Why Natural Products are better than Synthetic Ones

Many cosmetic products of high-street brands contain a large percentage of non-active ingredients like water (which often makes up at least 70% of the product) or cheaply produced synthetic ingredients used to improve texture, feel, fragrance or preservation. Such ingredients comprise mineral oil, petrochemicals, vegetable oils, synthetic or plant emulsifiers, synthetic fragrances or colourants, preservatives and parabens. The amount of active ingredients in these products is a negligible 0.5% to 6%.
Many natural and organic products, however, offer high levels of active plant extracts and ingredients – as high as 90% or more. Instead of water, they might, for example, contain aloe vera (products by Green People are a good example), whilst mineral oil is replaced with natural oils (e.g. almond or olive oil) and synthetic fragrances and colours are substituted with plant extracts and essential oils. Another benefit of higher concentrations of active ingredients is a more economical usage, as smaller amounts suffice.

© Manuela Hübner, 2009

Manufacturers/Suppliers of Bodycare Products & Cosmetics

All of these suppliers claim to use natural and/or organic ingredients, yet this is no blanket assurance that all of their products are safe. Even with these products, it is best to check the ingredients lists. Products from all of the suppliers below are stocked in most health food stores and can also be purchased online.

Alva Naturkosmetik (German company http://www.alva.de/)
Alviana Naturkosmetik (German company http://www.alviana.de/)
Avalon Organics (http://www.avalonorganics.com/)
Desert Essence Organics (http://www.desertessence.com/)
Dr. Hauschka (http://www.drhauschka.co.uk/)
Faith in Nature (http://www.faithinnature.co.uk/)
Green People (http://www.greenpeople.co.uk/)
Jason (http://www.jasoncosmetics.com/)
Jo Wood Organics (http://www.jowoodorganics.com/) - perfume, bath & body
Lavera (http://www.lavera.co.uk/)
Living Nature (http://www.livingnature.com/)
Logona (via http://www.beautybazaar.co.uk/)
Nature Babycare (www.naty.com) – some products even available from Boots
Neal's Yard (http://www.nealsyardremedies.com/)
P.A. Aromatherapy Oils & Skincare Products (http://www.paaroma.co.uk/)
Pure Nuff Stuff (http://www.purenuffstuff.co.uk/)
Sante (via http://www.beautybazaar.co.uk/)
Simply Soaps (http://www.simplysoaps.com/)
Urtekram (http://www.urtekram.dk/)
Yaoh (http://www.yaoh.co.uk/ )

Personal Recommendations

See article "Manufacturers/Suppliers of Bodycare Products & Cosmetics"

for relevant website links.

Face Cream:
- Weleda Baby Calendula Face Cream (what's good for kids can't be bad for adults!): quite rich hence good for dry skin, especially in winter. Available from any health food store.
- Green People 24 hour protection with Aloe Vera: not quite as rich as the above, is more easily absorbed and smells great.

Shampoo:
Urtekram shampoos have the fewest ingredients and are the mildest (especially the Camomile shampoo) - no itchy or dry scalps or other skin reactions. The ingredients are all 100% natural and ca. 10% of them are organic. Available online or, if you happen to live in Cambridge, from Arjuna on Mill Road.

Hair Gel:
The natural Styling Gel by Sante smells heavenly and better than any other hair product I have ever used. On top of that, it doesn't leave any residue in your hair. Being natural, it obviously does not offer the indestructible, brick-like hold of synthetic products, but it adds definition to short hair.

Conditioner:
The Seaweed Conditioner by Faith in Nature has the fewest ingredients and, unlike some other Faith in Nature products, it contains no aggressive ingredients. Available from most health food stores as well as some Oxfam shops and, if you happen to live in Cambridge, from Arjuna on Mill Road.

Perfume:
I had to hunt high and low for a natural and organic perfume that didn't smell like air freshner for the bathroom or like a herbal tincture, but finally I "struck oil" with Usiku by Jo Wood Organics (http://www.jowoodorganics.com/collections/organic-eau-de-toilette/products/organic-eau-de-toilette), which is also available as body dew. It is not overpowering like so many conventional perfumes and just lingers lightly on your skin.

