While there is a lot of debate about the issues of having more government involvement of any kind, the real issue is why don’t companies just do the right thing and make products that are safer for consumers?  For one,  the cosmetics industry is one of the nation’s largest and most profitable enterprises and, along with the entertainment business, it not only survived but thrived during the Great Depression. It has powerful lobbyists behind it as well as a great number of celebrity owned and endorsed product lines. In other words, this is big business and public demand for beauty without regard for cost, both monetary and health, keep the archaic beauty business model in tact. As the film says, it’s all about “Better living through chemicals” and instant results.

3 Reasons We Need to “Ask” Cosmetic Companies to Do The Right Thing:

1) There is mounting evidence and concern worldwide that calls for higher standards when it comes to producing safer personal care products.

2) The US pales in comparison to other countries when it comes to taking action to protect consumers which is evident when looking at the number of cosmetic ingredients it has banned:

United States – 10                                                                                    European Union – 1,100+

3) The amount of potentially hazardous chemicals in beauty products not only effect us today but also all future generations.

Good News

There are American companies out there that have not only chosen to sign the Compact for Safe Cosmetics, meaning that are pledging to use safer ingredients and be transparent to consumers,  they also voluntarily adhere European Union Directive Standards. One such company is Apriori Beauty which has married science with nature and offers an internal and external anti-aging line. Other companies that show promise can be found on the Skin Deep database  (www.cosmeticsdatabase.com) To learn more about Apriori Beauty, please visit:

www.aprioribeauty.com/ic/patticoughlin

So How did Smelling Good Go Bad? First, a little clarification on what ‘fragrance’ means. According to Webster’s Dictionary, fragrance is “the quality of being fragrant; a sweet or pleasing scent or perfume, cologne, toilet water, or the like. Under U.S. law, the term fragrance is defined as a combination of chemicals that gives each perfume or cologne its distinct scent.

Fragrance ingredients may be produced by chemical synthesis or derived from petroleum or natural raw materials. Fragrance houses (companies that specialize in developing fragrances) use any number of the 3,100 stock scent chemicals  to develop proprietary blends that are considered trade secrets.

Fragrance secrecy is legal due to a giant loophole in the Federal Fair Packaging and Labeling Act of 1973, which requires companies to list cosmetics ingredients on the product labels but explicitly exempts fragrance. By taking advantage of this loophole, the cosmetics industry has kept the public in the dark about the ingredients in fragrance, even those that present potential health risks and what’s termed a body burden.

Is “Fragrance Free” a Fragrance? Did you know that just because a product is labeled fragrance free, this doesn’t mean it is without added fragrance.  Instead, a fragrance may be masking a chemical scent to create an impression of being fragrance free. The French word ‘parfume’ can also be used on labeling indicating that a fragrance has been added. Different language, same issues.

Scent-sational Products Aren’t Many producers of candles, including the wickless ones, air freshners and other home related products contain the same fragrance chemicals as body products. What may be labeled “intoxicating” or “relaxing” is just plain toxic. Both body care and home cleaning companies are also using more medicinal or apothecary looking packaging to create the illusion that their products have old timey, “good for what ails you” properties.

Airing Dirty Laundry Despite the known effects of fragrance, the manufacturers of laundry products are pushing their scented products like never before and are exposing consumers to their fragrances all day long. Some lingerie companies are also offering delicate wash products infused with their most popular scents. These chemicals are inhaled while we prep our clothes and linens for the washing, coat our washers and dryers as well as our bodies as we sleep, work and play. This pollution does not skip any generation, it effects unborn children, the elderly and everyone in between.

To be a more savvy shopper, here’s the top three things you need to be aware of when purchasing all products:

1) Phthalates: Common plasticizing ingredients linked endocrine disruption and birth defects in the reproductive system of boys.

2) Musks: Have been shown to accumulate in breast milk and human fat tissue causing allergies, sensitivity, hormone disruption and even cancer.

3) Dermatologist Tested, Organic and Natural: Have no real meaning when it comes to labeling products. Making sure the word ‘fragrance’ is not listed on labels is good practice, especially if you are scent sensitive or have asthma.

You can also visit the Environmental Working Group at www.ewg.org for lists of products that are truly without added fragrance.

Stronger Measures Are Needed to Protect Pregnant Women In June of last year, scientists and health experts pressed for stronger measures to protect pregnant women and infants from pollutants and chemicals that disrupt the endocrine system. This call to action from The Endocrine Society, composed of 14,000 hormone researchers and medical specialists in more than 100 countries, warned that “even infinitesimally low levels of exposure (to endocrine-disrupting chemical) may cause endocrine or reproductive abnormalities, particularly if exposure occurs during the critical developmental window. One of their constituents, Columbia University, tested the air collected in backpacks worn by pregnant women and found that even “low doses (of toxic chemical exposure) may even exert more potent effects than higher doses”.

