BellaSugar

Beauty Byte: Consumer Group Questions Carcinogenic Chemicals in Johnson & Johnson Products

BellaSugar — Wed, 27 May 2009 12:00:02 -0700

No more tears, but something more harmful lurks inside? That's what the Campaign For Safe Cosmetics would lead you to believe. The coalition of health, environmental, and consumer groups - armed with a letter signed by nearly 50 groups totaling some 1.7 million members - approached Johnson & Johnson to ask that the company reformulate its products to be free of chemicals suspected of causing cancer.

The substances in question are 1,4-dioxane (a byproduct of the manufacturing process) the preservative formaldehyde, which is slowly released by a chemical called Quaternium-15, both probable human carcinogens . . . and both found in the much-loved Johnson's Baby Shampoo, marketed as the "number-one choice of hospitals." Um, eek. According to a Johnson & Johnson spokesperson:

The trace levels of certain compounds that were noted by the Campaign For Safe Cosmetics can result from processes that make our products gentle for babies and safe from bacteria growth. Many regulatory agencies around the world consider these trace levels safe.

The quantity in question in the baby shampoo is 210 parts per million of formaldehyde and a "low level" of 1,4-dioxane, amounts thought to be absorbed by the skin. But if the two chemicals were food additives, they'd have to be tested before being sold to prove they didn't contain dangerous chemicals . . . and these two would fail. Since the FDA is not involved in cosmetic product regulation, the point is (somewhat) lost but shocking nonetheless. Does this news change your views or do you consider it just a drop in the bucket?

Do You Use Baby Products?

BellaSugar — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 06:00:35 -0800

Lately, I've become quite a fan of Perfumer & Flavorist magazine's website. Yeah, I'm not a subscriber so I can't delve into each of their interesting articles about, well -the perfume and flavor industries. But the other day, when I came across the magazine's list of winners from the 2008 Perfumer's Choice Awards, I decided to try out one of their selections. They are the experts, after all.

Best classic fine women's fragrance? Estée Lauder Beautiful. Best Baby/Children Fragrance? Johnson & Johnson Bedtime Bath ($4.99). So, I went and did what any other adult would do. I bought the baby bath. I've been a fan of Johnson's Baby Shampoo ($4.49) for years, particularly as a makeup brush cleaner, with amazing (and sweet smelling) results. As for the bedtime bath? The aroma was fresh and soothing, and I felt very rested that night. And since I really like the gentle nature of baby products, I plan on keeping this one in regular rotation. How about you?

Source

Doing Drugstore: Johnson's Baby Shampoo

BellaSugar — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 09:00:16 -0800

The last time I used Johnson's Baby Shampoo, I was illiterate and, most likely, incontinent as well. (Thank goodness things have changed in the decades since.) When I recently visited my parents, I noticed that they had a bottle of it in the shower, so I figured I'd give it a whirl.

There's something comforting about the bottle, labeling and smell. These things don't necessarily revert me to childhood, but there's something simple and sweet about it nonetheless. But does the no-tears shampoo work well for grownups? To find out, read more.

Although it doesn't lather much, it cleaned my greasy hair well, Now that it's dry, I've got this wispy Shiloh Jolie-Pitt thing goin' on. (Sadly, though, I think Shiloh beats me in the cutiepie department.) The only problem is that it strips my hair of too many of its oils, giving me more flyaways than usual and drying out my hair. A conditioner would help with this, but my grown-up shampoos don't do this. Sadly, Johnson's Baby Shampoo isn't something I'd regularly use.

Finally, did you know that some people use this shampoo as a makeup remover? Yep. I haven't tried doing this yet, but I can see it being a great and inexpensive choice for cleaning makeup brushes. For hair, though, it's a wash (yuk, yuk).

How-To: Prevent Greasy Bangs

BellaSugar — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 07:00:22 -0700

Right after my freshman year in college, my high school friends and I decided to have a girls-only Mexican dinner at the local Chi-Chi's (remember that restaurant?). As we were getting ready for our big night, I reached for a can of what I thought was hairspray to finish off my look, and my bangs just kept getting greasier and greasier. Oops - I had grabbed my friend's high sheen finishing spray, instead!

Needless to say, most of the photos from that night showcase my Jennifer Aniston "The Rachel" haircut, complete with stick-to-the forehead bangs. If I had only known about these tips below, maybe I wouldn't have to have lied that it was my birthday just to get the free sombrero gift just to cover up that oily fringe.

Dry shampoo - Use a dry shampoo or powder between shampoos to tame the oily factor, such as Bumble and Bumble Hair Potion ($34), which comes in a variety of colors, Aveda Pure Abundance Hair Potion ($23), or Johnson's Baby Powder ($5.69).
Pin it back - Obvious, yes. Greasy bangs? No. Try a cute hair accessory instead. These Leafy Barrettes ($9.95) from Anthropologie should do the trick.
Just wash your bangs - A shampoo with an oil control formulation will work wonders for bang only cleansing. Try Matrix Scalptherapie Cooling Mint Shampoo ($12).

To see more tips, read more.

Don't condition - Condition your hair, but not your bangs.
Keep the complexion oil free - Try a water based foundation like Revlon Colorstay for Combo/Oily Skin ($12.99) and touch up with a powder such as Revlon ColorStay Pressed Powder ($9.99) as needed.
Hands off - Oils from your hands can make an oily situation worse, so keep them away from your face area.
A little dab will do ya - Use blotting papers when you feel your oil glands go in overdrive. I like Clean & Clear Oil Absorbing Sheets ($5.29).
Blow dry - Run a blow dryer over your bangs to absorb excess oil. It might not work for extreme oiliness, but it's an easy temporary fix.

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Bella Interview: More from Scissorz

BellaSugar — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 13:00:57 -0700

Welcome back to the second part of my interview with TeamSugar member (and marvy hairstylist) Scissorz. If you missed the first part, check it out-she gives great advice on how to get the cut you want. Today, she talks about tipping, fixing a bad cut, and whether you should use drugstore or salon products.

For once and for all, what's an appropriate tip?
I recommend very strongly that you tip at about 20 percent. I personally don't judge people for not tipping a lot, but I think $5 per haircut or $10 per process for color is also fair. It sucks not getting a tip-the stylist will think you hated the service.

For the rest of the interview, read more
What should people do if they go to the salon... and leave hating their new hair?
Unless you just got your hair royally jacked, you should give your stylist a chance to fix the cut/color that you are unhappy with. As long as you are cool about it, I'm cool about it. It is soooo hard to nail right on the head what someone really wants the very first time, and I know its hard to believe, but sometimes we make mistakes. Most of the time it is something very minor that will take very little time to fix.

Just be nice and explain what you would rather have. Tipping for this isn't necessary, but it does make us feel better. You should probably give us a second chance. And don't make it your last visit; now we know what you really want, so it will be much better from there.

Is there a difference between drugstore hair products and those you get at the salon?
Everyone hates to hear it, but there is a HUGE difference between drugstore and salon products. Buying good, salon-quality shampoo/conditioner is very important to the health of your hair. Healthy hair isn't as frizzy or tangled and it usually looks a lot better with its natural texture. Drugstore shampoos tend to use alcohols and waxes (thats what the pro-vitamins are, sorry) to make your hair SEEM smoother at first. I can actually tell when I shampoo someone if they are using good products.

[Drugstore] styling products are just usually inferior in their performance. You have to use more usually so they rarely are actually price-effective. But Johnson's original baby powder is a great alternative to hair powder. It will suck up oil from the scalp, give fine hair a little boost, or help with adding texture for a killer updo.