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

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. 

High-Powered Foods Packed with Protein

1. Almonds (raw)

2. Bee Pollen (Be very choosy with where you get your bee pollen or honey. I recommend researching companies to make sure they use sustainable, organic and humane processes. And always aim for raw honey for the most nutrients.)

3. Algae

4. Brewer’s yeast (Some people are allergic to yeast and don’t know it, so take care.)

5. Chlorella

6. Durian

7. Goji berries

8. Grass powders

9. Green, leafy vegetables (Parsley, spinach, kale, collards, green cabbage, arugula and more.)

10. Hemp seeds (You can get this in the form of a powder as well to mix into a shake.)

11. Incan berries

12. Maca (Root superfood from the Andes.)

13. Mature grasses

14. Olives

15. Propolis

16. Pumpkin seeds

17. Spirulina

18. Sprouted grains

19. Sprouted wild rice

20. Sprouts of all types (Did you know it’s easy to make your own sprouts in a glass jar?)

21. Vegetable powders (Dehydrated, powdered veggies.)

If you don’t know what the heck this stuff is, don’t feel bad. Most people don’t know — including myself!

I am still learning about all the wonderful foods out there that aren’t so easily accessible through conventional means.

I encourage you to go to Sunfood to learn more about these products and even order some. The Web site is a wealth of information.

As with any product, organic is the best way to go and if you can get it in raw form, even better!

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. 

Inadequate Sunscreen

The Environmental Working Group did a study of sunscreens on the market for its 2008 report (2009 coming soon) and found that four out of five products tested offer inadequate protection from the sun and many have questionable ingredients posing safety concerns.

Many of the sunscreens tested were leading brands, and turns out many of them did not protect from UVA rays (only UVB).

The EWG composed a list of its top brands for sun protection but many of the sunscreens that made the grade contained titanium dioxide and zinc oxide nanoparticles due to their role in UVA protection.

You may remember in the post “16 Ingredients to Avoid in Personal-Care Products,” that nanoparticles were something to watch out for. 

However, the EWG states on its Web site that these ingredients do not penetrate healthy skin, and are of more concern in spray and powder sunscreens because the ingredients can be absorbed easier.

The EWG goes on to say that after many studies, there’s less concern about nanoparticles than previously thought. The Web site has a more in-depth explanation about the organization’s stance, so I encourage you to read and decide for yourself.

I, myself, am still a little suspicious.

More Natural Sunscreen

I say “more” natural because there are some ingredients on the sunscreen tubes I have at home with those long chemical-sounding names that I’m still unsure of. I’m planning to research that soon.

That said, I’ve tried a few of the less conventional brands including a product from Alba.

The Alba sunscreen seems to work well from keeping me burnt and I’m pretty fair (borderline albino by Southern California standards).

The company’s Web site states that the product protects against UVB and UVA rays, which makes me think there may be nanoparticles in it, hiding undercover as another name on the ingredient list.

Burt’s Bees also offers a sunscreen but unless you want white cream that doesn’t seem to rub in on top of white skin, leaving you looking more white, I’d advise against it. Not particularly attractive poolside.

As with any sunscreen or personal-care product, natural or not, try to use a three-fold approach before you buy:

1) Check the ingredients against any list or knowledge you may have about toxic chemicals.

2) Know the company you’re buying from and its parent company (if applicable) so you’re not inadvertently supporting something you don’t believe in.

3) Check for the cruelty-free symbol (typically a bunny) or related verbiage and to take it a step further, a statement that it’s free from animal-derived ingredients.

Now go get that healthy, sun-kissed glow before summer is already over!

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. 

Application of Cacao Butter

True, it may not be as glamorous to have to scrape the butter out of the jar with a spoon, put it in a glass and warm it under water so it melts for spreadability, but the extra work is well worth it and really only takes a couple minutes. 

I’ve been using the cacao butter on my body for the past two weeks now and I could tell it’s just what my skin has been needing. If your skin is anything like mine, you’ll feel the difference upon the very first application.

It definitely goes on a little oily (after all, it’s a natural butter that turns to oil when warmed) but within about 20 minutes, is absorbed into the skin and no longer looks greasy but still feels very soft.

I’ve even experimented with using it on my face in the day and night. For day use, if you’re prone to break outs and/or have a high level of physical activity throughout the day, it may not work for you.

But as an alternative to night creams, I’ve enjoyed it. Every skin type is different, so I encourage you to experiment.

