vitaleblog.org

Thanks for coming back to our blog. Hope you are enjoying the free content that we are offering. We love feedback so please leave your comments and tell us what you would like to hear about. Subscribe to the "Naturally clear and glowing skin in 5 days FREE e-course".

Who would ever have thought that a silk pillow case could get me so excited! Well have you ever woken up with a ‘sleep-crease’ on your face? I do every day (on my left side damn it!). For reasons completely unrelated to my daily ’sleep crease’ I bought a silk pillow case (well just because I love the feel of them) and my ’sleep crease’ was no more. Woohoo – you can bet I was happy!

So I have done a video blog about Slip Silk Pillow Cases:

To read more and view this product go to Slip Silk Pillow Case.

This is a press release from the Biological Farmers of Australia which helps sort through the confusion of what is organic and what is not! One of the really important points I would like to highlight from this press release is that minerals (as in mineral make up) can never be organic because only plant materials are considered organic. Minerals are inorganic. So you can have a mineral make up that is 100% natural, but never one that is organic (just to add to the confusion, a mineral make up may contain organic materials such as herbs in addition to the minerals).

Keep in mind that the Biological Farmers of Australia are not the only organic

certifying body in Australia or internationally however, this is an important step towards standardising what is currently a very grey area. But enough of my soapbox, below is the press release from Biological Farmers of Australia:

In a move towards promoting greater consumer confidence in organic beauty and personal care products, the Biological Farmers of Australia (BFA) has announced the launch of a new Australian Certified Organic “beauty” logo. The logo will be used on cosmetic products containing more than 70%, but less than 95% organic ingredients, giving authenticity to the claim “made with certified organic ingredients”.

To be classified as Australian Certified Organic, food and other products must contain 95% organic ingredients with the remaining 5% being restricted to natural ingredients which meet stringent requirements. In the beauty world, it often can be difficult for products to meet the 95% organic ingredients rule and until now consumers have not had the benefit of knowing if products containing less than 95% organic ingredients are endorsed by Australian Certified Organic. The new “Beauty” logo will give consumers more choice and new confidence in products which are natural while still containing between 70 and 95% organic ingredients.

As with all Australian Certified Organic products, the non-organic component of products making the claim “made with certified organic ingredients” must still be natural and meet tough requirements in order to carry the logo as well as undergo annual audits.

In a global market, despite a lack of agreements between international organic cosmetic standards, organic and “natural” cosmetics are reputedly growing by over US $1 billion a year. The BFA’s Australian Organic Standard has rapidly gained wide recognition and consumer acceptance in Australia and abroad for its more stringent definition of organic cosmetics.

Ms. Akiko Nicholls, Managing Director of ACO, says that the Australian Organic Standard for cosmetics, to which Australian Certified Organic products are certified, is one of the few practical cosmetic standards in the world which is very close to organic food standards and that it is a real benefit in Asian markets, where consumers are more conscious of quality claims.

“ACO cosmetic products are becoming popular in markets like Japan, where consumers pay more attention to the product ingredients’ source. Some overseas standards allow products to contain as little as 20% organic ingredients,” she says.

Ms Nicholls points out that even some completely natural cosmetics, such as mineral-based products, cannot be labelled “organic”, even though they contain no harmful chemicals and preservatives.

“Minerals are not cultivated in soil so cannot be classified as “organic” according to standards – but for consumers seeking naturally-derived mineral-based cosmetics there are products endorsed by the BFA which carry the “BFA Approved Product” logo. ”

The Organic “Beauty” Logo

The requirements for the Organic “Beauty” Logo include:

• Cosmetics and personal care products are the only products which are allowed to use the Bud logo along with the claim “made with certified organic ingredients”. They are required to contain 70% – 95% organic ingredients, with the remaining ingredients natural and compliant with strict requirements. The organic ingredient percentage will appear as the XX part of the logo in this example.
• The Organic “Beauty” logo will appear on the back of product packaging only and cannot be made more prominent than the ingredients panel.
• This logo is only for cosmetic and personal care products and shall not be used for food products.

