilliance. 

Now I understand how he felt. I knew I wasn't embarking on something new when I set out to change my beauty regimen. In fact, I expected to quote many websites and many people living a lot greener than I am. I just didn't know how many. How many people with brilliant insights have been waived away as if they did nothing more than shower with their scrub brushes? 

It does seem like there is quite a trail of "we told you so," crumbs in front of us these days. Research from the 60's suggested that talcum powder contributed to ovarian cancer, for example, and now no one would think of powdering themselves after a shower (at least with talc). Even a couple close friends have shared with me that their own doctors are suggesting that environmental toxins are in part to blame for their particular cancers. At first I was shocked, but now I get it. This bandwagon has been traveling for many years - and I just got on. I hope it's a worldwide wagon before too long.

In any case, what counts is that the song remains the same. Play it again, Sam!

Making up is hard to do

So far the Arbonne FC5 skin care is working well. My face is still a little dry in spots, but it's only been a few days, so I need to give everything a chance. I know, I know, it's not really natural, but after my experience with Real Purity, I was a little gun shy. Baby steps, I say. At least I'm paraben free! And of course, I'm loving the scent of everything just as I did with the samples. Once again, at least it's not synthetically fragranced, but how did they get those strawberries and kiwi in there?

Also, I received some samples of Intelligent Nutrients. Unfortunately, they sent me the anti-aging serum, moisturizer and mist, but no cleanser. I'm using Arbonne's cleanser, so it's hard for me to make a judgement with mixed product lines. I will say the anti-aging serum feels great on my skin. It's like silk. Not greasy, just smooth and nourishing. The moisturizer smells funny and I meant to call to ask whether that meant it was past it's shelf life, but I haven't had a chance. I can't say the lines around my eyes have disappeared, but that may be a lifestyle issue more than anything. Let's just say that my toddler, Ava, could care less whether mommy is ridding the house of toxins.

Now what to do for makeup? Mary Kay's makeup line is, sadly, as full of parabens as the skin care, so I'm on the prowl. I'm checking into Arbonne's makeup line since I'm already a customer at this point. I asked the Intelligent Nutrients folks whether they were introducing a makeup line anytime soon and they responded with: 

It's a tricky biz to produce makeup that works and can honestly be called non-toxic. We've got our top people working on it.. and working on it.. and working on it.

And I thought choosing new skin care was tough.

I never did get a real answer about nano-particles from Bare Escentuals, either. I've been using their mineral makeup now for a few years and while I like it, I want to make sure it's safe. I just don't think they answered the question about whether their products contain nano-particles. See what you think:

The safety and well being of every customer is of paramount concern at Bare Escentuals.  We would like to assure our customers that there is absolutely no credible scientific evidence that our mineral cosmetic products can be easily inhaled into the lungs, much less linking our mineral cosmetic products with negative health effects.   Unsupported allegations that all mineral cosmetic products are “dangerous,” based on what unidentified “experts” have supposedly said, are unnecessarily alarming and fear-inducing because such allegations are simply not supported by any credible evidence.  We stand behind our products and look forward to continuing to provide high quality products to the millions of women whose lives have been touched by bareMinerals.

If I find out there are nano-particles in the bareMinerals line and that they are, in fact, dangerous, you can bet I'm going to feel more than "touched" by Bare Escentuals. 

And finally, since I know all four people that read this blog, I can afford to post that my ex-boyfriend (a VERY nice and single guy) asked me for some advice about skin care for men. As I told him, I used to send all of my ex-boyfriends to Mary Kay's line for men, but not now, so I have some additional research to do. At least I know he's not looking for makeup, too.

Scent of a Woman

I just placed my first Arbonne order. Okay, so the product is not completely natural, but the FC5 line is paraben-free and I liked what I tried. I LOVED the smell of everything! Think strawberries and kiwi. Not sickly sweet, just fresh. I know this is taboo in holistic skin care since fragrance is evil (though it's not synthetic fragrance), but I like to smell good! I'm just not an unscented kind of girl. 

