blacky just turned 8 today!
blacky just turned 8 today!
Time-travel through Japanese cosmetics
1872 Shiseido
1887 Kao
1929 Pola
1936 Kanebo*
1946 Kosé
1956 Albion*
1959 Menard
1967 Shu Uemura
1972 DHC
1981 Fancl
1987 IPSA*
1991 Ettusais*
1995 AYURA*
1996 Equipe* (which now owns RMK and SUQQU)
(Biteki, January 2008, p. 102-125)
It is interesting that, like many western cosmetics brands, some of the recent major Japanese cosmetics companies in the last couple of decades have also been acquired by more established ones. For example, IPSA, Ettusais, and AYURA were acquired by Shiseido. Kanebo now owns Equipe, while Kosé owns Albion. Also, in early 2006, Kanebo was sold to Kao.
My advice to all those who are going to find themselves is: stay exactly where you are. Otherwise you are in great danger in losing yourself forever.
--Hans Thomas, The Solitaire Mystery
"The measure of a society is the manner in which it treats it's animals." --anonymous
]]>Thu May 21, 2009 11:51AM EDT
It's always fun to write about research that you can actually try out for yourself.
Try this: Take a photo and upload it to Facebook, then after a day or so, note what the URL to the picture is (the actual photo, not the page on which the photo resides), and then delete it. Come back a month later and see if the link works. Chances are: It will.
Facebook isn't alone here. Researchers at Cambridge University (so you know this is legit, people!) have found that nearly half of the social networking sites don't immediately delete pictures when a user requests they be removed. In general, photo-centric websites like Flickr were found to be better at quickly removing deleted photos upon request.
Why do "deleted" photos stick around so long? The problem relates to the way data is stored on large websites: While your personal computer only keeps one copy of a file, large-scale services like Facebook rely on what are called content delivery networks to manage data and distribution. It's a complex system wherein data is copied to multiple intermediate devices, usually to speed up access to files when millions of people are trying to access the service simultaneously. (Yahoo! Tech is served by dozens of servers, for example.) But because changes aren't reflected across the CDN immediately, ghost copies of files tend to linger for days or weeks.
In the case of Facebook, the company says data may hang around until the URL in question is reused, which is usually "after a short period of time." Though obviously that time can vary considerably.
Of course, once a photo escapes from the walled garden of a social network like Facebook, the chances of deleting it permanently fall even further. Google's caching system is remarkably efficient at archiving copies of web content, long after it's removed from the web. Anyone who's ever used Google Image Search can likely tell you a story about clicking on a thumbnail image, only to find that the image has been deleted from the website in question -- yet the thumbnail remains on Google for months. And then there are services like the Wayback Machine, which copy entire websites for posterity, archiving data and pictures forever.
The lesson: Those drunken party photos you don't want people to see? Simply don't upload them to the web, ever, because trying to delete them after you sober up is a tough proposition.
]]>Thu, 07/10/2008 10:14 AM | Opinion
Lawyers say the effective protection of copyright is urgently needed in Indonesia to create legal certainty and to strengthen the nation's credibility.
"At the end of the day this will boost the Indonesian economy," lawyer Frans H. Winarta wrote recently in this paper.
As we know, however, no one here waits till the end of the day, except for the minority who walk the straight and narrow. Even when we're reminded about the further decline of our international reputation, as an official of the Justice and Human Rights Ministry told this newspaper recently.
For near the malls are the alleyway bazaars and markets, where parking lots are filled with high-priced vehicles. Ladies and gentlemen step out of their sedans and mingle with shoppers arriving by public minibus, eyeing and buying the latest Zara accessories for a few dollars, likewise the fake handbags and watches.
The demand is there, so supply is there, the vendors argue with a shrug. Thanks to skilled counterfeiters, the teenager of a not-so-rich family can blend in with her posh friends, just a few weeks after the new fashions hit the boutiques.
Candra Darusman, who represented Indonesia in the World Intellectual Property Organization, has long struggled to combat piracy for the sake of his musical profession, the livelihood of his colleagues and the dignity of his nation.
All the pirating, he points out, contributes to the dire straits of musicians in a country which has no welfare system, even for those who can no longer sing for their supper.
His lone voice to respect the talented creators of our popular culture has virtually been drowned out by pirated movies and music, CDs and DVDs. Never mind that savvy awareness campaign trying to remind viewers and listeners that they're not criminals. It's no secret that foreign tourists also ask locals where they can snatch up pirated films, music and software.
