Why I Love Scotch

I love scotch.  Scotchy, scotch, scotch.  Here it goes down, down into my belly.   -Ron Burgundy

Funny thing, I do too.  Not only can it turn a crappy day around, but also, it can quickly get you party ready.  I bet you didn't know that it is downright healthy.  Pregnant ladies, even for you.  Scotch is healthy for you and your babe.  That's right, I am a huge believer in it.

Now before you go all rock star on me, I should clarify.  I am talkin' about the gorgeous non-toxic, chemical free nail polish made by Scotch Naturals. (Editorial note- this one shouldn't go into your belly!)

Switching to a "cleaner" lifestyle hasn't been the easiest for me or my wallet.  There is a lot of misleading information and green washing.  You have to really search deep down in order to get truthful information.  It can be hard to do, especially for folks that don't know exactly what to look for and are quick to believe.  I am one of them.  I think I find something that is amazing, then after some further research, I realize that it isn't so black and white. 

That being said, I feel absolute confident in recommending Scotch nail polish.  I have a nasty nasty habit of biting my nails and wearing nail polish helps me break the habit.  As I was sitting on the couch a few weeks ago, watching Dexter and gnawing on my week old painted nails, I realized that I am probably ingesting disgusting chemicals from my polish.  Not only that, but our nail beds are so porous, I figured I was likely blocking them from breathing and suffocating them with chemicals instead.  No bueno. 

Skip to last weekend, alone (with a fab group of ladies), I found myself in the desert (my best girls bachelorette party).  In a haze (hangover), I stumbled upon (shopped in a posh boutique) Scotch Naturals.  I remembered reading about it in my general health/beauty research (my typical form of procrastinating and avoiding cleaning/picking up) and wanted to try it.  When I saw it on this fateful day, perfectly displayed with the colors radiating out of the glass, I knew that I had to snatch one up and pass the good word on to ya'll.  I fetched a trendy grey color, two voice recording parrots for the kids, and gorgeous peacock earrings for moi.  My haze quickly turned to clarity.  Leaving the boutique, I had a little bounce to my step.  Kinda funny how spending $ impulsively can instantly cheer me up while simultaneously frustrating the Husband. 

According to Scotch.

Scotch Naturals™ polish has a lot in common with the women who wear it. We are smart, fun, and forward thinking. We care about the environment, and we come in a wide variety of colors. When we want to look and feel our best, we choose natural products, knowing it’s not just healthier for us, but for the world around us.

Making the change to non-toxic nail polish is one you won’t regret. Scotch Naturals is a safe and eco-friendly alternative to conventional polish. Our revolutionary water-based formula delivers long lasting, salon-quality results in a stunning array of sophisticated shades.

Our polishes contain none of the chemicals found in typical nail polish. We are “3 Free” as well free of ethyl acetate, butyl acetate, nitrocellulose, acetone, and heavy metals. We are truly non-toxic.

They even make a line for kids.  If I had a little girl, I am sure this would be the only thing aloud to touch her precious nails. 

Check out their website at www.scotchnaturals.com.   They run about $15 and they sell a Cocktail Trio for $48.99.  You can get any three colors, the top coat and a nail buffer.  If you buy the Cocktail Trio you can get 20% off the Soy Nail Polish Remover or additional colors.  Plus free shipping on orders of $35 or more.  Check it out, they sell some wicked colors.  After browsing the website I think I need a few more colors and the Soy Nail Polish Remover.  I also would recommend the base/top coat.  My nails look great, but I would like a little more shine :)

  

Now if you don't buy Scotch, please, please, please, read the label and stay clear of phthalates, toluene, and formaldehyde.  These are the big 3 no nos.

Now that your nails are looking lovely and healthy, why don't you slather 100% Pure Hand Buttercream on for a truly magical eco-marriage. 

Bottom line, I love this stuff.  I love that it has no smell whatsoever and it goes on so smoothly.  I feel safe knowing my nails can look fierce without sacrificing my health.  Here's to Scotch.  Now go pour yourself a drink!  -Cheers    

Moisturizer Maddness

I feel safe to say that I love beauty products more than the average woman.  From an early age, I had dreams of  being a celebrity make-up artist.  I was obsessed with Bobbi Brown products and loved her philosophy of making women look like themselves but prettier.  It wasn't about creating something but enhancing.  In order to get my artistry on, I started working for Estee Lauder fresh out of high-school.  I actually had to beg my parents to get a W2 while going to college.  I quickly moved onto Bobbi Brown where I stayed for 7 years as a freelance make-up artist working with extreme talent and training new talent.  Making women feel/look their best and witnessing the confidence they felt after teaching them how they can do it themselves was rewarding to say the least. 

