Parisian's Pure Indulgence

The Paraben Controversy

What are Parabens?  Parabens are preservatives used in food, drugs, and cosmetics.  They are primarly used to give products longer shelf life and to protect the consumer from micro-organism growth. They are listed on your ingredients labels as methyl, propyl, butyl and ethyl-paraben. 

Our purpose in sharing this information, is to allow you to be able to make your own conclusion and decision when it comes to the use of Parabens.  Because there is evidence of concern,  Parisian's Pure Indulgence has made the decision to err on the side of caution, and chooses NOT to use Parabens in any of our products.

The following information comes from the Cosmetic Ingredient Review:

Are there health risks associated with the use of parabens in cosmetics?

The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) reviewed the safety of methylparaben, propylparaben, and butylparaben in 1984 and concluded they were safe for use in cosmetic products at levels up to 25%. Typically parabens are used at levels ranging from 0.01 to 0.3%.

On November 14, 2003, the CIR began the process to reopen the safety assessments of methylparaben, ethylparaben, propylparaben, and butylparaben in order to offer interested parties an opportunity to submit new data for consideration. In September 2005, the CIR decided to re-open the safety assessment for parabens to request exposure estimates and a risk assessment for cosmetic uses. In December 2005, after considering the margins of safety for exposure to women and infants, the Panel determined that there was no need to change its original conclusion that parabens are safe as used in cosmetics. (The CIR is an industry-sponsored organization that reviews cosmetic ingredient safety and publishes its results in open, peer-reviewed literature. FDA participates in the CIR in a non-voting capacity.)

A study published in 2004 (Darbre, in the Journal of Applied Toxicology) detected parabens in breast tumors. The study also discussed this information in the context of the weak estrogen-like properties of parabens and the influence of estrogen on breast cancer. However, the study left several questions unanswered. For example, the study did not show that parabens cause cancer, or that they are harmful in any way, and the study did not look at possible paraben levels in normal tissue.

FDA is aware that estrogenic activity in the body is associated with certain forms of breast cancer. Although parabens can act similarly to estrogen, they have been shown to have much less estrogenic activity than the body’s naturally occurring estrogen. For example, a 1998 study (Routledge et al., in Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology) found that the most potent paraben tested in the study, butylparaben, showed from 10,000- to 100,000-fold less activity than naturally occurring estradiol (a form of estrogen). Further, parabens are used at very low levels in cosmetics. In a review of the estrogenic activity of parabens, (Golden et al., in Critical Reviews in Toxicology, 2005) the author concluded that based on maximum daily exposure estimates, it was implausible that parabens could increase the risk associated with exposure to estrogenic chemicals.

FDA believes that at the present time there is no reason for consumers to be concerned about the use of cosmetics containing parabens. However, the agency will continue to evaluate new data.

The flip side of the controversy is:

 "According to The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in their report "Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products in the Environment: Agents of Subtle Change?" reported that the chemical preservatives called parabens—methyl, propyl, butyl and ethyl (alkyl-p-hydroxybenzoates)—displayed estrogenic activity in several tests. This means that these chemicals mimic your body´s own hormones and can have endocrine-disrupting action when they are rubbed into your body or washed down the drain into your drinking water. These disruptors interfere with your body´s endocrine system: your hypothalamus, your ovaries, your thyroid—virtually every system in your body. The EPA also stated that "continual introduction of these benzoates (parabens) into sewage treatment systems and directly to recreational waters from the skin leads to the question of risk to aquatic organisms."

Timeless Beauty

"Creating Timeless Beauty" is the Parisian's Pure Indulgence slogan.  At first, "Timeless Beauty"  was a nicer way of saying anti-aging, but over the years, it has begun to take on new meaning for me. 

Does beauty age?  Our outer shells may, but beauty that comes from inside of us, in my opinion, can actually increase over the years. I believe we can become more beautiful over time.  Qualities such as intelligence, confidence, joy, passion for life and compassion for others, make us more attractive, at any age.

To quote Sofia Loren,  “There is a fountain of youth: it is your mind, your talents, the creativity you bring to your life and the lives of people you love. When you learn to tap this source, you will truly have defeated age.

Inner strength is an attribute of timeless beauty.  Overcoming life's challenges, with a positive spirit, shows in the way we are seen by others, but more importantly, in how we see ourselves. 

As one who created a mid-life makeover,  I understand and have found my inner strength within my faith.  My faith in God and faith in myself. We all have the ability to re-discover, or re-invent ourselves.  It becomes a matter of choice whether we tap into the strength, and believe in our abilities.   For me this required learning to work through my fears, learning where they came from, and facing them head on with the strength of my spirtuality.

I've learned that inner beauty is my essence, and involves trusting myself.  My outer beauty  will fade with time, but my inner beauty evolves with age and is timeless.

Celebrating!

Parisian's Pure Indulgence Launches a New Look!

We are proud to unveil our new look and thank those who have been instrumental in assisting us with design of our new labels.