In November of last year, the Environmental Working Group (EWG) published the results of of its’ now  famous “Ten American Study” which found as many as 232 chemicals in the blood of 10 Americans. Surprisingly, these Americans were not refinery workers or field hands; they were 10 newborns, all of minority descent. While the sample is too small to project national trends, the Minority Cord Blood Study, commissioned by he EWG in conjunction with Rachel’s Network, has produced hard new evidence that, beginning in the womb, American children are being exposed to complex mixtures of dangerous substances. This is of particular concern especially to the delicate fetus who lacks the protective blood brain barrier. In recent years, we have seen a dramatic increase in the amount of cancers, developmental disabilities, and physiological abnormalities in children. Although the chemical companies argue that the exposure is less than significant, the Cord Blood Study hastens further investigation into the potential lifelong consequences of exposure to toxic chemicals in the womb.

What’s a Mother to Do? Molly Jones Gray, ND, LM, suggests, “Don’t put anything on a babies’ skin that you wouldn’t eat.” Good advice from a licensed midwife who suffered a miscarriage and was left wondering why.  She is featured in Dr. Sanje Gupte’s CNN series entitled Toxic America. While we may not be able to control everything our children are exposed to in and out of the womb, her advice on skincare is well taken for babies, children and grown-ups alike.

When I am working with a client who is extremely anxious or finds it hard to let go, I go to a place that lets me become objective and neutral in my way of being so that I can be most helpful to them. In this case, I was my own client. When I stopped fighting with myself, I was the one who found benefit. I became more clear, I could sleep and move forward.

Here are some tips for the Balancing Act in your life:

1) Visualization is Key. Creating calm while in a storm can be achieved by visualizing your way to back into balance. Having a mental picture that reminds you of what you want to achieve in your life engages your right brain which is all about creating the path for change. If you’re having trouble finding your vision, creating a vision board of what you want in your life is a kind reminder of what is possible.

2) Breathe don’t pant. Not all breathing is created equal. Learning to breathe again takes practice but is essential for creating more balance as it allows perspective and calms your cluttered mind.

3) Ready, Fire, Aim. A friend shared with me the concept of letting go of perfection and opting for action. Whatever it is we are trying to accomplish can easily be derailed if we think that we have to be dead on accurate all the time. Practice, patience and persistence will bring about change in unexpected ways which may far outweigh what you had in mind.

Kindergartners Have it Right.  A Harvard study looked at the napping habits of 20,000 adults and showed that  those who took brief naps 2 to 3 times/week reduced their risk of coronary artery disease by 12%. Surprisingly, those who napped 3 or more times/week reduced their risk by 37%!

A daydream is a meal at which images are eaten…-W.H. Arden   Researchers at New York University found that “wakeful resting” (just sitting there) increased memory and cognitive function. Study participants were asked to observe images and then take a short nap while remaining awake.  During the “wakeful resting”  an MRI scanned their brain activity and revealed that the new information was being absorbed and consolidated.

Everybody Benefits from Massage. We know that getting a massage feels good, but many studies have documented that good feeling is caused by the release of dopamine and serotonin which slow heart rate, reduced blood pleasure and cortisol levels which also enhance deeper sleep. The body has a amazing capacity and desire to heal itself and encouraging deeper sleep encourages it’s natural healing tendency by facilitating tissue repair and regeneration.

All work and no play makes Jack a sick boy – Webster’s Dictionary has a “Word of the Year” contest and this year, one of the words in the running is “leisure sickess” which describes the flu-like syndrome many workaholics get from taking time off.  Even those of us who aren’t workaholics have the sense of being indulgent when thinking about relaxation.

Fight the Feeling – The next time you start to feel guilty about taking a break, remember, just relax, your life depends on it.

So how do you take charge of your mind?  Rather than fighting fire with fire, pitting will against will, you can learn another approach to relieve the pressure, quiet your mind, and let go of the need for answers.

Our breath is the answer.  It is really quite simple but we have moved so far away from our perfect breath as babies that we actually need to remind ourselves to breathe by setting aside time to practice it.

1)      We will begin with practicing breathing in the seated position as I want to give you a practical tool that you can use in most situations.

2)       Now close your eyes and place one hand over your chest and the other on your stomach.  Take a deep breath with your mouth open and allow the air to cool your tongue.  As the breath fills up your lungs, you’ll notice that it may feel like it stops half way down your throat.  Don’t worry, with each breath, this feeling of constriction will dissipate.

3)      As you exhale slowly through your nose envision the weight of your body sinking down into the earth.

4)      Now close your mouth and with each inhalation count to 3 or 4, whichever is most comfortable pausing slightly and now exhale to the same count.  Counting helps you to bring your mind into your breathing and helps us deal with any distractive thoughts or sounds around us.