 A pic from when I first started working for Estee Lauder.  Maybe 18?

I still love it:  the products, the packaging, the bottles, the texture, and the colors.  I love feeling pretty, my skin glowing like the sun, and pampering myself when I am not looking after my three biological footprints.  What I loathe is the irresponsibility of the industry.  Seriously, for a multi-billion dollar industry there should be so much more accountability.  Companies should not get away with profiting off poisonous concoctions and selling ugly lies to fellow goddesses.  This is flat-out wrong.   

The cosmetic industry and FDA is jacked.  There is insufficient regulation in cosmetics and beauty products.  According the Environmental Working Group (EWG), the average women uses about 13 different beauty/health products a day.  Me, a mere 15.  Chances are the ingredients are a mystery to us.  Seriously, more than half of these substances are unpronounceable to me.  The ingredient "Fragrance" alone, contains numerous chemical sub-components that haven't been tested, or not tested in combination.  Sure it smells great!  Who doesn't want to smell like a coconut?  But what I don't like is the unknown. Federal law doesn’t require companies to list any of the chemicals in their fragrance mixture on product labels.   WHAT?!?!?!  Uhh, why not?  Technically, they could infuse cat urine and get away with it.  In fact, that might actually be healthier than the chemicals they use.  EWG says that Fragrances are hormone disrupters and are among the top 5 allergens in the world.  Natural stank is sounding a lot more appealing.   

Cosmetic giants need to be transformed!

In their new book, No More Dirty Looks, Siobhan O'Connor and Alexandra Spunt find that "11 % of the 10,500 ingredients determined by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to be in use by the cosmetics industry have been tested for safety by a publicly accountable agency.  Of the ones we do know about, some are flat-out dangerous to our health, others are questionable at best, and most are doing almost nothing to improve the quality, feel, and health of our skin and hair.  So not only are these products wreaking some unspeakable havoc on our bodies, they're also making us look worse".  ONLY 11% IS TESTED FOR SAFETY!  Not really good enough for me.  Now I may not know you all so well, but my guess is that when you slap health and beauty products on, your intention is not to look worse.  Yet that is exactly what some of these toxic chemicals are doing to our skin.  

Here is a list of 10 Ingredients to AVOID in Face Products and why... by Alexandra Spunt for www.good.is

Petroleum and related petrochemicals- The danger risk for this group of ingredients ranges from a mellow yellow to code red.  Petroleum distillates are toxic solvents used in mascara, hairspray, and callus treatments.  But your run-of-the-mill moisturizer probably contains something like mineral oil or paraffin in it, which are not considered dangerous per se, they're just really, really bad for the environment and they suffocate the skin and may interfere with perspiration. 

Lead-tainted lipstick In 2009 the FDA discovered that of 20 lipsticks it tested, 20 were contaminated with lead.  In many cases, the lead levels exceeded those set by that same FDA for candy- and since they don't set restrictions for cosmetics, this feels like a fair model of comparison, right?  Not so according to the FDA, which claims that we don't eat our lipsticks.  Lead is a neurotoxin and lipstick goes on our mouths, which combine to make this debate officially ridiculous.  Go for organic small-batch lipstick lines or kiss a beet instead. 

Formaldehyde-leaching preservatives Our crusade for clean cosmetics started after the discovery of formaldehyde in a hair treatment (and later in our nail polish), but this known carcinogen is also "donated," as the pros like to say, by preservatives such as quaternium-15, DMDM-hydantoin, imidazolidinyl urea, and diazolidinyl urea.  That means it's both pervasive and often unlisted, not appearing as an ingredient on labels.  It's considered a human carcinogen by many health agencies worldwide, and when it's not giving rats nose cancer, it might still be giving you a rash. 

Fragrance- It's broken record time, but here it goes:  Fragrance is in everything from your fancy perfume to your face wash.  It represents a concoction of mystery ingredients, whose secrecy is protected by industry-ass-kicking trade laws.  Lab studies by the EWG have shown them to contain a hole cocktail of hormone disruptors (among other things).  Which is nice, since our hormones regulate, oh, everything: genital size, fertility, weight, acne, and beyond. 

Parabens- This popular preservative group used in more than 10,000 products became very controversial when their presence was discovered in the tissue of breast tumors.  What that data actually means is hotly debated but studies have shown that certain parabens mimic estrogen, the female sex hormone.  This could be bad news for both men and women.  Look for ingredients on the label with "paraben" as a suffix to avoid these bad boys.