 

Jennifer Kirkwood of La Diva Dolce for Logo Design.

and the very talented, Carolyn Sweeney - Graphic Artist - Label Design.  To contact Carolyn: carolynBsweeney@yahoo.com  or 818/597-1132

 

 

To see more or to order... www.ParisiansPureIndulgence.com

 

The (not so) Healthy Glow

It's July, and by now many of you are probably tanned to a golden brown.  Perhaps you've bought into some of these sun and skin myths...

Myth #1 - If I get a "Base Tan," it will keep me from getting sun burned

On MayoClinic.com, Dr.Lawrence E. Gibson, M.D. responds:

Many people go to tanning salons to get a so-called "base tan" before leaving on a beach vacation. The theory behind this is a few sessions of indoor tanning will protect your skin from sunburn in a sunny climate. But there's no proof that this is true.

"Tanning under the sun or a sunlamp gives protection that is equivalent to a sun protection factor (SPF) of 4 or less, which translates into a little extra time in the sun before you start to burn. But the larger issue is that any change in skin color is a sign of damage from ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Repeated exposure to UV radiation — whether from the sun or a sunlamp — increases your risk of premature skin aging and skin cancer."

Myth #2 -  If I tan slowly and don't burn, I'm not harming my skin

Any time you experience any change in the color of your skin due to sun exposure, you are damaging your skin.

Myth #3 - I’m not overly concerned about skin cancer, if it happens, it’s easy to treat and only old people get it, right?

Wrong...Skin cancer can happen to you when you're young and treatment can result in permanent scarring.  Note from Kelli:  I have two 1 inch scars from skin cancers removed when I was in my 20's.

Myth #4 - If I'm driving, I can't get sunburned through the glass window

Ever notice that one side of your face has more sun damage than the other?  Take a look at the tops your hands too.  Glass reduces transmission of UVB rays, but only a third of UVA rays. Both UVA and UVB radiation contribute to sunburn and skin cancer.  Tip from Kelli - always apply your sunscreen to the top of your hands, as well as the rest of you, before you leave the house.

Myth #5 - I'm not going to be in the sun today, don't need sunblock

It takes as little as 11 minutes in the sun to burn and cause damage.  Are you going out to water yard, collect your mail, go to the gas station, walk from the parking lot to work or shopping.  11 minutes is not very long.  Don't take the risk, apply sun block before leaving the house always...get in the habit.

Myth #6 - You need a separate sunscreen and moisturizer

A good sunscreen will also include hydrate.  If you are someone with oily skin, using a separate moisturizer is especially unnecessary.   Use a titanium and zinc oxide based sun blocks for best protection.

Avoid chemical based sun blocks.  Remember, everything that goes on your skin eventually makes it's way in to your body, in small amounts.  Titanium and zinc oxide are UVA/UVB reflectors and the safest broad spectrum sun blocking agents.

Parisian's Pure Indulgence Parasol SPF30 contains the safest and purist sun block ingredients and moisturizes at the same time, therefore, no need for two products.

"Good enough to eat"

Article from Cosmetics Design: The trend for food ingredients in cosmetics gains pace

By Leah Armstrong, 09-Jun-2009

A rising number of cosmetics companies are now formulating products from ingredients normally found in the kitchen. This is the latest trend to emerge from escalating interest in organic and natural products.

Judi Beerling, technical research manager at Organic Monitor told Cosmetics Design that she has watched this trend develop over the past 12 months. As well as noticing more companies launching natural and organic formulations from edible ingredients, she says “there have been a number of food ingredient suppliers exhibiting at recent cosmetic shows and moving more aggressively into this area.”

Edible products

Yes to Carrots and Intelligent Nutrients have been the brands to overtly exploit this trend. At a recent Natural Beauty Summit, Horst Rechelbacher from Intelligent Nutrients (founder of Aveda) drank some of his hairspray to show how natural the product was.

Similarly, Ido Leffer, CEO of Yes to Carrots ate some USDA lip balm to demonstrate the purity of the food ingredient. The Bodyshop and Lush have been incorporating food in their cosmetics for years, using fresh foods such as bananas. However, their products are not completely edible.

Beerling told Cosmetics Design that she believed that this trend was building upon the widespread public interest in organic and natural products. Although she stated that this was not the only factor in determining the success of the food trend, it was one which “resonated very well with the consumer.”

What are the benefits?

One of the most obvious benefits for companies using food ingredients is the power it gives as a marketing tool. Visual appeal as well as a belief in the purity of the product chimes well with consumers, who are now increasingly receptive to organic and natural cosmetics. Beerling says that there is often truth behind the consumer perception that organic products are better for you, since “natural ingredients tend to have an affinity with the skin’s structure”.

There are also numerous practical benefits to using food ingredients for cosmetics manufacturers. Food crops are widely available and organic crops are becoming increasingly easy to source. Ingredients can be produced from by-products of the food industry, which is cost-effective and environmentally friendly.