Toxic-free Makeup:
O M I A N A

I'm always on the hunt for better, healthier products and makeup is one of those things that is hard to find good products with natural ingredients.  The first line of natural makeup that I fell in love with was 100% PURE.  They use organic fruit for color in their products.  For example this is the ingredient list for an eyeshadow:

• Oryza Sativa (Rice Starch), May Contain Pigments of Daucus Carota Sativa Root (Carrot), Cucurbita Pepo (Squash), Prunus Armeniaca Fruit (Apricot), Prunus Persica Fruit (Peach), Carica Papaya (Papaya), Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa), Punca Granatum (Pomegranate), Rubus Fruticosus Fruit (Blackberry), Vaccinium Angustifolium (Blueberry), Rubus Idaeus Fruit (Blueberry), Coffea Arabica (Coffee), Camellia Sinensis (Black Tea), Euterpe Oleracea (Acai), Vanilla Planifolia (Vanilla), Lavandula Angustifoli (Lavender), and Solanum Lycopersicum Fruit/Leaf/Stem (Tomato), a-tocopherol (Vitamin E), Rosa Canina (Rosehip) Oil, Punica Granatum (Pomegranate) Seed Oil, Persea Gratissima (Avocado ) Butter, Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Butter, Red Wine Resveratrol (Wine), Ascorbyl Palmitate (Vitamin C), may contain Mica (natural shimmery mineral).

This line of makeup can now be found in Duane Reades throughout NYC which is nice because it is hard to pick a makeup out online.  However in some of their foundations is titanium dioxide which is a heavy metal that I need to help people detox from.  When titanium shows up as a problem in the office I have people look at their toothpaste, chewing gum, SPF lotions and makeup to see if there is titanium in those products.  It is used as a whitener for teeth in toothpaste and gum and it helps block sun rays in SPF lotions and makeup.  It actually is used in food too and can be found in your Coffee Mate and M&Ms as a food coloring.

When trying to figure out if your products have titanium in them or not you are looking for the word titanium and it is usually listed as titanium dioxide.  Unfortunately more companies are trying to hide is and are listing titanium dioxide by it's nomenclature "CI 77891".  Instead find SPF lotions and makeup that use zinc, or zinc oxide.

I just recently found Omiana makeup line that is very natural and even though a few of their products do have titanium their strength is a whole titanium-free line that makes it really easy to buy without having to read every single ingredient list.   They also have mica-free makeup which some people are sensitive to.  Mica is not a heavy metal but is a mineral used to make makeup shimmery.

Why take the extra time to read labels and stay away from titanium?  Because it could cause cancer.  International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC): Although a Working Group with this agency believes that titanium dioxide is “possibly carcinogenic to humans” they cite “inadequate evidence” to classify the substance as carcinogenic (9, 12). Rather the IARC remains to list the substance as poorly soluble and a low toxicity particle despite an emerging body of evidence opposing this aged belief.
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH): NIOSH acknowledges that titanium dioxide causes the most immediate threat when the metal is inhaled. In order to reduce risk for lung cancer and pulmonary inflammation, the agency simply recommends minimalizing exposure to titanium dioxide (8).

Scientific evidence is there.  It only depends on whether or not you want to look at it.  Dunkin' Donuts a few years ago removed it from their donuts because they were concerned.  Check out the story here. Not that I would ever say Dunkin' Donuts is healthy now but I do give them credit for that choice.

 

100% Pure Makeup Can Now Be Found at Duane Reade!

About a year ago I blogged about 100% Pure makeup. I was super excited to find a makeup line that was chemical and metal free. I hadn't heard about this company until one of my patients came in with it to be muscle tested. I couldn't wait to go to their website and start my own research and it is an amazing company! I now just found out (from a different patient) that they started selling 100% Pure at Duane Reade! It's important to sample makeup and I'm so glad it's now easily accessible. So I went across the street from the office and sure enough, this is what I found!



