My Health Beauty Care

Organic Monitor is predicting 2008 to be defining year in the adoption of natural and organic standards in the skin care industry, possibly affecting a range of products and treatment options.

A shake-up of the natural cosmetics industry is expected to begin this year as a number of natural and organic standards are introduced. Organic Monitor sees 2008 as a defining year in which the adoption of private standards leads to a clear demarcation between pure natural/organic cosmetic and pseudo products. The growing number of certified products–clearly distinguished by logos and symbols–is expected to strengthen consumer confidence in natural and organic cosmetics.

The most important development this year will be the introduction of European standards of natural and organic cosmetics. The leading certification agencies in Europe have been working on harmonization of private standards for more than a year. The European standards will be unveiled in June 2008 and be implemented by the end of the year. This development would give certified natural and organic cosmetic products uniform logos for the first time. The successful implementation of these standards could pave the way for EU regulations for natural and organic cosmetics, similar to those for organic foods. The EU introduced formal regulations for organic food production and marketing in 1992.

Whilst the agencies with the leading natural and organic cosmetic standards in Europe are working on harmonization, other groups are developing their own standards. Various private standards are being introduced by certification agencies, industry groups and retailers.

Most developments are occurring in North America. NSF International, which has been developing its natural personal care standards for a number of years, will finally unveil its standards this spring. At the same time, the Organic and Sustainability Industry Standards (OASIS) for beauty and personal care products will be introduced by a trade group that includes manufacturers like Aveda and Hain Celestial. Private standards have also been introduced by Certech Registration, a Toronto-based standards agency.

NaTrue, an industry group that represents natural cosmetic companies, has recently announced that it is also developing its own standard. The group plans to introduce its natural cosmetic standard later this year, and will also lobby the EU for legal protection.

Retailers are also developing their own standards for natural and organic beauty products.

Whole Foods Market has just announced its Premium Body Care Standard to separate its products from inferior naturals. British retailers have already introduced natural personal care ranges under their private labels. Boots has also developed its own standard for its Botanics Organics launch last year.

Private standards are being introduced to differentiate pure natural and organic cosmetics from competing products that contain low levels of natural ingredients and high levels of synthetic chemicals. The industry, realizing that standards and logos are important to build consumer trust, however appears to be dividing in terms of developing these very standards. The number of standards is proliferating, however it will ultimately be consumers that decide what standards and logos will succeed.

Full Article

A natural question

If you’re like many women, you might think you’re reading a foreign language when you check the product labels on your personal-care products.

Cyclohexasiloxane. Panthenol. Methylparaben.

Having trouble pronouncing them? That might be the least of your problems.

Depending on which Web site you consult, there are various warnings for each, ranging from skin irritations to cancer - which is why more shoppers are turning to products labeled “natural” or “organic.”

But holistic shopper beware: Things aren’t always what they seem in the organic aisle.

Question: Who regulates cosmetics?

Answer: The first thing to realize is that, in general, cosmetics do have to meet some federal safety standards. Under the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, which is enforced by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, cosmetics can’t be harmful, poisonous, prepared or packaged in unsanitary conditions, or consist of “any filthy, putrid or decomposed substance.”

That, however, doesn’t address the use of all those hard-to-pronounce substances that manufacturers of organic products presumably try to avoid.

In fact, the FDA doesn’t regulate the use of words such as “organic” or “natural” on cosmetic or personal-care product labels. That’s where the United States Department of Agriculture comes in.

The USDA applies the same certification standards to organic products as it does to food. Therefore:

• To be “100 percent organic,” a product must be made with only organically produced material.

• To be “organic,” the product must contain 95 percent organic material.

• To be “made from organic ingredients,” the product must be 70 percent organic.

The first two designations are marked with a black or green USDA circle; the latter is written somewhere on the product.

The problem is, not many products carry those USDA stamps. Beauty companies, like food companies, sometimes don’t have the funds to apply for a USDA certified-organic stamp. But just because it doesn’t have a stamp doesn’t necessarily mean it’s not organic.

And Andrea Kane, editor of “The Organic Beauty Expert” blog on natural and organic beauty products, notes that even a stamp is no guarantee of purity. She says that USDA standards require that a certain percentage of the product be certified organic, but “water, juice or aloe vera can be used to boost that number.”

Which leaves consumers with one option: Read the label.

Q: What should I look for on the label?

A: A few things to pay attention to:

• Make sure a product that uses “organic” or “natural” in its name really is. Sometimes, it’s just a marketing ploy.

“Palmer’s Olive Oil and Organic Body collection come to mind,” Kane says. “Since the FDA does not regulate the usage of natural (or) organic, they’ve created an entire organic line that doesn’t contain one organic or certified-organic ingredient.”

Chris Smith, the head health and beauty-aid buyer for Vitamin Cottage, said shoppers should buddy up with a body-care manager at a store they trust and quiz them.

“Yes, marketing can be misleading,” she said. “Ask questions. ‘Organic’ or ‘natural’ in a name may or may not mean that the entire body-care product is organic.”

