Triclosan, which is trademarked as Microban, is a powerful anti microbial agent contained in many hand washes.

It's selling point is that it kills 99% of germs however there are concerns that it's use is the cause behind the increase in antibiotic resistant bacteria such as MRSA.


Triclosan is also thought to react with chlorine in tap water to produce hormone disrupting toxic dioxins.


Triclosan is highly toxic to algae when it reaches waste water.  Algae is the basis of the aquatic food chain so could cause long term environmental issues.


It can be found in soaps, mouthwash, cosmetics, deodorants, childrens toys, household cleaners etc.


If you want to be able to enjoy a fish supper in years to come then please avoid products containing triclosan and let the companies using it as a marketing ploy know what you think.

Cosmetic talc can be found in baby powder, face and body powders and some contraceptives.  It is made up of finely ground particles of stone and is carcinogenic ( a substance that can cause cancer)

Inhaling talc and using it in the genital area is assosiated with high risk of lung and ovarian cancer respectively.
Talc should NEVER be used on babies both because of it's carcinogenicity and due to acute repiratory distress from inhalation that can result in death.

Talc is commonly contaminated with heavy metals such as lead and poisons such as arsenic.
Chronic exposure to very low levels were found in a UK study to be capable of causing hormone disruption.

Women who frequently use talc have 3 times the risk of developing ovarian cancer.
Talc used in condoms carries a similar risk.  It has been confirmed the talc travels up the fallopian tubes and reaches the ovaries.

Because it is a finely ground stone once inhaled it can lodge in the lungs and never leave, babies whose parents use talc have more breathing difficulties.

Women who do not use talc are also at risk as they are likely to use cosmetics, powder, eyeshadow, blusher that are talc based.

My advice, ditch the talc and ask for ingredient list before you buy cosmetics.

Sunlight is an important source of vitamin D neccessary for development and maintenance of bones and teeth but too much sun raises the risk of skin cancer.


Most commercial sunscreens contain bezephenones, PABA's along with perfumes, insect repellents and a host of other chemicals.

The SPF rating only applies to UVB rays not UVA which are not filtered out by the ozone layer, however gauging UVA protection is more difficult.

Sunscreens like oxybenzone when exposed to UV rays break down into chemicals that inhibit the skins natural defences against sunlight leaving it vulnerable to free radicals whose damage is implicated in skin cancer and premature ageing.
Other sunscreen additives include
Cinnamates, a common skin irritant
Salcylates, skin irritant associated with high risk of dermatitis.  People who are sensitive to asprin may develop allergic type reactions to ingesting or applying to skin.  Look out for names such as ethylexyl, salcylates, homosalate and octyl salicylate.

Sun creams can also contain all the ingredients of body lotions i.e. mineral and synthetic oils, PEG's, TEA, surfactants,preservatives and fragrance.

We have tried to ensure that all our sun creams, whilst being impossible to make chemical free, are as natural as possible and kind to your skin.

Even with using a sunscreen it is still important to limit your time in the sun particularly during the midday hours.

Happy summer, if it doesn't rain all the while!
 

Many people think that companies test their products and ingredients on animals to ensure they are safe for human use.

If this is the real reason then why are chemicals known to cause tumours and cancer in animals allowed to be used in so many of our toiletries and cosmetics?

Why are 4 of the top 10 chemicals used in 'parfum' in our products placed on our skin and perfumes we spray about classified as toxic waste?


The only reason I have found for animal testing is for new to the market chemicals which are tested for short term problems, mainly skin reactions.  These chemicals are being continually introduced so companies can produce new and improved versions to try to get more people to buy their brands.


The bottom line is animal testing is mainly performed for companies monetery gain.  They are not concerned about customers health otherwise they would not use the cheap chemicals already known to cause long term damage to both the people who use them and the environment.


The best way to change this mindset is for us to educate ourselves on what is actually in the products we use and make educated choices about where we spend our hard earned money.


Take a trip to the library and look into books giving guidance on toxic beauty and household products and make up your own mind.

Toulene and its chemical cousin Xylene are aromatic hydrocarbons primarily used as solvents.  They easily enter the body through inhalation and ingestion but are poorly absorbed through the skin.


It is irritating to the skin and respiratory tract.  It can damage eyes, kidneys, liver and central nervous system where it acts as a narcotic.


Toulene is used in nail varnish, hair spray, perfumes and cosmetics.


When used by solvent abusers it can cause permanent hearing loss and brain damage.  Low level exposure can cause irritation of the upper respiratory tract, eyes, sore throst, dizziness and headaches.