Keep in mind this is a new logo and it is only over the next few years that you will start to see this and similar logos on existing and new Australian organic beauty products.

Related Articles:

• If you don’t mean it, don’t green it
• Green is the new Black: a critical look at the beauty industry

Have you heard of lymphatic drainage massage? This technique is probably the most we hear about the lymphatic system in general. Unlike the urinary system or digestive system, the lymph system tends to be viewed as the necessary but often ignored wall-flower in the process of detoxification.

In fact, the lymphatic system is a complex drainage network involving fluids, vessels and organs. Its

primary role is to remove cellular waste, proteins, foreign bodies, excess fluid, toxins and other microorganisms and return them to the bloodstream. Via the lymph nodes, this system helps to filter out toxins purify our bodies of waste.

There are approximately 6-10 litres of lymph in the body at any one time, which is pumped around via muscular contraction and movement. Lymph flows in one direction only – usually upwards towards the heart. When the body is under stress (infection, stress, lack of physical activity, dehydration, toxic overload) tissue swelling can result and protein accumulation in the lymph nodes occurs. The result is a build up of toxins, which can end up affecting the normal function of the cells. Long tem this can lead to underactive metabolic function of cells.

A classic example of chronic lymphatic congestion is the formation of cellulite, which is related in part to lymphatic congestion and poor blood flow to the affected areas. You can confirm the poor blood-flow yourself by feeling any areas of your body that have cellulite – they feel cooler than other areas of your skin due to the lack of warm blood supply to the area.

The body tries to protect itself from free toxins floating around in the body…after all they can damage our primary organs. As a result toxins are stored in many different ways in the body – mucus in the respiratory system, deposits in fat cells, as cholesterol or around the joints. Stimulating the flow of toxins out of the body by promoting lymphatic flow can help reduce your body’s overall toxic load.

There are a number of easy and effective ways to promote lymphatic flow including:

• dry body brushing
• massage
• vigorous exercise
• hydration
• muscular activity (weights, yoga, tai chi or pilates).

Jodie from Bodecare promotes dry body brushing as it stimulates the dense network of nerves that run just under the skin layer, which in-turn increase blood circulation and the function of the lymphatic system.

Another method suggested by Jodie is alternate cold and hot showers. This method for alternate showers comes from the Bodecare website:

Did you know that a prolonged hot shower without alternation with cool water (the type of shower most people take) is fatiguing and causes circulatory congestion? On the other hand, the properly performed Alternate Hot and Cold Shower exercises the circulatory system, nerves, endocrine glands and skin.

For best results of an Alternate Hot/Cold Shower you can use the following steps as a guide:

1. Conduct Bodecare’s Dry Body Brushing routine (details on how-to-guide)
2. Begin warm to hot shower for 2-3 minutes.  Water should be at a comfortable temperature.
3. Follow with a cold shower for 15 seconds. Once again water should be at a comfortable temperature.
4. Repeat with hot and cold shower at 15 seconds each.
5. Towel dry

For related articles see below:

Cellulite – is there ANYTHING I can do about it?

Yesterday I received this e-mail from a mother concerned about her daughter’s skin breakouts: My 12 year old daughter suffers from pimples splashed all over her forehead and just a few blackheads on her nose. Is there a reason that it’s her forehead mainly and what is best to treat her skin? Thanks.

Following on from my previous blog about facial diagnosis I thought it a timely question and so have put my reply below:

Skin breaks out because everyday toxins aren’t being eliminated properly by the

other detoxification pathways of the body. The reason breakouts usually occur on the forehead is related to digestive congestion or poor detoxification. Often this comes back to a diet high in sugars and processed foods or fats. If the breakouts are more cyst like in appearance it can related to high dairy intake. There is also her age to take into consideration. Hormonal changes will be making themselves known I am sure and this may also be affecting her skin. Usually it is the liver that can’t cope with the combination of toxins from the diet and an increase in hormones that have to be broken down and so the skin is affected.

