| The Dirty Dozen |
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| Friday, 22 October 2010 15:35 | |||
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The Dirty Dozen
The US has seen reports from The Environmental Working Group (EWG) on which ingredients to avoid in cosmetics. Many Canadians are also concerned with the safety of their cosmetic and personal care products and are working to do something about it. The David Suzuki Foundation — an advocacy group of scientific and policy experts working with government, businesses, and individuals to protect our environment and promote social change—conducted an online survey inviting Canadians to take a closer look at commonly used personal care products. Commonly used products encompass shampoo, soaps, cosmetics and other personal care products that we use on a daily basis. The survey included 6,243 participants and 12,550 products, 80 percent of which contained at least one ingredient from the Dirty Dozen list, and 57 percent containing more than one. Only 20 percent of products used by the participants contained none of the ingredients on the Dirty Dozen. Eight percent of the products reviewed in the survey carried no ingredient listing at all. Of the toxic ingredients in the products surveyed the most common was fragrance/parfum, showing up in over half of these commonly used products. These synthetic scent ingredient compositions have been linked to such health issues as allergies, asthma, neurotoxicity, and cancer. And what makes them even more dangerous is the fact that manufacturers do not have to disclose the individual scent ingredients on product labels. Many cosmetics manufacturers want to keep their trademark scent "recipes" secret for competitive reasons. This trade secret loophole allows manufacturers using synthetic fragrance to hide hazardous ingredients under the term "fragrance". Fragrance is just one area where the foundation would like to see governmental regulations applied. They would also like other ingredients from the Dirty Dozen replaced with safer alternatives, prohibition of anti-bacterial household products (tricosan), restrict use of terms “natural” and “organic” in products that contain harmful ingredients, and extend ingredient disclosure to household cleaners, toys, and furnishings (items which often contain no ingredient listings). The bright side? This is one area where consumers actually do have some control. Become familiar with the Dirty Dozen and follow brands that prohibit use of these ingredients. Lavera products are made with safe, healthy ingredients and are BDIH Certified Natural. All products contain full ingredient listings following INCI labeling laws.As for fragrance in Lavera products? Yes, you will see the term “Fragrance (Parfum)” on Lavera labels. Lavera uses a confidential blend of natural essential oils to create the unique scent of it products. The listing Fragrance appears with an footnote stating that only natural essential oils are used. The BDIH certification confirms that only natural ingredients are used in Lavera products. At Lavera, we carry everything from shampoo and body wash, to makeup and anti-aging skin care. All safe, gentle, and free from harmful synthetic ingredients. Looking to restock your bathroom shelves today? Check out our affordable Basis Family Care line and our Organic Hair Care line. By stocking up on safe cosmetic and personal care products for your family you are using your consumer dollars to voice your opinion on the ingredients you would like to use. And those you don’t. The Dirty Dozen
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