Cruelty-Free Shopping July 30, 2009

These days, it’s hard to believe that animal testing still exists with all the technology we have out there. Unfortunately, it’s still very present in several industries including personal care. 

If you’re already shopping “green,” chances are most of your organic or natural personal products are not tested on animals — but what if you have a favorite product made by a big brand name and are unsure of the company’s practices?

Luckily, there’s a cruelty-free shopping guide from PETA (People for the Ethical  Treatment of Animals) that helps you to know who is and isn’t contributing to cruelty when making their products.

Links to the guides can be found below but before we get to that, let’s go over a couple things to remember next time you’re shopping:

1) Some companies may have a statement on their products that say, “This finished product not tested on animals,” which, in my opinion, is a clever way of saying that the ingredients they used to create it may or may not have already been tested on animals.

2) Some big brand names that test on animals have several product lines, some of which may be labeled cruelty-free; however, buying the cruelty-free products still inadvertently contributes to the the parent company’s practices of testing on animals, so try to avoid those brands altogether. 

3) Just because the product line is natural, it doesn’t mean it’s cruelty-free. Products containing honey are not necessarily humane or sustainable. The ingredients carmine, crimson lake, cochineal, natural red 4, C.I. 75470 or E120 are considered “natural” because they are a color additive derived from crushed beetles.

So without further ado, I give you links to cruelty-free shopping. Check out the FAQs towards the bottom of the pages for more information about the lists and how they were compiled.

Companies That DO NOT Test on Animals

Companies That DO Test on Animals

Complimentary Cruelty-Free Shopping Guide Order Form

Good Sources of Protein NOT from Animals July 10, 2009

To no fault of our own (the general population), many of us are wired to think that we can only get the protein and other related nutrients we need from meat and animal sources.

This way of thinking has been ingrained into the psyche through many powerful organizations.

I wanted to share with you a list of highly nutritional and protein-packed foods that can be eaten in place of protein from animals.

The list I highlight below is from “Eating for Beauty” by David Wolfe (with some added commentary of my own). In this book, he also says there is a misconception of having to combine certain foods to make a complete protein.

For example, if you are a vegetarian, you may have heard that you have to eat beans and rice together in order to get the benefit of a complete protein.

Wolfe says research has shown that the body “pools” amino acids so that even if you don’t have the complete protein in one meal or even in that day, if it enters your body at some point within a couple days or even a week, it still will synthesize to become complete. 

The Great Sunscreen Debate July 2, 2009

Summer is officially here. And across the country, people are now exposing parts where the sun don’t usually shine.

But before you reach for that bottle of sunscreen, take a hard look at the ingredients and ask yourself, Do I want to bake in the sun with this as my frosting? 

Failing attempts at poetry aside, there’s some debate about precisely what is the safest sun protection out there and if it’s even necessary at all.

Prolonged sun exposure surely requires sunscreen, but are shorter stints just fine without? 

Sunshine plays an important function in our health, giving our bodies a boost of vitamin D, iron and sometimes some much-needed mood enhancement.

In the David Wolfe book, “Eating for Beauty” (which I highly recommend, by the way), Wolfe highlights some unique facts about sun exposure, saying sunshine-associated cancers (non-melanoma) increase most where sunscreens are heavily promoted.

My guess (which may or may not be correct) is that the toxic ingredients in the sunscreen we put on our bodies may be to blame.

Think about it: sun mixed with heat, sweat and chemicals is likely a bad combo. 

Smell (and Taste) Like Chocolate June 25, 2009

Over the past year, a friend of mine has introduced me to the world of raw foodism. And in that world, I’ve discovered that there are such pure forms of everything we need available to us and typically at a lower price point than all of the fabricated, processed stuff.

For example, who would have guessed that you could get the most luxurious, nutrient-rich, organic skin care in a cacao bean?

Cacao is a superfood that is loaded with antioxidants (even more than the trendy acai and any other antioxidant-rich food), tons of minerals and many other benefits.

It’s the base upon which chocolate is created and is available in many forms — even cacao butter, which you can not only eat but also rub all over your body as an alternative to lotion. 

Do You Have a Toxic Kiss? June 23, 2009

You may be unaware that you’re a bad kisser. And I’m not talking technique here; I’m talking about the toxic smooch.

Lip balm, lip gloss, lipstick — all of these may have ingredients that are harmful when ingested over time, work against the health of your lips and are just plain gross. 

So before you pucker up, think about what you’re slathering on.

Just some questionable ingredients include those that are derived from petroleum, crushed beetles and even contain lead. 

You may find a slew of other nasty ingredients by comparing your lip balm, gloss or lipstick with the list of 16 Ingredients to Avoid in Personal-Care Products.

Guys (or gals) trade that toxic lip balm for something more natural for those chapped lips — try The Merry Hempsters certified organic lip balm.

I love this balm; goes on smooth and smells great. It has a bit of a sheen but guys can still wear it without it looking like gloss. 

And it’s made from hemp seed oil, which is great for the skin.

Ladies, if you’re looking for a little color or more shine, the following are products I’ve tried:

1. Burt’s Bees Super Shiny Lip Gloss. This is a high gloss and can be used alone or on top of lipstick. The only downside? Turns out they made the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics list for products with minute traces of lead (although Burt’s Bees states on its Web site that it’s a natural occurrence from the minerals they use and they are working to eliminate it), they are also owned by Clorox and as far as I could tell, no mention of how the company harvests its bee ingredients and if the method is humane and responsible. 

2. Alba Lip Care TerraGloss. I’ve used ”Blaze” and it’s a rich color that can be used alone as color and gloss; however, it can be be a bit uneven upon application, so be sure to have a mirror handy. It also contains beeswax, which the company assures on its Web site is humanely derived. 

So, I guess I’m still on a mission for the perfect all-natural, organic, cruelty-free vegan gloss. I will let you know when I find it and if you have any suggestions, do tell! 

To learn more about companies with lip products testing positive for lead, see Page 10 of the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics’ report “A Poison Kiss: The Problem of Lead in Lipstick.”

To learn more about bee products, read PETA’s fact sheet on factory-farmed bees.