Shower Gel:
Citrus Shower Gel by Avalon Organics is pretty good. Unlike some of the other Avalon shower gels, it does not contain any dodgy ingredients, and you need relatively little for a good wash, so it lasts quite a while. Two German brands are also very good: Alva Shower Gel "For Him" and Alviana Shower Gel Lemon or Rose.

Toothpaste:
Hollytrees natural fennel-flavoured toothpaste is the best (available from Neal's Yard); it does not leave you with a chalky/pelty feeling in your mouth like other natural toothpastes. If you are not too keen on fennel, it is also available with a minty flavour.

Sore throat? Don’t suck yourself “silly” on conventional lozenges!

For most people the onset of autumn signals the beginning of a string of colds, coughs and sore throats. I am no exception, so October marked my catarrhal debut of 2007. Believing in the body’s ability to heal itself, I initially gave my sore throat the cold shoulder. Yet after a week of no acoustic improvement, I reluctantly headed to the local chemist – only to give myself a sore head to boot at the sight of the chemical concoctions on offer:
Every single brand of lozenge contained a poisonous mix of artificial colours, E numbers and suspect synthetic ingredients, which have been associated with a number of adverse effects on human health, most notably hyperactivity in children.

Strepsils, probably the most widely sold lozenge brand, was amongst the worst offenders. Depending on their flavour, the poison pills contain the synthetic azo dyes Quinoline Yellow (E104), Sunset Yellow (E110), Carmoisine (E122), Ponceau 4R (E124), Patent Blue V (E131) and Indigo Carmine (E132). All of these have been shown to cause hyperactive behaviour in children, especially when combined with the preservative sodium benzoate. Patent Blue V, Indigo Carmine, Carmoisine and Ponceau 4R have also been found to cause allergic reactions, itching and increased skin sensitivity, whilst Sunset Yellow has been linked to gastric upsets.
Strepsils Orange &Vitamin C, Extra Blackcurrant and Extra Citrus flavoured lozenges add a further dimension by throwing propylene glycol into the chemical cocktail – a substance widely used as a moisture-carrying vehicle in cosmetics. Even as a cosmetic ingredient propylene glycol is controversial as it increases the permeability of the skin and allows chemicals to enter deeper into the body’s system. Not surprisingly, it is being increasingly substituted with other “safer” glycols (if such things do exist!) in cosmetics, so what this stuff is doing in edible products is anyone’s guess. To add insult to injury, Strepsils sugar-free range also contains the artificial sweetener and known carcinogen saccharin (E954).

No better were other well-known brands. Here an overview of harmful ingredients found in common lozenge brands.

Acesulfamate-K: controversial artificial sweetener and suspected carcinogen
Found in: Bradosol

Allura Red (E129) *: can also lead to hypersensitivity in allergy sufferers
Found in: Fisherman’s Friend (cherry flavour), Halls, Tunes

Aspartame: a controversial artificial sweetener, which is possibly connected to brain tumours and reportedly lowers the acidity of urine, thereby making the urinary tract more prone to infection.
Found in: Olbas, Fisherman’s Friend (cherry flavour), Halls

Benzoin: a widely used flavouring, which may be mutagenic (i.e. can possibly cause mutations or damage to genes).
Found in: Zubes

Brilliant Black (E151) *
Found in: Halls Throaties, Vocalzone

Brilliant Blue (E133) *
Found in: Halls, Tunes

Carmoisine (E122) * ♦
Found in: Lockets, Halls Throaties, Strepsils

Indigo Carmine (E132) * ♦
Found in: Bradosol, Merocaine, Strepsils

Monopropylene glycol (see propylene glycol)
Found in: Lockets

Patent Blue V (E131) * ♦
Found in: Lockets, Strepsils

Ponceau 4R (E124) * ♦
Found in: Strepsils

Propylene Glycol: A petroleum-based solvent, which can cause skin irritation and contact dermatitis, and skin penetration enhancer, altering the skin structure and allowing chemicals to penetrate deeper into the skin and enter the blood stream.
Found in: Strepsils Orange &Vitamin C, Extra Blackcurrant and Extra Citrus

Quinoline Yellow (E104) *: Quinoline Yellow has been banned in some countries, for example the USA and Japan, yet is still widely used in the UK.
Found in: Bradosol, Strepsils, Merocet, Merocaine