Would people discriminate the other way around by buying pirated material -- like fake versions of top-earning rockers and rappers living in gigantic MTV cocoons -- while seeking out the original DVDs of poor local musicians?
No guarantee: in the absence of law enforcement the ease of accessing pirated material has become part of the daily nutritional intake.
Unsurprisingly our double standards are ever present: the uproar over our neighbors' tourism campaigns presenting dances and songs that we thought were our ancestral rights were almost tantamount to the old konfrontasi diplomatic war with Malaysia.
Law enforcement is the key -- news of possible raids in offices may have discouraged the purchase of pirated software, though to what degree is yet to be clear, more than the Microsoft reminder that "you may have become a victim of piracy". But whenever the law is mentioned, many give up and just say "forget it".
We had our first copyright law 26 years ago, with the latest update in 2002. The law underlines our obligations brought on by Indonesia's ratification of related international conventions. Violations incur a maximum penalty of seven year's imprisonment and/or a fine of up to Rp 5 billion.
But as a shark hunter from Sulawesi once told this paper: "I don't mind spending time in an Australian jail, even if they burn my boat. The gains are still much higher."
Candra repeatedly reminds us that the legal approach will not work without the cultural awareness that is needed to instill respect for creativity and originality.
An underlying problem is perhaps the materialism which present-day society overly emphasises to define itself. The motto "you are what you wear" permeates the outlook of the rich man and everyman alike. Social mobility distinguished not by merit or accomplishment but the labels adorning our attire. But they forget, junk is junk.
A cheap motorbike does not become better just because a Harley Davidson emblem is fixed upon it, nor does a handbag become more graceful when a Louis Vuitton logo is sewn on its side.
It is no less vain than buying a diploma from an obscure university just to impress people with a fake academic title on a namecard.
Character, integrity and intelligence define a person.
The pursuit of vanity on the cheap spurred on by the allure of prestigous commercial brands spawns a nation as superficial as the fake handbags in the corner store.
]]>The Jakarta Post , Jakarta | Mon, 07/07/2008 10:31 AM | Headlines
When stylish, metropolitan women stroll along with a Louis Vuitton
Pleaty bag, they exude an air of high class, impeccable taste and
considerable purchasing power.
And because this effect does not come cheap, some resort to buying
knockoff designer goods that have found permanent homes in the malls
and along the pavements of the country's main cities.
Unlike fake cosmetics or medicines, commodities that can be potentially
lethal, replicated fashion goods seem harmless -- especially on the
consumers' pockets.
The Justice and Human Rights Ministry admitted state losses due to
counterfeit goods were impossible to calculate, although the ripple
effects are being felt far and wide.
"It has caused Indonesia to gain a bad reputation internationally, caused lost revenue because counterfeiters do not pay taxes and has hampered foreign investment because investors have lost their faith in our protection of intellectual property rights," Ansori Sinungan, the ministry's director for copyrights, industrial design and trade secrets, told The Jakarta Post recently.
He said reports of brand violations were on the rise since 2004, with 83 cases recorded in 2007 -- up from 69 cases in 2006. The 2004 and 2005 figures stand at 61 and 63 respectively. Of the 83 cases reported last year, only 45 have been tried in court, Ansori said.
One counterfeiter, Ninna Aryanto (not her real name), said strong demand, cheap materials and a talented labor pool, as well as high returns, were some of the factors driving the growing trade in counterfeit fashion products.
Ninna, who started her Louis Vuitton (LV) replica business eight years ago, receives orders from buyers as far away as Sweden and Austria. In her small studio in Bali, she employs five workers, each working on a different process -- pattern drawing, leather cutting, stamping, stitching and sewing.
"I do a lot of research, mostly from LV-authorized boutiques, catalogs,
the Internet and first-hand experience with authentic LV bags," she
said.
"I study all sorts of details, such as the fabric lining -- whether
it's canvas, microfiber suede, cowhide leather or micro-monogram denim."
Claiming her knockoff LVs are of the highest grade, Ninna said, "I sell a limited number of LV replicas to foreign high-class buyers. They know the quality of my products very well, that's why they're confident about using them."
"I use high quality monogram leather with real oxidizing leather handles and trim, just like authentic LV products. I carefully inspect each bag -- no missing stitches and no gaps in the stitching, no loose threads, no materials that don't lay right or zippers that don't work properly."
