The Gurrola Family

Tag Archives: non-toxic

Beauty Counter Foundation

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What initially drew my eye: Beautycounter’s commitment to products with safe ingredients. They have a list of over 1,500 ingredients that they promise to never use. They regularly pour over all sorts of studies and even commission some of their own to examine ingredients for toxicity. That’s awesome. But that’s not the whole story.

They don’t claim to be all-natural, “Over 80% of the ingredients in our products are organic, natural or plant derived. The others are synthetic…but that doesn’t mean that they are unsafe.” I get it. To mass-produce things economically and safely, you often have to include synthetic preservatives to make sure your products don’t spoil and kill someone. That is always my answer when a reader asks why I don’t sell my own products. And I’ve said time and again that natural skincare is not an all or nothing process. Any little step helps in the journey towards a healthier life. To foster transparency, Beautycounter even provides a complete glossary of their ingredients.

I’ve tried a lot of safer make-up brands but have yet to fall in love with the whole line. I have been on the hunt for a safer foundation so my awesome friend Stephanie invited me to try Beautycounter foundation. I decided to give it a try, so I bought the Tint Skin Foundation for $41 +tax & shipping. The price doesn’t really bother me cause before switching to safer brands I still bought high end products. I am extremely fair skinned so I purchased the porcelain shade which turned out to be a perfect match.

I applied with a brush. It went on smoothly and evenly. A little bit of product went a long way. It is a very light weight foundation so I used about a dime sized amount to get a full coverage. I tend to have oily skin and found that this did not add to my oiliness nor did it dry me out. It stayed in place well over 14 hours of rigorous mom life of 4 kids ages 1-10! When it was time to hit the hay I usually notice that when removing my make-up my skin will feel dry or even flakey, but not with this foundation. My skin felt soft and plump!

Overall thoughts
I applaud Beautycounter for their mission. I believe in it, I support it, and I want to do everything I can to bring awareness to the brand in the hope that more and more women will recognize the chemicals in their products and start choosing safer alternatives.

That said, from trying out their face products, I get the impression that these are designed more for the woman who doesn’t like to wear a lot of makeup, prefers a very natural look when she does wear makeup or for a woman that already has beautiful skin. These products are formulated to enhance what you already have, but if you’re looking for something with the ability to transform, hide or cover, these products are probably not the best choice for you. I would love to see Beautycounter come out with a face line that provides a broader range of coverage options, but understand that they’re bound by their ability to do so while sourcing from ingredients that are healthy and sustainable.

Toxic Candles

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TOXIC CANDLES1-FBpostWhat is really in a candle?

They may seem safe, regular scented candles are a huge source of indoor air pollution and they put off a lot of chemicals that are considered just as dangerous as second-hand smoke. Paraffin is a petroleum waste product and has to be deodorized and chemically bleached before it can be made in to wax.

Most candles are made of paraffin wax, which creates highly toxic benzene and toluene, when burned they can cause damage to the brain, lung and central nervous system, as well as cause developmental difficulties (both are known carcinogens, aka known to cause cancers). In fact, the toxins released from paraffin candles are the same as those found in diesel fuel fumes. I don’t know about you, but I’m not okay with diesel fuel fumes in my home.

Numerous people who have asthma have reported that they can’t even go into a store if the store sells scented candles, even if they aren’t being burned,. They emit so much fragrance that they can trigger asthma attacks and even migraines.

On top of that, many scented candles also have wicks that contain heavy metals like lead, and even a few hours of burning them can create levels of airborne heavy metals that are much higher than the acceptable limits. In the US, candle wicks are supposed to be made of cotton or paper, but studies have found that as much as 30% of candles contain heavy metals in the wicks.

“A candle with a lead-core wick releases five times the amount of lead considered hazardous for children and exceeds EPA pollution standards for outdoor air, says the CPSC, which is why they banned lead wicks in 2003. Exposure to high amounts of lead has been linked to hormone disruption, behavioral problems, learning disabilities, and numerous health problems.” (source)

Many candles also contain artificial scents and dyes, which release additional chemicals when burned.