Silicone antifoam: a control agent to eliminate foam (yes, foam!) in pharmaceutical and food preparation processes as well as in detergents, cleaners, polishes and paints. It is generally composed of silicone fluid and silica. The latter may be contaminated with crystalline quartz, which is carcinogenic.
Found in: Olbas

Sodium saccharin/Saccharin (E954): artificial sweetener and suspected carcinogen
Found in: Halls Throaties, sugar-free Strepsils

Sunset Yellow (E110) *: can also cause gastric upsets
Found in: Strepsils, Merocet

* associated with hyperactivity in children
♦ can also cause allergic reactions, itching and increased skin sensitivity


In no way inclined to suck myself “silly” and further weaken my already battered immune system by ingesting technicolour froth suppressors, I went back home empty-handed and started to look into more natural alternatives. What I found was that my grandmother had got it right all along – here are some “sucking good” ideas:


Alternative and Natural Cold and Sore Throat Relief

Eat well: meaning eat nutritiously, not gorge yourself! Eat food that is rich in immune system-boosting vitamins and minerals and energy-giving carbs to keep your body temperature up.
Echinacea: strengthens the body’s defence mechanism against viral and bacterial attacks. Available as tea, pills or tinctures.
Essential oils: Sniff yourself healthy with essential oils of lavender, thyme, eucalyptus, sage and sandalwood. All you need is an oil burner.
Gargle: with a mixture of water and salt – and gag yourself healthy! This washes away mucous and enables better circulation of infection-fighting antibodies. Alternatively, use sage or thyme infusions, which are also tastier (see Sage and Thyme).
Garlic: has antibacterial properties and boosts the immune system. Repel vampires and unwanted suitors at the same time! Use fresh as a cooking ingredient or get odour-free capsules from a health food store.
Ginger: antiviral, antiseptic, pain-relieving and antioxidative. Readily available as tea or tinctures. Alternatively, soak fresh ginger in hot water and drink or include fresh ginger in cooked dishes.
Herbal pastilles: available in most health food stores. My personal favourites are A.Vogel’s Santasapina Lozenges with honey, extracts from the shoots of spruce, menthol and peppermint oil – stocked by Revital.
Honey: soothes the throat. Add to herbal tea or warm water with lemon (see Hot Lemon & Honey).
Hot baths: help the old aching and shivering limbs relax.
Hot Lemon & Honey: Honey is renowned for its soothing effect on the throat, whilst lemon contains stacks of vitamin C. However, since heat kills vitamin C, the overall effect of this old favourite is debatable. In any case, it’s a nice and sweet winter warmer.
Humidifiers: If the air in your room is very dry, use a humidifier, which can be a simple bowl of water placed above the radiator. Alternatively, use an oil burner and kill two coughs with one sneeze by inhaling essential oils (see Essential oils).
Keep warm: Forego the crop top or biceps-flashing wife beater in favour of a good old woolly jumper, so your body temperature doesn’t drop.
Liquorice: anti-inflammatory expectorant which soothes coughs and sore throats. Either suck liquorice sticks or drink liquorice tea, which you can buy ready-made. If you want to make your own, put a teaspoon of liquorice root in a cup of hot water for three to five minutes. Add honey if you like.
Sage: one of the oldest herbal remedies for sore throats and oral infections due to its antiseptic and antibacterial properties. Make an infusion with fresh or dried sage leaves or get ready-made tea.
Sleep: Many colds, especially recurring ones, are due to stress and lack of sleep. Great excuse!
Thyme: has antiseptic properties. Make a tea by crushing fresh or dried thyme leaves and add water cooled to just below boiling. Cover and leave to infuse for five minutes and add honey to taste. Can also be used for gargling.
Vitamin C: An orange a day keeps the doctor away – but pineapple, grapes, apples and especially peppers (!) are also good sources of vitamin C. Alternatively, take vitamin supplements, though they are not as readily absorbed by the body as the real McCoy!
Zinc lozenges: boost the immune system. Available in all sorts of variations in health food stores.
© Manuela Hübner, 2008

The real WMDs are… in your armpits!

Ever wondered where the real weapons of mass destruction are? You play Russian roulette with them every time you reach for the antiperspirant - or any other conventional personal care product for that matter.