She said each fake LV bag cost between Rp 300,000 and Rp 400,000 to
make. Her knockoff of the LV Monogram Multicolore Alma sells for
US$250, with the authentic item retailing for $1,600.
Ninna said her husband, a foreign national, was responsible for delivering the bags on his monthly visits to Europe.
"The reason is simple: My husband can trick both Indonesian and EU customs officials by pretending to be a tourist who has bought souvenirs from Indonesia," she said.
Ansori said a major reason for the flourishing counterfeiting business was the lack of severe legal consequences for counterfeiters.
He said the 2001 law on trademarks was designed to provide copyright protection and support fair competition in trade, but allowed most offenses to be punishable by fines rather than imprisonment. The maximum fine under the law is set at Rp 800 million.
On the topic of protection for brand-name items, Ansori said, "Indonesia has moved a step forward in complying with a World Trade Organization agreement last year to protect brand-name products."
He said prior to this agreement, there was a "first to file" loophole in the law, which meant protection for the person or company that first registered a brand in the country, regardless of whether they actually owned the rights to it.
He cited the example, a few years ago, of a dispute between Italy-based Prada S.A., owners of the Prada brand since 1913, and an Indonesian citizen Fahmi Babra. By registering the brand name Prada in Indonesia in 1995, Fahmi was allowed to use the Prada brand on his products. Prada S.A. took the case to court and was eventually named the official trademark owner of Prada in the country.
Ansori said because of the WTO agreement, such cases were now a thing of the past.
PT Mitra Adi Perkasa (MAP), Indonesia's leading retail marketer of brand-name products, said counterfeiting well-known designs was inevitable and difficult to prevent.
"It is difficult to control such practices. But as long as it doesn't greatly affect our sales, we won't bother taking further action," Ratih D. Gianda, MAP head of investor relations, told the Post.
]]>Most people use their ranges of cosmetics without a thought to what it is that they are allowing to be absorbed into their bodies. On average we use 10 personal care/cosmetic products in a day, from toothpaste to moisturiser, to deodorants & perfumes. Cosmetic companies at present are not required to do any health tests on cosmetic products before they sell them. Industrial products are the main basis of a lot of skincare ingredients. This counts for 1 in every 8 ingredients registered for use in cosmetics. A lot of these ingredients are carcinogens, reproductive disruptors, pesticides, endocrine disruptors, plasticizers, surfactants & degreasers.
For example, researchers have proven that paraben, used as a preservative is a known endocrine disruptor, as it has oestrogenic properties. When traces of paraben were found in breast cancer tissue, it raised alarm that this may have come from underarm deodorant. As around 57% of cosmetic products contain penetration enhancers such as urea, this can drive any potentially harmful ingredients quickly into the blood stream. Cosmetic ingredients do not sit on the surface of the skin – they are designed to penetrate, therefore, while it may seem that we are using all of these ingredients at safe levels, it is likely that we are being overexposed each day, by the fact that we layer products on our skin – if all of this is absorbed, then the concentration would be anything but safe to our bodies.
Products which have the claim “dermatologist tested” or “allergy tested” still do not carry any guarantee that you will not have an adverse reaction to them. You may not even have an adverse reaction upon its first use, but over time, as the level of ingredient absorption reaches a level of overexposure, it is likely that this will come out as some kind of skin reaction.
Ingredient composition in the bottle, changes on the surface of the skin. As alcohol and water evaporate quickly, you will be left with very different compounds on the surface of the skin, than what it was when it was still in the bottle.
Never use cosmetics past their expiry date, as this can also be hazardous to your health. Cosmetic preservatives, whilst very effective, do degrade over time, and the level of microorganisms found in the cosmetics will increase over time. Especially with products like mascara, which are being used around the eye, and then dipped back in the bottle. Should the product become contaminated with bacteria, it is likely to cause eye infections.
Ion Cosmetics© is dedicated to using only safe ingredients, and only buy ingredients which come with MSDS sheets, to show their purity. We do not use any parabens, or any industry chemicals in our cosmetics. Because we know that it is not necessary in order to achieve a good cosmetic product. We do not support the petroleum industry either and use no petroleum based products in our products. We do not support any cruelty to animals, and we do not support the use of synthetic ingredients. We keep our products as nature identical as humanly possible.
