Aloe Vera Hair Growth

Posted on 05/12/2013 by sbonham

Does Aloe Vera Help Hair Growth ?

Many are familiar with the incredible benefits of aloe vera for healing burns. However, did you ever think it would be good for “hair growth”? Studies are showing that it can be very useful to treat topical hair loss. This is because too often, hair loss can be a result of decreased circulation to the head (i.e. micro circulation defects), and aloe is a stimulant; meaning it promotes circulation.

Brushing Promotes Hair Growth

Often people that are experiencing hair loss/thinning are afraid to touch their hair, brush the area or stroke their hands through their hair because of the possibility that more hair will come out and make things worse. I’m sure some men don’t even scrub shampoo into their hair because they are afraid of more hair loss.

Let’s get this straight! This is false, false, false! It is actually better to brush the area where your hair is thinning/your losing hair because it will increase blood flow to that region of your head and stimulate growth.

Alopecia

If you have never heard of alopecia, you are probably familiar with it. It is often seen on men (and women) who have small bald spots on their head. It’s not a big deal but many are self-conscious about it. Aloe vera or Aloe barbandensis gel has shown to also improve hair growth following alopecia (3).

Why you may ask? Well, it has to do with the chemical “aloenin” in the aloe, which is the major constituent responsible for promoting hair growth without irritating the skin (4).

Best Shampoo For Hair Growth

There are many shampoos with aloe vera that are very good for (a) promoting circulation to your head (i.e. increasing hair growth) and (b) moisturizing your hair and improving it’s shine. The eco-savy staff tried a whole bunch of different shampoo’s with aloe, and concluded that this one is the best (right from Thailand too! …the aloe is of much higher quality):

References

(1) Grindlay D., Reynolds T. (1986) The Aloe vera phenomenom: a review of the properties and modern uses of the leaf parenchyma gel. J Ethnopharm 16: 117-151

(2) Inaoka Y., Fukushima M., Kuroda H. (1988) Hair tonics containing aloenin. Jpm Kokai Tokkyo Koho 3: JP6329528.

What To Look For On Your Shampoo Label? Phthalate Free and Sulfate Free!

Posted on 02/10/2013 by sbonham

Eco-Savy recently wrote about the importance of sulfate-free shampoo’s, but have you ever heard about “phthalates” in your shampoo products? More often than not, they are there, and are often partially responsible for that that lovely “orchid must” or “citrus zing” smell that has lured you into buying the particular brand in the first place. Unfortunately, chances are, you have been taking in a dose of these hormone-disrupting phthalates with every squirt,smear or slather, whether the scent aggravates your senses or not.

Phthalates are not just found in shampoo products, they are found in personal care products, makeup, fragrances and toys. Indeed they are hard to find on labels and often hidden behind the word “fragrance”. However, you can and should look for the phrase “phthalate free“.

Dibutyl phthalate (DBT) and diethylhexyl pthalate (DEHP) are two of the phthalates that have been banned from toys but are still found in cosmetics here in Canada. However, back in 2007, 72% of the deodorants, perfumes, hairsprays /mousses/gels and lotions tested in a report called “Not Too Pretty” by Health Care Without Harm and Environmental Working Group contained at least one phthalate.

Fortunately, consumers are growing wiser and becoming more self-educated in navigating themselves through the marketplace and reading labels (hopefully Eco-Savy has been helping you in this journey too!). As a result, corporations are getting the message. A great example of a popular brand that is making it’s shampoo, conditioner and body lotion toxin-free is Crabtreee & Evelyn (refer to image below). A few years ago we would never have recommended their products to you because of the amount of parabens, sodium-lauryl sulfate (SLS) and pthalates in them. However, this new line of products by them says RIGHT ON THE LABEL that there are NO phthalates, sulfates or parabens in this particular shampoo product. We were so excited about this, we just had to share it with you. Note however to still read the label on their products to ensure they have not just done this for this one shampoo/conditioner/body lotion line.

Chemicals In Cosmetics

Posted on 26/05/2013 by sbonham

toxic cosmetics The folks at Environmental Defense in Toronto found some pretty disturbing stuff lurking in common cosmetics. Below is a list of the cosmetic products that were found to contain the most heavy metals of all the products testing in each category.

Eyeshadow: The Body Shop Shimmer Cues, Almay Intense i-color Trio, Two Faced Eyeshadow Due (contained lead cadmium, nickel, berrylium etc.)

Powders: Sephora Sculpting Disk Powder Trio (lead, nickel, berrylium, thallium). Foundation: Clinique Stay-True Makeup (cadmium, arsenic, nickel, lead)

Mascara: L’Oreal Bare Naturale and Avon Astonishing Lengths (arseninc, cadmium, lead, nickel, etc.)

