Safety Check: Avalon Organics CoQ10 Facial Cleansing Milk

Switched to a new face wash a couple of days ago with my fingers crossed. Avalon Organics -- usually a good company. Right?

I happen to like this product. My previous facial cleansing gel (also an Avalon product) was making my face red if I left it on for more than a couple of minutes in the shower. Not this one. Either it's the creamy nature of the cleanser, or maybe it's because the weather is starting to get cooler out again so my face isn't as oily. After all, the CoQ10 product is billed as being for normal-to-dry skin ... which mine tends to be only when the weather cools and the humidity level drops. It also smells reasonably nice if you like lavender and it doesn't leave that greasy layer of yuck that many creamy cleansers do.

The SkinDeep Cosmetics Database rates it at 4/10 or moderate risk.

Whew.

For the full product report, you can take a look here.

Except that ... well, the list of ingredients detailed at the Avalon site doesn't match the list found on the SkinDeep site. Starting to wonder about the accuracy of the database when it comes to having the most current formulations now, so I'm going to go with the list of ingredients on the Avalon site. Then compare them against the ratings for the individual substances myself in the database and see where things net out.

Here is what you're getting into if you choose to use this product:

INGREDIENT LIST:
1. angustifolia (lavender) flower
0/10 (low risk)

2. chamomilla recutita (chamomile) flower
0/10 (low risk)

3. camellia sinensis (white tea) leaf extract
0/10 (low risk)

4. organic arnica montana flower extract (aqueous)
2/10 (low hazard risk)

5. vegetable glycerin
1/10 (low hazard risk)

6. stearic acid
2/10 (low hazard risk)

7. glyceryl stearate SE
0/10 (low risk)

8. glycine soja (soybean) oil
1/10 (low hazard risk). NOTE: One of the hazard risks is for cancer.

9. stearyl alcohol
1/10 (low hazard risk)

10. cetyl alcohol
1/10 (low hazard risk)

11. phenoxyethanol
4/10 (moderate hazard risk)

12. tocopherol (vitamin E)
2/10 (low hazard risk)

13. emulsifying wax
0/10 (low hazard risk)

14. ubiquinone (CoQ10)
1/10 (low hazard risk). NOTE: Developmental/Reproductive Toxicity is one of the risks.

15. butyrospermum parkii (shea butter)
0/10 (low risk)

16. sorbitol
1/10 (low hazard risk)

17. caprylic/ capric triglyceride
0/10 (low risk)

18. organic helianthus annuus (sunflower) seed oil
0/10 (low risk)

19. polysorbate 20
1/10 (low hazard risk)

20. prunus amygdalus dulcis (sweet almond) oil
0/10 (low risk)

21. citric acid
4/10 (moderate risk)

22. sodium PCA
2/10 (low hazard risk)

23. sodium carbomer
0/10 (low risk)

24. dimethicone
2/10 (low hazard risk)

25. tocopheryl acetate (vitamin E)
4/10 (moderate risk)

26. L-ascorbic acid
2/10 (low hazard risk). NOTE: Risks include Cancer, Reproductive/Developmental Toxicity, Neurotoxicity, Endocrine disruption, Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive), Data gaps

27. ethylhexylglcerin
1/10 (low hazard risk)

28. organic citrus aurantium bergamia (bergamot) fruit oil
2/10 (low hazard risk) NOTE: Risks include violations, restrictions & warnings, organ system toxicity (non-reproductive), irritation (skin, eyes or lungs) and data gaps.

29. other essential oils
4/10 (moderate risk)

Looks to me as though Avalon has changed its formulation to decrease its risky ingredients. My average risk rating, based on the total of all rankings out of ten then divided by the total number of ingredients, has this product with a final risk rating of 1.31/10.

What do you think? Is this product safe enough for you to use?

Safety Check: Purell Hand Sanitizer (Original) with Moisturizers and Vitamin E

I hate getting sick.

