They both know that years ago I used to be an independent product consultant for Mary Kay. I used to teach classes and most of my close friends and family used Mary Kay products from head to toe. Dena and Val have recently asked me for info as to why I stopped using and selling Mary Kay.
Here is what I have to say about that.....
The book that changed my life is called "Green Babies, Sage Moms" written by Lynda Fassa (who believe it or not, I am friends with on FaceBook. Crazy huh'? She is an amazing woman.) This is not a book just for someone who is pregnant, wants to be pregnant or even a mom. This book is for anyone and everyone who wants an explanation of what is going on around us. Lynda writes from her heart, sharing all that she has learned. And it all makes sense. From the foods we eat to the lotions and makeup we apply to our bodies every day. This book discusses how candles and air fresheners are harming our kids and the real truth behind hair coloring and our favorite mani's and pedi's. I highly recommend you buy and read this book. Highly.
In Lynda's 2nd chapter, titled "Beauty Is More Than Skin Deep" I found information that rocked my world and I have never been the same. Thank God, I have not been the same. She referenced a 2004 British study in the Journal of Applied Toxicology that cited parabens as a "cause for concern." As a former 7 year Pharmaceutical Representative, this, of course intrigued me. So I headed to google to find this study and dissected it myself. Here it is.
Basically what this study showed was 20 women, who had breast cancer, donated their surgically removed tumors to science. And scientists found trace amounts of parabens inside all 20 tumors. Scientists, then of course, concluded that there was a link between parabens and breast cancer. Parabens are NOT a naturally occurring element in our body, so how did the women get the parabens inside their tumors??
And as most of you know, studies have linked products containing parabens to a variety of hormone disorders, including underdeveloped testes in infant boys, to quote Lynda Fassa.
"Over and over, parabens have been linked to cancer in lab animals." "In lab tests on sunscreen that contained parabens, fish and frogs began to change sex, from male to female." There are safe sunscreens to buy and make yourself. But for the most part the sunscreens on the shelves are doing more damage than they are helping us. Sick....I know.
To quote The Cancer Prevention Coalition, a nonprofit advocacy group, "The cosmetic industry has been as reckless as the tobacco industry and the FDA has remained silent."
Common parabens to look for on your labels are...
-methylparaben
-propylparaben
-ethylparaben
-butylparaben
"About 99% of all consumer cosmetics contain one or more parabens, a group of powerful preservatives that extend a product's shelf life."
All of this makes me sick! WHY in the heck (submit a different word there) are these chemicals still allowed in our body care and makeup products??????????????
Why are chemical ingredients banned in other countries that are allowed here in the U.S.???? WHAT IS GOING ON??????
I can't control the FDA. Heck, I can't even control my own kids or my life, but I CAN inform YOU of what is going. I can teach you what to LOOK for when you are at the store deciding on what product to put in your cart. And if you can't get it at your local store, you have Amazon.
So, please start reading labels. If you put it on you or you put it in you BE INFORMED about what is in it. Take responsibility for yourself. No one else is going to do it for you.
It took me 3 days to muster up enough courage to go look at the ingredients in my Mary Kay products,after finding the study I referenced above. When I did, I was shocked. A few of the Mary Kay products had 4 different parabens in them, not just 1, but all 4 of the parabens used in 1 product!!!!!! And all but 2 or 3 of them had at least 1 paraben in them. So, obviously, I stopped selling Mary Kay. I sent back what inventory I had left and was refunded at 60% of the value, if I remember correctly and, get this.....I was blacklisted. Blacklisted=I would never be able to sign up and sell Mary Kay products again, for the rest of my life. To that I replied, that is fine...if you don't green your products up, why would I want to sell them anyway?? If I was selling something that could have been causing cancer in my family and friends than I was D.O.N.E.! They Blacklist anyone who returns the products back to the company for partial reimbursement.
I then switched to Mineral Fusion for all of my makeup products, and I love them. I buy them at Whole Foods, Earth Fare and Amazon.
I make my own facial cleanser, my moisturizer, eye makeup remover and hair gel is organic virgin coconut oil that I buy here and I buy my shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, lotion and hairspray from Whole Foods. Whole Foods has a generic line called 365 and I pay $4.99 for a 32 oz fl oz bottle of their shampoo, conditioner, shower gel and lotion.
I buy the unscented shampoo, conditioner, shower gel and lotion. I put the body wash into a 16 oz glass bottle with a lotion type pump that I buy from here and then add my own "do" essential oils to make one FABULOUS concoction (click here to see that post)!!!! If you have any questions about "do" message me or click here. Their essential oils are the absolute best in my opinion. And the only essentials oils I will use or recommend.
So.... that is why I quit selling Mary Kay products.
You can reference the Environmental Working Group to see how your body care products measure up. It is a very cool website and they even have an app now.
Keep living green. Make a step every day. Even if it is a little one.
**Update May 2017. I am currently using and loving LimeLight by Alcone. Check it out here.... www.deblye.com
I currently wrote this... What facial products do I currently use?
***Update: A Mary Kay consultant contacted me January 2017 sharing that Mary Kay is removing parabens from quite a few of their products (see pics below for list). That is wonderful!!!! But please keep reading labels. We should not be putting anything on our bodies that has aluminum in it. Here are the pictures the Mary Kay consultant shared with me. Thank you Sally for sharing.
******Update: A beautiful lady by the name of Bella contacted me this week letting me know that Mary Kay has in fact created a new skin care line that doesn't use parabens! Wonderful! Launched in 2020!! Thank you Bella for contacting me and letting me know. I really appreciate it.
I am still going to leave this post up so everyone can see the lists of ingredients that we should be avoiding. Take care everyone and God Bless!
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