LeadStick Bill Shut Down by Cali Congress

The proposal that cosmetics companies prove that their products contain less than an "unavoidable trace of lead" was rejected by the California Assembly Committee on Health, reports Cosmetics Design.

The Personal Care Products Council called it "a ban on lipstick products with no scientific basis" and did indeed win the day when Attorney General Edmund Brown concluded that the Maximum Allowable Dose Level would have to be 5 ppm in lipstick, whereas the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics found levels of 0.65 - well below the acceptable level.

Well, if at first you don't succeed...

More Language 'Of the Green,' Plus Comments

A few from the LOHAS green glossary that should not be overlooked:

100-mile diet: The purchase and consumption of food that has been grown, produced or manufactured within a 100-mile radius of where you live. Studies show goods shipped across the country, on the other hand, involve significant amounts of fuel.

Ana Says: It's not just expensive fuel, it's less trucks. Remember your last road trip and how you cursed those belching, enormous, highway-hogging trucks?

Biomimicry: A new design strategy that seeks to observe nature and emulate its best ideas, especially when it comes to waste reduction and limiting environmental impact.

Ana Says: Nature, not mother, knows best.

Community-supported agriculture (CSA): A community of individuals who pledge to support a local farm's operations in exchange for weekly deliveries of seasonal produce. Members usually pay for an entire season upfront, or in monthly or weekly installments.

Ana Says: My sister does this, in DC. Oh, the pie we ate, when rhubarb was in season...

Cradle to cradle: A phrase brought into the mainstream by William McDonough and Michael Braungart in their book "Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things" (North Point Press, 2002); refers to manufacturing processes that are efficient and practically waste-free.

Ana Says: Check out McDonough's life-changing lecture on Ted.com.

Guerilla gardening: The practice of cultivating plants and foliage on someone else's land, usually without permission.

Ana Says: It's squatting - for the good of the earth!

Hybrid car: A car that uses two forms of power — an internal combustion engine and an electric motor.

Ana Says: Yes, like they used to just have down in Silicon Valley, and now everywhere. Hybrids are just. plain. sensible. (Like flats used to be.)

Triple bottom line: A corporate framework and measurement of performance that recognizes the interdependence of economy, ecology and equity.

Ana Says: Presidio MBA, all-the-way.†

Upcycled: Refers to waste materials that are recycled into something of greater value or use.

Ana Says: Can I upcycle my husband?

Cult Beauty says to Get Naked

Jessia Gearhart and Elspeth Waters of Cult Beauty are telling us to Get Naked. Their article informs us on what to look for in a product and what to avoid.

BADDIES
Parabens/Petrochemicals: Preservatives, moisturisers that mimic oestrogen. Have been found in breast tumours.

Formaldehyde: Carcinogen released by some preservatives used in cosmetics.

Phthalates: Synthetic chemicals (DEP, DEHP, DBP), linked to reproductive damage.Aluminium salts: In antiperspirant deodorants, linked to breast cancer.

Sulfates (SLS/SLES): Synthetic chemical surfactants that make gels foam. Mimic oestrogen once absorbed by skin.Lead: Metal used in makeup (especially lipstick). Linked with cancer and neurological damage, particularly in unborn babies.

Talc: Chemically similar to Asbestos. Linked to ovarian cancer

GOODIES
Zinc Oxide: Natural SPF. Protects your skin without the irritation, potential harm caused by chemical SPFs

DMAE (Dimethylaminoethnol): Natural substance with anti-inflammatory, anti-ageing properties.

Alpha Lipoic Acid (ALA): Powerful anti-ageing, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory component.

Hyaluronic Acid: Moisturises by retaining water, smoothing wrinkles.Astaxanthin: Natural carotenoid pigment and powerful biological antioxidant. Prevents cell damage.

Retinol: Alcohol form of Vitamin A (anti-ageing vitamin). Use with SPF to stop hyper-pigmentation.