Four and a half years ago the still ongoing Iraq war was started on the pretence that the Iraqi regime harboured an arsenal of weapons of mass destruction (WMDs), which needed to be secured in order to protect millions of people from potential harm and death. As we all know now, the ensuing search for this threat turned out a wild goose chase because the threat wasn’t real and there simply weren’t any WMDs to be found. As subsequent inquests have corroborated, this was a well-known fact in the responsible political circles prior to the war, which suggests that the motivation for this conflict was never the protection of human life but more likely of an economic and “petroliferous” nature. The same motivational force is at work when it comes to the very real WMDs which you take home with every toiletries purchase and apply to your body on a daily basis.

Similar to Trojan horses, virtually all mainstream cosmetic and personal care products (from toothpaste, shampoo and body lotion to deodorants, shower gel and perfumes) conceal a number of suspect chemicals, which can present serious health risks – either because there is scientific evidence of their toxicity or because they have never been sufficiently tested for their effects on human health in the first place. They all contain so-called petrochemicals – synthetic chemicals derived from petroleum, including preservatives, colours and fragrances. Of the tens of thousands of officially registered chemicals, only a fraction has undergone comprehensive testing, whilst the majority of the over 2,000 chemicals that enter the market each year hardly undergo the most basic tests to determine their toxicity, let alone their reaction with each other or with the human body. Many mass-produced and mass-used chemicals have been scientifically associated with a range of adverse effects from irritation to skin, eyes and mucous membranes, eczema, asthma or other respiratory problems to headaches, nausea, malfunctions of the nervous system, endocrine disruption (i.e. an alteration of the body’s hormone levels and functions) and, worst of all, cancer.

Mainstream toiletries such as shampoo and shower gel often contain aggressive “lauryl” or “laureth” cleansing agents, most commonly Sodium Lauryl or Laureth Sulfate or Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate, which may be contaminated with the known endocrine disrupter and carcinogen 1,4-dioxane, which happened to be one of the main ingredients of the chemical defoliant Agent Orange used in the Vietnam war.
Other omnipresent suspect chemicals are Propylene Glycol and Polyethylene Glycol (also known as PEG). These petroleum-based substances, which are used in virtually every imaginable cosmetic product, increase the permeability of the skin and allow chemicals (both the beneficial as well as the harmful ones) to penetrate it more easily. Moreover, some of the most common synthetic preservatives in personal care products may contain, release or break down into formaldehyde, which is a proven carcinogen. Amongst these are 2-bromo-2-nitropropane-1,3-diol, Bronopol, Quaternium 15 and 5-bromo-5-nitro-dioxane.
And then there are the various Parabens, which are not only potential allergens but have also been associated with breast cancer in women. They are endocrine disrupters, which mimic or interfere with the body’s natural hormones, especially oestrogen. They can alter the hormone level and stop or stimulate hormone production, thereby affecting hormone-controlled functions. Potentially harmful are also DEA (diethanolamine) and TEA (triethanolamine). Though harmless in themselves, they can react with nitrites, often used as preservatives, to form carcinogenic nitrosamines. Fluoride-containing toothpastes are also to be treated with caution as there is suggestive evidence of carcinogenicity. The use of fluoride, especially Sodium Fluoride, is so controversial that the Canadians and Belgians have put it on their “hotlist” and do not permit it in oral care products at all.

The list of potentially harmful ingredients in mainstream cosmetics is much longer than this; in fact, it is shockingly long. Yet, regulatory authorities allow these synthetic chemicals into our daily lives because suggestive scientific evidence of toxicity or even carcinogenicity is currently not considered reason enough to ban the use of such substances. At present it usually takes large-scale or high-profile incidents such as mass contaminations, backed up by scientific proof “beyond doubt” (as if that was ever possible!), before officials finally take action and impose bans or restrictions. If their main concern was indeed “the safeguarding of public health”, as the European Council Directive 76/768/EEC on the Approximation of the Laws of the Member States relating to Cosmetic Products claims, the currently applied principle of “acting after the harm is done” should be replaced by a precautionary principle: Safeguarding measures should be taken when a product raises the slightest concern or threat to human or environmental health, even if some cause-and-effect links are not fully established.

