Hydrogenation is the process of making certain unsaturated fats or oils more saturated such that they have a higher melting point and a longer shelf-life. If not completed hydrogenated, some unsaturated fats turn into trans-unsaturated fats. This partial hydrogenation is performed when the desired effect is a product that is solid at room temperature but melts upon baking or consumption...

Animal derived ingredients are often found in skin care: beeswax, lanolin (a grease derived from wool), gelatin (from animal skin and bones), and squalene (extracted from shark's liver). To be considered vegan, products must consist of only ingredients sourced without any use of animals...

Traditionally, October has been celebrated as Celiac Disease Awareness Month in the United States. While awareness activities also widely take place in May, we think it's as important a time as ever to talk about the benefits of an all natural routine for those with Celiac Disease and gluten sensitivities.

People afflicted with Celiac Disease and those with wheat germ allergies need to be careful not just of what they eat, but also what they put on their skin. Skin care products must be free of gliadin, a gluten protein found in wheat (and a few other grains). Gliadin is the active ingredient that causes a immune system reaction for those afflicted — 80% of those with Celiac Disease have Anti-Gliadin antibodies...

There are a number of mistruths about ingredients out there. We'll discuss a few here.

If you can’t read the ingredient, it’s probably bad for you.
All European made personal care products require ingredient labels that conform to the INCI standard. This standard requires that the ingredients be listed using their scientific name. For example, water is listed as AQUA, jojoba is listed as SIMMONDSIA CHINENSIS. So based on this myth, one would assume simmondia chinensis was a synthetic ingredient...

Ingredients and pollutants can more easily penetrate the body thru the tear channels and the cornea. During a lifetime of regular lipstick use, you actually eat about 4-6 lb. of lipstick! Most lipsticks contain ingredients that are not healthy at all...

A University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health study into the skin absorption rates of contaminants in public drinking water found that the skin absorbed an average of 64% of the total contaminant dosage. Another study found the face to be 2-6x more permeable than broad body surfaces, and underarms and genitalia to be even more permeable...

The US government does not mandate safety studies of cosmetics.

From the FDA website: "The regulatory requirements governing the sale of cosmetics are different from those that apply to most other FDA-regulated products. Under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act), cosmetics and their ingredients, with the exception of color additives that are not coal-tar hair dyes, are not required to undergo approval by the FDA before they are marketed in products sold to the public. The FDA generally regulates these products after they have been released in the marketplace."

Essentials oils have been used throughout history medicinally and as fragrance, and interest has revived over the past several years with an increase in the popularity of aromatherapy. Natural essential oils stimulate our mind and body, promote circulation and support skin cell function, and contain fungicidal and anti-bacterial properties making them a valuable component in beauty and health products. In fact tea tree oil for example, is the strongest known antibiotic in the world...

The US has seen reports from The Environmental Working Group (EWG) on which ingredients to avoid in cosmetics. Many Canadians are also concerned with the safety of their cosmetic and personal care products and are working to do something about it.

The David Suzuki Foundation — an advocacy group of scientific and policy experts working with government, businesses, and individuals to protect our environment and promote social change—conducted an online survey inviting Canadians to take a closer look at commonly used personal care products. Commonly used products encompass shampoo, soaps, cosmetics and...

The meat and dairy sections of your local supermarket are not the only places GMO ingredients show up. Beauty products often contain plant or animal ingredients with GMO derivatives.

Genetically modified organisms are plants and animals that have had specific changes introduced into their DNA through genetic engineering techniques. These modifications serve to yield higher crops or growth, or to insert a certain trait, like natural pesticide.