Antimony: Friend or Foe?

Hello Kittens,

     Save the mention of ancient kohl eyeliner ingredients, this post isn't really about sustainable cosmetics. It's about antimony and safe toys, but I figure if you give a crap about what's in your makeup, you probably won't mind hearing about what your kids and pets could get their paws and mouths into as the holidays roll on and the new toys abound. More of such coverage is on Zen of Homekeeping, where this post originally appeared. XO Your Kitty.

     We've had real guinea pigs and hamsters. The idea of which, always proved to be more fun than the real thing. The former fling pissy hay and poo ("Don't eat the brown tic tacs," my son would say when we would find said poop far from the cage). The latter scatter, only to be found dead and shriveled in a duct somewhere. If this is not your hamster's fate and he or she lives to the ripe age of 18 months or so, you can expect a lifetime of wild goose chases through the house looking for them and wondering how they broke out of the plastic ball. I'm not really a rodent person.

     I am, however, a robot person, and the idea of a sweet little animatronic Mr. Squiggles who won't die or get lost of fling poo is suddenly somewhat appealing. I got all excited for nothing when I learned sometime around Thanksgiving what these were. By the time I got on board, the little bastards had sold out like Furbies or Cabbage Patch Kids. Then my mom got her hands on a couple of them, and now the news that they may not be safe! Here is my report:

     I woke Monday morning to the first snow in Indiana, and the report that Zhu Zhu pets may be unsafe due to high antimony content. Merideth Viera announced the news on Today, which basically amounted to the product’s manufacturer insisting the toys couldn’t even be imported into the US if the levels weren’t safe (oh, because that’s always carefully monitored and enforced – hello lead toys!). Then we heard about the throngs of shoppers clambering for these furry little f-ers, selling them for up to three times the retail price on Ebay.

     I happen to be expecting two of these toys any day now; my mother tracked them down in Florida. Your Kitty, half-mad with OCD over toxic chemicals to begin with, began fur-reaking out. What is antimony, why is it used, and are these hamster robots going to drive Spot bonkers and then kill him when he stalks and eats them?

     All the Today show reported was that antimony is used in flame retardants. Well, that’s all I heard anyway, before I dashed off to my trusty iKitty to begin a whole science project.

 Indeed, antimony is used in flame retardants, and it’s actually a naturally occurring mineral that has numerous purposes. In fact, it has been used since pre-Islamic cultures as a cosmetic! It can be mixed with fat to make kohl eye makeup.

Wikipedia cites “The most important use of antimony is as a hardener in lead for storage batteries.” It’s also used to treat protozoal infections (eeew) and to harden ceramic enamels and glass. It’s the sort of thing one would expect to find in electronics such as robotic vermin.

Initially, I decided the boys around here are all old enough not to put a toy hamster in their mouths, so it’s probably OK. But my obsessive thoughts wouldn’t leave it alone, and I worried about my pups (who attacked both the Roomba and Scooba floor robots, and now I'm back to manual labor). What if the dudes and dogs handle these things…will antimony rub off like lead paint chips and hurt them? I dug deeper.

Rather than paraphrase the rather disturbing effects of high doses of antimony, I’ll take the liberty of posting Wikipedia’s paragraph labeled, “Precautions:” (*I edited this a little for space and boringness relevance, but you’ll get the gist)

“See also: Arsenic poisoning

Antimony and many of its compounds are toxic. Clinically, antimony poisoning is very similar to arsenic poisoning. In small doses, antimony causes headache, dizziness, and depression. Larger doses cause violent and frequent vomiting, and will lead to death in a few days…Antimony leaches from polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles into bottled water, but at levels below drinking water guidelines…”

     Aw snap! One more horrible toxin to avoid. See, the thing is, maybe the amount of antimony contained in a Zhu Zhu pet is minimal and thus considered “safe” by toy industry standards. But what about the antimony that lurks in a Wii Remote, or an MP3 player, or batteries, or cell phones? What is the cumulative effect of all this exposure?

     And most importantly, what is the effect of chronic antimony exposure to a developing, pediatric brain? Over time, how can we expect children of the Digital Age to develop given the deluge of electronics in our ever-evolving culture?

     

So, that’s what I worried about today for about 3 hours. How did your morning go?!?

Suki Organic Eye Repair Balm: 2 Paws Up!

