BellaSugar

Indie Brand Causes a Huge Safety Controversy

Annie Tomlin — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 05:00:23 PST

Major beauty drama is going down in Michigan: an indie cosmetics brand Glittersniffer is being accused of using unsafe ingredients in its eye makeup. Glittersniffer proprietor Lela Warren, who does not have formal training in cosmetics formulation, is under fire for using non-FDA approved soap dyes - which can lead to irritation and even blindness - in the brand's vividly hued eye shadows.

After customers complained of irritation and ensuing visits to the hospital, some launched a collective blog. In December 2010, Warren recalled some products, acknowledging that she had previously used noncosmetic grade ingredients in her formulations to get brighter colors. "We decided to do an 'official' recall of our products because we felt Glittersniffer was becoming a more serious company," Warren explained to BellaSugar in an email. "We wanted to make sure all non eye-approved products were no longer in use."

Is the story over? No way. The drama continues. Find out what's up after the jump.

EU Commission Finds Parabens (Mostly) Safe

Miriam Lacey — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 10:51:20 PST

Over the last few years, there's been a lot of back and forth about parabens, especially their possible effects as reproductive hormone disruptors. Now, the EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety has released an opinion suggesting that, according to the available data, "systemic exposure from typical cosmetic use scenarios will be negligible."

The committee found that, at least with respect to the current model, only about one percent of butyl- and propyl-parabens put on skin actually gets into your system without breaking down. However, they also requested that a skin metabolism study be conducted, since none of the current data is totally conclusive. Basically, they're taking a tentative step toward saying that parabens are safe, which would be nice since they're in so many products. But is "we think it's probably OK" enough of an assurance for consumers?

Botox, Unsurprisingly, May Cause Muscle Sag

Miriam Lacey — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 12:01:53 PST

If you're getting Botox or Dysport in your forehead, you could also be losing muscle in your arms or legs, leading to sag not unlike these adorable Shar Peis. Doctors have long been aware that one of botulinum toxin's side effects is muscle wasting; after all, when you paralyze a muscle to keep it from wrinkling, it begins to weaken and atrophy very quickly.

Apparently new, however, are findings indicating that those effects aren't just limited to the injection site. It's not really shocking that this is the case; it seems hard to believe that a neurotoxin that spreads easily throughout muscles would stay put in one tiny section of your body, anyway. It's also not clear just how much of this wastage occurs in humans - the experiment in question was conducted on a small number of rabbits who received multiple injections over six months. Still, not exactly comforting news for injectables fans. Does this story put you off the 'tox, or would you still feel safe using it?

Source: Flickr User Emdot

Biggest Headlines of 2010: Abercrombie Stinks?!

Miriam Lacey — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 07:01:28 PST

For years, some people have been grumbling about the heavy clouds of fragrance that Abercrombie & Fitch pumps through its stores, but this October, activist group Teens Going Green actually decided to protest. The group objected to A&F's in-store use of their Fierce fragrance on the grounds that "Abercrombie & Fitch customers are unknowingly being exposed to harmful chemicals by simply walking into the stores." The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics joined the fray, too, suggesting that Fierce contained "secret chemicals" and possible hormone disruptors. Abercrombie fired back with a long rebuttal on Facebook, but both sides are still deadlocked, and A&F has been adamant about keeping their scent-blasting machines running. Most of you say that you don't like stores that use scent machines, but it doesn't look like A&F's fierce smell will be dissipating anytime soon.

Biggest Headlines of 2010: The Keratin Straightening Controversy

Jaime Richards — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 04:00:36 PST

Trouble for a popular hair straightening treatment, the Brazilian Blowout, started brewing back in September when Oregon's OSHA released alarming results of its study. While Brazilian Blowout products are advertised as formaldehyde-free, OSHA found higher-than-allowable percentages of the toxin in all samples tested. A similar study by the Canadian government also concluded the solution had "unacceptable levels of formaldehyde."

Everyone from the state of California to Cosmetologists Chicago has chimed in since then. The Cosmetic Ingredient Review is holding a panel to discuss the issue in the next few weeks. The makers of Brazilian Blowout, however, claim the testing methods were flawed. We're guessing this issue won't be straightened out before 2011.

California Sues Makers of Controversial Brazilian Blowout

Jaime Richards — Fri, 12 Nov 2010 12:00:00 PST

On Wednesday, the state of California filed a complaint against GIB LLC, the maker of Brazilian Blowout, saying that the company failed to warn both stylists and customers that the product contained formaldehyde. The state's asking that Brazilian Blowout remove anything on the brand's advertising, packaging, and website declaring that the products are "formaldehyde-free" and "safe."