Most makeups contain not only chemicals but also heavy metals such as titanium and iron oxides that can be toxic to the body but this makeup line uses 100% natural ingredients and most of them are organic too! They use actual fruit to make the colors and for those patients of mine who are not supposed to eat fruit, no worries, putting the fruit on your face is okay. They do have titanium in their makeup with spf so read ingredients carefully not to use those.

I currently use their eyeshadow palette, luminous primer and mascara. I have tried their lipsticks but find the colors too bold for my complexion.

Here is an example of an ingredient list of one of their eye shadows:

Organic Rice Starch*, Pigments of Organic Carrot*, Squash, Organic Apricot*, Organic Peach*, Papaya and Organic Tomato1, Vitamin E (a-tocopherol), Organic Lavender*, Organic Rosehip OIl*, Organic Avocado Butter*, Organic Cocoa Butter*, Vitamin C (ascorbyl palmitate), Mica (natural shimmery mineral) * Certified Organic

To check out more products go to http://www.100percentpure.com or to Duane Reade!

Best Natural Sunscreen!

Picking out a sunscreen can be so confusing. Have you ever tried to read the back of a sunscreen bottle? There are a lot of big words. So let's make it easier for you. The healthiest sunscreens need to be free of Parabens, Phthalates, PEG’s (polyethylene glycols), Propylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, SLS/SLES, and other chemicals I won’t bother listing but basically, they should contain a considerable amount of natural ingredients. The sunscreen ingredient I mainly recommend avoiding is the synthetic chemical oxybenzone. Oxybenzone is an endocrine disruptor which can affect the nervous system, has been linked to cancer in some laboratory studies, and creates free-radicals when exposed to the sun which are harmful. I prefer Zinc Oxide over Titanium Dioxide. There have been some studies done that could classify Titanium Dioxide as carcinogenic to humans. At Healing Arts we spend a lot of time during the summer detoxing people of titanium so best to stay away!

The Environmental Working Group (EWG) has researched thousands of sunscreens and given each one a score of 1-10 with 1 being the healthiest and 10 being the most toxic.  The science is listed for reference to explain why each product got its certain score.  We highly suggest you use a sunscreen that got a score of 1-3.  To see what your sunscreen's score is, click here.

Micronized vs Nano: There have been many reports that micronized vs. nano particles of titanium dioxide or zinc oxide have the ability to pass through the skin more easily (which is why they aren’t as white as others). There is also a concern that nano titanium dioxide/zinc oxide particles have higher photo-reactivity than coarser particles and may generate free radicals that can cause cell damage. Some manufacturers have addressed this issue by coating the particles to prevent free radical formation. I am comfortable recommending sunscreens with Micronized zinc (most natural zinc sunscreens ARE). NANO zinc or titanium is something I feel should be avoided.

So after all my research I think Badger Sunscreen SPF 30 for the win!  They also have a Baby Sunscreen version that is great too for infants and kids.  The EWG gives it a score of 1.  It's a white cream that rubs on clear!  It's so easy to apply you’ve got to try it to believe it! There is a tester in the office so you can try it. Perfect for the beach, swimming and light activity, this broad-spectrum formula is in a gentle, antioxidant-rich Sunflower Oil base.

• Lightweight and moisturizing with no added fragrance—great for all skin types.

• 98% certified organic ingredients.

• Broad-spectrum – excellent UVA/UVB protection.

• Water-resistant for at least 40min.

• Family-friendly, reef-friendly and biodegradable.

• Free from anything harsh or artificial, including fragrances, dyes, parabens, petrolatum, GMOs, and synthetics.

• Made in the USA and certified cruelty-free.

Active Sunscreen Ingredient: Uncoated Non-nano Zinc Oxide 18.75%

Base Ingredients:
Organic Sunflower Oil, Organic Beeswax, Sunflower Vitamin E & Organic Seabuckthorn Extract.

If you have a natural one that you love please let me know! I'm always interested in what patients try and like. If you have one you are not sure of bring it in and we can muscle test it to see what your body says even if it does have a score of 1 with the EWG.