I wasn't familiar with Suki until my last foray at Beautorium. Though I've tried combo products before to "repair" my 37 year old eyes and lips, I have been less than enthused with Caudalie the results. This balm is the bomb! I don't know how I've lived so long with out this uber green skin care product! Made with carrot extracts and rose hips, it's really doing the job. I will say it smells a little medicinal, but you can rest assured there are no added fragrant dangers (such as pthalates). I get mine at Beautorium, because frankly I just like patronizing a truly sustainable store. I do recommend using a swab to remove it from its simple jar packaging. Because there are no preservatives like parabens to poison you, the bacteria from your fingertip could easily fester in your product. Eeeew.
Happy Thanksgiving to all, have a safe and peaceful holiday. And thank you from the bottom of my heart for joining me here on Organic Orgy!

All the Sustainable Shower Products I Currently Use

     As requested by one loyal kitten: my current tried and true excellent sustainable shower products, well loved and still wet from the last go-round a few minutes ago! Old favorites like John Masters Organics, of course. You've heard about them in previous posts. Forthwith, some new great things I have to share since uncrating my ginormous Beautorium order last week.
1. Red Flower's Nature-Lymphatic Phytopower Sea Cleanser & Masque (see photo below). They had me at "made with windpower." This very healthy, very effective cleanser can also dry into a masque. It's great, it's green and I love it!
2. Nature's Gate Pomegranate Sunflower Body Wash. I get this at drugstore.com, but I'm sure you can find it in a variety of places. Nature's Gate is a relatively common health brand. I've had it for months; the bottle is huge, and the price is sustainable, too!
3. Korres Lemon and Sage Body Scrub. Divine. A new favorite from Beautorium.
4. EO Lavender Bubble Bath. Also from drugstore.com.  I trust my skin to nothing less than pure essential oils and vegetable cleansers. It smells like a million bucks, and is effectively aromatherapeutic. If you want to learn more about that business, head over to The Fragrant Muse. She has gotten me into a serious study of essential oils and their healing properties. I'm a changed kitten since I began incorporating REAL natural fragrances into my health and beauty routines!

Red Flower is "Biodynamic and free of dyes, parabens, sulfates, petrochemicals and synthetic preservatives. usda, wildcrafted, sustainably sourced and biodegradable,100% wind powered post consumer recycled (and recyclable) packaging where possible using vegetable inks, certified organic fruit, nut and flower oils." (Beautorium.com)

Help At-Risk Children Explore Art and Creativity by Shopping!

January 2009: Last fall, I called upon family and friends of Innerspace Yoga to reach out to help at-risk children in the Indianapolis community. Thanks to your generous donations in class, our seven year old friend had a warm Christmas with many toys and new boots! Thanks to your abundant shopping through links on Innerspace Yoga and kitty:we also raised about $100 in advertising revenue, which bought materials needed for the art studio at St. Mary’s Child Center!

    One person bought her holiday stationery; another picked up a motherlode of Legos. Little bits added up and the children enjoyed new art supplies! The teachers requested a gift certificate to Michael's, where they could maximize their dollars. They loved it!

    Although I don’t really know who did what since Innerspace isn’t privy to your personal information, I thank you from the bottom of my heart....whomever you are! In the coming year, Innerspace Yoga will reach as many as 100 at-risk Indianapolis youth, spreading the message of peace, love and sustainability through the art and science of yoga. As always, I invite you to get involved with that effort. Namaste!

Update 11-11-09: This year, Innerspace Yoga will donate 75% of our advertising revenues between November 1, 2009 and January 1, 2010 to St. Mary's Child Center to purchase items from the wish list for the students' art instruction. To participate, just click on ad banners and hotlinks on any page in our domain - including this one. To learn more about the project and to get started, please visit our Seva Page on the Innerspace mothership site. You can also start now by browsing the Innerspace OM Shop at the bottom of this post.

     The products, brands, and artists advertised within the Innerspace domain are not directly participating in the Seva Project 09. When you click on their links, you are leaving us and going to them to become a customer (hopefully). Please enable your browser to accept cookies on these sites, otherwise your purchase won't earn revenue for us! Thank You so much, Your Kitty.

