Cinco Vidas

As a conscientious parent, you have probably bathed your baby girl in safe, natural products, wrapped her up in organic cotton blankets and fed her organic fruits and vegetables. But what about when she turns 9, 10, 11 and starts playing with makeup? Where are the natural products then?

Though adults can now find, with some effort, safe personal-care products that contain few toxic ingredients, the tween scene continues to be dominated by brands full of propylene glycol (a hormone disruptor); sodium laureth sulfates (harsh on skin); and DMDM hydantoin, a skin, eye, and lung irritant. Add to that the sparkly packaging dancing with idols like Hannah Montana and Hello Kitty and your own plain-colored organic products will never compete, no matter how much you plead.

Fortunately, things are changing. We’re thrilled to hear of some new things happening for the well being of girls who are not yet full-blown teeneagers, but are starting to experiment with being young women—the “tween” set. “Good For You Girls” has hit the shelves, a brand of skincare for teens and tweens that combines natural and organic ingredients and avoids toxic chemicals like parabens, petrochemicals, dyes and irritants, and synthetic fragrances. Finally, young girls have a choice in the products they buy!

Another one—Sparklehearts—makeup, bath, and beauty products that steer clear of chemicals, avoid animal testing, and stay away from artificial colorants. Better yet, these companies know their audience—you’ll find no plain-Jane packaging with little color and pizzazz. Colorful pink and yellow labels that appeal to young girls help make the sale.

Young girls are more at risk from all the toxins we find in most mainstream products, as their bodies aren’t as able to detoxify. We mentioned in an earlier post how the Environmental Working Group (EWG) found 16 chemicals in the blood and urine samples of 20 teen girls—including phthalates, triclosan, and parabens. Young girls are still growing, and since they’re going through puberty, they’re just starting to develop reproductive systems. Hormone-altering chemicals present in the blood stream could be particularly harmful. Tween and teen girls also use more products than adults as they go through a period of experimentation, exposing themselves to over 100 different cosmetic ingredients.

Many girls in the tween years know little about the dangers present in the ingredients in personal-care products, but some are starting to change that, as well. An organization called “Teens Turning Green” (TTG) is a student-led movement educating other teens about eliminating toxic exposure. Started in 2002 as “Teens for Safe Cosmetics,” the group has grown to encourage teens to look for greener alternatives, with grassroots efforts that raise awareness. They’re also working with natural beauty companies to create new TTG products.

We invite you to support these companies and organizations by introducing your teen or tween girl to the new options available in safe products. With the power of our purchasing dollars and our voices, we are changing the marketplace, and can help continue and expand such changes so that more of our young people have the option to live safer, healthier lives—through the teen years and beyond.

Has your teen or tween girl tried some of these new, safer products? What did she think?

Photo courtesy K. Walls via Flickr.com.

I love summer! After a long, cold, wet winter (especially in New York), I just want to soak up the sun. It’s so tempting to go outside, lay down in the park and soak up the nourishing rays. However, my sun bathing habits have been put away since my early twenties, since I want to avoid sun damage and skin cancer.

Unfortunately, skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the U.S.—according to the Skin Cancer Foundation, more than 3.5 million cases are diagnosed annually. Melanoma, the most serious form of skin cancer, continues to rise, at a rate faster than any of the seven most common cancers, and causes more than 75 percent of skin cancer deaths. If you’re thinking you’re too young, think again—melanoma is the most common form of cancer for young adults age 25–29 years old, and the second most common for adolescents. (more…)

Morag Currin, author of Oncology Esthetics, A Practitioner’s Guide.

If you’re going through cancer treatments, you’re probably craving a massage, a light facial, or some other restoring spa treatment. Something to help you relax and de-stress, right? But you know you need to find a therapist experienced with cancer patients, and sometimes that’s easier said than done.

One woman has set out to change that.

“It’s very important to have specific training in oncology esthetics if you’re going to work with cancer fighters and survivors,” says Morag Currin, La, CMLT, and pioneer of the Clinical Oncology Esthetics (COE) certification for licensed estheticians. “Why would you work on someone if you don’t know what the disease is about? Even if you’re intent is good, you may touch them or massage them in the wrong way. You might not know what a port is, or how to respond to hair loss. You must know what you’re doing from a safety perspective.” (more…)

Sure, we all love that fresh, new glow we get after a thorough spa treatment. But what if you don’t have the time—or in this economy, the money?