Sodium Lauryl Sulphate (SLS) and Sodium Laureth Sulphate (SLES)- These surfactants get a lot of finger wagging when we talk about shampoo:  That's because they strip out natural oils, force you to use more products, and are sometimes contaminated with a carcinogen called 1,4-dioxane.  This last fact is actually making more news in China than it is here, and carcinogens aside, they also strip your skin and scalp of their protective barriers, which we need for protection.  Surfactants are also know irritants. 

Triclosan- This very powerful antimicrobial- used in everything from hand soap and face wash to deodorant and acne treatments-has a serious ugly side.  For one, it stays in our bodies.  There's concern that regular exposure to the stuff may actually be creating resistant strains fo bacteria and hermaphrodictic marine life, just like Atrazine.  It may also impact thyroid function.  It's east to find on labels.  If it says triclosan, put it down. 

Chemical Sunscreen- We've said it once, and we'll say it again: Your best sunscreens are ones formulated from physical blockers like titanium dioxide and zinc.  Popular chemical sunscreen ingredient oxybensone is a suspected hormone disruptor that penetrates skin easily and quite possibly brings its toxic friends with.  It's also considered a common allergen that can result in a variety of unpleasant and unsightly skin reactions.

Hydroquinone-This skin-lightening ingredient is objectionable for so many reasons: It's incredibly toxic, it speaks to a disturbing cultural beauty standard, and it's easily abused to detrimental effects.  Exhibit A: It's a suspected carcinogen that, according to industry "guidelines", shouldn't be used in formulations above 1 percent or be left on skin.  But  it is, and it's available at 2 percent over the counter and 4 percent by prescription.  Exhibit B: It's banned in Europe.  Exhibit C: Blue-black lesions are also a possible side effect. 

Nanoparticles-These itty-bitty particles are a new industry favorite despite how little we actually know about them or their safety.  According to Dr. Michael DiBartolomeis, a toxicologist and the chief of the California Safe Cosmetics Program, a nano may be able to "get into places it shouldn't get into-like cells or DNA."  And what else will this cat drag in?  Hard to say, but some experts suspect a lot.  We certainly wouldn't want them in the same products as the nine ingredients listed above, would you?

Really, this list can go on and on.  When I looked up toxic chemicals in cosmetics or lotions there were tons.  This just happened to be the most current. 

From what I read in Gorgeously Green by homegirl Sophie Uliano, I would also avoid...

• Mineral oils- coats the skin like plastic so that it cannot breathe and can create premature aging


• Phthalates- can cause a broad range of birth defects in lab animals and are hormone-mimicking chemicals


• Polyethylene Glycol (PEG)- carcinogen that is used as a grease-dissolving cleaner and thickener for the skin.  Very toxic!


• Talc- similar to asbestos and can increase the risk of certain ovarian cancers


• Acrylates and Methacrylates- found in nail products


• Alcohol, Isopropyl (SD-40)- drying agent that strips off the outer layers of skin and can accelerate aging


• Phenonip- preservative blend that contains some parabens: phenoxyethanol, methylparaben, ethylparaben, butylparaben, proylparaben, and isobutylparaben


• Quaternary Ammonium Compounds (Quats)preservatives

 In short, stay away from any products with ingredients ending in -paraben, words starting with PEG, words that have an "eth" in the middle and try to always buy fragrance free products.

Well what is a chick or dude to do?  Stay away from all lotions and potions?  Give up our dreams of having a perfect canvas?  Not I.  I will find a replacement! 

What do I want?  I want the smooth, wrinkle-free, pure, delicate, plumpy, kissable skin like that of baby M.  His skin is like crack to me.  I can't stop kissing it or... maybe it's my baby, either way, it is pure bliss. 

As I have said before, the skin is our biggest organ.  What we slather on to it matters.  It is absorbed, enters into our bloodstream, and becomes part of our body tissue.  You wouldn't take a bottle of formaldehyde or a slew of toxic unknowns and drink it, yet that is precisely what we do to our skin.

Most women and many men use a facial moisturizer daily.  If you are not, what are  you waiting for?  Your face to dry up like Death Valley?  Moisturizers play an epic role in helping the skin provide a protective barrier against bacteria,  viruses, and toxins found in our environment; it increases the water content of the skin; reduces vulnerability against water loss; rebalance the skin's composition of lipids and delivers nutrients and substances to the dermis and epidermis.  It helps keeps the naughty stuff from entering into our system. 

