In light of that, I will continue down the current path of introducing a skin care product with an ingredient list in an introductory post. Next, I will follow up with insight into the ingredients and briefly compare to previous blog posts. If you have any suggestions contact us through twitter or Facebook. And after the current product is analyzed, I will break the series with a brief discussion regarding science research that sheds light on using DNA as a sunscreen. Yes, I mean DNA - Deoxyribonucleic Acid -- the genetic code of life. First, lets move onto another skin care product which has claims which differ from the previous products discussed in the series so far.
Without further ado, I chose to sway off of the previous path of analyzing "mainstream" products made by large corporations and chose to try to go small. The product I chose to look at in this post is made by "Lush Cosmetics" which claims to be all "hand made cosmetics". Specifically, a facial moisturizer called "Shangri LA". You might be wondering how I chose this product. I was walking in the mall and spotted the store (in the Galleria in Glendale, CA, USA) - and could not help but stop by to check out the products and their claims. In this first post, I will list the ingredients with their function in the product. The definitions and functions are taken from the Environmental Working Group's "Skin Deep Data Base". I use this data base to illustrate the fact that you can use the same data base to get answers regarding other products which I might be looking at presently.
Here is the front of the 'Facial Moisturizer' shown below:
And here is the backside of the moisturizer with the ingredient list shown below:
Below is the ingredient list of functions:
1) Sweet Almond Oil:
About PRUNUS AMYGDALUS DULCIS (SWEET ALMOND) OIL: Almond oil is extracted from the seed kernels of the sweet almond plant, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis.
Function(s): Fragrance Ingredient; Skin-Conditioning Agent - Occlusive
2) Cold Pressed Jojoba Oil:
About SIMMONDSIA CHINENSIS (JOJOBA) SEED OIL: Jojoba oil is extracted from seeds of the desert shrub, Simmondsia chinensis, native to California, Arizona and Mexico.
Function(s): Hair Conditioning Agent; Skin-Conditioning Agent - Occlusive; EMOLLIENT; SKIN CONDITIONING; VISCOSITY CONTROLLING
3) Triticum Vulgare (wheat) Germ:
About TRITICUM VULGARE (WHEAT) GERM: Triticum Vulgare (Wheat) Germ is a natural product obtained from the embryo of the wheatkernel separated in milling.
Function(s): Skin-Conditioning Agent - Miscellaneous; BLEACHING; SKIN CONDITIONING; SKIN PROTECTING
4) Bladderwrack Seaweed (Alginates):
About Alginates: used as an emulsifier, thickening agent, or smoothing agent in facial creams.
5) Organic Aloe Vera Gel (aloe barbadensis):
Other LOW concerns: Data gaps
About ALOE BARBADENSIS (ALOE VERA): Aloe vera is extracted from the succulent leaves of the aloe plant, Aloe barbadensis
Function(s): Fragrance Ingredient; MASKING
Synonym(s): ALOE BARBADENSIS LEAF, ALOE; ALOE BARBADENSIS; ALOE EXTRACT (ALOE SPP.) ; ALOE LEAF POWDER; ALOE VERA; ALOE (LATIN) ; ALOE, POWDERED; AROE (JAPANESE)
6) Glycerin:
About GLYCERIN: Glycerin (also called glycerol) is a naturally occurring alcohol compound and a component of many lipids. Glycerin may be of animal or vegetable origin. This ingredient is listed in the PETA's Caring ... read more
Function(s): Denaturant; Fragrance Ingredient; Hair Conditioning Agent; Humectant; Oral Care Agent;Oral Health Care Drug; Skin-Conditioning Agent - Humectant; Skin Protectant; Viscosity Decreasing Agent; PERFUMING; SOLVENT
7) Stearic Acid:
About STEARIC ACID: Stearic acid is a naturally occurring fatty acid. It is listed in the PETA's Caring Consumer guide as a substance of animal origin, since stearic acid is primarily derived from rendered fat of farm.
Function(s): Fragrance Ingredient; Surfactant - Cleansing Agent; Surfactant - Emulsifying AgentSurfactant-Cleansing Agent is included as a function for the soap form of Stearic Acid.; EMULSION STABILISING; MASKING; REFATTING
8) Cocoa Butter:
About THEOBROMA CACAO (CACAO) SEED BUTTER: Cocoa Butter is extracted from the roasted seeds of Theobroma cacao, a tree native to the Americas.
Function(s): Fragrance Ingredient; Skin-Conditioning Agent - Occlusive; Skin Protectant; EMOLLIENT; MASKING; SKIN CONDITIONING; SKIN PROTECTING
9) Cetearyl Alcohol:
About CETEARYL ALCOHOL: Cetearyl Alcohol is a mixture of cetyl and stearyl alcohols that can come from vegetable or synthetic sources.
Function(s): Emulsion Stabilizer; Opacifying Agent; Surfactant - Foam Booster; Viscosity IncreasingAgent - Aqueous; Viscosity Increasing Agent - Nonaqueous; EMOLLIENT; EMULSIFYING; EMULSION STABILISING; FOAM BOOSTING; VISCOSITY CONTROLLING
10) Primrose Oil:
About OENOTHERA BIENNIS (EVENING PRIMROSE) OIL: Evening Primrose oil is extracted from Oenothera biennis, a plant native to North America.