That these chemical time bombs are readily available on the shelves of our shops might have to do with the fact that the petrochemical industry, as the provider of most ingredients for cosmetics and personal care products, is too big an economic force to be curtailed. Petroleum is not just big business in oil-producing countries in the Middle East but also in the EU, with Germany being the largest chemical producer, followed by France, and the UK in fourth place. According to the European Chemical Industry Council CEFIC, cosmetics and perfumes accounted for 10% of the total EU chemical sales in 2005, racking up a staggering € 61 billion (about £ 41 billion). EU statistics provider Eurostat confirms the industry’s clout:
In 2003 the miscellaneous chemical products manufacturing sector in the EU generated € 42 billion of added value, the largest proportion of which came from soaps, detergents and toiletries (over 40%). The sector employed a total of 266,600 people, with the production of perfumes and toiletries accounting for the majority of employment and added value (55.3% and 55% respectively). Production of soap, detergents and toiletries in the EU increased steadily from 1995 to 2005, with an average growth rate of 2% per year.

Impressive economic figures like these are political arm-twisters, which obviously persuade governments and regulatory bodies to focus more on the proviso than the main objective of Directive76/768/EEC: “the main objective of these laws is the safeguarding of public health and […], however, this objective must be attained by means which also take account of economic and technological requirements”.

The Directive and its countless amendments list a number of substances which must not form part of cosmetic products, including oestrogen, nitrosamines and formaldehyde (except in nail hardeners). Paradoxically though, oestrogen-mimicking parabens, potential nitrosamine-forming chemicals such as DEA and TEA or formaldehyde releasers like 2-bromo-2-nitropropane-1,3-diol (which is even used in “gentle” products for babies and sensitive skin) are still permitted in mainstream toiletries.
Given the lack of protection through current regulations, the buck has (yet again) been passed to the consumers, who are forced to exercise their “right of choice” to avoid these clearly avoidable health risks. The supply and demand cycle for mainstream products using suspect petrochemicals and toxic substances can only be broken by a drop in demand for such goods. Personal care products can be made without the use of harmful chemicals, as the wealth of natural and organic alternatives proves, so consumers can vote with their feet and buy healthier options. This requires a little research about what substances to avoid, but considering the countless publications and organisations which provide information on suspect and dangerous cosmetic ingredients (see below), wising up couldn’t be easier.

Most mainstream cosmetics and toiletries are potential chemical WMDs that can cause long-term health problems – a fact that manufacturers most likely know but can legitimately ignore. In their adverts they emphasise the positive and omit the negative. Don’t let them fool you – because you‘re worth it!


Some useful sources of information:

Weblinks:
http://www.preventcancer.com/ – The Prevent Cancer Coalition
http://www.safecosmetics.org/ – The Campaign for Safe Cosmeticshttp://www.cosmeticdatabase.com/ – Skindeep
http://www.mindfully.org/
http://www.greenpeace.org.uk/ – see Toxics, The Problems, Hazardous Chemicals
http://www.theecologist.org/ – a monthly periodical (also available in print)
http://livelearnchange.blogspot.com/ – author’s own health info blog

Publications:
A Consumer's Dictionary of Cosmetics Ingredients, Ruth Winter
Beauty to Die For, Judi Vance
Don’t Go to the Counter without Me, Paula Begoun
Dying to Look Good: The Disturbing Truth About What’s Really in Your Cosmetics, Toiletries and Personal Care Products, Christine Hoza Farlow
The Safe Shopper's Bible, A Consumer's Guide to Nontoxic Household Products, Cosmetics and Food, David Steinman & Samuel S. Epstein
Skin Care and Cosmetic Ingredients Dictionary, Natalia Michalun

