Alcohol Denat – Produced by the fermentation of starch or other carbohydrate sources, this ingredient is used as a solvent for extracts and various ingredients. It has a refreshing, astringent effect that promotes clarity in skin care products, including aftershaves and perfumes. It also is used medicinally as a topical antiseptic, astringent and anti-bacterial.
Archive for Word of the Day
Word of the Day – Phenoxyethanol
Phenoxyethanol is an organic chemical compound, a glycol ether often used in dermatological products such as skin creams and sunscreen. It is a colorless oily liquid. It is a bactericide (usually used in conjunction with quaternary ammonium compounds), often used in place of sodium azide in biological buffers as 2-phenoxyethanol is less toxic and non-reactive with copper and lead. It is used in many applications such as cosmetics, vaccines, and pharmaceuticals as a preservative.
It is also used as a fixative for perfumes, an insect repellent, a topical antiseptic, a solvent for cellulose acetate, some dyes, inks, and resins, in preservatives, pharmaceuticals, and in organic synthesis. It is moderately soluble in water. It is used as an anesthetic in the aquaculture of some fish.[1][2]
It is also listed as an ingredient for many United States vaccines by the Center for Disease Control.[3] In Japan its usage level in cosmetic products is regulated.[4]
Phenoxyethanol is an excellent alternative to the standard, potentially harmful formaldehyde-releasing preservative.[6]
source: http://en.wikipedia.org
Word of the Day – Aqua
Aqua – A common sense word, but you never know with these wonderful ingredients list what they really mean.
So far so good, they mean the compound water 🙂
Word of the Day – Sodium Palmate
Sodium Palmate: the salt found in palm oil used as a gentle cleanser and a by-product of the soap making process.
Used as a base ingredient in soap making and cosmetics. Sodium palmate is a core ingredient in many types of soap and is made from palm oil.
It is often combined with sodium cocoate, coconut oil sodium salt and the sodium salt of animal fat, sodium tallow. Together these three are one the major constituents of modern soap base. Base soap is the pure soap that has had no additional ingredients like color and scent added to it yet.
As base soap ingredients the hardest formulas use a mix of all three (sodium palmate, sodium cocoate, sodium tallow) in various combinations
source: www.fourstiks.com, http://en.wikipedia.org
To read more on the changes environmental groups are trying to make to the farming of palm oil, try this site http://www.voxy.co.nz/business/food-and-grocery-council-joins-roundtable-sustainable-palm-oil/5/52642. There are various debates on the impact of farming palm oil. There are vastly different views and so many opinions that I can’t tell who’s done the most research.
I feel it is import for us to informed and know what the impact our product choices have on the planet. It doesn’t hurt to be educated, some food for thought 🙂
Word of the Day – Confused?
So confused
Before we moved into our house, I did a vast amount of shopping, stocking up from October last year on toilettries etc. I did the stock piling to ensure that when we not run out of essentials while in a state of unpacked chaos.
This means that I have unfortunately a stock pile of very unfriendly chemicals in my linen cupboard, which slowly we are using and replacing with homemade, natural alternatives. A few nights ago, my hubby, Mark asked for a new soap, which I fetched from the bottom of the linen cupboard.
Well known SA soap brand with germ fighting things and classed as “gental” is what I gave him before reading the lable. I had never heard of the first ingrediant, let alone many of the rest. Here is the list of ingrediants.
A few we should all have heard about at some stage, but many were a bit confusing. Those that have already been word of the days will not be duplicated, the others, I’ll be researching over the next few days:
- Sodium tallowate
- Sodium plamate
- Aqua
- Solium palm kernelate
- Glycerin
- Tricholracarbanilide
- Parfum
- Tetrasodium EDTA
- Etidronic acid
- Titanium dioxide
- Disodium distyrylbiphenyl disulfonate
- Hexyl cinnamal
- Benzyl salicylate
- Limonene
- Amyl cinnamal
- CI 74160
What a mouth full! The 100g bar needs more printing for the ingrediants list then for the anufacturers contact details, weight, bar code and logo. The one good thing I did find on the packaging was a small logo with detailing a charity that the manufacter supports.
Word of the Day – Propylparaben
Propylparaben, the propyl ester of p-hydroxybenzoic acid, occurs as a natural substance found in many plants and some insects, although it is manufactured synthetically for use in cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and foods. It is a preservative typically found in many water-based cosmetics, such as creams, lotions, shampoos and bath products.
Parabens are a class of chemicals widely used as preservatives in the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries. Parabens are effective preservatives in many types of formulas. These compounds, and their salts, are used primarily for their bactericidal and fungicidal properties.
They can be found in shampoos, commercial moisturizers, shaving gels, personal lubricants, topical/parenteral pharmaceuticals, spray tanning solution and toothpaste. They are also used as food additives.
Their efficacy as preservatives, in combination with their low cost, their long history of safe use and the inefficacy of natural alternatives like grapefruit seed extract (GSE), probably explains why parabens are so commonplace. They are becoming increasingly controversial, however, and some organizations which adhere to the precautionary principle object to their everyday use.
source: http://en.wikipedia.org/
Cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and foods can all spoil if they do not contain a preservative. Consequently, propylparaben has become the preservative of choice, especially for cosmetics that are water-based – like moisturizers, shampoos, shower cleansers, conditioners, and sunscreens. It is even used in lipsticks, foundations, mascaras, and eye shadows – sometimes at levels approaching 25%. On its own, there are recommendations for how much propylparaben should be found in a particular product.