In fact, after two winters of various cyclical maladies, I've gotten to be a bit of a germaphobe.

Enter the classic germ prevention method: Purell Hand Sanitizer. It's everywhere in Toronto hospitals and medical centres these days; I also have one on my desk at work.

But how safe is it -- really?

The Skin Deep site is not too clear on that. It has several Purell products listed, with safety ratings ranging from 5/10 to 7/10, but not the specific one sitting on my desk. So let's take a look at the ingredient list and see where we're at here.

MEDICINAL INGREDIENT:

1. Ethyl Alcohol 62% (a.k.a. "ethanol")
Skin Deep Rating: 4-5/10 depending on useage


NON-MEDICINAL INGREDIENTS:

2. aminomethyl propanol
Skin Deep Rating: 3/10 (moderate hazard)

3. carbomer
Skin Deep Rating: 0/10 (low risk)

4. fragrance
Skin Deep Rating: 7/10
That's not good at all!

5. glycerin
Skin Deep Rating: 2/10
NOTE: Includes cancer and developmental/reproductive toxicity

6. isopropyl myristate
Skin Deep Rating: 1/10 (low risk)

7. propylene glycol
Skin Deep Rating: 4/10 (moderate hazard)

8. tocopheryl acetate (Vitamin E acetate)
Skin Deep Rating: 4/10
NOTE: Includes risks for allergies/immunotoxicity as well as contamination concerns for hydroquinone (This is bad - hydroquinone, according to Skin Deep, runs the gamut of bad things from cancer to developmental/reproductive toxicity and beyond)

9. water
Skin Deep Rating: 0/10 ("innocuous")


Ouch. So I'm feeling a little more nervous about this bottle of liquified gunk sitting on my desk now. Maybe I should just make a point of washing my hands more often instead ...

Safety Check: Avalon Organic Botanicals Lemon Clarifying Shampoo

Product: Avalon Organic Botanicals Lemon Clarifying Shampoo
Skin Deep Rating: N/A (not listed in the database)

This is a product used by two out of the three members of my household on a regular basis, as well as by at least two other extended family members. We've had it in the bathroom for at least two years now ... thought it was time to check out the ingredients and do a bit of a reality check here.

Based on the ingredients listed on the Avalon web site, what follows is a rating on an ingredient-by-ingredient basis following an itemized search on the Skin Deep database.

Ingredient List:
1. Purified water
Skin Deep Rating: N/A

2. cocamidopropyl betaine
Skin Deep Rating: 5/10 (moderate hazard)
Ouch ...

3. disodium cocoamphodiacetate
Skin Deep Rating: 1/10 (low hazard)

4. sodium cocoyl sarcosinate
Skin Deep Rating: 2/10 (low hazard)

5. coconut acid
Skin Deep Rating: 0/10

6. babassuamidopropalkonium chloride
Skin Deep Rating: 0/10 (low hazard)

7. organic citrus limonum (lemon) peel)
Skin Deep Rating: 0/10 (low hazard)*
NOTE: The rating for this is based on the listing for "CITRUS MEDICA LIMONUM (LEMON) PEEL"

8. calendula officinalis (calendula) flower extract
Skin Deep Rating: 1/10 (low hazard)
NOTE: The main hazard rating for this one is a link to Cancer. Damn!

9. chamomilla recutita (chamomile) flower extract
Skin Deep Rating: 1/10 (low hazard)*
NOTE: The rating for this ingredient is based on the listing for "CHAMOMILLA RECUTITA (MATRICARIA) FLOWER EXTRACT" since there wasn't an exact match in the SD database.

10. butyrospermum parkii (shea butter)
Skin Deep Rating: 0/10 (low hazard)

11. vegetable glycerin
Skin Deep Rating: 1/10 (low hazard)

12. bisabolol (chamomile)
Skin Deep Rating: 1/10 (low hazard)

13. ethylhexylglycerin
Skin Deep Rating: 1/10 (low hazard)

14. arginine (amino acid)
Skin Deep Rating: 3/10 (moderate hazard)
Concerns: Cancer, Developmental/Reproductive Toxicity etc.