© Manuela Hübner, 2007

Hair Colourants - why we colour, how we colour and what we daub on our heads

Changing our hair colour is one of the most radical changes we can make to our appearance and probably the only fundamental one. Plastic surgery and masquerade aside, there is precious little we can do about the size of our nose or the shape of our face. Yet, our hair gives us an element of creative freedom and allows us to shape ourselves in the image of someone else – at least temporarily. The reasons why an ever increasing number of women and men turn to chemistry for help are varied. There is, first of all, the prevalent misconception that different equals better. Secondly, constantly changing or rather constantly manipulated trends demand an almost seasonal change of hair style and colour, with those who oblige more often than not falling prey to the equally fallible equation that being à la mode means remaining young. And this leads directly to the biggest bugbear of them all, which drives many of us to the bottle: ageing. It almost seems that the fear of dying has been superseded by the fear of ageing and many a woman would no doubt rather be seen dead than with grizzled tresses. What feeds this fear seems quite often not the actual perception of oneself as old or unattractive but the fear of being treated as such by others. One could therefore conclude that fear of ageing is effectively tantamount to fear of others.
Yet whatever the motivation, hardly anyone knows what exactly they are pasting on their heads. Nor are people generally aware that their beautification efforts can backfire in the long run and severely affect their health and lifespan due to the numerous harmful chemicals, which are contained in virtually all conventional hair colourants and can either by themselves or in reaction with other ingredients cause allergies, neurological malfunctions and even cancer.

Your natural hair colour is determined by your hair’s own colour pigments, the so-called melanin pigments, of which there are two types: phaeomelanins, which are red, and eumelanins, which are black. The individual shade of your hair depends on the proportion of these two pigment types. Eumelanins determine the darkness of your hair, so a low concentration of this pigment gives you blonde hair, whilst a higher concentration results in darker shades, ranging from brown to black. A lack of melanin pigments results in grey or rather white hair – the perception of hair as grey is but an optical illusion, produced by the juxtaposition of coloured and white hairs. Melanin pigments are produced and stored in cells called melanocytes and hair greying is caused by a failure of the melanocyte stem cells to maintain the production of these melanocytes. Grey hair is not necessarily a sign of age though; it can already occur in teenagers and people in their twenties, its onset largely depending on the individual’s genetic make-up.
The pigmentation of your hair can, however, also be affected by other factors such as genetic defects (for example, albinism), hormones, climate, pollutants, toxins and exposure to chemicals. And the latter is voluntarily practised by millions of male and female hair dye users around the globe, who either don’t know about the dangers or tend to ignore them and hope for the best.

Hair colourants are divided into three different types: temporary, semi-permanent and permanent. As the name suggests, temporary colourants only change the hair colour temporarily and are easily washed out. They usually come as ready-to-use applications in a single container and colour the hair by covering its surface rather than penetrating the hair shaft as semi-permanent and permanent colours do. The degree of penetration does, however, vary. Whilst semi-permanent dyes only settle on and within the scales of the outer hair layer (the so-called cuticle) without altering the hair’s integral melanin, permanent colourants enter deep into the hair shaft and modify the hair’s natural pigments. That explains why semi-permanent colours fade after about half a dozen washes, while permanent dyes give a longer lasting colour and need to grow out.
Permanent hair colourants are mostly so-called oxidation hair dyes, which consist of two separate components that require mixing prior to the application: There is the colour precursor with an alkaline agent (which often comes in a tube) and the developer or oxidising agent (which comes in a bottle). The alkaline agent, usually ammonia, opens up the cuticle to facilitate the penetration process and reacts with the oxidising agent, usually hydrogen peroxide, to realease oxygen. The released oxygen triggers the actual colour-modifying reaction and lightens the hair’s natural melanin pigments so that the new colour can substitute the old one. The colour precursor is usually a chemical called phenylenediamine, which turns into a hair dye under the influence of ammonia and hydrogen peroxide and develops the new colour.

However, the above-mentioned chemical ingredients do not only penetrate the hair, they can also permeate the skin and seep into the body and that’s where the real problems start. Frequent and long-term use of semi-permanent and permanent hair dyes presents a clear health risk and can cause anything from hair breakage and hair loss to irritation of the eyes, skin and mucous membranes and more serious diseases like Hodgkin’s and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and other cancers. Highly alkaline hair products are potential irritants, as are phenylenediamines, which may produce eczema, bronchial asthma, gastritis, skin rashes and cancer. A study by New York University researchers suggests that women who have used hair dyes for a period of ten years or longer face an increased risk of developing breast cancer. Especially at risk are frequent users of darker hair colourants (black, brown/brunette).
Yet even users of temporary hair colourants are not safe from harm since many wash-out colours contain chemicals like Acid Orange 87, Solvent Brown 44, Acid Blue 168 and Acid Violet 73, which have shown evidence of carcinogenicity. In addition, many hair dyes contain resorcinol – an allergen and irritant to eyes and skin, which can also interfere with the hormone balance. Another widely used suspect cosmetic ingredient is polyethylene glycol (in its various PEG compounds), which increases the skin’s permeability and allows toxins to enter the body (see “Overview: Unsafe and Suspect Cosmetic Ingredients” on http://livelearnchange.blogspot.com/ for more details).

