Why Going Organic is Important for Both Men and Women

We already know that “we are what we eat”, and that eating natural and organic food is healthier for us and keeps toxic chemicals like pesticides out of our bodies. What we may not know however is that toxins are sometimes more lethal when entered through the skin, because they go directly into our bloodstream.
The skin is the largest organ in our body, and absorbs 64% of what we put on it. Cleansers, masks, creams, lotions, soaps, shampoos, are all things we use daily, sometimes several times a day, and are absorbed into our bodies. What is really concerning about this is that cosmetics and skin care products are not as rigorously tested as food and prescription drugs, and often times contain ingredients that not only may cause the skin to have a dependency on chemicals, long term irritations and sensitivity, but are also harmful for our bodies and may lead to serious health risks such as Cancer and birth defects in babies.
For women in particular, going ‘green’ with personal products is extremely important, especially when it comes to deodorants, make-up and body lotions that remain on the skin. Synthetic chemicals commonly found in most skin, hair, and body products such as Polyethylene Glycol (PPG or PEG) as well as Diazolidinyl Urea have been known to mutagenic properties and increase the risk of leukemia, uterine, breast and brain cancer for several years now. Academic studies have also found other toxic ingredients such as Phthalates found in most hair sprays and perfumes, in addition to Parabens found in deodorants and skin products, to cause birth defects and reproductive abnormalities in children exposed to these chemicals both in the womb and after birth. Even when it comes to make-up, one cannot be too careful. Most lipsticks contain petroleum waxes, toxic coal tar dyes and other animal fats and according to a study from the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, a woman on average will have over 5 lbs of indigestible lipstick by-product in her stomach and women who use lipstick three times a week are 40% more likely to develop lupus in addition to some form of cancer in the course of her lifetime.
For men, going ‘green’ with personal products is extremely important, especially with that age-old problem of hair loss and with shaving products. Nearly all of mainstream hair shampoos use the chemical Sodium Laureth Sulfate to increase the foamy appearance of shampoo when you wash your hair. What most people don’t know however is that Sodium Laureth Sulfate is the same ingredient used in industrial cleaners to clean floors and is extremely harsh on the scalp and hair follicle, ultimately causing hair loss and damage to hair. Sodium Laureth Sulfate is also used in most shaving products and face cleansers and tends to strip the skin of it’s natural oils, leaving dry skin more prone to wrinkles, and oily skin oilier as sebaceous glands overproduce oil to compensate for the dryness. Similarly, the synthetic ingredient Petrolatum, a derivative of Petroleum, also used in most body lotions and lip balms and actually dries out the skin and lips, despite giving the temporary illusion of moisture, causing the user to use more product more frequently without the results they were looking for. Other ingredients such as Polyethylene Glycol (PPG or PEG) as well as Diazolidinyl Urea used in most body lotions and skin care products, are highly toxic and have been known to mutagenic properties and increase the risk of leukemia, uterine, breast and brain cancer for several years now.
So what can we do? Do we have to choose between looking good and feeling good? Absolutely not. Today’s top natural and organic skin care brands such as Osea, Red Flower, VitaMan, and Kimia all use high quality ingredients full of anti-oxidants that are actually much more effective than the synthetic ingredients used in mainstream luxury brands. Best of all, because the ingredients are not as harsh and abrasive as synthetic chemicals, your skin will not become dependent or immune to the benefits of organic skin care in the long term as you may find with non-organic products.
One of the biggest secrets in the “Green” world however is that not all ‘natural’ products are non-toxic. Many pseudo natural products contain the exact same toxic chemicals as mainstream products, but only add in one or two ‘natural’ ingredients to market themselves to consumers as a green product. That’s why Kaia House recommends reading the ingredient labels on every product you purchase regardless of how ‘natural’ the label or store claims the product to be. Kaia House was actually founded on the idea that while having natural and organic ingredients is important, the idea is to be Non-Toxic.
Organic skin care is not just a passing trend, besides being the best thing for our looks, it’s a necessity for our health, the one thing in this fast paced world that we just cannot risk.

The Great Paraben Debate

What are Parabens?
Parabens are the most widely used low cost preservatives in cosmetic products, and are found in most shampoos, conditioners, deodorants, face creams, and body lotions. The most common parabens used in cosmetic products are Methylparaben, Propylparaben, and Butylparaben. Typically, more than one paraben is used in a product, and they are often used in combination with other types of preservatives to protect against bacterial growth and microbes.

The Paraben Controversy
From 1988 on, reports started appearing stating that parabens mimicked estrogen (the female hormone) in mammals, causing concern over the safety of Parabens in cosmetic products and it’s link to cancer and birth defects. Since then, recent studies have found that high levels of estrogen in the human body may lead to increased risk for undescended testicles, testicular cancer, sperm abnormalities and prostate disorders in young boys, as well as increased risk for breast cancer in women.