While this all sounds quite full on, if she increases her water intake and cuts down on any processed foods and sugars she may find that it will settle down.

Encourage her to wash her face daily to remove oil. Black Soap is ideal for teenagers as apart from being a great cleanser, it is also mildly antibacterial and very gentle on skin. If she does need a moisturiser a light gel such as the Mukti Aloe Gel is all she will need. It contains no oil and so won’t contribute to congestion.

If you think she needs to take stronger steps to clear her skin, and you will know best what she eats etc, then Karen Fischer’s The Healthy Skin Diet outlines an excellent and relatively easy to follow program that doesn’t restrict foods a growing teenager should have.

Dear readers, please let me know if you have any further questions or comments as I would love to hear them. And if you have used products that help your skin with breakouts, we would LOVE to hear about them.

Do you ever wonder why no matter how much sleep you get, the dark circles under your eyes never seem to get any better? Or why your cheeks are flushed even in winter? Or even why you seem to get blackheads on your nose and can’t get rid of them no matter what topical creams you use? These issues are actually signs that your body is giving you, and using facial analysis, you can work out what the root cause of your dark circles and flushed cheeks and finally do something about it.

From Greek medicine to Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), facial analysis has been used as an indication of the health of the organs or to provide useful clues as to the systems involved in any health issue. In particular TCM has a detailed map of the face including lines, organ zones and colour indications. Using TCM facial analysis principles with relation to skin conditions, the map and colours of the face can help indicate the underlying causes and support the choice of treatment.

Skin conditions that affect the face such as eczema, psoriasis, rosacea and acne don’t usually affect the entire surface of the face. The affected areas are often confined to particular areas or zones so just by looking at your face you can find out more about the underlying cause of any skin condition. This technique is not confined to skin conditions. It can also be used as a tool to assess wellbeing or to improve skin tone in general.

As a guide, go over each zone of the face and look for any changes in colour (from your normal skin tone), deep lines (that aren’t part of the normal aging process), congestion (pimples, blackheads, milia, whiteheads) or puffiness. Below is a guide to the key areas of the face and their associated organs. Included are key indications about lines and colours that provide additional information.

Facial Zone	Organ or System
Forehead	In descending order down the forehead: Bladder, Large  Intestine, Small Intestine. Usually lines across the forehead reflect an imbalance. Congestion or acne in this area represents digestive congestion and possibly poor detoxification. Red and dry or flaky skin is an indication of lack of fluids in the digestive tract.
Between the Eyes	This is the liver zone. A red patch between the eyes is a possible indication of poor liver detoxification and even heavy metal toxicity (particularly mercury). Vertical lines in this zone indicate Liver imbalance.
Under the Eyes	The top of the eye and directly below the eyes is the kidney zone. Puffiness and fluid retention in this area is a sign the body is holding on to too much fluid (watery and swollen with a blue tinge) or is mucus congested (fatty and swollen with a yellow tinge). Salt intake should be monitored, as should excessive sugary drinks such as fruit juice and soft drink. To reduce mucus congestion, reduce fat and dairy consumption.Blue circles or white under the eyes indicates tiredness or even exhaustion. A yellow tinge shows the liver and gallbladder are working too hard. Dry, flaky or red skin in the creases above the eye shows liver stress.
The Nose	The nose tip corresponds to the lungs while the bridge reflects the health of the stomach. Congestion in the form of blackheads usually represents poor stomach digestion and possibly low hydrochloric acid levels.If the nose is red or has broken capillaries, this usually indicates excessive intake of heating liquids including alcohol, coffee and tea.
The Cheeks	Represent the respiratory & circulatory systems. Pimples or congestion in this area are often the result of a high fat and mucus forming diet (simple sugar, dairy and processed foods).Pale cheeks may be a sign of low iron levels whereas overly flushed cheeks show poor circulation and the consumption of too many hot foods such as alcohol, coffee and spices and poor elimination. A greenish tinge indicates liver congestion.
The Mouth	Generally represents the digestive function. White or very pale lips may indicate low iron levels and poor circulation. Dry flaky skin or wrinkles can indicate dehydration.Cracks or sores in the corners of the mouth are signs of low B vitamin or iron levels. Red, hot or bleeding gums are a sign of a hot or over-acidic stomach and so animal fats, simple sugars and heating food & drink needs to be avoided.
The Chin	Corresponds to the kidneys and digestive system. Once again congestion in this area can be a sign of a diet high in processed foods, sugars and fats. It can also indicate unbalanced kidney function, which is usually the result of pushing the body by working too hard, stress or going beyond normal physical endurance.
The Jaw and under the jaw line	Often a hormonal influence, particularly if worsens in accordance with monthly cycles. Cysts rather than pimples may indicate lymphatic toxicity, which may result from medications, environmental toxins or a highly processed and sugar rich diet.