The problem arises when a product contains multiple parabens – such as propylparaben and methylparaben – then, there are not any recommendations for an individual user.
In the pharmaceutical industry, propylparaben is a common preservative for certain drugs. As a result, it is administered to humans in several ways: injections, orally, or through suppositories. However, it is almost always in concentrations of less than 1%.
The dangers of propylparaben are yet to be specifically identified. However, studies have been conducted that have created fear in some consumers. For example, a group of British researchers tested breast lump tissue samples that were taken from women who had cancerous breast tumors. The researchers found traces of parabens in the lumps of all 20 women. This has caused some people to wonder whether the parabens caused the cancer.
Other examples that cause concern include a September 2008 study of 20 girls between the ages of 14 and 19. The girls used multiple cosmetics products every day – from moisturizers to deodorants to make-up. In that study, propylparaben was found in every girl. The fear is that parabens mimic estrogen in the body and thereby increase a woman’s risk for breast cancer. Yet, there is no evidence that parabens cause cancer and further research must be conducted.
Since there is increased awareness and concern, some cosmetics manufacturers, specifically those that are organic in nature, are looking for ways to prevent their products from spoiling or for inhibiting microbial growth.
Shorter shelf lives and new formulas are all being explored by some manufacturers, as well. Until more research is conducted, the safest bet is to limit the amount of parabens that is absorbed into the body.
source: http://www.wisegeek.com
Word of the Day – Methylparaben
Methylparaben is an anti-irritant agent and water-soluble anti-microbial. It is an anti-fungal and very commonly used as a preservative for cosmetics, drugs and food items.
It functions as a preservative as well as a bacteriostatic agent. Methylparaben is extracted from the benzoic acid that is derived from benzoin tree gum. It is considered both to be a phenol as well as an ester. A lot of times, methylparaben is used in skincare and beauty projects for rejuvenation purposes.
//
- Methylparaben is often used as an anti-fungal agent in foods. It operates to protect food items from Drosophila, which are often referred to as fruit flies or vinegar flies. Methylparaben functions to slow down the growth of fruit flies during both the larval and pupal periods.
Considerations
- Methylparaben is considered to be a safe substance. It is easily absorbed through both the skin as well as through the gastrointestinal tract. It quickly is excreted and eliminated without any building up inside of the body. It is non-toxic by parenteral and oral consumption. It works well with sensitive skin
types and is gentle and non-irritating.
Warning
- Even though methylparaben is a safe substance, there have been incidences of allergic reactions to it reported. Because of this, people with allergies to methylparaben should try to avoid any food items, cleansers or any other type of product that might contain methylparaben.
Identification
- So technically speaking, what is methylparaben? It is a chemical and its full name is methyl p-hydroxybenzoate. It is created by p-hydroxybenzoic acid’s methanol esterification while sulfuric acid is present. Methylparaben is distilled after esterification (the chemical process for producing esters).
Function
source: http://www.ehow.com
Word of the Day – Cetearyl Alcohol
Cetostearyl alcohol, cetearyl alcohol or cetylstearyl alcohol is a mixture of fatty alcohols, consisting predominantly of cetyl and stearyl alcohols and is classified as a fatty alcohol. It is used as an emulsion stabilizer, opacifying agent, and foam boosting surfactant, as well as an aqueous and nonaqueous viscosity-increasing agent.
It imparts an emollient feel to the skin and can be used in water-in-oil emulsions, oil-in-water emulsions, and anhydrous formulations. It is commonly used in hair conditioners and other hair products.
It is not really an “alcohol”, such as rubbing alcohol, which would dry the skin, but it is an emulsifying wax, made by combining fatty alcohols from vegetable sources, such as coconut alcohol. It can also be made artificially.
It is used often in cosmetics as an emollient, thickening agent, moisturizer, emulsifier, stabilizer, opacifier as well as a carrying agent for other ingredients. It is a substitute for making lotions if you don’t have emulsifying wax as well.
source: http://en.wikipedia.org
When compared to Cetyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Alchol offers enhanced viscosity building effects as well as improved penetration of other ingredients. Cetearyl Alcohol has long been known as a “carrier” and “penetration enhancer”.
This widely used fatty alcohol is often employed as the sole conditioning agent in crème rinse or hair conditioner formulations, as it adequately moisturizes and improves wet/dry combout.
Word of the Day – Liquidum Paraffinum
Liquidum Paraffinum – Interesting I found this ingredient in many of my skin care products at home. Besides the idea of an oil by-product been used on my boys’ skin, I want to eliminate our dependency on non-renewable resources. I will be looking for an alternative for our skin care now…
Petroleum by-product that coats the skin like plastic, clogging the pores. Interferes with skin’s ability to eliminate toxins, promoting acne and other disorders. Slows down skin function and cell development, resulting in premature aging. Used in many products (baby oil is 100% mineral oil!) Any mineral oil derivative can be contaminated with cancer causing PAH’s (Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons). Manufacturers use petrolatum because it is unbelievably cheap.
- Mineral oil
- Liquidum paraffinum (also known as posh mineral oil!)
- Paraffin oil
- Paraffin wax
- Petrolatum
sournce: www.health-report.co.uk/ingredients-directory.htm
Paraffinum liquidum
Purpose: Lubricant, emollient
Adverse effects: Aka mineral oil, this cheap ingredient produces a temporary moisturising effect. Penetration enhancer,can cause skin (scalp) dryness. Can be contaminated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Some PAHs are potential human carcinogens linked with an increased risk of breast cancer.
source: http://www.theecologist.org