The good news is that there are alternative options. The first and most obvious one is to discontinue using hair dyes altogether and to accept your natural shade. Take a closer look and you’ll find that the colour you were given by nature is actually well-chosen and fits into your overall “colour-scheme”, complementing your eyebrows, eyes and complexion. After all, what use is a seductive Monroesque mane when it makes your face look like a pink marshmallow with eyebrows seemingly on loan from Ernie’s pal Bert? If you are already greying, you could take a defiant stance, make grey hair look cool and turn it into the latest must-have look. However, if vanity rules and the lure of the grass on the other side is too strong, you can always explore some of the alternative products available and take a few precautionary measures when colouring your hair:

• Avoid synthetic hair colourants which contain m-, o- or p-phenylenediamines or phenylenediamine-based ingredients.
• Try natural colouring products but check the label carefully because many so-called natural alternatives still contain the same ingredients as their conventional synthetic counterparts, albeit at lower levels – or so the manufacturers claim. Since labelling laws do not demand an indication of the exact percentage of each ingredient, buying alternatives can still be a bit of a lottery, unless you choose something purely plant-based, which consists exclusively of botanical materials such as chamomile, walnut, henna or logwood and is free from any chemical ingredients (one brand to try is Logona).
• Don’t use products which have explicit warnings or disclaimers, e. g. “may cause skin irritation”, “may cause blindness”.
• Use lighter shades as they are safer than dark colours.
• Colour your hair less frequently.
• Defer using hair dyes as long as possible; according to some experts women who start colouring their hair at forty face less of a risk than one third of those who start at thirty, whereas the risk for women who start aged twenty is twice as great.
• Don’t leave hair dyes on your scalp for longer than necessary.
• Use gloves during the application, so the chemicals don’t come into contact with the skin on your hands.
• Try techniques which reduce skin contact to a minimum, for example highlighting, streaking and frosting. The old-fashioned way of using perforated plastic caps and pulling strands of hair through the holes is actually one of the best ways of avoiding skin contact.
  
  Scientific research on the link between hair dyes and cancer is not entirely conclusive; while some studies have demonstrated a clear association, others haven’t. If the research is not conducted by an independent body, the outcome might possibly also be influenced by the interests of those who carry out the tests. Yet, for the consumer even the slightest evidence of potentially serious health risks should be reason enough to treat such substances with caution or best forego them altogether. You wouldn’t take your chances with Russian roulette either, would you?
  

Sources:
- A Consumer’s Dictionary of Cosmetic Ingredients: Complete Information About the Harmful and Desirable Ingredients Found in Cosmetics and Cosmeceuticals, Ruth Winter, (Three Rivers Press, New York, 2005)
- Canadian Cancer Society: www.cancer.ca/css/internet/standard/0,3182,3172_30513490_507522061_langId-en,00.html
- Everyday Mysteries, The Library of Congress: http://www.loc.gov/rr/sictech/mysteries/grayhair.html
- CTPA: www.ctpa.org.uk/download.asp?d1=1389
- How Stuff Works: http://science.howstuffworks.com/hair-coloring.htm
- PubMed (A Service of the National Library of Medicine & the National Institutes of Health): www.pubmed.gov, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve/db=pubmed&doptAbstract&list_uids=15618488
- The Safe Shopper’s Bible: A Consumer’s Guide to Nontoxic Household Products, Cosmetics and Food, David Steinman & Samuel S. Epstein, (Wiley Publishing Inc, 1995)

© Manuela Hübner, 2007

If you want to take further action...

... and find out more about toxic chemicals, then have a look at the following organisations:

Greenpeace:
http://www.greenpeace.org.uk/toxics and
http://www.greenpeace.org/international/press/reports/my-voice (click on link for downloadable document about taking action)

Chemical Reaction: http://www.chemicalreaction.org/

European Environmental Bureau: http://www.eeb.org/activities/chemicals/Index.htm

Friends of the Earth: http://www.foeeurope.org/safer_chemicals/Index.htm