The other day I was browsing one of my favourite research sites www.ewg.org and I came across their list of Safe Shopping Tips for skincare. It is a useful list but I thought that it could be added to and so here an extended version of the Safe Shopping List from the Environmental Working Group:

1. Avoid the most toxic ingredients in skin care. These are the especially problematic ingredients such as formaldehyde, phalates, artificial fragrances, parabens, Diethanolamine, 1,4-Dioxane, mercury & lead, triclosan, nanoparticles, petroleum byproducts, hydroquinone (skin lightener), coal tar and so on.
   

   Chemicals in Skin Care

2. Use fewer products. On average women use over 14 personal care items a day. I know I am one of them. The reason I don’t mind using so many is that they are all natural and mostly organic so I am not exposing myself to harmful chemicals. However if you are using conventional skin care, it might be wise to either cut down on the number of products you use. By cutting down on the number of chemicals contacting your skin every day, you will reduce any potential health risks associated with your products. Alternatively you can change over to natural & organic skin care as you run out.
3. Read labels. Be aware of greenwashing. Marketing claims on personal care products are not well regulated in Australia, and can mean anything or nothing at all, including claims like organic, natural, hypoallergenic, animal cruelty free, and fragrance free. Read the ingredient label carefully to find evidence that the claims are
   

   Olive Oil Soap

   true. If in doubt ask the manufacturer or retailer for proof of label claim.

4. Use milder soaps. Soap strips away the dirt and oil build up on the skin. Strong soaps or those containing ingredients such as SLS can further disrupt the acid mantle and slow the skin’s pH recovery time, which can lead to increased skin sensitivity. Choose soft soaps such as those based on oils – olive, hemp, castor, rice bran etc
5. Reduce the use of dark hair dyes. Many contain coal tar ingredients that have been linked to cancer in some studies. Alternatively do the research and find a hair dye you like that contains no formaldehyde, phalates, ammonia or coal tar. They are available. See my blog on non-toxic hair dye.
6. Avoid using baby powders or talc; A number of ingredients common in powder have been linked to cancer and other lung problems when they are inhaled. In addition standard talc products are a potential source of lead, which is linked to brain development issues in young children. Choose clay-based powders instead.
7. Choose products that are artificial “fragrance”-free. Fragrances are the number one cause of allergic skin conditions and irritation. They are also a primary source of phalates, a toxic chemical that has even been found in the placental blood of newborn babies. Be cautious – products that claim to be “fragrance free” on the label may actually contain masking fragrances that give off a neutral odour. Read the ingredient label to make sure. Alternatively, choose products that only contain natural essential oils.
8. Reduce your use of nail polish. It’s one of the few types of products that routinely contains ingredients such as formaldehyde and phalates, both of which have cancer-causing potential. Choose non-toxic nail polish such as Zoya. Paint your nails in a well-ventilated room and avoid the use of acetone based polish remover.

I would love to hear if you can add any other safe shopping tips when it comes to skin care. Or if you have had any adverse reactions to skin care of any type, conventional or natural.