We take the safety of the body and the environment very seriously. It is not known just what the effects of product layering does over time, but it is a known fact that the more exposure a person has to an ingredient – the more the risk of overexposure. If you are using personal care products extensively, and are using multiple products daily, then you need to start assessing the ingredients that you are exposing yourself to, and just what the long term side effects could be. Some ingredients have been proven to have effects on the reproductive system, and could even harm the health of the foetus if overexposure occurs. Bearing in mind also, that each individual is sensitive to ingredients differently. What may effect one person, may not necessarily cause reactions in another.
Ion Cosmetics© is a member of the Campaign for safe Cosmetics (www.safecosmetics.org) and also the Pledge for truthful labelling (www.naturalingredient.org).
The risks associated with contaminated ingredients:
There is a huge risk to consumers, that they are in fact using products that contain ingredients that are contaminated with trace ingredients which are potential carcinogens. Trace contaminants are usually found in petroleum based ingredients which are readily absorbed by the skin, and this is due to the use of ingredients which have been used without testing for any potential contamination. Or it may be that the ingredients meet the FDA standards of 1 part per 10,000,000. This may be so for that particular ingredient – but then add it in with another 5 ingredients in the same product with the same levels!
1,4 Dioxane
Consumers need to beware of products potentially contaminated with 1,4 Dioxane (Diethylene Oxide). 1,4 dioxane is a clear liquid, which dissolves in water at all levels. It is primarily used as a solvent in the manufacture of chemicals, and 1,4 Dioxane is a trace contaminant of some chemicals used in cosmetics, detergents, and shampoos. People may also be exposed to 1,4 dioxane by breathing air, drinking water, or eating foods that contain 1,4-dioxane. During showering, bathing, or laundering, 1,4-dioxane in tap water may volatilize and you can be exposed to 1,4-dioxane vapors.
Your skin may contact 1,4 dioxane when you use cosmetics, detergents, and shampoos containing 1,4 dioxane.
It is a considered carcinogenic ingredient, and can also effect the kidneys & liver, and cause nasal irritation when the vapour is inhaled, but is found in high levels in the childrens products tested by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics. Furthermore, this can be in a mixture of different products, and the risks associated are not worth gambling with.
1,4 Dioxane, of course will never appear on an ingredient listing, but it can help to avoid ingredients which are commonly contaminated such as: "PEG," "polyethylene," "polyethylene glycol," "polyoxyethylene," "polyethoxyethylene," or "polyoxynolethylene”, -eth-” (such as sodium laureth sulfate), “oxynol” "ceteareth," or "oleth.". Always buy from a company that you know is stringent about safety standards.
The Environmental Working Group (www.ewg.org) states the following about ingredient contamination: “1,4-dioxane is just the tip of the iceberg. Our analyses show that 80 percent of all products may be contaminated with one or more of the two dozen recognized cosmetic impurities that are linked to cancer and other health concerns. These trace contaminants in petroleum-based ingredients often readily penetrate the skin according to government and industry studies, and their presence in products is not restricted by government safety standards — they are legal at any level. In our 2004 online survey of the cosmetics and personal care products used by 2,300 people, we found that impurities are so ubiquitous that one of every five adults is potentially exposed every day to all of the top seven carcinogenic impurities common to personal care product ingredients — hydroquinone, ethylene dioxide, 1,4-dioxane, formaldehyde, nitrosamines, PAHs, and acrylamide.”
Therefore, it is of great importance that you do think carefully about the products that you use on a daily basis, even down to those rinse of products that you use in the shower. After all, it may not be remaining on your skin, but is getting flushed down the waterways to potentially contaminate our precious environment.
Please see below for a list of the most commonly used ingredients in major cosmetic brands, which are definite cause for concern.
Phthalates:
Phthalates are a group of industrial chemicals, mainly used in plastics, to give them flexibility. They are very hazardous ingredients, and are still commonly used in cosmetics, in major brands. The European Union has banned the use of these chemicals, yet they are still readily available on the market and are linked to reproductive damage. We suggest that you check any labels, and do not purchase any product which contains phthalates for your own safety!
Chemical names for Phthalates and their abbreviations are:
1. BBP: Benzyl Butyl Phthalate
2. DBP: Di(n-butyl) Phthalate
3. DEHP: Di (2 - ethylhexyl) Phthalate
4. DEP: Diethyl Phthalate
5. DHP: Di-n- hexyl Phthalate
6. DID: Di- isodecyl Phthalate
7. DINP: Di – isononyl phthalate
8. DMP: Di-methyliso phthalate
9.DNOP: Di-n-octyl phthalate
10.MBP: Mono-n-butyl phthalate
11.MPP: Monopentyl phthalate
Paraben (Methyl paraben, propyl paraben, butyl paraben, ethyl paraben, isobutyl paraben, benzyl paraben.)
