Monday, March 28, 2011

Lousy Labels

The moral of todays blog is "Buyer Beware." This is probably not news to most of us. However, the TV program "Marketplace" recently did a show on the 10 worst labels. They were" bad" labels because they appeared deliberately misleading. One example is two shampoos, both by the same well known, large, manufacturer. If you read the ingredient list, you could see that they were, in fact, the very same product. However, one label said "Natural" and one did not. Of course, the "Natural" label was considerably more expensive. When asking the president of the Cosmetics and Toiletries Association how this company could get away with this, he said that there are, in fact, no regulations that govern when a label can tout the words "natural" or "organic."
When the companies were asked to elaborate on their ingredient list, they cited the formulas as "proprietary" and gave no disclosure.
The most offensive label was on Seventh Generation Organic Cotton Baby Diapers. They were more expensive than their regular diapers...but...would not disclose exactly how much of the cotton in the diapers was, in fact, organic. Get this - the diapers appeared to be a soft beige color, as if unbleached. Truth? The diapers were in fact bleached and then dyed to look more natural!! So, you think baby is getting this chemical free diaper...and are paying a premium for it...when in actuality, only the company knows for sure how much of the content is organic. Is bleaching and then re-dyeing a diaper to look unbleached misleading? You decide.
At eScential Wellness, there are no proprietary formulas. I will tell you exactly what is in every product. And, where listed as organic, I will, given a few days, be able to provide you with a certificate of examination by an independent third party, such as Oregon Tilth or USDA certified organic.
An educated, label reading consumer is my best customer.
Buyer, Beware!!

Saturday, March 19, 2011

Quick Update on eScential Wellness Facial Serum

Please welcome the same, much loved product...Facial Serum...with it's new name ~ NaturOil!! Loyal users offered many constructive comments about the name, so, I have decided to re-name Refresh & Rejuvenate Facial Serum with a moniker better suited to its natural ingredients. NaturOil is now the original facial serum used by most people, with normal or combination skin. It contains aloe vera gel and must be shaken before use. True, I could have added an emulsifer to eliminate this step...but, the emulsifier would not enhance the way the product works in any way....it would just make the product look homogenous. I felt skin is better served without this added chemical. After all, NaturOil is about making your skin look good...not about making the product look good!
If your skin is extremely dry, you may want to try Ultra Hydrating NaturOil. Same great formula, but, without aloe vera gel.
Please email me with any and all comments! Feedback helps me to make my products better!

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Oils on Your Face

Today's Hamilton Spectator carried an article entitled, "Oil up - your face will thank you" (link http://www.thespec.com/living/style/article/497810--oil-up-your-face-will-thank-you). The gist of the article is that oils are GOOD for your face.
Well, on that point, eScential Wellness was ahead of its time. My best seller is my Facial Serum...a blend of 13 natural carrier oils, specifically chosen for their skin enhancing qualities. All of the oils are high in naturally occurring antioxidants, and/or GLA (gamma linoleic acid; a key component in cell wall structure.) All of the oils are light weight, easily absorbed, and do not have a greasy feel. For the majority of normal/combination skins, I recommend my Sheer Facial Serum. This is the original serum diluted with organic aloe vera gel. Aloe vera gel alone has been implicated in hydration, healing, and is a terrific anti-inflammatory. That's why it's so renowned for sunburns. In addition, there is speculation that aloe vera gel may enhance natural collagen production.
One thing the above article does not mention is that according to the book "Do it Gorgeously" by Sophie Uliano, "A major concern about commercial skin care products is that they can be full of all kinds of chemicals that actually have an adverse effect on the skin." Furthermore, almost the entirety of commercial moisturizer ingredients exist in the product to make it, the product, feel nice, smell nice, or keep it preserved. Not to improve your skin. The vast majority of moisturizers have very little, if any, active skin care ingredients. And, often, if there is some excellent ingredient promoted on the product, it is often present in such a small amount that it is not able to do any good.
eScential Wellness' Refresh and Rejuvenate Facial Serum has no less than 4% of any ingredient. As it contains no water, it needs no preservatives. Carrier oils, especially ones high in antioxidants, are naturally long lived. There is no added color, and, it is lightly scented with natural, plant derived, gas chromatograph tested essential oils.
Check out this article and book for yourself. Then check out eScential Wellness Facial Serum. Make your own decision.