Reference: www.ewg.org

Each fortnight a box of organic fruit and vegies is delivered to my door. I love this arrangement because a. it means I don’t have to go to the shops as regularly (I hate going to the supermarket and generally avoid it when possible) and b. it is organic! This fortnight the box contained peaches and nectarines, which I have been enjoying immensely. As I was eating my organic peach this morning I felt especially good because I remembered that peaches are on the Dirty Dozen List, a list of fruit & veg most affected by pesticide contamination. The other fruit & vegetables on this list include (most affected to least):

1. Peach
   

   Strawberries have the potential for a higher pesticide load

2. Apple
3. Capscicum
4. Celery
5. Nectarine
6. Strawberries
7. Cherries
8. Kale
9. Lettuce
10. Grapes
11. Carrot
12. Pear

While I momentarily felt ok because I was eating an organic peach I realised that my other favourite fruits are also on that list, namely cherries (cannot share them with anyone) and nectarines.  There are some alarming statistics and facts bandied around about pesticide contamination:

• If you eat the 12 most contaminated fruit & vegies, you consume an average of 10 pesticides a day
• Washing or peeling fresh produce reduces pesticide residue but it does not eliminate it.
• Conventionally grown produce contains less nutritional value than organically grown produce

Reading all of this I felt a bit glum so I did a search to find out if there was any produce that wasn’t unduly affected by pesticide residue. At one of the best resources I have come across, www.ewg.org, I found the answer which cheered me immensely. Eating from the list below minimises pesticide ingestion significantly (around 2 pesticides daily and less if washed).  So my new resolution is to ensure that when I buy conventionally grown produce, I will choose from the list below:

1. Onion (from least contaminated)
   
2. Avocado
3. Sweet corn
4. Pineapple
5. Mango
6. Asparagus
7. Sweet peas
8. Kiwi
9. Cabbage
10. Eggplant
11. Papaya
12. Watermelon
13. Broccoli
14. Tomato
15. Sweet Potato

How does this relate to skin care? Well the pesticides, herbicides, synthetic chemicals, petrochemicals we eat, inhale

or absorb all contribute to our overall toxic burden. The more burdened our body’s are, the harder it is for them to get rid of all the toxins and waste byproducts which are either stored or eliminated via alternative pathways such as the skin. In those with skin conditions, reducing the overall toxic burden by eating whole foods, choosing organic where possible and using natural skin care & cleaning products can help improve the condition of the skin. For those that just want to improve their wellbeing, it is also a good idea.

Do you eat any organic produce and if so how important is it to you and your family. Is it as important as using organic skin care? I would love to hear your comments.

Hi dear readers…I feel like I am going to confession because I haven’t blogged in over 2 weeks!! Oh dear. Moving on, I am back, I am refreshed and I have LOTS of freckles from being at the beach for two weeks. Despite slathering myself in lots of sunscreen daily and wearing a rash shirt in the water I have a tan…kind of. I am now off-white with lots of freckles instead of just white. I am pretty pleased really as I went to the beach every day and didn’t get sunburnt once!

Now that I am back into the swing of things, I have lots of new topics to write and video blog about which you will see over the coming months. But before I get started on skin care issues I thought I would share an inspirational blog I read with you. This blog is from another skin guru called Sarah Stacey, the author of the UK Green Beauty Bible and reminds me that true beauty comes from within. Sarah writes “Health Notes” in a British Tabloid and this is an excerpt from her column which I hope you enjoy:

Health Notes, December 27th 2009, by Sarah Stacey

000000;">How to be happy
Some ten years ago, I was asked to interview Richard Carlson, the American author of You Can Be Happy No Matter What.  To be honest, I was less than enthusiastic at the thought of talking to yet another personal development guru.  But the man and his books turned out to be wonderful – practical, perceptive and inspiring.  One key piece of advice he gave was ‘treasure yourself, you’re precious’ .  That’s such a difficult thing for most of us to do, but valuing yourself is the key to valuing others and creating good and enduring relationships. So my wish for you for 2010 is that you all start to treasure yourselves.  To set you on the path, here are some of Richard’s guidelines for living well. Very sadly, Richard died in 2006 but he leaves a legacy of truly life-enhancing books which I hope you will investigate.