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Natural Face Cleanser: a Guest Review

     I've been using Korres 3-in-One facial cleanser for the last month or so. Korres is a great natural brand, and I use several of their products. Last weekend, my aunt came from Chicago for an impromptu overnight visit. She likes to use any hand soap on her face, probably Dove or Ivory. She didn't enjoy the peppermint Dr. Bonner's castile and water mixture we use at the sink (it smells awesome and is the most sustainable multi-purpose soap EVER). The next day, she asked for cleanser. I gave her the Korres.
     "Jesus, is that shit slimy or what!" she exclaimed. I wonder if she curses when she is teaching language arts at the elementary school. "As for taking off makeup, well, it wouldn't remove a booger." That, my kittens, is what I call a guest review.

Eye Makeup Tips and Techniques

The fall and holiday makeup seasons are always my favorite because they are heavy on the eye shadow. In the 80s, when I began experimenting with cosmetics, I had a penchant for purple - and now it's back! What I didn't know at the tender age of 11 or 12 was that I didn't need eye shadow then. Not because a smoky lid and black eyeliner looks sluttatious on a tweener (which it does, of course), but because I had nothing to conceal - yet!

As we age, tiny lines and creases crop up where once smooth lids naturally glistened before becoming puffy hoods and bags. My heavy eyeliner is no longer a homage to the inner Goth; rather, I use the products in trompe l'oeil fashion to hide uneven skin pigments and areas that are beginning to look like crepe paper!

My friend Melissa and I used to apply our makeup on the bus, using multi-hued palettes and our fingers to match our eye makeup to our outfits. Not bad in a pinch, but the more mature eye needs precision instruments, and now I know swiping a finger across pressed makeup is just gross - even if it's your own finger in your own eyeshadow! If indeed you are guilty of this cosmetic sin, and you find your supplies caked with bumpy oil marks, you can scrape the top yucky part off the product with a razor blade and start over without necessarily having to trash the whole thing. Get a good set of brushes, and sin no more!

Yes, blue eyed beauties can wear azure colored shadows, and brown eyes can be accented with earth tones, but it is more important to match your make up colors to your own skin tone than your sweater. When I worked in fashion journalism, I had a Chanel artist tell me anyone can wear any hue, it's just a matter of intensity.

In cosmetic artistry, as in painting, light colors accentuate features, and dark hues make things recede. Therefore, if you have small lids you will only make your eyes look smaller and puffier by using frosty, pearlescent and pastel colors from lash to brow. Conversely, if you'd like to minimize the look of enlarging eyelids, you'll want to contour below the browbone with something darker than what you wear on your lids. Then blend, blend, blend!

Light colored eyeshadow can be swept into the inner corner of the lid to give you a fresh, wide-eyed look. Save the sparkly light shades for just under the eyebrow. And for the love of Kevin Aucoin, don't you dare put glitter on your lids if it's not Halloween and you are even one minute over 30!

When I am applying heavy shadow (which I do once or twice a week), I stick a piece of blotting paper under my lower lashes to catch the excess powder. I then apply my undereye concealer with a brush, only where I need it. Using your finger to blend concealer just sort of smudges it around, and applying it all the way around the lower orbit of the eye looks really chalky and gross. I also find that a concealer brush minimizes the pulling and tugging on this very delicate area. I personally use an actual paintbrush for this task, but I am posting a linked picture of some very nice vegan brushes for you kittens who are 100% cruelty free!

FTC Compliance for Bloggers Everywhere

This morning, Liberty Post pointed me to a new FTC rule. Because I care about lawful compliance (although, I like to think I can discern for myself what is and is not malarkey in the media, and likewise I strive to be honest in everything I publish), I am posting the Advertising Policies for the entire domain.

"Innerspace OMnimedia publishes a variety of blogs and electronic magazines celebrating and supporting conscious lifestyle choices." That's the mission. Here are the facts: We are a privately funded corporation. We want to bring sustainable culture to people in many ways, from traditional news features to essays and yes, advertising. We like to think we are uniting cool people with cool stuff when indeed our editorial content is appropriate for "stuff." The companies featured throughout the domain demonstrate an aspect of sustainability, whether they are purveyors of organic clothing, natural cosmetics, or yoga products. Whatever.

Innerspace OMnimedia chooses our advertising partners with discernment; sometimes a brand is featured because we ourselves use and endorse the products, and sometimes we feature ad banners from the aforementioned partners simply because we like the graphic effect. We pretty much do what we want when we want and we believe our readers are astute enough to know media is supported by advertising.

When a customer clicks on these visual elements, she might or might not be taken to a place with further product information or the ability to purchase said item. If she buys the item, Innerspace OMnimedia is given a commission. It's called "affiliate marketing." It's an aspect of media in the digital age.