Function(s): Skin-Conditioning Agent - Miscellaneous; EMOLLIENT
11) Coconut Oil:
About COCOS NUCIFERA (COCONUT) OIL: Coconut oil is extracted from the kernels of the seeds of coconot palm, Cocos nucifera.
Function(s): Fragrance Ingredient; Hair Conditioning Agent; Skin-Conditioning Agent - Miscellaneous;Skin-Conditioning Agent - Occlusive; EMOLLIENT; MASKING; SKIN CONDITIONING; SOLVENT
12) Wheat Germ Oil:
About TRITICUM VULGARE (WHEAT) GERM: Triticum Vulgare (Wheat) Germ is a natural product obtained from the embryo of the wheatkernel separated in milling.
Function(s): Skin-Conditioning Agent - Miscellaneous; BLEACHING; SKIN CONDITIONING; SKIN PROTECTING
13) Lanolin Oil:
About LANOLIN: Lanolin is a refined derivative of the fat-like sebaceous secretion of sheep. This ingredient is listed in the PETA's Caring Consumer guide as an animal-sourced product.
Function(s): Emulsion Stabilizer; Hair Conditioning Agent; Skin-Conditioning Agent - Emollient; SkinProtectant; Surfactant - Emulsifying Agent; ANTISTATIC; SKIN CONDITIONING
14) Triethanolamine:
About TRIETHANOLAMINE: Triethanolamine is a strongly alkaline substance used as surfactant and pH adjusting chemical.
Function(s): Fragrance Ingredient; pH Adjuster; Surfactant - Emulsifying Agent; BUFFERING; MASKING
15) Beeswax (cera alba):
About BEESWAX: Beeswax is the purified wax from the honeycomb of the bee, Apis mellifera. This ingredient is listed in the PETA's Caring Consumer guide as a substance of animal origin.
Function(s): Binder; Emulsion Stabilizer; Epilating Agent; Fragrance Ingredient; Skin-Conditioning Agent -Miscellaneous; Surfactant - Emulsifying Agent; Viscosity Increasing Agent - Nonaqueous; EMOLLIENT; FILM FORMING; PERFUMING
16) Vanilla Planifolia:
*limited data: perfume, flavoring
17) violet oderata:
*limited data - n/a
18) Benzyl Salicylate:
Other LOW concerns: Ecotoxicology, Endocrine disruption
About BENZYL SALICYLATE: Benzyl Salicylate is an ester of benzyl alcohol and salicylic acid; this ingredient has been associated with allergies and contact dermatitis.
Function(s): Fragrance Ingredient; Ultraviolet Light Absorber; MASKING; UV ABSORBER
19) Geraniol:
Other LOW concerns: Ecotoxicology
About GERANIOL: Geraniol is a naturally occurring scent ingredient found in various essential oils such as rose oil and citronella oil.
Function(s): Fragrance Ingredient; MASKING; TONIC
20) Benzyl Benzoate:
Other HIGH concerns: Occupational hazards; Other LOW concerns: Ecotoxicology, Endocrine disruption
About BENZYL BENZOATE: Benzyl benzoate is used as solvent and preservative; associated with allergies and contact dermatitis.
Function(s): Fragrance Ingredient; Solvent; ANTIMICROBIAL; MASKING
21) Farnesol:
About FARNESOL: Farnesol is a flavor and perfume ingredient found in nature and also manufactured synthetically; associated with allergies and contact dermatitis.
Function(s): Fragrance Ingredient; DEODORANT; MASKING; SOLVENT; SOOTHING
22) Linalool:
About LINALOOL: Linalool is a terpene.
Function(s): Fragrance Ingredient; DEODORANT; MASKING
23) Methylparaben:
Other HIGH concerns: Endocrine disruption; Other MODERATE concerns: Biochemical or cellular level changes; Other LOW concerns: Data gaps
About METHYLPARABEN: Methylparaben is in the paraben family of preservatives used by the food, pharmaceutical, and personal care product industries. Parabens mimic estrogen and can act as potential hormone (endocrine) system disruptors.
Function(s): Fragrance Ingredient; Preservative
24) Propylparaben:
Other HIGH concerns: Endocrine disruption; Other LOW concerns: Data gaps, Ecotoxicology
About PROPYLPARABEN: Propylparaben is in the paraben family of preservatives used by the food, pharmaceutical, and personal care product industries. Parabens mimic estrogen and can act as potential hormone (endocrine) system disruptors.
Function(s): Fragrance Ingredient; Preservative; PERFUMING
Conclusion:
The ingredient list is full of interesting names which inspires curiosity as to their 'healing' efficacy. I thought that the ingredient list was cleverly written. I was exhausted in reading the list. Which caused me suspicion of the manner in which the ingredients were listed. In the next post, I will dive in further into the list and compare to the claims of the product manufacturer. Your assignment (yes, the reader - you) is to review the list of the other three products and find differences. This will help you understand the importance of each ingredient in the Shangri LA above.
Until next time, have a great weekend.
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