000000;">Live in the present: many people spend much of their lives regretting what’s gone and worrying about what’s to come.  (And remember the word ‘resentment’ literally means ‘re-feeling’.)  When you find yourself doing this, simply bring your attention back to the millisecond that you’re living right now.  Your body and mind will unite and that brings an instant feeling of peace.  Living in the present also allows you to be wholly with the people you’re with and/or what you’re doing so that you can make the very most of it.  That’s also something that others really notice and appreciate.

000000;">Don’t try to change others: accept that you can only change yourself.

000000;">Think happy: your happiness levels may seem to go up and down with circumstances and of course that’s true to some extent.  But the biggest factor that dictates how you feel is your thoughts.  It’s not the outside world that produce our thoughts, it’s ourselves – and the way we think about someone or something totally influences how we feel. Tell yourself that you’ll have a happy day and you will – even if there’s a mountain of problems in your path.  Think optimistically about recovering from illness and research shows you will do better.  The trick is to recognise negative thoughts but not let them overwhelm your life: when they occur, look for a more positive way of seeing things – of changing your thought pattern.  You might be feeling low one day and think ‘I’ll never finish this project’ or ‘ this relationship will never work out’.  If this ‘thought attack’ goes on, it may spiral out of control and you’ll probably give up – or at least waste time and energy worrying.  Start thinking ‘I know I can do this’ -  and ‘there is no reason why this relationship should not work well for both of us’ – and you stand a good chance.

000000;">Don’t live in the problem, live in the solution: we become accustomed to thinking, talking and living with what’s wrong.  If we think about solutions, we start thinking positive.  When you’re facing a sticky situation of any kind, confront it and work out what would make you feel better.  Emotional situations are usually much more difficult than practical ones but focussing on the healthy parts of a relationship gives you a constructive perspective to start from.

000000;">Be grateful: appreciating all the good things, big and small, colours your whole being.  (It’s also been shown to boost your immune system.)000000;">

Understand your moods: up, down, up, down – our mood levels swing like a seesaw. Just when it seems as though life is going smoothly, bam!  Our mood level drops and everything seems rocky again.  Sometimes everything seems hopeless, then our mood lifts and everything’s sunshine again. For some people, these shifts are slight; for others, extreme. They vary for all sorts of reasons including hormones, tiredness, hunger, the weather and of course how relationships are going.  When you’re in a high mood, life looks good, you have perspective, relationships flow, communication is easy.  In a low mood, life seems hard, people are out to get you, you take things personally.  Most people have their most serious discussions when their mood is low – and that’s one of the core problems in relationships.  So don’t react or make decisions until the low mood passes.  Just keep putting one foot in front of another – and don’t get hungry, angry, lonely or tired.

000000;">Connect with other people from your heart first, head second. Be open and straightforward and truthful.  Appreciate what others do and feel.  They need the same thing as you – love.  Be sure the people in your life know that they are lovable and loved.

Much of this information comes from a book by Richard Carlson: You Can Be Happy No Matter What

I was walking at the beach this morning and thinking about the year in review…what a big one it has been for me, both personally and for Vitale Natural as a whole. Of course there are ups and downs, but I am pleased to say more ups that downs by a long shot.

Firstly I would like to share a few personal highlights:

• We adopted our dog Edmond after 2 years of fostering. A cruelty
  

  Monty & Ed at the beach (Ed is the black poodle)

  case, we started caring for Edmond at 4 months but couldn’t officially adopt him until the RSPCA won the court case against his previous owner. Finally in November we  adopted him from the wonderful people at the RSPCA. If I have never mentioned this before (I am sure I have!) I adore my two dogs.