This comes after a recent study by Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OR-OSHA) found that the formaldehyde levels in the product averaged at 8.68 percent. OSHA standards dictate that solutions with a formaldehyde content of greater than 0.1 percent must be listed as an ingredient. Brazilian Blowout, however, proudly declares that its product "contains no formaldehyde." To see more about the controversy, just keep reading.

Nail Salons Are Getting a Whole Lot Safer

Jaime Richards — Thu, 11 Nov 2010 12:30:00 PST

Concerned for the safety of the public, and especially for nail technicians, many city and state governments across the country are showing greater interest in nail salon safety standards. In San Francisco, for instance, the recently passed Healthy Nail Salon Recognition ordinance calls for the city to identify salons that use toluene-, DBP-, and formaldehyde-free polishes (three free).

In New York, a new law makes certain that salon owners supply staff with gloves and masks if requested. And in Washington state, officials in King County have been out educating nail salon staff members about utilizing better safety practices.

Some of the change is met with resistance, as a portion of owners feel that the act of covering up in masks and gloves can look bad to the clientele. Also, some say there's nothing really to worry about in the first place, as lots of polishes are already three free. To see more, just keep reading.

Three Tips For Avoiding Eyeliner-Related Injuries

Miriam Lacey — Thu, 04 Nov 2010 10:00:00 PDT

Hi gang, an extremely rueful Blondie Bella here. After a weekend of Halloween revelry, I'm currently laid up at home with a corneal abrasion. Apparently, all the Taylor Momsen glittery black eyeliner I kept rubbing on was seriously scratchy, despite its claims to the contrary, and got stuck under my contacts.

I feel like a huge stereotype (I mean, a beauty editor scratching her own eye out with sparkle liner? Seriously?), but to help you avoid my sad fate, I got some tips from my doctor on preventing common eyeliner-related injuries. So to find out if your liner could be leading you to a distinctly unromantic date with the opthamologist, just keep reading.

Glitter is not your friend: Don't make my mistake. Even if a product claims to be safe for eyes, particulate glitter isn't a good thing, especially if you wear contacts. Microglitter can easily get caught under them and irritate your eyes for hours. If you want shine, opt for shimmer liner instead.
Keep your liner pencils extra sharp: A soft, smudgy line from dull eye pencils may look good, but the closer your eye is to the wooden pencil casing, the more likely it is that tiny pieces of wood or paint flakes will fall into your eye. This can result in allergic reactions and scraping your cornea and eyelids.
If you wear contacts, order is important: It's just common sense to put your contacts in before you apply your makeup, but you should also always take your contacts out before you remove it. So remember: Lenses out first, then makeup remover.

Abercrombie and Fitch Protested For Emitting Fierce Fumes

Jaime Richards — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 04:00:05 PDT

The majority of you said you were tired of stores pumping perfumes into the air - particularly Abercrombie and Fitch. Now, Teens Turning Green, a student-led group advocating the elimination of harmful substances, isn't going to take it anymore.

Today at Abercrombie's flagship location on 5th Avenue in New York, the organization plans to stage a protest, claiming that the combination of Abercrombie's Fierce scent being emitted into the air from track lighting is putting customers in danger's way. "We as teens feel it is unacceptable that Abercrombie and Fitch customers are unknowingly being exposed to harmful chemicals by simply walking into the stores," said Jessica Assaf of Teens Turning Green.

As you might imagine, The Campaign For Safe Cosmetics is weighing in, claiming that the scent is formulated with 11 "secret chemicals," not to mention allergy-causing ingredients, and a chemical that's thought to be disruptive to male reproductive health.

In a statement on Abercrombie's Facebook page, the brand responded by saying, "The machines [used to distribute the fragrance] emit a water-based, safe fragrance that complies with local, state, and federal laws. The formulation contains no harmful volatile organic compounds or any chemicals known to cause cancer, birth defects, or any other reproductive harm." There are two sides to every story, but which side are you on?

Source: Flickr User Rob Young

Would You Get a Brazilian Blowout?

BellaSugar — Mon, 25 Oct 2010 14:00:14 PDT

Curly-haired women who prefer straight and sleek styles will often go the distance to extend the life of their flat-ironed hair. Chemical straightening, a more permanent option, can help with the convenience of maintaining the sleek look - but at what price? Despite Oregon's Occupational Safety and Health Administration's recent report that the popular Brazilian Blowout contains 10.6 percent formaldehyde, some women are still opting for this straightening method. And heavy exposure to formaldehyde, a known carcinogen, could harm the health of salon workers. Knowing that even the "formaldehyde-free" formulas have more of the ingredient than is considered safe, would you still take the risk for straight hair? (For the record, we wouldn't.)