When I was young, I thought that if I moisturized my skin, I would break out all over.  My skin would be greasy and I would be a huge pubescent mess.  Now I know that using a facial moisturizer is a secret weapon to beautiful, youthful lookin' skin.  Unfortunately, I used the products from high-end department store that are filled with harmful ingredients.  I thought if it is sold at Nordstroms or Saks, it has to be good for my skin?  Oh, look the gorgeous sales lady says there is green tea, caffeine, Vitamin A, and cucumber extract in it.  Sounds natural but what she failed to mention, is that it has a slew of harmful chemicals that are listed above.

As I am switching products and researching healthier, organic, non-toxic brands, I am still confused.  Many brands green-wash, meaning they say they are nontoxic/heathy but contain ingredients like fragrance.  Since I am still learning, I fall into these traps...often.  I am going to be honest.  I adore you and we need to have a trusting affair.  I was going to write this blog on how much I adore Weleda Iris Hydrating Day Cream but after researching more on this topic I realized it is not as pure, and fantastic as it claims.  Mostly because of one word...the effing F word.  Fragrance!  Ugh!

So this is me telling you we need to get our shizit together.  The third in this relationship, the Environmental Working Group (EWG) always looks out for us.  You can search for a moisturizer that is low on the hazard score or look up your current one.  I am now back in the market for a new face cream.  Any ideas? Awesome, would love to hear it?   How about affordable too?

So now I am at a loss.  My go to moisturizer is contaminated.  Off $ to $ find $ another $.  Sweet.

Detox+Glow= :)

Do you feel like your skin is looking a little tired and lifeless after winter?  Is it lacking that spark or glow?  I have tried every attempt to have beautiful smooth and glowing skin.  I have tanned, self-tanned, exfoliated, facials, done masks, and used illuminating make-up to achieve smooth sparkling skin.  I think the skin is one of the first thing that people notice and with summer coming up you want to make sure it looks and feels fresh.

Our skin is our biggest organ.  It sheds over one pound of waste acids each day!  Some folks refer to it as the third kidney.  It needs to be loved, pampered, and taken care of.

That is why I just adore dry brushing.  Not only does it give my skin a boost and truly make it glow, but it helps my body get rid of nasty toxins.  Dry brushing is a technique where a dry natural brush or loofah is used to exfoliate and de-gunk your body of dead skin cells and toxins.  When your pores are clogged it is harder for your skin to eliminate toxins in the air or that are absorbed through lotions and beauty products.  Dry brushing also increases cell production, blood flow, and circulation.  It is both relaxing and invigorating.  Dry brushing in the morning is a must because the increase in blood circulation gives your body a jolt of energy.

And the best part is that it only takes about 2-3 minutes, just enough  time do it while the shower is warming up.   

What's in it for you?

• Smooth radiant skin


• Opens pores to allow nutrients to be better absorbed


• Flushes toxins out of the skin


• Improves circulation


• Promotes cell production


• Reduces stress by increasing blood flow


• Can reduce cellulite

Dry brush about 2-3 times a week.  It doesn't take a genius to figure out.  Put your favorite jam on and dance away while you do it.

Here is a starting point:

• Strip down


• Use a natural bristle brush or loofah (found at most health stores)


• Start with your feet and use a circular motion rubbing up towards your heart (you should use enough pressure where it feels scratchy)


• Start at  your fingertips and use a circular motion rubbing up towards heart


• Rinse off

Sometimes it is best to dry brush in the shower with the water off.  I can't tell you how much dry skin floats around.  It is nasty (yet, utterly fascinating)! 

Also, be gentle on your face and other delicate areas.  If you have sensitive or troublesome skin, I would check with a Dr. first.

Now that you exfoliated your skin and your skin is rejuvenated and pores open, please don't slather on disgusting toxic chemicals after.  Use an organic, paraben and fragrance free soap and lotion.  Or better yet, rub on some essential oils.  Remember parabens are those dangerous chemicals that can act like estrogen and are used as preservatives in lotions, shaving cream, makeup, and shower products.  There are lots of paraben free products to use on the market.  I am currently using Tom's soap (have to admit, it's no Dove but it's safe) to bathe and Whole Foods 360 Brand has a super inexpensive natural lotion I love.  They even come in lots of delicious natural scents.  I adore the lavender one! 

Friends, you have to try this.  It makes you feel so fresh and really, who doesn't want to rid their body of toxins while getting gorgeous skin at the same time?

Happy brushing!

Glowing with Baby E

Feels oh so....toxic????