In 2005, Dr. Phillipa Darbre’s, study on parabens found in cancerous breast tissue became a turning point for the causal relationship between breast cancer and parabens found in cosmetics. Her study reported that parabens were found in 18 of 20 samples of breast tumors, and indicated that they originated from something applied to the skin, the most likely candidates being deodorants, antiperspirants, creams, or body sprays. Darbre also pointed out that up to 60% of all breast tumors are found in the upper quadrant nearest to the underarm, an observation that furthered her hypothesis about parabens in deodorants, since one would normally expect tumors to occur evenly, (with 20% arising in each of the five areas of the breast). Darbre also suggested that the tendency of breast cancer to develop in the left breast over the right breast might be due to the fact that most people are right handed, which would result in more chemicals applied to the left underarm area.

Darbre’s study led to intense debate in the scientific community over whether breast cancer may be caused by parabens in cosmetics and deodorants since her study did not analyze the presence of parabens in healthy breast tissue. Critics also pointed out that the skin is naturally equipped to break down parabens with the skin enzyme paraben esterase III of keratinoxytes, and that estradiol from birth control or other non-cosmetic applications have significantly higher levels of estrogen that may be more related to breast cancer. The American cancer society has also concluded there is no good scientific evidence to support a claim that use of cosmetics such as antiperspirants increase an individuals risk of developing breast cancer, however, this does not consider ‘individual chemicals’ in deodorants, such as parabens. It is important however to recognize that the presence of intact parabens in tumor tissue shows that these chemicals can be absorbed through the skin and accumulate in breast cancer tissue in their original form, without being degraded as what occurs when parabens are ingested.

Paraben Regulation
Unfortunately, with the exception of color additives that are not coal tar hair dyes, the FDA does not regulate ingredients in cosmetics in the United States. Quoted directly from the FDA website, under the “Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act) … cosmetic manufacturers may use any ingredient they choose, except for a few ingredients that are prohibited by law.” The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (an industry sponsored affiliate) however, has maintained its recommended limit of 25% paraben content per product since 1984. This is substantially higher than the EU limit on parabens of 0.4% for each individual paraben concentration, and 0.8% for the total mixture concentration. Although the European Scientific Committee on Consumer Products (SCCP) stated in 2006 that “the available data on parabens do not enable a decisive response to the question of whether they are safely used in cosmetic products”, its recent regulation revision shows that it recognizes the serious possibility of a causal relationship between parabens and cancer or other birth defects.

Kaia House recognizes that there is still debate within the scientific community as to the effects of parabens, and also recognizes the importance of effective preservatives in products to protect consumers from bacteria and infections. Due to this, we require manufacturers to disclose to us the exact percentage of parabens used in their products. Considering the EU standard for paraben content of 0.4% per individual paraben and 0.8% for a total mixture, we have set our own standard limit of 0.4% for total paraben concentration per product to ensure the least possible exposure of the chemical. We also strive to find quality products that use extremely gentle and effective natural preservatives such as grapefruit seed extract, phenoxyethanol, potassium sorbate, sorbic acid, tocopherol (vitamin e), vitamin a (retinyl), and vitamin c (ascorbic acid).

For References please see http://www.kaiahouse.com/parabens

The Most UN-wanted List

What's on our Most UN-wanted List?
Our products are all put through what we call the Most UN-wanted list, a detailed and up to date list of synthetic chemicals of questionable safety that are found in many mainstream cosmetic and body care items today. Kaia House maintains this list as a guide to the products we carry, by checking each and every ingredient on each product we research for these chemicals. If any of these chemicals are in the product we are considering, we will not carry the product. You can rest assured that your skin is in good hands. To see what is on our latest Most UN-wanted list please see below.


1. Petrochemicals
These are chemicals derived from Petroleum and Natural Gas and are used for their foaming and emulsifying qualities in Hair Products, Body Creams and Facial Cleansers. Most common forms are Cocomidopropyl Betaine or Coco Betaine (derived from coconut oil, this is processed using petrochemicals)*, PVP/VA Copolymer, and Propylene Glycol, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS). These petrochemicals can cause eye impairment, intestinal damage, kidney and liver problems, breathing problems, cysts, skin spots, rashes and hair loss.

2. Polyethylene Glycol (PEG/ PPG)
A family of synthetic chemical compounds, PEG can be found in Creams, Skin Conditioners and Face and Body Cleansers. Common forms are PEG-8, PEG-80 Glyceryl, Cocoate, Peroleate and PEG 15 Soyamide/IPDI Copolymer. The most troubling aspect of PEG is that the compounds often contain Ethylene Oxide, known to increase the likelihood of leukemia, uterine, breast, and brain cancer, and 1,4-Dioxane, that has been found to increase the incidence of liver, lung and skin tumors.

3. Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAH)
Common forms of PAHs are Benzene, Benz-(a)-Pyrene, DMBA, and 1-Nitropyrene. They are also found in PEG compounds. These chemicals have been known to cause breast cancer since the 1960s.

4. Methylisothiazolinone and Methylchloroisothiazoline
These are preservatives that are known to have mutagenic and cancer causing properties.

