Hi there

I've been a rawfoodist for nearly a month now and because my insides are having such a fabulous time of it I've been thinking about improving my outsides!

At the moment I use a plant/mineral based range of skincare but was wondering if I should switch to a purely plant based one. Also, for my job I have to wear make up so I would also like to know if anyone has any suggestions about that?

I live in New Zealand so am limited as to choice a bit.

We have a brand here called Lush, I think it's international - is it any good?

All advice gratefully received!

Hey Friend,

Many of us, here in the states, use Miessence. I know that this line is probably easy for you to acquire if you're in New Zealand since Narelle, and her company, Miessence, are in Australia. Check them out. She doesn't use any nasty ingredients and these products are made with love. Narelle started mixing ingredients when she was but a youth. Now, she has the first, and the best, international organic skin care line available that's chemical free.

Marcos

Go Vegan for your life, your health, the planet and, most importantly, the animals that we share this wonderful world with!

I have looked at the ingredients for lush and now can confirm I wouldn't touch their products with a ten foot pole. One of the nastiest ingredients that many companies use in skin care is sodium lauryl sulphate. Lush is no exception. This is a nasty ingredient that has all sorts of side effects including damaging eyesight.

Here's a little bit of info on sls.


Studies on SLS have shown that:" (Judi Vance, Beauty To Die For, Promotion Publishing, 1998)

1. "Shampoos with SLS could retard healing and keep children's eyes from developing properly. Children under six years old are especially vulnerable to improper eye development. (Summary of Report of Research to Prevent Blindness, Inc. conference."
2. "Sodium Lauryl Sulphate can cause cataracts in adults and delays the healing of wounds in the surface of the cornea."

3. "Sodium Lauryl Sulphate has a low molecular weight and so is easily absorbed by the body. It builds up in the heart, liver and brain and can cause major problems in these areas."

4. "Sodium Lauryl Sulphate causes skin to flake and to separate and causes roughness on the skin."

5. "Sodium Lauryl Sulphate causes dysfunction of the biological systems of the skin."

6. "Sodium Lauryl Sulphate is such a caustic cleanser that it actually corrodes the hair follicle and impairs the ability to grow hair."

7. "Sodium Lauryl Sulphate is routinely used in clinical studies deliberately to irritate the skin so that the effects of other substances can be tested." (Study cited by the Wall St Journal, 1st November 1998)


Peace,

Marcos

Go Vegan for your life, your health, the planet and, most importantly, the animals that we share this wonderful world with!

green people have some pretty fabulous skin care products

they're natural, pure and cruelty free, plus 10% of the net profit is donated to charity

adding 1/4 teaspoon of celtic sea salt to every liter of water i drink has improved my skin too

Has anyone tried Larenim? They make purely mineral based makeups, they are supporsed to be very good and healing for your skin. I haven't tried it yet but I'd like to. You can google Larenim and their website comes-up, let me know what you guys think about it.

Thanks again, Mark. I'm going to send that information to my two older girls. Do you have a link to it?

Lois,

A link to Miessence, SLS info, or what? Not sure what to put down for you. Just let me know and I'll post after your reply.

Peace,

Marcos

Go Vegan for your life, your health, the planet and, most importantly, the animals that we share this wonderful world with!

Oh, sorry -- I meant a link to the SLS information on how 'bad' it is, numbers 1 through 7.

Thanks.

what is your take on the pure minerals makeup line? I don't know much about it except for the commercials.