If after a week of use, it doesn’t work for your skin type, try just using it on the driest areas of your skin and around the eyes and on the lips. Those areas seem to respond especially well to the cacao butter.

Plus, you’ll literally smell like chocolate and who wouldn’t want that? And as the title of this post promises, you too can taste like chocolate.

And speaking of being edible, cacao butter can also be added to foods like smoothies for a superfood boost. If you decide to go this route, make sure you always use a clean spoon to take out what you need for your skin every time so as not to contaminate the jar.

Buying Cacao Butter

For such a versatile product, the cost is significantly less than what you would end up paying for face cream, body lotion and a superfood product (if you were buying all three separate).

I ordered my cacao butter from Sunfood Nutrition. Not only is the company’s cacao butter organic but it’s also raw, meaning it hasn’t been processed or heated in a way that affects the nutrient value of the cacao.

Sunfood Nutrition’s products seem to be of high quality and I’ve been happy with everything I’ve ordered from there so far.

If anything is ever out of stock, it’s typically only temporarily, so check back often.

I’ve barely put a dent in my cacao butter jar, so I expect this product to last me a very long time and save me money in the long run on body lotions, night creams and superfoods!

Just one more reason why I love chocolate.

Sunfood Nutrition’s Web site is also very informative, so poke around if you have an interest in learning about superfoods or raw food.

And feel free to ask me any questions about cacao butter application, as I am perfecting the art as we speak!

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.

Luckily, you can still put a check mark next to your daily good deed through GoodSearch, an Internet search engine that gives to charity every time you use it.

GoodSearch costs nothing to you, as the revenue is generated through advertising dollars.

Powered by Yahoo!, GoodSearch donates about 50% of its earnings to charity. According to its Web site, that pans out to about one penny per search.

But don’t let the pocket change fool you; charities have the potential to earn big bucks with enough supporters.

In fact, GoodSearch illustrates one example of just how much a charity can earn: if an organization has 10,000 supporters performing two queries through its search engine per day, that can add up to $73,000 annually! 

What’s doubly great about GoodSearch is that you choose what cause you want to support every time you use it.

Switch it up or leave it the same for added monetary impact.

Either way, it’s an easy step you can take to make a difference every day.

Now that I’ve looked into the future and what I would like to accomplish with this blog, I realized a more appropriate name was in order.

And that name, of course, is The Wellness Quarter. 

Let’s pull the name apart to extract some meaning:

Wellness, by one definition, states: The quality or state of being healthy in body and mind.

Quarter, by one definition, is: a particular district of a city or town; one generally occupied by a particular group of people.

So, here in the world of cyberspace, this is our quarter. 

A place for like-minded people to learn and share the idea of wellness, green living and more!

I am still deciding if I am going to migrate the URL or not, because it’s driving me crazy that it doesn’t match the name now.

I will keep you all posted if I decide to change it.

Thanks!

Jessica

The pocket guide I have is older, so it seems as though it isn’t available anymore for download on TheGreenGuide.com.

I did however find a page on the GREEN GUIDE’s Web site site that listed some but not all of the ingredients I have on my old pocket guide. So, below is the result of combining the two lists.

As outlined by the GREEN GUIDE, one exposure to any one of these chemicals is likely not of concern, but over time, the exposure can add up.

Remember, everything we put on our body is absorbed through our skin and ends up in our system.

On the Bad List

Following is a list of ingredients to avoid in your personal-care products:

1.  Antibacterials: Overusing antibacterials can actually hinder the body’s ability to fight certain infectious germs. Triclosan is just one common antibacterial in toiletries.

2. Coal tar colors: A known human carcinogen, coal tar and coal tar colors such as FD&C Blue 1, FD&C Green 3, Yellow 5 and 6 and D&C Red 33 can be found in dandruff shampoos, anti-itch creams, mouthwash, toothpastes and more.

3. 1,4-Dioxane: This known animal carcinogen occurs within ingredients labeled PEG, -xynol, oleth and other “eth” ingredients. It’s also a known eye and lung irritant and is suspected of causing central nervous system damage.

4. Diethanolamine (DEA, also TEA): This ingredient acts as a foaming and emulsifying agent in products and is a possible hormone disruptor and carcinogen.