You can still slough off dead skin cells, banish the effects of the weather, and emerge with a fresh face using a few easy at-home detox steps over the weekend. Try it and see!

Start from the inside. For your weekend skin renewal, refresh from the inside out with cleansing foods like apples, grapes, broccoli, carrots, sweet potatoes, cranberries, and spinach. These goodies help repair damage and protect your skin from future environmental assaults. Juicing with green veggies is also a great option. In the meantime, avoid refined, processed, and fast foods. Go all natural—you can do it for two days!
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Think a facial is an extravagant expense during cancer treatments? Think again! Since your skin is especially dry and fragile during chemotherapy and radiation, and your stress levels are up, a facial is just the thing to bring you some much needed moisturization and relaxation—and to help promote your healing.

“Treatments for breast cancer are so draining,” says survivor Sylvia. “I felt wonderful after my pedicure and mini-facial.” According to Nicole Martin, writing for Bella Magazine (June/July 2005), “Facials were once considered luxury only for the wealthy, but now they are considered as important as going to your dentist. They are known to help resolve current problems and prevent future ones.” (more…)

Hillary Peterson and Marie Veronique Nadeau of “Marie Veronique Organics.”

Question: What do you get when you combine a former chemistry teacher with a passion for safe and responsible skin-care products, with a marketing guru and two-time cancer survivor committed to living a healthy lifestyle?

Answer: A company committed to making non-toxic products safe enough for all skin types—and a story that shows we can have beautiful skin without paying for it with our health.

“I had a melanoma ten years ago,” says Hillary Peterson, CEO of Marie Veronique Organics. “I also had thyroid cancer fifteen years ago. With those two occurrences in mind, I was really thinking about how I could live my healthiest life. My focus on that took on a new meaning for me.”

Having already adopted healthy-eating habits and meditation, Hillary was taking steps to make her body more resistant to cancer growth. “Before, I might have had an Oreo cookie every now and then,” she says, “but now there is no way I would eat a partially hydrogenated anything.” (more…)

Is tattoo ink a hazardous material? According to a 2004 lawsuit, it is. That year, the American Environmental Safety Institute (AESI) filed a lawsuit against Huck Spaulding Enterprises and nine other tattoo ink pigment manufacturers, distributors, and sellers, claiming that they failed to warn California residents about exposure to hazardous materials. AESI’s research found that the amount of ink needed for a medium-sized tattoo could contain between 1–23 micrograms of lead, more than the 0.5 microgram-per-day recommended limit. (more…)

Old fashioned bar soap. You’d think of all the personal-care products, this one would certainly be non-toxic, right? Think again!

Below are some of the ingredients that may be lurking in your regular, everyday bar soap. Of course, there are some made with more wholesome alternatives—we’ll tell you about those at the end!

Synthetic fragrance. The National Academy of Sciences says that 95 percent of the chemicals used in fragrances today are petroleum-based synthetic compounds, including those with potentially harmful effects. As we’ve mentioned before, when manufacturers put “fragrance” on the ingredient list, that means they’re keeping something secret—namely, the chemicals used to make that fragrance smell the way it does. After all, if they’re not using real lavender essential oil, but the scent is supposed to be lavender, they’ve mixed something together in the laboratory to make it so! Avoid soaps with “fragrance” on the ingredient deck, and choose those that say “fragrance-free” instead, or those that use natural sources like essential oils or extracts to create scent. (more…)

Are you an animal lover? So much that you’re loath to wear fur coats or even leather boots? Would you describe your diet as vegan—leaving out all animal products like eggs, dairy, and cheese? Even if you don’t see yourself this way, cancer fighters and survivors may be interested to know—some manufacturers are making beauty products that leave out all animal ingredients, and potentially dangerous chemicals, in an effort to be labeled “vegan,” and appeal to those who embrace the vegan lifestyle. (more…)

“My husband had chemo last year and he still has pain in his feet caused by it,” says caregiver Lpfiner. “Is there anything that can help him?”

“I completed my chemo 1/4/09,” says fighter CTML. “For the last 5 days I have been having numbness/tingling in my feet.”

Foot problems and discomforts that linger after treatment is over are fairly common in the post-chemo world. They differ from person to person, however, depending on the drugs that were used, how long chemo treatment is given, and the person’s individual response to the treatment.

Here are a few side effects you may experience in the feet after treatment, and some potential solutions. (more…)