5. Diethanolamine (DEA)
DEA and the closely related Triethanolamine (TEA) are used as emulsifiers and/or foaming agents in most Skin Care and Hair Care products. These 'amines' are ammonia compounds that have been known to cause eye and skin irritations, and are strongly linked to cancer when exposed to nitrates. Other forms of DEA and TEA are Lauramide DEA, Cocamide DEA, Cocamide MEA, DEA- Cetyl Phosphate, DEA Oleth-3 Phosphate, Linoleamide MEA, Myristamide DEA, Stearamide MEA, and TEA-Lauryl Sulfate.

6. Phthalates (DBP, DMP, DEP)
Found in Perfumes, Hair Spray, and Deodorants, and used as plasticizers and fixatives, most common forms of Phthalates are Dimethylphthalate, Diethylphthalate, and Dibutylphthalate, and are often times undisclosed on mainstream product labels. Phthalates have been found to cause birth defects in male reproductive systems, pre-mature sexual development in girls and increased child asthma rates. Exposure to phthalates has also caused malformations of male reproductive organs and damage to the prostate glands in animal laboratory tests. They have been linked to breast cancer since 1997.

7. Parabens**
These are petroleum-based preservatives that allow plant and food based products to have a longer shelf life. They are found in many consumer products from Facial Products to Cleaning Detergents and Soap. Most common forms of parabens are Methylparaben, Ethylparaben Propylparaben and Butylparaben. An excessive amount of parabens in the body have been found to cause liver problems and have weak estrogen-like effects that may cause breast cancer and reproductive abnormalities in young boys and girls exposed to the chemical either prior to puberty or during the mother's pregnancy.

8. Formaldehyde
Also used as a preservative, Formaldehyde can irritate the skin, damages the nervous system and cause cancer. 2-Bromo-2-Nitropropane-1, 3-Diol, Diazolidinyl Urea, DMDM Hydantoin, Imidazolidinyl Urea, and Quaternium 15 all either contain, may release, or may break down into formaldehyde.

9. Butylated Hydroxyanisole (BHA)
Used as an anti-oxidant preservative, BHA is found in most Foundations and Cosmetic Make-up. It has been known to cause breast cancer tumors to multiply.

10. Artificial Colors and Fragrances
Artificial colors and fragrances found in Lipsticks, Shampoos, and Facial products have been known to cause skin irritations and allergic reactions. Many artificial fragrances contain hazardous chemicals including Toluene, Methylene Chloride, and Benzyl Chloride and may cause nausea, depression, anger and memory lapses. Artificial colors such as Red 3 have also been linked to cancer. Amongst children, certain artificial colors have been linked with attention deficit disorder (ADD) and hyperactivity.


*All products containing Cocomidopropyl Betaine and Coco Betaine ingredients have been verified with manufacturers as NOT being processed with petrochemicals.
**Due to importing and safety restrictions on a number of cosmetic products, many plant and fruit based cosmetics must use synthetic preservatives such as parabens to ensure a safe shelf life of 30 months, which will protect it from the growth of dangerous bacteria. Kaia House carries a few products with Parabens in them, however, our tolerance is a trace amount of 0.4% of total Paraben ingredient per product and we label which products have these ingredients clearly. For more information on Parabens and FDA and EU regulations for Parabens please read our article "The Great Paraben Debate".

Disclaimer: All information listed above is not representative in any way of medical or scientific authority. For more information on the resources used to compile the above list, please refer to our list of Resources on http://www.kaiahouse.com/themostunwanted.html

Why Go Natural?

Why Organic and Natural Products?

We already know that eating natural and organic food is healthier for us and keeps toxic chemicals like pesticides out of our bodies. What we may not know however, is that toxins are sometimes more lethal when entered through the skin, because they go directly into our bloodstream. The skin is the largest organ in our body, and absorbs 64% of what we put on it. Cleansers, masks, creams, lotions, soaps, shampoos, are all things we use daily, sometimes several times a day. What is even more concerning is that cosmetics and skin care products do not go under the same rigorous testing as food and prescription drugs, and often times contain ingredients that not only may cause the skin to have a dependency on chemicals, long term irritations and sensitivity and increased problems, but are also harmful for our bodies and may lead to serious health risks.


Organic Vs. Natural

Which is better? This is a difficult question to answer. In general, organic products are considered better because of a higher potency of vitamins and minerals in organic ingredients versus ingredients grown with pesticides and other chemicals. Unlike natural products, ingredients in an organic product must be certified by a third party, thereby guaranteeing that there were no synthetic pesticides, synthetic chemicals and genetically modified organisms used in the process. Whether organic or natural however the most important thing is that the product does not contain any harmful chemicals. Many organically labeled products only have a few of their ingredients certified organic, but still contain harmful synthetic chemicals. Since there are currently no government regulated authorities in North America or the EU that certify organic or natural cosmetic products, it is important to look to private third party certifications in addition to the actual ingredients of a product.

Kaia House recognizes the following private third party International Organic Certifications:
Eco-Cert (France)
BDIH (Germany)
Soil Association of the UK (United Kingdom)
USDA approved Organic Certification Agencies (United States)