Parabens are a group of chemical preservatives used in cosmetics. They are in fact used to prevent the growth of bacteria in a wide range of products, from food to cosmetics. Scientists have raised concerns that parabens need to be looked into for further safety evaluations, indicating that several types of parabens can actually bind to the estrogen receptors in the body, and that they caused estrogen like responses in the body. A study was performed on whether parabens would be detected in human breast tumour tissue, in 2004. It was found that several types of paraben were found intact, unmetabolised in the 20 samples tested. While there is no link that the parabens pose a risk of development of cancer tissues – it does show that paraben remains in the body tissues unmetabolised, therefore leading to overexposure. Further studies may at a later date, make this link. It is certain that many parabens have an estrogenic affect on the body, but it has not been made clear if this is in a high enough concentration to cause damage to the tissue. However, long term use, and heavy use of products containing this ingredient, will definitely add to any safety risk involved in this ingredient. We don’t think that it is worth taking the risk with this ingredient and therefore avoid it. We believe that it is an unsafe, and unnecessary ingredient. Therefore we do not use paraben in any of our Ion Cosmetics© products.
Hyaluronic Acid:
Hyaluronic Acid is a natural protein found in umbilical cords, sperm, testes and the fluids around the joints. A lot of cosmetics are using this ingredient quoting that it has anti-aging properties. It has been known to cause skin irritations when taken internally and around injection sites, as it is used for a dermal filler as well. We don’t use hyaluronic acid in Ion Cosmetics© products, as it is extracted from animals.
Butylene Glycol:
Butylene glycol is a humectant, and it is one of the few humectants which has not even made it to the GRAS list (Generally regarded as safe). Ingestion of this ingredient may cause transient stimulation of the nervous system followed by depression, drowsiness and vomiting, and can lead to kidney damage. It is a petroleum based ingredient and must never be used in a higher percentage than 5%. When thinking about penetration enhancers however, it could be easy for a person to suffer overexposure to this chemical if being used in more than one product daily. We do not use it in Ion Cosmetics© products, as not only do we regard it as unsafe, but we do not use petroleum based ingredients in any of our products.
Isopropyl Myristate:
Isopropyl alcohol and myristate. It has been found that this ingredient causes blackheads, and has been removed from most newer formulations. A bigger danger occurs with this ingredient however, as it is an absorption enhancer, which means it could increase absorption of any contaminants up to 230 times! Bad news we think! We do not use penetration enhancers in our Ion Cosmetics© products.
Stearic Acid
Occurs naturally in butter acids, tallow and other animal fats and oils. It gives pearliness to products, and is a common sensitizer with consumers. We do not use animal products in our Ion Cosmetics© products.
Calcium Oxide:
Calcium oxide is obtained from limestone. It is use as an alkali in cosmetics, but is a strong caustic, that may cause severe irritation on the skin. We do not use any known irritants in our Ion Cosmetics© products.
Urea:
A product of protein metabolism excreted from human urine. It is synthetically manufactured and it is used as a preservative and is a penetration enhancer.
Lanolin:
Lanolin, whilst considered a “natural” product, is a product of the oil glands of sheep. It is a comedogenic, meaning it blocks the pores much like a commercially manufactured petroleum based mineral oil would. Lanolin, is a very common skin sensitizer, causing allergic contact skin rashes. The FDA issued a notice in 1992, that Lanolin, is not safe and effective as claimed and is never used in its pure form anymore, due to its allergy causing potential. It is likely that the lanolin, remains contaminated with any chemicals used on the sheep before the lanolin is extracted from the wool.
Mineral Oil
Whilst mineral oil sounds as though it would be loaded with nutrients and great for the skin, this is not the case. It is actually a petroleum by product, and is a mixture of refined hydro carbons. It leaves a coating on the surface of the skin, almost like plastic, and is renowned for the fact that it blocks the pores of the skin, preventing the release of toxins from the skin, causing acne and infection. We do not use any petroleum products in our Ion Cosmetics© products.