15. panthenol (pro-vitamin B5)
Skin Deep Rating: 2/10 (low hazard)

16. tocopherol (vitamin E)
Skin Deep Rating: 2/10
NOTE: Cancer is one of the concerns with this ingredient

17. organic citrus medica limonum (lemon) peel oil
Skin Deep Rating: 1/10 (low hazard)

18. other essential oils
Skin Deep Rating: N/A

Ingredients to be concerned about:
1. cocamidopropyl betaine --> 5/10
2. arginine (amino acid) 3/10


Average rating of all listed ingredients (with "N/A" products counting as "0"): 1.17/10

Gluten-Free Pizza Option

Finally!

One of the big Canadian pizza chains has finally gotten with the gluten-free program. Pizza Pizza now offers a gluten-free crust for an additional charge of $3.25 per pizza. It only applies to mediums, so if there are many gluten-free eaters in your dining circle who are also big eaters, the price could add up a bit.

But hey, at least it's an alternative to the exorbitantly expensive Magic Oven!

For more info on the Pizza Pizza gluten-free crust, go here.

News Flash: Whole Foods Recalls Ground Beef

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has distributed Whole Foods recall alert for ground beef. This is a voluntary Whole Foods recall, and affects ground beef purchased between June 2 and August 6, 2008 over E. coli O157:H7 contamination concerns.

This recall affects all of Canada (Toronto, Oakville and Vancouver) as well as Connecticut, Rhode Island, Maine, Massachusetts, Florida, New Jersey, New York, Kentucky, Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington D. C., Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska and Wisconsin in the United States.

For more information on the recall, you can see the press release at the Whole Foods site. For more information on this specific strain of E. coli, you can read all about it at the CFIA site.

Safety Check: Avalon Organic Botanicals Therapeutic Facial Cleansing Gel Lavender

Well this is disturbing.

A couple of years ago I made the switch from the more conventional facial products from the drug store to using something I *thought* would be safer. It said "organics". It's sold at the health food store. Should make it safe. Right?

Here is the product in question:

Avalon Organic Botanicals Therapeutic Facial Cleansing Gel Lavender.
Frequency of use: daily with my morning shower.
Skin Deep Rating: 5/10 ("moderate" risk)


So, according to the Skin Deep database, this product contains ingredients which rank as high as 5/10 on the toxicity scale. However, I went and looked at the ingredient list that Avalon has listed on the site for this product. It doesn't match the one in the Skin Deep database.

Here is what is on the site label:

Organic lavandula angustifolia (lavender), chamomilla recutita (chamomile) and camellia sinensis (white tea) extracts (aqueous)(1), organic arnica montana extract(2), cocamidopropyl betaine, disodium oleamido succinate, sodium cocoyl glutamate, sodium cocoyl isethionate, vegetable glycerin, organic aloe barbadensis(1), glycereth-7 cocoate, citric acid, phospholipids, panthenol (pro-vitamin B5), sodium PCA, allantoin, dipotassium glycyrrhizinate (licorice root), organic borago officinalis (borage) and linum usitatissimum (flax) oils(1), phenoxyethanol, rosa canina (rose hip) oil, benzyl alcohol, organic lavandula angustifolia (lavender) oil(3) and other essential oils.

So ... since it doesn't actually match what's in the Skin Deep site ... I've decided to break it down ingredient by ingredient.

1. Organic lavandula angustifolia (lavender)
Skin Deep Ingredient Rating: 1/10 (low risk)

2. chamomilla recutita (chamomile) extract
Skin Deep Rating: 0/10 (no risk)

3. camellia sinensis (white tea) extract (aqueous)
Skin Deep Rating: 2/10 (low risk)

4. organic arnica montana extract
Skin Deep Rating (based on "flower" extract): 2/10 (low risk)

5. cocamidopropyl betaine
Skin Deep Rating: 5/10 (moderate hazard)
Well, that's not good ...