That brings me to the Real Purity samples I received. Although I've read great reviews, I wasn't crazy about the consistency or the smell. The cleanser was okay, maybe a little too creamy for my taste, but the moisturizers were a bit greasy for me. The hand cream worked nicely, but smelled funny and the hair conditioner made me gag. To top it off, my samples didn't come with a single piece of information (other than a packing slip) about how to use the products. How long do I leave the masque on? Two minutes? Ten minutes? Even a generic single sheet with storage directions or product usage tips would have been great.  The website doesn't explain anything either, so I emailed the company to let them know I was a little disappointed (but I also let them know I liked some of the samples I bought) and haven't heard back. Maybe I'm expecting too much from a skin care company, but they say they value customers over products. So far I don't see that. 

And I don't know how I missed reading about this line, but I came across some rave reviews for Intelligent Nutrients. You may have heard that it was created by Aveda founder, Horst Rechelbacher. With 100% food-based and organic certified ingredients, a cleanser is a steep $45. I couldn't find any samples online, so I called the company. I was impressed from the minute the customer service person picked up the phone. She was pleasant AND helpful! At first she said she wasn't sure she could get me samples due to the specific care of the products (they require proper temperature and careful packaging), but she said she'd check and call me back the next day. I didn't expect to hear back, but she called today and is sending me samples. This does pose a bit of a problem with the Arbonne products on the way, but I'll figure it out. I have to know what's in that cleanser!

On top of everything, yesterday I received an email from Mary Kay (did I mention I was a sales consultant until recently?) asking various questions about why I didn't want to continue using or selling the products. I replied with the same things I've said before - that although I love the way the products perform, I don't want to take a chance with the potential toxins that are in nearly everything Mary Kay makes. If they take it out the nasty ingredients, maybe I'll come back. I was pleased they sent the survey, though it makes me wonder how many women are in a similar situation with the company.

And all of this just goes to show that I spend way too much time thinking about skin care. I'll check with my husband to see what he thinks. 

Orange You Glad I Didn't Say Banana?

The Arbonne products are working well so far. I have dry skin (maybe my bleeding hands posts have given that away), but the cleanser, moisturizer and eye gel seem very nourishing. The list of ingredients is not too bad either. No parabens here! Not completely natural, but this is skin care, not a mango I rub onto my face.

What is out of hand is the cost. $25 for a cleanser is a bit steep. Even my current Mary Kay cleanser comes in slightly less at $18. Mind you, I have never paid $18 for my cleanser, which makes the prospect of paying full price a little depressing. You see, my mother is a Mary Kay sales director. Yup. I'm basically turning my back on the products that put me through college. This should also tell you how serious I am about the potential toxins in my skin care.

I will say, in Mary Kay's defense, the products have always been really good. I rarely have breakouts and have had compliments on my skin for as long as I can remember, so it's not easy to give up. The price tag was always a nice draw as well.

I ordered samples from another company I have been hearing a lot about and am awaiting their arrival. Real Purity products are said to be made holistically, so we'll see how they do. They aren't quite as pricey as the Arbonne line.

In the meantime, my friend, Caryn, said I am turning into a nutcase. She says she's not going to visit me when I live in a log cabin with holes I dig in the backyard for bathrooms. She pointed out, however, that I'd somehow still be wearing $200 jeans. The best I can say is that I'm a big fan of electric plumbing, and, for that matter, electricity. I like my air conditioning; especially when I'm wearing expensive jeans.

Maybe things would be simpler if I switched to fruit salad skin care.

Going Coconuts

I'm about to try some skin care tonight (Arbonne) that my friend sent, so I'll report back once I do, but in the meantime, I'm still dealing with dry, cracked and bleeding fingers. My local health food store suggested something I had read about and never considered - coconut oil. I love it! Now I can't say that it's fixed my hands, although they are slightly better, but as a general body moisturizer, it's wonderful. And, of course, it smells delicious. I'm having vague memories of summer days with sweet tanning lotion and sand, so that's a bonus.

I bought the extra virgin variety as I was told the purer the better, but that made more sense for cooking. It's about $15 for extra virgin as opposed to $9 for unrefined coconut oil, so once I realized I was going to need a full jar in the bathroom, I bought the unrefined too. It works just as well. I got so excited I searched for ways to use the stuff and came across a website that explains the many benefits of coconut oil. I'm planning to involve the kids and make macaroons tomorrow. Meanwhile, I keep sniffing my hands!
1 of 1


Posterous theme by Cory Watilo