• A book I contributed to was published in October. “Fast Living, Slow Ageing” is a collaboration of 50 doctors, scientists and specialist that addresses how to be optimally fit and healthy at any age. As an editor I can assuredly say that there is so much good information available but it is a big job bringing it together in an easy to read way…glad it is finally published!
• You-tube videos – yes despite being a nutrition lecturer for 6 years and talking in front of lots of people, the idea of being on a video blog did not sit well with me. Like anything though, once I overcame my fears, it was easy. I would still like to be a bit more polished…but you are getting the real me! Next year, I have lots more planned!

Some Vitale highlights:

• This blog…it started in March and it has been lots of fun to build it up, research topics and receive your comments.
  

  My holiday red

  Please let me know what you want to find out about as I am happy to do topic requests

• New products – I love new products and this year we have added heaps to the website and in-store. It is so exciting coming across a product that I have been searching for (non-toxic nail polish) or trying to find a natural alternative to (the natural eyelash enhancer took me 18 months to find!) or that is new to the market (La Mav – finally a fantastic Australian cosmeceutical range).
• Working with Karen & Roechelle my business partners. We bring out the best in each other…most of the time!
• My skin – I think I have found the right combination of skin care and dietary habits that suits my skin – no dairy, lots of vegies, limited red meat and of course the good stuff (red wine & chocolate) in moderation.

And I am just so excited about 2010. Looking forward we have some super exciting things coming up (well I think so anyway!):

• The Green Beauty Review – to be launched in March, this is a new review site that will have the best of the best reviews, information, articles and it is all about natural & organic skin care. More on this next year.
• Our new centre – we are opening in Bulimba. The new centre will be less about skin care and more about wellness and eco-living.
• Getting back to some exercise – oh yes, it is time!

I am sure I could think of lots more but I will hand it over to you. Please let me know your highlights of 2009 and what you are looking forward to in 2010. And please have a great New Years!

Propylene Glycol is a humectant and humidifying agent. This ingredient is generally used in brake fluid, anti freeze, laundry detergents, paints and floor wax. It is also used in the cosmetic industry and in some foods to keep products from melting or freezing in extreme temperatures by maintaining a balanced moisture content. Propylene glycol is on the US Food and Drug Administration’s list of ingredients which are Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) and is recognized by the World Health Organization as safe for use.

Despite its GRAS status there are a growing number of grass roots claims that propylene glycol is an inappropriate ingredient for cosmetics and food. This is largely due to the material safety data sheet (MSDS). An MSDS is a safety disclosure which instructs manufacturers and shippers on proper procedures for handling ingredients, for treating accidental exposure, and for cleaning up spills. An MSDS does not indicate how the ingredient will react when combined with other ingredients, and the effects of exposure to any hazardous substance depend on the dose, the duration, how you are exposed, personal traits and habits, and whether other chemicals are present. However the MSDS can be used as a guide of the ingredients potential for hazard.

The material safety data sheet for propylene glycol states that it is “implicated in contact dermatitis, kidney damage and liver abnormalities; can inhibit cell growth in human tests and can damage cell membranes causing rashes, dry skin and surface damage”. The concentrated form of the ingredient can cause temporary reddening, stinging or swelling when it comes in contact with the eyes or skin. Propylene glycol is a petroleum plastic that can easily penetrate into the deeper layers of the skin potentially weakening cellular structure.

These indications do not mean that a product formulated with the ingredient will have irritating properties but that it could. Due to the potential for Propylene glycol to weaken cellular structure it is likely that people with a propensity to sensitive, easily irritated or damaged skin are more likely to be affected. However, it is probably best to avoid any cosmetic ingredient that has these risk factors as there are always safe alternatives.

If there is any good news it is that the MSDS for the propylene glycol contains no indications of carcinogenicity or chronic exposure effects and

tests both in humans that have worked with this substance and animals have confirmed this. However, these tests don’t take into account exposure to babies, children or the effect on babes in utero all of which are more susceptible to toxic exposure than adults.

Fortunately there are good natural alternatives to propolene glycol and in this author’s opinion synthetic ingredients should always be avoided where possible. Look for natural skin care products that contain alternatives.