• Check out your products in online databases.

Keep in mind that much of the organic/natural movement is based on a theory that natural is better - and there is little hard evidence that synthetic compounds pose an imminent threat.

If you want more info, write down several ingredients in a product and plug them into www.cosmeticsdatabase.com. It’s a database run by the Environmental Working Group, a nonprofit that tests foods and products for potentially harmful ingredients. The database also ranks “Top 20 Companies of Concern” - companies with the highest average levels of concerns, culled from 110 companies that have 50 or more products in the database. Something you might not suspect: Half of the 20 companies listed sell mineral makeup. A third of the 20 are self-proclaimed “ecofriendly” companies.

Also check out the Organic Consumers Association, another nonprofit watchdog group, at www.organicconsumers.org/bodycare/index.cfm.

As a quick guide, the OCA suggests avoiding products with chemicals that end with the suffix “eth”, such as laureth or myreth sulfate.

And beware ethoxylation, the association warns.

“Ethoxylation, a cheap short-cut companies use to provide mildness to harsh ingredients, requires the use of the cancer-causing petrochemical ethylene oxide, which generates 1,4-Dioxane as a by-product,” according to a consumer alert published by the OCA. 1,4-Dioxane is “known to the State of California to cause cancer,” the report states.

Also avoid labels that mention PEG, a harmful chemical compound, said David Steinman, author of “The Safe Shopper’s Bible.” McClatchy Newspapers contributed to this report.

Full Article

Whether you are headed out for a day at the beach, a backyard BBQ or an outdoor concert, make sure your hair looks sizzling and sexy this summer.

Get sexy hair this summer with these fabulous hairstyles, fun hair accessories and other haircare tips.

What’s hot in hair color? According to celebrity hair stylist Jessica Galvan, “We are going to see warm tones in both blondes and brunettes - subtle highlights for dimension.”

Jessica Galvan is stylist to some of the hottest celebrities today. Just a few weeks ago, all eyes were on Jessica’s work when Amanda Bynes emerged from her salon with a new brunette look.

Jessica is also responsible for the cut, color and creation of Victoria Beckham’s “Pob.” Women young and old are mimicking Victoria’s look.

Whether you have long hair like Amanda or short hair like Victoria, you can have super sexy hair. Jessica Galvan was kind enough to share with us some of the hottest ideas in hairstyles and haircare for the summer.

In haircuts, we are going to see asymmetrical bangs and necklines. If you are looking for new ways to wear you hair up this summer, Jessica Galvan recommends mixing braids in with your hair down like Lauren Conrad from “The Hills” or Jessica Simpson. You can do this with straight or curly hair. You can also mix braids with a pony tail.

Jessica offers another tip for wearing your hair up - tiaras or headbands. You can use these hair accessories with your hair down or with a ponytail.

“For something a little more sophisticated, set your hair in finger waves and then put it up, like Christina Aguilera, for a more 1920’s look.”

And always remember to protect your hair from the sun and chlorine. Wear a scarf or wear a protective spray with SPF. Redken has a great line of products to help combat UV damage (UV Rescue by Redken). These products will keep your hair safe if you want to wear it down when you are in the sun.

If you are in the Los Angeles area, be sure check out Jessica Galvan Hair Studio in Beverly Hills.

Hair accessories

Headbands, tiaras, clips and pins - hair accessories with jewels, crystals and flowers are all very sexy ways to pull your hair up this summer.

Here are a few fabulous options in sexy hair accessories.

Patent leather headbands

Patent leather is popular in shoes, bags and belts. So why not headbands too? This double strap patent headband features a mother-of-pearl ornament for added shine. You can get this patent leather headband in green, pink, orange, black or white.

Floral hair clips

What’s sexier than a woman with flowers in her hair? Even if they aren’t real flowers, floral hair clips will do. These beautiful hair clips are both beautiful and functional.

Crystal headbands

Jewels in various shapes, sizes and colors create a very chic, sparkling headband. Wear a headband adorned with jewels, crystals or rhinestones to add a little glamour to your daytime look.

Healthy hair tips

Rinse your hair immediately when coming back from the pool or beach to reduce chlorine damage. Use haircare products with SPF.

Get your hair cut every six to eight weeks to keep in healthy and smooth. If you use hair color, get your roots touched up too.

Don’t shampoo daily. Overshampooing can strip your hair of its natural oils. If possible, shampoo your hair every other day.

Blot dry instead of blow dry. If you aren’t in a hurry, avoid the blow dryer and blot dry you hair instead. Don’t rub, which can cause damage.

Related Articles

• Warning:  Summer Hair Hazards
• Six Steps to Sexy Summertime Hair
• Summer Sun Chemical Hair Protection
• The Hat Trick
• Keep the Color In
• In The Swim
• Summertime Spa Hair and Scalp Treatments

• Best Summertime Hair Care Products
• Hair Care Glossary of Product Terms