FD&C colourants:
Coal tar derived colourants. They contain heavy metal salts which are toxic on the skin. FD&C stands for Food, drug and cosmetic, although a lot of the colours used in cosmetic formulations are banned for the use of food. With the use of penetration enhancers, we consider that if they cannot be ingested, then putting them on the surface of the skin for potential absorption is not safe either. A lot of the yellow FD&C colourants are known to cause allergic reactions in individuals. For example FD&C Yellow no.5 cannot be used by those who are allergic to aspirin. FD&C red no.3 was removed from the approved list in 1990 for external drug use & cosmetic use, yet amazingly is still listed as approved for food and ingested drugs! We do not use any FD&C colours in our cosmetics, as not only is there questions about their safety, but they are synthetically derived, so are not used in our Ion Cosmetics© products.
Nitrosating agents:
The introduction of nitrogen and oxygen of molecules into a compound, that may cause the compound to form nitrosamines. Nitrosamines are the most potent cancer causing compounds known. Nitrosamines are compounds which are formed when chemicals containing nitrates, act with amine, which are natural chemicals found in food, and found in the body. There are numerous chemicals capable of reacting with nitrate, which is why they are found in tobacco smoke, pesticides. We do not believe they have a place in cosmetics. Ingredients known as nitrosating agents are:
1.Cocoyl Sarcosine
2.DEA compounds
3. Imidazolidinyl Urea
4. Formaldehyde
5. Hydrolysed Animal Protein
6. Lauryl Sarcosine
7. MEA compounds
8. Quaternium-7, 15, 31, 60, etc
9. Sodium Lauryl Sulfate
10. Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate
11. Sodium Laureth Sulfate
12. Ammonium Laureth Sulfate
13. Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
14. TEA compounds
Silicone:
Silicone, much like mineral oil, coats the skins surface, therefore not allowing the release of toxins, or the evaporation of sweat. Prolonged exposure to this causes irritation of the skin, and also infection from bacteria. Some silicones are known to promote tumours, and it is a known fact that silicone used in breast implants can be toxic to the body if leaked into the system. We do not use silicone in our Ion Cosmetics© products. It is however used in a lot of long wear, colourstay formulations by major companies.
Alpha Hydroxy Acids:
The following AHA’s are used in cosmetics: glycolic acid, lactic acid, malic acid, citric acid, alpha-hydroxyethenoic acid, hydroxy fruit acids, sugar cane extract. The FDA has a particular concern about AHA’s as unlike traditional cosmetic products, they seem capable of penetrating the skin barrier. Certain types of AHA can affect the skin in a manner similar to that of chemical peels – that is increasing cell turnover rate, and decreasing the thickness of the outer skin. This is totally depending on the pH level of the product in concern. Additional concern was raised in 1996, when it was found that AHAs increased sensitivity to the sun. It was also found that those who were exposed to the sun with and AHA present received twice the damage to the cells as well. Therefore, the FDA proposed that AHA must only be used in a less than 10% concentration, and must have a pH of 3.5 or higher, and it must be in a product that contains and SPF or must contain a warning that additional sun protection will be required with that product.
With this in mind, we are aware that the pH level of a product may change, when used in conjunction with other products of different pH levels, and we do not consider AHA a safe ingredient to use.
Sodium Lauryl Sulphate
Mainly used in shampoos and cleansing products as an anionic surfactant. The main concern with Sodium Lauryl Sulphate is that it causes sensitivity in a very wide range of people, in concentrations of 3% or less. It can be derived from coconut. It is stated that it is a potent irritant, but is not “toxic” to the skin. We don’t use known irritants in our Ion Cosmetics© products, so we avoid Sodium Lauryl Sulphate.
Chitosan:
Chitosan is from the exoskeleton from shellfish. We don’t use any kinds of animal ingredients in our Ion Cosmetics© products.
Squalane:
Oil derived from shark liver oil. It is a lubricant, and is considered an emollient, but given our stance on animal derived ingredients, we do not use this ingredient either.
Dieathanolamine(DEA)
This is a colourless liquid used as a solvent, foaming agent and pH adjuster. In 1999 the National Toxicology Program did a study on this ingredient, and found evidence that showed carcinogenic properties. We do not use any hazardous ingredients in our Ion Cosmetics© products.
Diethylene Glycol:
Made by heating ethylene oxide and glycol. Extended use of any of the glycols on extensive areas of the body is considered hazardous.
DMDM Hydantion:
This is used as a preservative, and is known to release formaldehyde in some particular ingredient combinations. Formaldehyde is a known carcinogen, so is to be avoided.