Lipstick: Benefit Benetint pocket pal (red) (arsentic, lead, cadmium, nickel, berrylium)

Source: Envirionmental Defence, Heavy Metal Hazard: The Health Risks of Hidden Heavy Metals in Face Makeup. May 2011

If you want to learn more about which products to watch out for, or about the ingredients in your everyday products subscribe to our mailing list below.

What’s In Your Cosmetics ??

Posted on 21/03/2013 by sbonham

Did you know up to ten thousand ingredients are allowed in personal care products? In a new British study, it was found that the average woman puts at least 515 chemicals on her body every day. The scary part of this study was that more than 33% of the women participants had no idea of the key ingredients in their toiletries, with only 9 percent away aware of more of the ingredients in their cosmetics put on everyday.

Many of us girls can’t go a day without makeup and are always putting some form of cream on ourselves – whether it be hand cream in the winter, to skin-darkening sun cream in the summer. What most people don’t realize is that these moisturizer can contain over 30 different chemicals and perfume up to 400! With so many products on the market today and them all claiming similar things, it can be hard to really distinguish which ones are really better for our health.

We all need to be a bit more educated in terms of the products we choose to bring into our home and put on our ourselves. This is partially because of how often they are used – over time the exposure and toxicity levels increase in our bloodstreams.

Here are a few shocking facts about cosmetics:

– One out of 10 ingredients used in cosmetic and personal care products shows evidence of reproductive toxicity in laboratory studies.

– Lipstick can contain petroleum distillates which can cause damage to your nervous system, skin, kidneys and eyes. They also can contain aluminum, a known toxin

-Talcum powder was linked in a 1982 article in the journal of Cancer to a 328% increased risk of ovarian cancer for women who apply it to sanitary napkins and genitals.

– Preservatives in cosmetics extend shelf life by preventing bacterial contamination. Formaldehyde, methyl and propyl paraben are used in a wide range of traditional cosmetics. TO learn more about parabens, refer to an earlier article -click here. Avoid all products containing these preservatives and opt for those that use natural alternatives such as antioxidants like vitamin E.

To learn more facts about the products you use everyday check out our facts section.

Eco-savy also recommends trying aloe on your skin. Not only will it help moisturize your skin, but give it vibrancy. Aloe has even been scientifcally proven to help fight a number of skin disorders. So stop throwing your money out on all these harmful chemical-loaded skin products with a bazillion side effects and why not try a natural alternative? If you are interested, check out the ebook below! It offers 130+ home remedies for 80+ disorders and provides 25+ easy to make homemade beauty remedies, including a recipe for an anti wrinkle facial moisturizer.

Buy now –Click Here!

References

– Baillie-Hamilton, P. Toxic Overload. Penguin Group (USA) Incorporated. (2005)

– Sattler, B., Archer, L., Houlihan, J. (2006) Mirror, mirror on the wall, what’s in my personal care products: A short article baout 300,000,000, guinea pigs

– Skin Deep Report (2006). Online: www.ewg.org/skindeep. Accessed: March, 2013

Shaving Cream Chemical Shocker

Posted on 14/03/2013 by sbonham

Ever wonder what is in your shaving cream? Most people don’t think about shaving cream much and I don’t blame them. All that seems to matter is the smooth finish left behind after you shave, or that amazing clean smell. Well, you might be shocked to learn what is in these products.

There there are a whole slew of potentially harmful chemicals in AFTERSHAVE and SHAVING CREAM you should try to avoid.

The most common chemicals to look for in aftershave are:

–Benzyl acetate: linked to pancreatic cancer (may be absorbed through the skin). (2)

–Ethyle Acetate: May cause damage to the liver and kidneys, headaches and dehydration of the skin. (2)

–Terpineol: Linked to pneumonitis or even fatal edema if breathed into the lngs, central-nervous-system and respiratory damage, and headaches. (2)

If you are one of those guys that is obsessed with your “shaved-look” and want to learn a better/safer way to shave Eco-Savy highly recommends this great e-book called “Grooming Secrets For Men” (Click Here!). What we find so great about this book is that it addresses the following:

– Helps you determine what skin type you have

– Introduces you to the ONLY ALL NATURAL UNDER ARM DEODORANT THAT WILL KEEP YOU ODOR FREE for 7 days with just one application. (1)

– Teaches you proper anti-aging techniques to having amazing skin at any age. (1)

– Gives you great tips when buying skincare products. (1)

– Teaches you step-by-step how to still get that super close, smooth shave, with good products and little or no irritation. (1)

-Talks about the 7 most common grooming mistakes. (1)

Click Here!

References:

1. 2012 The Stylish Man. Available http://www.thestylishman.com/index.html?hop=ecosavy.. Online: April, 2013

2. Baillie-Hamilton, P. Toxic Overload. Penguin Group (USA) Incorporated. (2005)