During the holiday season, we sometimes run Seva Projects which take those commissions and distribute them to Indiana children's charities. During the rest of the year, those revenues keep the Mothership up and running. When readers' buying sprees go to charity, we are very explicit about run dates for the project, as well as who will receive portions of our revenues. In other words, you'll know about all the love you are about to spread by buying cool stuff!

As for consumer reviews (particularly on Kitty channels), your Kitty personally buys the products in question with her own funds, tests the products on herself, and gives a "transparent" and honest review. We do not review swag or samples. Your Kitty does not review anything she has not paid for herself; products posted in clickable links may or may not generate revenue, and exist mainly for the readers' convenience. Now you know. Thanks

Lethiferous Lashes: Is Mascara Making You Sick?

     I once read somewhere that women tend to be very loyal mascara consumers; many use their favorite brand for years. I'm not one of them. Though I have my favorites, I tend to try the latest and greatest. Among my favorites are the very inorganic, somewhat dangerous Dior brands.

Why, oh why do I insist on paying $20 -$30 for a tube of toxicity? Mascara theoretically touches nothing but dead lash ends ... Wrong! What about the product residue that ends up raccooning under my lids after a long day? What about the particles that invariably flake into my eyes? What about the stuff that washes down the drain after I remove my makeup? The problem with many mascaras is they're loaded with preservatives, namely parabens.

The Environmental Working Group's Skin Deep Database lists 1195 products. Among the worst (0=no risk, 10=high risk of toxicity) are the following mascaras:

1. Prescriptives Beyond Long maximum Length Mascara, rated 9 for numerous parabens, BHT and aluminum powder. If you're concerned about endocrine disruption, allergies, cancer or neurotoxicity, you'll want to avoid this product.
2. Estee Lauder Lash XL, also a 9 for aluminum powder and parabens as well as benzyl alcohol, which can be allergenic and irritating.
3. Cover Girl Lash Blast Luxe Shimmery Volumizing Mascara also scored a 9.
4. Diorshow (boo hoo) got a 9 for all the reasons listed above, plus Fragrance. The product smells delightful, like roses. Too bad manufacturers aren't required to tell us their fragrance ingredients. They consider these formulations proprietary, but the EWG finds everything in them from pthalates to formaldehyde. Scary stuff...when ingredients aren't listed, I get worried.
5. Cargo Texas Lash, 9. I'm not at all familiar with this product, but it also rated as a high hazard for its perfume content.

The good news is, among the nearly 1200 mascaras reviewed, there were many that pose little to no threat, with ratings between 1 and 3. Costal Classic Creations, for example, received a zero, making it the safest option in the database. I've never heard of this company, so I'd love some feedback from anyone who uses the products.

Cleure Moisturizing mascara received a score of 1; the only problem the EWG seems to have is the mica content. Mica is used in lots of makeup, and is occupationally harmful to the folks who make the products. It is also bioaccumulative, which means it shows up in our waterways. Again, I'm not familiar with the brand, Cluere Grace Products.

Jane Iredale PureLash Lengthening mascara rates a 2, and seems to have a lot of fans. I've used other Iredale products happily, so I am going to try this stuff soon.

Loreal Double Extend rated well with a 2. Now, I have to say Loreal makes some great mascaras. The Double Extend Beauty Tubes, however isn't one of them. I believe this high-tech product touted by lovely Linda Evangalista is too new to the market to have its own rating, but even if it ends up with an acceptable number (under 3 for me), I won't buy it again. It's a hot mess that tangled up all my lashes and flaked all over the place.

According to the EWG, the product Paula Dorf Cake Mascara actually contains thimerosal: that's right, mercury. Avoid at all costs, unless of course you are looking to be poisoned!

Kitty's Kreative Blogger Award

Citizen Green passed on a Kreative Blogger Award to me today, and I am honored to share my 7 favorite things:

1. Watching my son do anything.

2. Walking in the garden with Hubbs.

3. Taking a nap with my pups. If there are no dogs in Heaven, I don't want to go there!

4. Yoga (I'm an instructor; you can see my main website here)

5. Going to rock concerts. The louder the better. Especially love the jam bands.

6. Traveling by car with my family, especially when we end up in the forests of the N. Pacific.

7. Buddhism.

Seven blogs I love:

1. Citizen Green: Home of "Stupid Plastic Crap," a series which helps to heighten our awareness of wasteful consumption of plastics as well as coverage of other great environmental topics.