5)      Repeat the cycle, filling up your lungs as much as you can, feeling the movement of your diaphragm.  This is called belly breathing or diaphragmatic breathing and this is how we instinctively began breathing when we were born.

6)      Continue your practice and each time your mind strays, bring it back to your breath by counting, trying to expand the time between your inhalation and exhalation.

With time you will begin to understand why this practice is so valuable and will begin to experience:

-         your body slowing down

-         your breath gets deeper and your diaphragm gets stronger

-         your mind follows and begins to slow down (sometimes kicking and screaming, but eventually giving in peacefully)

-         your heart rate slows down

-         anger, depression and anxiety abate

-         pain symptoms relax

-         your thoughts become clearer

-         and much more

Commit to practicing of Doing Nothing everyday and work your way up to 20 minutes.  This takes concentration and with practice, there will come a time in between your breathing that your thoughts and any outside disturbance will halt.  The space between your thoughts is where you will find the balance between calmness and tension and it is in this space where nothing (and everything) can happen.

A co-worker once asked me if I ever did nothing.  Being the type A personality who always had goals and checklists; I looked at her in a baffled way and asked her to define what she meant.  Again, she asked me if I could sit for 20 minutes and just do nothing; just be.  At this time in my life, my twin daughters were 6 months old and the thought of doing nothing was not an option I entertained.   Instead of sitting still for 20 minutes, I would have settled for 20 minutes of uninterrupted sleep.  I also thought that there was no way that she could begin to understand what challenges my daily life held given that she had a extremely independent husband and no children.  It took me 12 years to actually embrace what she had tried to help me with and another 8 years of practice to be able to feel comfortable doing it.

I want to invite you to practice the Doing Nothing.  You might be surprised about how productive doing nothing is.

Let’s define “nothing” as the point or balance between calmness and tension.  You’ll notice that if you ask people to sit and do nothing, there is a clear tension that results.

So, how do you take charge of your cluttered mind and get the most out of doing nothing?  The following is a series entitled Creating Zen which will include insights, offerings and activities that encourage you  to  Reconnect to Your True Potential.  Enjoy.

When I was younger, I had no problem flying out of the house without makeup on.  Now, unless there’s a fire, I’m not going anywhere without “putting my face on.  I know I’m not alone.   Having learned about the long held potentially dangerous practices of the cosmetics industry, I wonder if I’d be better off going out sans makeup.

As young girls,  we watched with adulation as our mothers meticulously applied her favorite shade of lipstick punctuating the process with a perfect blot.   Just as their mothers did, we do the same thing in front of my daughters.   It’s as if we are passing down a tribal ritual.

The thought that we could be prettying ourselves with poison grabbed our attention in 2007 when media sources shocked the public with headlines of lead laden lipstick.   Just last year, Rodale revealed that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) neither tests nor determines the safety level of cosmetics and still does not consider the toxic metal to be a safety concern.  Much like the fox watching the hen house, the beauty industry’s self-policing review panel, The Cosmetic, Toiletry and Fragrance Association (CFTA) is regulated by legislation that has not been updated since 1938!

There are about 884 chemicals that are known toxins commonly found in hair care products, deodorants, lotions, perfumes, and makeup.   While warning labels on cigarettes, alcohol and prescriptions are now a mainstay, the FDA lacks the authority to alert consumers about the safety concerns of the beauty products we lavish ourselves with.   The cosmetics industry says that the amount of chemicals are in such small amounts that they are safe for consumer use, and we are only beginning to gather research about the ill effects of these products we use multiple times per day.

The 35 billion dollar cosmetics industry is one of the nation’s largest and most profitable enterprises and, along with the entertainment business, it not only survived but thrived during the Great Depression.   As consumers tighten their pocketbooks, the industry is looking for even more clever ways to market their goods while keeping an eye on their bottom line.   One way they do this is by using cheaper ingredients wrapped in posh packaging.  Let’s face it, for many consumers, if it looks pretty and smells good, they buy it.   With news that most teenagers use an average of 17 personal care products every day, many companies have started marketing to  “tweens” and the “X” generation who tug on their parent’s heart and purse strings.

So, how do we stay pretty during an ugly economy?   The Environmental Working Group (www.ewg.org) offers sound advice as well as a powerful search tool for those looking to stay beautiful without compromising their health.  Look for companies that have signed the Compact for Safe Cosmetics which means that they are pledging to make safer products and to provide transparency to consumers about their products.  Happily, there are also a growing number of cost effective, natural and safe beauty lines available such as Organic Fiji,  Apriori Beauty and Naturally Safe Cosmetics.

Want to learn more?  Please join us at The 5th Annual Day of Renewal benefiting the Breast Cancer Fund.  See you in the lavender fields!