Tocopherols: Derived from Vitamin E. Moisturiser, preservative and scar treatment.

An interesting fact: "Most women absorb around 2kg of chemicals through cosmetic products every year," says Charlotte Vohtz, pharmacologist and founder of Green People.

California Files Lawsuit Against Avalon, Whole Foods Brand

The Great State of California (i.e., the Attorney General) has filed a major lawsuit against body care household-cleaning product companies whose products recently tested highest for the carcinogenic contaminant 1,4-Dioxane, according to the Organic Consumers Association, a "watchdog" organization that released a report in March about the issue.

Their main target? Avalon Natural Products. However, it includes other companies that "have sold products (e.g., body washes, gels, liquid dish soaps) that tested close to or in excess of 20 parts per million for 1,4-Dioxane in the OCA study," which were:

• Whole Foods Market California (365 brand)
• Beaumont Products (Citrus Magic)
• Nutribiotic (See all products tested in the study.)
  

What does this mean for the consumer? Not much - not right now. The complaint is not that this chemical was in the products, but that they were not labeled as products that "may cause cancer."

The lesson here? California is definitely leading the movement towards correct labeling and regulation of personal care and home products...but in the meantime, know your ingredients and READ LABELS. Here's what to look out for (from the OCA press release):

To avoid 1,4-Dioxane, the OCA urges consumers to search ingredient lists for indications of ethoxylation including: "myreth," "oleth," "laureth," "ceteareth," any other "eth," "PEG," "polyethylene," "polyethylene glycol," "polyoxyethylene," or "oxynol," in ingredient names.

Correction: Organic Fashion is Fly

I previously posted a blog about how it seems practically impossible to find organic clothing that is both organic AND stylish. However, this weekend, the girls of the Teens for Safe Cosmetics "Turning Green" Fashion Show proved me wrong.

They walked us through all the major facets of daily life from morning to shopping to a night on the town. And the best part was-they did it all using completely green, sustainable and organic materials. And I must say, I wouldn't mind wearing a few of those outfits myself.

Bravo girls. You enlightened me. And thank you to all of the companies who were inspired to create clothing that is actually wearable for the eco-conscientious citizens of today's world. Maybe I'll go out and buy some new organic outfit for myself. Who can argue with an excuse for a shopping spree?

Lead, in Small Doses, is Still Bad for You

When the news came out a month ago that there were dangerous levels of lead in lipstick, everyone freaked out. Some thought it was a hoax. A few articles came out to fill the need for objective information on the issue.

Though not 100% objective, the best source of information I found is from the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics. They put out a comprehensive report on the problem, with a Q&A section for the truly curious -- I mean, concerned. They write, "Lead is a potent neurotoxin and linked to numerous other health and reproductive problems—and it doesn't belong in lipstick." I hear that.

Their studies show that one-third of the 33 red lipsticks examined by an independent lab contained a level of lead exceeding 0.1 parts per million (ppm). This level, incidentally, is the FDA's limit for lead in candy. As a candy-lover myself, this makes me nervous. Sure, I consume Red Vines at a much faster rate than I ingest -accidentally, of course- Dior Addict "Positive Red" or say, L'Oréal Colour Riche "Classic Wine". But the fact that it is present in both is somewhat unnerving. And what is even scarier is that none of the 'offending' companies listed lead as an ingredient in the product.

John Bailey, the executive vice president of the Cosmetics, Toiletry, and Fragrance trade association, had this to say (via the AP):

The average amount of lead a woman would be exposed to when using cosmetics is 1,000 times less than the amount she would get from eating, breathing and drinking water that meets Environmental Protection Agency drinking-water standards.

I guess, for ultimate safety, we should just stop consuming anything.

It's okay, though, because now we've got some politicians going after them. Mediapost tells us that United States Senators John Kerry, Diane Feinstein, and Barbara Boxer are hot on the FDA's tail, getting them to look into the matter.

Oh, and to actually do something about it.