It is pretty scary to find out what is lurking in the everyday items we use. I am a sucker for anything that promises to make me look glamorous. I never thought twice about the lotions, shampoos, and cosmetics that I wore. I mean people, I even worked for Bobbi Brown cosmetics for 5 years!  If it had nice packaging, promised to do miracles, or smelled pretty, I would buy it.  It turns out, many of these items happen to be toxic. The government does not require that cosmetics and other personal care products be tested for safty.  Really?  Surely I thought someone would be regulating the ingredients of what is absorbed in my body. 

Did you know that many products have parabens and formaldahydes in them and that they are banned in other countries?  Parabens are chemical agents which are commonly used by most big companies to preserve skin care products. Parabens are used to artificially increase the shelf life of various skin care products. They are used in products that range from facial creams and conditioners to moisturizers and tooth paste. It has been proven that they have a negative impoact on our overall health but yet nothing is being done to regulate it.

Large companies use parabens because they are cheap to get hold of and cheap to add in formulas. They don't offer anything special to the quality or effectiveness of a certain skin care product; they just keep the production prices low so the companies can have the largest profits.

Parabens have been linked to disrupting the bodies hormone and endocrine activity. It's also a well known fact that parabens have even been found in breast cancer tumors, and there is only one way they could have gotten there. Through the products we use that are absorbed by the skin.

My good friend, Nikki, introduced me to a great website that checks the toxicity level of makeup, lotions, sun protection, nail polish, hair care, oral care, and baby products. I think everybody needs to check it out.  The website is www.cosmeticdatabase.com  Just type in a product, ingredient, or company you are curious about and the Environmental Working Group will let you know in a scare , I mean scale from 1-10 how hazardous it is.  Moms, Dads, and caregivers, be sure to check out baby products.  Many of the bath washes we use are dangerous for our little ones.  I don't mean to scare you, but it's worth checking out for our own well-being. Since discovering this information, I have begun to switch my lotions, hair products, and yes, makeup to more organic/natural ones.  I will do reviews of some of the products I use in a future post, so be sure to check back!

In the meantime, I want to share a great article by Stacy Malkan asking President Obama to help stop the American cancer epidemic.   

Dear President Obama: Stop the American Cancer Epidemic

How many carcinogens did you put on your body today? Probably more than you’d guess, since many popular brands of shampoo, body wash, soap and even children’s bubble bath contain cancer-causing chemicals that are not even listed on labels. How can this be?

Right now, it’s perfectly legal for body-care products and other household goods sold in the U.S. to contain chemicals known to cause cancer and other diseases, with no warnings to consumers. This has been the story since the advent of synthetic chemistry in the mid 20th century. Since that time, American industries have released billions of tons of unregulated synthetic substances into the environment – chemicals that are now all over our homes and inside our bodies.

Since that time, we’ve seen the dramatic increase of unexplained cancers – to the point that 1 in 2 American men and 1 in 3 women are now expected to get some type of cancer in their lifetimes.

Is there a connection here? The President’s Cancer Panel thinks so; and this week, environmental health groups are calling on President Obama to heed the advice of his own panel and take action to regulate chemicals in order to protect Americans from cancer.

The President’s Cancer Panel issued a strong warning and urgent call to action last year. “The true burden of environmentally induced cancer has been grossly underestimated,” the panel reported. “With nearly 80,000 chemicals on the market in the United States, many of which are used by millions of Americans in their daily lives and are un- or understudied and largely unregulated, exposure to potential environmental carcinogens is widespread.”

The panel urged President Obama “most strongly to use the power of your office to remove the carcinogens and other toxins from our food, water, and air that needlessly increase health care costs, cripple our Nation’s productivity, and devastate American lives.”

Add your voice to the call by signing the petition to President Obama.

“The American people—even before they are born—are bombarded continually with a myriad of combinations of these dangerous exposures,” warned the cancer panel.

That’s you and me, and our kids in the tub.

The time for action is now. Europe is already far ahead of the United States in regulating chemicals. Just last week, the E.U. announced the first set of chemicals to be banned under Europe’s REACH chemical policy – including three phthalates, musk xylene and other chemicals that are found in various American products from medical devices to nail polish to fragrance.

Will America become the dumping ground for chemicals that are being banned in Europe? Or will we stand up and demand the same safer products that companies have already figured out how to make?

It’s time for the U.S. to step up; it’s time for President’s Obama and Congress to prioritize cancer prevention and responsible regulations that will shift the market to safer products and bring American industries into the 21st century.

If you want to take action go to www.crazysexylife.com , look for this article and sign the petition to President Obama.  There are other links to support other bills to promote saftey in our cosmetics. 

Source: www.crazysexylife.com