“Other toxic chemicals that may be present in the paraffin mixture and released through burning include: Acetone, Trichlorofluoromethane, Carbon Disulfide, 2-Butanone, Trichloroethane, Trichloroethene, Carbon Tetrachloride, Tetrachloroethene, Chlorobenzene, Ethylbenzene, Styrene, Xylene, Phenol, Cresol, Cyclopentene. Some of the toxins are found in other products such as paint, laquer and varnish removers– that’s potent and powerful stuff!”

“Petro-soot from paraffin candles gives off the same soot as the exhaust of a diesel engine, and is considered just as dangerous as second hand smoke, causing problems from headaches to lung cancer. Paraffin fumes have been found to cause tumors in the kidneys and liver of lab animals.”

When I first realized all the problems with scented (and unscented paraffin based candles) candles, I was really bummed. Like most of you I love all those amazing seasonal scents and those awesome store displays just scream “Buy me I’ll make you forget your house has 4 kids and several furry creatures!”

So in my disappointment I decided to seek out other NON-TOXIC ways to create the cozy scented atmosphere I wanted in my home.

The best option I’ve found are beeswax candles, which are not only safe, but have the added benefit of helping clean indoor air.
Beeswax candles emit negative ions, which help reduce positively charged ions in the air.

Dictionary:
“Positive ions, or cations, are formed by the loss of electrons; negative ions, or anions, are formed by the gain of electrons. An atom that has either lost or gained one or more electrons, so that it has an electrical charge. Ions can be either positively or negatively charged.”

Positive ions are generated by electrical devices, by scented candles, by walking across carpet, and even by heating/cooling systems. They are a fact of life, but they can carry everything from dust to pollen to toxic mold, so it is important to reduce them. Indoor air typically has a higher concentration of positive ions.

This is where negatively charged ions come in. They bind together and have a heavier molecular weight so they are no longer floating around the air.

Beeswax candles are a source of negative ions, and can help reduce indoor air pollution.

Make sure your scents are from high quality essential oils. Essential oils can help promote a healthier home. Just do some research first, DO NOT mix essential oils without consulting a pro or reading up on their history and use. They are a GREAT tool used in natural medicine and need to be used wisely.

 

Beautifully Clean

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Danger-MakeUpAlmost 8 months ago now we made the decision to go ‘chemical free’ in our home and our lifestyle. It seemed the natural step after understanding the importance of what we put in our body i.e. food. Research just gradually led us to discovering that what we put on our body, breathe in through our lungs and cleaned my environment in all matters too. We were really motivated by just wanting to teach our kids to live the best life possible by making wise decisions. We see so many kids who are being taught that McDonald’s and other fast food places is like a rite of passage and we constantly hear “if you’re “good” we’ll go to that fast food place with the playground”. Then parents are wondering why there’s a rise in children’s diseases like cancers and other immune disorders. If we know better we should do better. Well we KNOW that we want a better life than that for our kids.

The first step we took was a mass clean out of the kitchen & bathroom. We threw out a 3 huge garbage bags of products that were not suitable. It was amazing how much ‘stuff’ we had accumulated over time and simply didn’t use! This was rather therapeutic and cleansing plus it cleared up a lot of space in our house.

Here’s a list of some of the ingredients that were removed from our home.

Lead: It seems crazy, but according to the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics (CSC), more than 60% of popular lipsticks contain lead. Brands with the highest lead levels were L’Oreal, Maybelline, Cover Girl and Revlon. And an FDA study found lead in hundreds of lipsticks (five of the 10 most lead-contaminated were made by L’Oreal). Lead is a proven neurotoxin, and its particularly dangerous for pregnant women and children.