2. Chinoiserie Chic: Style Redux 2's daily posts of Asian decorating inspiration.

3. Odi et Amo: everything fantastic under the sun.

4. Marinik's Blog: one woman's story of love and loss. Amazing grace.

5. The Fragrant Muse: learn the scientific and subtle properties of essential oils.

6. The Liberty Post: prolific coverage of cultural news.

7. Yoga Addicted: great insights on yoga for those who love yama and niyama topics!

I am grateful to have learned from each of these women, strangers in life but sisters in consciousness. Thanks, Citizen Green! Now, the deal is, I am to pass this award to the blogs listed above. I do so, and I hope everyone has a chance to check them out. Peace and Great Lipstick, Your Kitty.

Greenwashing Alert

Oooh! I am not happy with Beauty.com this morning. I clicked over to see what I want and what I need, and found a banner proclaiming, "Natural Makeup." I was pleased to see one of my former favorite brands, Urban Decay tossing their hat into the natural cosmetics ring. On this site, the product Surreal Skin is listed as a natural cosmetic, apparently because it's a mineral makeup. Guess what the first two ingredients are: parabens! Gross! Although some parabens are extracted from natural substances, they aren't good for you. These preservatives are thought to be irritants at least, and endocrine disruptors as well.

If you haven't checked out the Environmental Working Group's Skin Deep database, you may want to grab your favorite products (and possibly their packaging) and start researching what you are putting into your body via your skin -- the largest organ you have. As for myself, I quit using powdered mineral make up. Despite flawless coverage, I got sick of the mess on my vanity and concerned about inhaling the dust. If it can travel from my bathroom all the way to the other side of the house (I was finding traces of it everywhere), then I'm not sure I want to breathe it in twice a day. It has to be coating my lungs as I swirl and buff away!

Just because a particular product is marketed as "green" or "natural" doesn't mean it is healthy, and we must be diligent in checking the labels of what we eat and slather on our bodies! A good rule of thumb is not to buy a product if the manufacturer or vendor does not list the ingredients -- they, like many companies probably have something to hide!

Fall Deals on Natural Cosmetics

Fall Deals on Natural Cosmetics:

From Spalook.com, purveyors of such kitty-tastic green brands like Jurlique, Boscia, Caudalie, and more:

Save $20 on orders of $125 with promo code "GET20". Expires 9/31/09.

and also zippy service:

FREE Priority Shipping when you spend $50!

I love Spalook.com because I can combine products from so many hard to find natural brands. I have neither the time nor the inclination to drive all over the city trying to pick up staple items. Their website is slick and easy to operate.

As soon as I get this posted for you kittens, I'm hopping over to Beautorium to get my paws on some John Masters detangler. My darling cub is using it by the quart on his moptop! He is prone to allergies, rashes and itchy scalp. Coupled with his extreme tenderheadedness, combing out the ringlets is never a fun job for either one of us! I insist on 100% natural for him, and John Masters Organics fit the bill. I can combine shopping hair and moisturizers (you know how I love my Dr. Hauschka).

Great Natural Foundation and Blush by Korres

(Image above, Sephora)

Hello and Happy September, kittens! Just wanted to check in and tell you about my latest favorite natural makeup! First, however, I have to apologize for not posting recently on Organic Orgy. I've been working on the Kitty Mothership, as well as my two other blogs, Zen of Homekeeping and Shin-digs and Soirees (check my profile if you'd like to take a look).
Korres is a fabulous natural makeup brand. In the words of Sephora, "The goal of Korres was simple: To develop affordable skin, hair, and personal care products using essential oils, high quality herbs, and plant extracts, and to deliver safe and beneficial results without making false promises or using synthetic ingredients." Synthetic ingredients like yucky mineral oils, silicone, and other nasty chemicals are verboten.
Basically, if it says "Korres" on the bottle, I will use it. My favorite products include: Ginger and Vitamins SPF 10 Foundation (which is fresh, dewy, and seamlessly blendable), Korres blush (available in great neutral, modern colors), and Milk Proteins 3 in 1 Cleanser. These are all available at Sephora, including the local "convenience" counters inside Indy-area JC Penneys. Think I'll pop in later this afternoon to try out some of the eye shadows and mascara!