5. Formaldehyde (quaternium 15): Known as a respiratory irritant and toxic to the immune system, this ingredient shows up in nail polish, eyelash adhesive and hair dyes. This ingredient is a contaminant or breakdown of different forms of the ingredient urea (which happens to be derived from animal urine).

6. Fragrance: This broad term may mean it contains phthalates, which have many functions in personal-care products. High doses have been known to disrupt hormones and even cause birth defects.

7. Glycol ethers: Used in paints and brake fluid, glycol ethers are also found in products such as skin moisturizers, deodorants and more. This ingredient can have an adverse affect on the nervous system, kidneys and liver, and can cause dermatitis.

8. Hydroquinone: Neurotoxic and allergenic, this ingredient can be found in skin moisturizers.

9. Mercury and lead: Neurotoxic lead may appear in some toothpastes and hair dyes as a naturally occurring contaminant of the ingredient hydrated silica. Mercury may be found in some mascaras in the preservative thimerosal.

10. Methyl, propyl, butyl and ethyl parabens: This is a common preservative that has been found to damage sperm formation in lab mice. Parabens can mimic the hormone estrogen in the body. Estrogenic activity is linked with some forms of breast cancer and according to the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics Web site, some parabens are showing up in breast tumors.

11. Nanoparticles: Found in sunscreens and cosmetics, nanoparticals can damage brain cells. Watch out for zinc oxide and titanium dioxide nanoparticals in sunscreens. 

12. Petrolatum: Otherwise known as petroleum jelly. Petroleum. Need I say more? Oh, and it’s suspected to be linked to breast cancer.

13. Petroleum distillates: Banned in cosmetics in Europe but found in some U.S. mascaras and other products, these are possible human carcinogens and are also labeled as liquid paraffin.

14. Phenylenediamine (PPD): Also listed as 1,4-benzenediamine, p-phenyldiamine or 4-phenylenediamine, this chemical is often found in hair dyes and can cause allergic reactions, damage to the nervous system and lung irritation.

15. Sodium lauryl/laureth sulfate (SLS): Used as a foaming agent, SLS is a very common ingredient found in shampoos, soaps, toothpastes and more. It also contains the carcinogen 1,4-dioxane and is a known irritant to skin, eyes, etc. Can denature skin proteins, meaning it changes the natural qualities of the skin (and not in a good way).

16. Toluene: Found in synthetic fragrances, toluene derives from petroleum or coal tar and is a common solvent that can also be found in fragrances, nail polish and cosmetics. It can be labeled as benzoic or benzyl as well and is a potential carcinogen and endocrine disruptor.

Take Care in Choosing Personal-Care Products

It’s a strange world we live in when the items we buy to take care of our bodies contain ingredients that ultimately work against us.

When shopping for new personal-care products, here’s a tip: don’t assume a product is all natural just because it’s sold in natural food stores or even by the immediate claims on its label.

Always take a moment to scrutinize the ingredients before you buy. Knowing a bit about the company that makes the product doesn’t hurt, either.

Sometimes the best bet for assessing ingredients is: if you can’t pronounce it and don’t know what it is, don’t put it on your body.

Stay tuned for posts on common animal-derived ingredients in toiletries, and my favorite natural and organic personal-care products!

I’m also grateful for the many people who I’ve never even met who are taking the time to tell me how they feel about the information I’m sharing. 

Most importantly, thanks for keeping an open mind and for making a difference!

Some plastic bottles (and resins used to coat the inside of food and drink containers) have the controversial chemical bisphenol A (BPA). If you’re unfamiliar with BPA, it’s been under fire for potential health hazards.

And, as discussed in my recent post about dog poop bags (yes, dog poop bags), some reports state plastics can take hundreds of years to decompose.

Not to mention plastics are a petroleum product, so buying unnecessary plastics furthers the reliance on oil.

If you want to make a better choice that’ll save you money in the long run, pick up a stainless steel water bottle either in a natural food store or online (some mainstream grocery chains also carry them). I picked mine up for 10 bucks.

And believe it or not, water tastes better (even cleaner) in these stainless steel bottles versus in a plastic bottle.

Paired with a home water filter, you can start reducing plastic waste, harmful elements in your agua and the costs of buying bottled water.

If you must use plastic bottles, steer clear of those with the recycle code 7, as reports state those may have traces of BPA unless otherwise noted.

And some experts say better choices for your health and the environment with regards to plastic bottles are those with the recycle code 1, 2, 4 and 5.

Drink in health!