Triclosan: Triclosan is a suspected endocrine disrupter, meaning it messes with your hormones and could lead to fertility problems (in men and women), breast cancer and thyroid issues (they’re particularly dangerous for fetuses and tween/teen girls). Because triclosan is antimicrobial, it’s found in deodorants, toothpaste and soap (including Bath & Body Works soaps). But studies have shown no evidence that it’s better than soap and water at killing germs.

Formaldehyde: Formaldehyde is present in more beauty products than you’d think, even though it’s been classified as a known human carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer and a probable human carcinogen by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Though there’s been outcry about formaldehyde in chemical hair straighteners, it can also be found in nail polish, face wash and makeup. DMDM-Hydantoin, a preservative that releases formaldehyde, is also common in shampoos. Imidazolidinyl Urea and DMDM Hydantoin – These are formaldehyde donors, which means that they are derivatives of the formaldehyde, which is what scientists and morticians use to preserve corpses and body parts. Remember dissecting frogs in school? These chemicals are linked to allergies, chest pain, chronic fatigue, depression, dizziness, ear infections, headaches, joint pain, loss of sleep, and can trigger asthma. They can weaken the immune system, and—surprise surprise—cause cancer. Imidazolidinyl Urea and DMDM Hydantoin are used in skin, body and hair products, antiperspirants, and nail polish.

Toluene: Found in nail polish, perfume and hair dye, toluene can cause dizziness, headaches and skin irritation. It also poses special danger to developing fetuses, upping risk of both miscarriage in moms and birth defects in babies. The European Union banned its use in cosmetics in 2004. It might also appear on labels as phenylmethane, methylbenzene, or toluol.

Hydroquinone: Hydroquinone is one of the most toxic chemicals still used in cosmetics today. A carcinogen in and of itself, it can also increase exposure to UV rays (thereby upping risk for skin cancer, too). It’s most commonly found in skin-lightening products, but it’s also found in hair relaxers, hair dye, hair-extension glue, hair removers and sunless tanning products. The FDA moved to ban its use in these products back in 2006, but never has.

Phthalates: Used to preserve color and scents in makeup, phthalates are endocrine disruptors that have been linked to cancer, sperm damage and reproductive problems. Phthalates are often added to synthetic fragrances, which are uber-common in soaps, lotions, cleansers and hair care products. Because products are allowed to list ‘fragrance’ as an ingredient without specifying what that means, many products contain phthalates even though their ingredient lists don’t.

Parabens: Used as a preservative in cosmetics, shampoos and lotions, parabens are also endocrine disruptors that have been linked to breast cancer and male reproductive problems. Look out for ingredients methylparaben, butylparaben, ethylparaben and propylparaben. Banned by the European Union in 2003, phthalates and parabens are a group of chemicals commonly used as preservatives in cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. They keep hairsprays sticky and bacteria and fungus out of things like nail polish and perfume. Both have demonstrated themselves to be carcinogenic and particularly linked to breast cancer.

DEA (Diethanolamine), MEA (Monoethanolamine), TEA (Triethanolamine): These three chemicals are hormone-disrupting chemicals that can form cancer-causing agents—research indicates a strong link to liver and kidney cancer. They are commonly found in shampoos, soaps, bubble baths, and facial cleansers.

Quaternium-15: Commonly causes allergic reactions and dermatitis, and breaks down into formaldehyde. Quarternium-15 is used as a preservative in many skin and hair care products.

Mineral Oil: A petroleum derivative that coats the skin like Saran Wrap, which prevents the skin from breathing, absorbing, and excreting. It also slows the skin’s natural cell development, causing the skin to age prematurely. Note that baby oil is 100% mineral oil—and 100% bad for your baby’s sensitive skin.

PEG (Polyethylene Glycol): PEGs are most commonly used in spray-on oven cleaners and in many hair and skin products. PEG’s main functions are to dissolve oil and grease. Thus, on the body, they take the protective oils off the skin and hair, making them more vulnerable to other toxins.