Ferric Ferrocyanide:
Ferric Ferrocyanide is a deep blue cosmetic colourant. It is regarded as safe on the surface of the skin, but is considered toxic if leaked into water supply. We think that if it cant be ingested, then it shouldn’t be placed on the skin to be absorbed either. It cannot be used around the mouth area, so we believe it is not worth risking exposure to this ingredient.
Germaben II
A trade name for Diazoidinyl Urea.
Hydrogen Peroxide:
Current research, shows that hydrogen peroxide is not all it is cracked up to be as a topical antiseptic agent, but rather that it reduces the production of new skin cells. It is also an oxidizing agent, therefore causing freeradical damage, and cellular damage.
Manganese Violet
Purple colourant, Toxic when inhaled, but is considered ok for use around the eyes by the FDA. It is unstable in any alkaline media. We do not use any potentially toxic ingredients.
Cochineal & Carmine Colourants:
As of January 30th 2006 the FDA has ruled that all Carmine & Cochineal colourants must be listed on the label, on all foods and cosmetics, that contain these ingredients, due to many received reports of severe allergy to the point of anaphylaxis to cochineal extract and Carmine Extract. It is a known sensitizer, and has the ability to cause very serious reactions in those who are sensitive.
Cochineal dye, is made from the dried, ground bodies of the female bodies of the scale insect Dactyl9opius coccus costa. The chief colouring agent in this is carminic acid. Cochineal extract is acidic, and varies in colour from orange to deep red, depending on its pH (redder as it gets more acidic). Carmine, is an aluminium lake which is formed by precipitating carminic acid onto and aluminium hydroxide substrate, which makes it into a dye. With the popularity of natural cosmetics, carmines use is becoming in some instances quite popular. Although it is natural, we do not use any ingredients in our products which are known to cause any severe reactions. It is also, in our minds an animal based product, so we do not use it in our Ion Cosmetics© products.
Boron (Boron Nitride)
Boron occurs in the earths crust, in the form of its compounds, never as the element. Salts of boron are commonly used as antiseptic agents, although toxicologists warn of its possible adverse reactions. Borates are able to be absorbed by the mucous membranes and can cause intestinal bleeding, skin rash and central nervous system stimulation. It is claimed that as a supplement it increases the production of testosterone. Again, while thinking about the many penetration enhancers that are in cosmetic products, we do not see it as a safe ingredient and do not use it in our Ion Cosmetics© products.
Bismuth Oxychloride
Bismuth is known as synthetic pearl, but occurs in the earths crust, and is used as an antiseptic and a dusting powder. Many bismuth compounds used in cosmetics have a low toxicity when ingested, but do have a very high potential to cause allergic reaction when used externally on the skin. In 1992, the FDA placed a ban on the use of Bismuth in fever blister & and cold sore treatments as it was not as safe as had been claimed. Again, we do not use any ingredients which are known sensitizers, so we do not use Bismuth Oxycholride in our Ion Cosmetics© products.
Ultramarine Blue
It is said that Ultramarine blue colourant is made from powdering Lapis Lazuli – which it is in some instances, but in most cases is now synthetically produced, due to the high cost of buying ground Lapis Lazuli. We do not use this colour in our cosmetics, as it is usually only available as a synthetic and we do not use synthetic ingredients in our Ion Cosmetics© products.
Superoxide Dismutase:
Used in cosmetic products to reduce free radical damage, but studies that supported this evidence were tenatative as there were not adequate controls. Cu-Zn-SOD is available commercially from purified erythrocytes. Other forms of SOD are found in the mitochondria of chicken livers. We do not use any animal ingredients in our Ion Cosmetics© products. As Superoxide Dismutase, has little conclusive research about it, we do not believe that it is necessarily safe either.
This article was found during research for a new brand in our shop, ION COSMETICS. We thank the supplier for this information.
It is not what we carry with us but what we let go that defines who we are.
--Charlie Crews
"Tell me I'm beautiful, it's nothing. Tell me I'm intellectual - I know it. Tell me I'm funny and it's the greatest compliment in the world anyone could give me."
--Julie Newmar
"Old age is not for sissies. Growing older requires a better and better sense of humor."
--Brooke Astor
"A dress makes no sense unless it inspires a man to want to take it off you."
--Francoise Sagan
"Beat them, or if you can't, arrange to have them beaten."
--George Carlin
"May you live to 100, and may the last voice you hear be mine."
--Frank Sinatra
source: all taken from a friend's facebook profile :)