Amazon icon Audible icon Autographed icon Book Bub icon Booksprout icon Buy Me a Coffee icon Email icon Facebook icon Goodreads icon Instagram icon Mastodon icon Patreon icon Periscope icon Pinterest icon RSS icon Search icon Snapchat icon TikTok icon Tumblr icon Twitter icon Vine icon Youtube icon LinkedIn icon

Tag: Pangea Organics

Non-toxic Body Lotion

I’ve been on a search for a good, moisturizing, non-toxic body lotion ever since the Environmental Working Group announced that my old stand-by lotion contained elements that react to make a toxic compounds.

For years I’ve counted on Alba Botanica Very Emollient Body Lotion as a safe and natural moisturizer. It’s so dry living in Colorado that I must use moisturizer all over my body every day and I’ve been very conscious about not putting things with petroleum products on my skin.

Now I learn that, when tested by the EWG, it was found that my favorite Alba lotion scores a 4 out of 10 on the hazard scale and contains things I don’t want. See for yourself:

Ingredients in this product are linked to:
yes Cancer
yes Developmental/reproductive toxicity
yes Violations, restrictions & warnings
yes Allergies/immunotoxicity
yes Other concerns for ingredients used in this product:
Neurotoxicity, Endocrine disruption, Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive), Multiple, additive exposure sources, Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs), Enhanced skin absorption, Contamination concerns, Biochemical or cellular level changes

Eeeeeeuw. This is supposed to be a safe brand, too.

So I’ve switched to Pangea Organics Body Lotion – French Chamomile with Sweet Orange & Lavender, which has a score of 3. I’m still not happy about a 3, but it’s better than a 4. I LOVE the company, their philosophy, and their products and know that all of their ingredients are totally natural, so I’m a little perplexed as to why they would still score a 3 from the EWG.

Sigh. Why does it seem that every single thing in our world is bad for you somehow? It’s enough to turn even the most natural optimist into a cynic sometimes. It makes me just want to bury my head in the sand and continue using the products I love, risks be damned!

Until the hives come back to remind me how fragile is the balance I’ve carved out for myself.

Do you have a good natural lotion to recommend? Please let me know!

Toxic Chemicals in Cosmetics – Denver, October 5, 2008

The Environmental Working Group, the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics and the Women’s Lobby of Colorado are proud to host a book reading and panel discussion on toxic chemicals in cosmetics, and what low dose exposures to chemicals means for Americans.

The FREE event will take place at Craig Hall at the University of Denver on October 8th at 6:30pm. It will feature Stacy Malkan, author of Not Just a Pretty Face: The Ugly Side of the Beauty Industry, Joshua Onysko, CEO of Pangea Organics, and Sonya Lunder, Senior Analyst at Environmental Working Group, who will give the exciting presentation “10 Americans,” the story of the 287 chemicals they found in the blood of 10 special people.

Light refreshments will be served, and Colorado companies that have signed the Compact for Safe Cosmetics will be on hand with product samples.

RSVP to reserve your spot!

Directions to Craig Hall, Graduate School of Social Work at the University of Denver.