 

Before we threw everything out we had researched several brands that were going to be our “clean” replacements. Be careful when searching for safe brands that you still take the time to read the ingredients. Remember there are no laws that govern the use of words like “natural” or “clean” companies can slap those words on anything to draw you into buying it.

For our home products and personal care items we went with all Mōdere products. Excellent everyday essential items: laundry detergent, dishwasher detergent, shampoos, amazing skin care line and much more. If you’d like to try out a product from Mōdere simply use this code 600574 at check out for a FREE $10.00 with NO Minimum purchase.

Now this part is for all the ladies out there… Did you check your make-up for these toxic ingredients? I was shocked to find out how much junk was in my so called natural mineral make-up.
Considering how easily the chemical and synthetic additives in commercial lipsticks, glosses, and balms are ingested, it’s doubly important to buy all-natural or organic lip and face care products. Popular makeup products, including lipsticks and glosses, use an array of chemical ingredients, from pigments and dyes to fragrances and flavorings, that can harm one of the most sensitive parts of your body. Why expose yourself to possible dangers when you don’t have to?

So to help make it a little easier for you here are a few companies you can look to for healthier cosmetics:

Foundation Options: Painted Earth

Eye Shadow Options: ZAO

Mascara Options: LashLuxe PE

Lip Options: Au Naturale Liner , LipStick , Gloss

Anti-Aging Skin Care: M1 by Mōdere (I highly recommend this product! If you are looking to improve the health of your skin this M1 is amazing. I wanted to get away from wearing so much make-up and decided to focus on improving the health of my skin so I could be confident enough to not feel that NEED to cover it all up. Check out my before & after photos here: Pic1, Pic2, Pic3, Pic4.)

We hope this helps you in your journey to live clean. We have learned a lot in a short amount of time and we just want to share our passion for living the best life possible and for us that means a clean healthy lifestyle. If you have any questions or need help searching out some other safe products let us know we’d be happy to help!

Laundry Pods by Modere Review

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laundryIf you have any children chances are you have several of these baskets just like this at least once a week if not more.

Then once the pile is sorted you notice all of the hundreds of stains and you find yourself wondering…”now how did they get THAT, There?”

If you have more than two kids you have probably given up on the whole “pre-treat/pre-soaking” idea, because honestly who has the time.

We grew tired of all these stains and at one point considered throwing it all out and starting over, but then we of course came to our senses. It was time to find a better detergent. Our kids are extremely sensitive to certain soaps, perfumes, detergents etc. so we couldn’t just run out and buy anything that looked good. We began researching clean, safe brands. A friend shared Modere with us and told us they were all about cutting out the gross nasty chemicals that aren’t good for anyone. We looked up their laundry pods and immediately we saw “Free of: phosphates, dyes, chlorine, and NPE“… we were thinking…hey that’s a good start. So we decided this would be the one we try out.

Do you really need harsh chemicals to keep your clothes germ-free? In wanting to get my house chemical free I was in the search for laundry soap that would do the job of cleaning our clothes but didn’t put harsh chemicals on our skin or in our environment.

Check out our review:

★★★★

Pros:

  • Smell absolutely amazing with the fresh scent of vanilla and lavender. I love lavender! It’s calming and one of those most relaxing essential oils out there.
  • I love that they come in a pack of 32 pods come in a small canister, so it can fit in even the smallest of laundry rooms.
  • I love how clean and sleek the design is of Modere products, it definitely caught this graphic designer’s eye. 
  • Laundry Pods make laundry a breeze. These convenient, pre-measured pods are easy to pop in the wash and clean all our clothes.
  • It can be used in hot or cold water (I normally use cold water).
  • I have an HE machine and it can also be used in standard washing machines too.

Cons:

  • Did not completely remove heavy stains unless I added some extra Lemon essential oil to the load.