Mvavala nail varnish is toulene free and cruelty free which is the main reasons for us stocking it.

Parabens are a chemical compound of para-hydroxybenzoic acid, and common types of parabens include butyl, propyl and ethyl parabens. All parabens used commercially are made synthetically,  they are used  for their ability to reduce the effects of bacteria and spoilage.

Parabens are found in a variety of everyday products - cosmetics, deodorant, face cream, shampoo and toothpaste- an estimated 90% of cosmetic products include parabens.

For many years, parabens have been considered safe, both in the UK and overseas, as they are virtually non-toxic. An allergic reaction or sensitivity to parabens is extremely rare - . However, several studies in recent years have suggested that parabens might not be a safe additive.

Studies have found that the biggest risk from parabens seems to be from the use of products that require a prolonged exposure to skin, such as skin creams and facial lotions. The longer that the parabens are on the skin, the more opportunity there is for parabens to be absorbed. When used in skin care products, parabens are absorbed directly into the blood stream rather than through the gastrointestinal tract.

One type of paraben - methylparaben - has also been linked to the premature aging of skin. A study undertaken in Japan indicated that certain cosmetic products may cause skin to age excessively when exposed to ultra-violet rays. Ironically, this compound can be commonly found in products designed to fight the effects of aging.

One of the biggest areas of concern is the effect of parabens on breast cancer. Several studies have found traces of parabens in women with breast cancer. Parabens can imitate the effects of oestrogen . Although all women need this female hormone for their bodies to function properly  too much oestrogen can have a negative effect. If cancerous tumours do develop, it can encourage their growth, which makes the disease much harder to beat.

Many consumers now question  the necessity of using  parabens at all  Tinctures made from high quality organic herbs and organic grain alcohol are shelf-stable for approximately two to three years.

In the end, it is us, the consumer who must decide whether  to remain a guinea pig for the mainstream cosmetic industry or look at taking our buying power elsewhere.

Both Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) and its close relative Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES) are commonly used in many soaps, shampoos, detergents, toothpastes and other products that we expect to "foam up". Both chemicals are very effective foaming agents, chemically known as surfactants.


Although SLES is somewhat less irritating than Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, it cannot be metabolised by the liver and its effects are therefore much longer-lasting.

So why is a dangerous chemical like sodium lauryl sulfate used in our soaps and shampoos?

The answer is simple - it is cheap. The sodium lauryl sulfate found in our soaps is exactly the same as you would find in a car wash or even a garage, where it is used to degrease car engines.

In the same way as it dissolves the grease on car engines, sodium lauryl sulfate also dissolves the oils on your skin, which can cause a drying effect.
Perhaps most worryingly, SLS is also absorbed into the body from skin application. Once it has been absorbed, one of the main effects of sodium lauryl sulfate is to mimic the activity of the hormone Oestrogen. This has many health implications and may be responsible for a variety of health problems from PMS and Menopausal symptoms to dropping male fertility and increasing female cancers such as breast cancer, where oestrogen levels are known to be involved.

Personally I'll stick to SLES free products from now on!

Amazingly in an age when we have to be told that the cup of coffee we have just paid for is very hot and a snickers bar may contain nuts, perfume manufacturers are not obliged to name all ingredients used in their products. One commonly used ingredient is called civet and did you know it actually comes from the anal glad of the civet cat?? Scary isnt it, to think that we are spraying the anal secretions of a cat onto our bodies everyday. The forceful procedure to take these secretions is both painful and distressing to the animals used and can also cause unnecessary injuries. In our opinion this procedure is barbaric, whoever decided it was a good idea? Particually when there are synthetic alternatives. Bears and musk deer are also cruelly exploited for their secretions for the perfume industry.


Please take a look at our perfume section for some anal sectretion free perfumes. Other alternatives are Ted Baker, Next and Lush. For other cruelty-free brands please buy a Naturewatch shopping guide and support the very important research that they do.

Been doing some research about palm oil as a friend of mine went to Borneo last year to work with the orangutan orphans and was worried about palm oil production destroying their environment.


Pleased to see some of our suppliers only use RSPO sustainable palm oil.   RSPO stands for Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil and is working on keeping local communities and new oil plantations happy.  Similar concept to fairtrade in the hope that working with and educating plantation owners they can limit further areas of high conservation value being lost, these areas are home to the orangutan.

Hope my friend will now feel more comfortable buying from us!

For more information you can visit www.rspo.org.