6. disodium oleamido succinate
Skin Deep Rating: 0/10 (no hazard)

7. sodium cocoyl glutamate
Skin Deep Rating: 0/10

8. sodium cocoyl isethionate
Skin Deep Rating: 1/10 (low risk)

9. vegetable glycerin
Skin Deep Rating: 1/10

10. aloe barbadensis
Skin Deep Rating (aloe barbadensis - general): 2/10
Skin Deep Rating (leaf extract): 1/10
Skin Deep Rating (gel): 1/10

11. glycereth-7 cocoate
Skin Deep Risk: 0/10

12. citric acid
Skin Deep Rating: 4/10 (moderate risk)

13. phospholipids
Skin Deep Rating: 0/10

14. panthenol (pro-vitamin B5)
Skin Deep Rating: 2/10 (low hazard risk)

15. sodium PCA
Skin Deep Rating: 2/10 (low hazard risk)

16. allantoin
Skin Deep Rating: 0/10 (low hazard risk)

17. dipotassium glycyrrhizinate (licorice root)
Skin Deep Rating: 1/10 (low hazard risk)

18. organic borago officinalis (borage) oil
Skin Deep Rating: 0/10

19. organic linum usitatissimum (flax) oil
Skin Deep Rating: 0/10

20. phenoxyethanol
Skin Deep Rating: 4/10 (moderate hazard risk)

21. rosa canina (rose hip) oil
Skin Deep Rating: 0/10

22. benzyl alcohol
Skin Deep Rating: 6/10 (moderate hazard risk) --> yikes!

23. organic lavandula angustifolia (lavender) oil(3) and other essential oils.
Skin Deep Rating: 2/10


So ... based on an ingredient by ingredient rating breakdown, taking the highest of all possible options (if there is more than one score on a particular item), then averaging them all out ... I get 1.52/10 as an overall score for this product. Which leads me to wonder about the Skin Deep rating system and/or whether or not Avalon improved its ingredient list between the original examination done by Skin Deep and now.

For what it's worth, there are clearly a few ingredients here to be concerned about. But I'm feeling a bit better now than I was when I first checked the rating for this product.

What I've learned from this exercise is that the following ingredients are ones to watch for in "natural" products:

1. benzyl alcohol (6/10)
2. cocamidopropyl betaine (5/10)
3. phenoxyethanol (4/10)
4. citric acid (4/10)
   

What do you think?

Product Recommendation: Lafe's Natural & Organic Deodorant Spray

I stink.

I admit it.

At least, I generally smell if I don't use deodorant. I've had lousy luck with most conventional deodorants and -- up to this point -- ALL of the alternative and less toxic options found in the health food store.

Until now.

Lafe's Natural and Organic Deodorant Spray (with aloe vera) has no scent. It's not an aerosol. What it is is a pump that sprays (5-6 times, as directed on the label) a very cool and non-sticky mist under your arms. I suggest that you hang out in front of a fan for a minute or so to let it dry. But once it's dry ... it works. In the summer. It's even reasonably effective into day 2 without a shower (if you were so inclined) but you might want to do something with a scent in your pits by then (a.k.a. wouldn't recommend it for public consumption. LOL)

Even the ingredients are mind-relieving:
= purified water
= naturally occurring mineral salts
= aloe vera
= potassium alum

The only question I really had was about the potassium alum, so I looked it up on Skin Deep as an ingredient report. SD gave it a "1" on the toxic scale, which is almost as good as it gets (other than 0 of course!).

I bought it at Tutti Frutti in Kensington Market, but you can also order it online if you're not able to find it in the stores by going to Lafe's site directly.

My rating: @@@@@