Once you start polishing your nails, you kinda need to keep up with it. Even the "safest" polishes stain my nails a rather sickening yellow color.
In all my 'net searches for "how do I keep polish from staining my nails," the gurus say use a base coat. In my experience, it doesn't work. I've never gone without a base coat, and I still have staining. Maybe you need two coats of base, but that's an extra step (and dry time) I haven't tested yet.
To this point, I've used -
Base Coats -
Zoya Anchor
OPI Nail Envy Formaldehye Free
Nubar Nu Nail
Nubar Foundation
They all work. I don't think the base coat does much more than smooth out the nail bed and give some gripping surface to your lacquer. You are paying for their advertising, so I'd go with the cheapest 3-free base you can find. In my case, either Zoya Anchor at $8 or Nubar Foundation at $7 depending on the deals I find during polish acquisitions. I suspect Revlon offers a reasonably priced 3-free base.
As with every treatment, finding 3-free is getting easier, but even the companies that tout their 3-free lacquer are selling 3-full treatments. Buyer beware.
Top Coats -
Zoya Armor is pretty much the only slow dry top coat I currently have ... it was a freebie with purchase. It didn't get regular use until I started topping my manis with Nubar Diamont.
Being that top coats have a very similar ingredients list to base coats, I'd find the cheapest 3-free and use it for both base and top. Once again, I suspect Revlon has a good candidate.
Quick Dry Top Coats -
This is where companies have to stretch the imagination of their chemists.
These quick dries are either 3-full or simply don't work:
Seche Vite
Posche
Zoya drops
Qtica drops
If you still insist on putting a layer of silicone (dimethicone, etc.) on your drying nails, it would be less expensive to pick up a bottle at the hardware store.
My two HG speed tops are:
CND Air Dry
Nubar Diamont
CND Air Dry was my favorite for a long time. It drys to a hard coat in about 30 minutes. I had to be careful, but could return to typing within minutes of an "Air Dry" coat. This is the mani that could be extended for seven days. Every once in a while, I'd follow an Air Dry mani with Zoya top coat and the sides of my mani would give before the tips would.
Air Dry plays nicely with tops coats, though it takes a while to dry to a hard enough finish for normal or extreme use.
Awesome longevity.
Nubar Diamont now edges out Air Dry for ease of returning to normal activity. This is, literally, a half hour mani (tops) from start to finish. However, I sacrifice longevity. Diamont is the dominatrix of the treatment bunch. She doesn't like ANYONE on top. Not even herself.
Diamont with a Zoya Armor layer two days later will peel within a day. Ruined mani.
Diamont with a second Diamont layer two days later does not hold or look good. Another ruined mani. She's particular.
The only way I've been able to extend my Diamont mani (from two to four days) is with a topcoat underneath Diamont.
So this is how I've arrived at my current "pressed-for-time" layer system:
1 base
2 lacquers
1 top
1 Diamont
- maybe four days of wear
If I'm not in a hurry:
1 base
2 lacquers
1 Air Dry
- add top coats every three days or so to extend mani for upwards of seven days
To be honest, I end up with enough bare nail near the cuticle with my "Air Dry" system that even though the polish is in good condition, it just looks odd. And I change my polish based on nail growth, rather than polish aging concerns.
23 October 2009
Zoya Jinx, polish swatch
Zoya Jinx is a lovely medium chestnut brown.
I've had it for quite a while, but the paper swatch didn't do it any justice.
On the nail it has a fire that is completely missing in the bottle. It makes me wonder how many other wonderful colors I've written off due to a poor bottle show.
This mani is approximately four days old and starting to show slight tip wear, no chipping or breakage.
My current regime is to use:
1 base coat
2 lacquer coats
1 top coat
1 quick dry
This mani has Zoya base and top coats, and the quick dry is Nubar's Diamont. Diamont is an amazing quick dry top, but it does not have the longevity of CND's Air Dry. It also doesn't play well with others. However, when time is of the essence, Diamont is the answer, dry to touch in a short period of time (a minute, maybe) and dry to normal/moderately tough use within 10 minutes.
I don't believe I've had the slightest oops after using Diamont. However, I don't get seven days of wear from a Diamont top mani.
04 October 2009
It's the way you word your questions ...
To all my future college students,
Saying, "It's the way you word your questions that cause me to fail your test," is not the way to endear yourself to a professor.
If you can't be bothered to study, just own up to the fact. Your professor needs the truth to make suggestions ... lies can't help us pinpoint the underlying problem.
When I have students aceing the test, while you are flunking the test ... the problem is usually pretty obvious.
AND, when I tell you to make an appointment to visit with me and go over your test ... MAKE the appointment.
Sincerely,
Your professor in Academia
AHHH, rant over. All better.
Saying, "It's the way you word your questions that cause me to fail your test," is not the way to endear yourself to a professor.
If you can't be bothered to study, just own up to the fact. Your professor needs the truth to make suggestions ... lies can't help us pinpoint the underlying problem.
When I have students aceing the test, while you are flunking the test ... the problem is usually pretty obvious.
AND, when I tell you to make an appointment to visit with me and go over your test ... MAKE the appointment.
Sincerely,
Your professor in Academia
AHHH, rant over. All better.
03 October 2009
As if Milk Allergies weren't enough!!!
Yes, I have a sun allergy.
I developed a funky rash on my lower legs after spending a couple minutes reading while my dogs romped around outside this summer.
It went away, but the next time we did the same routine, the rash came back.
My culprit was the sun. Only the lower legs were exposed and the rash stayed around for several days to weeks, and then disappeared as if never there. It wasn't itchy on my legs.
I have a sun sensitivity. Ye gods, what's next?
Fast forward to our summer vacation - setting, Wauseon, Ohio. I've got SPF 75 sunscreen on (chemical base), I'm wearing a hat, and I have a floor length gown made out of "SPF" fabric draped over my summer clothes. I develop a rash at my collarbone area. And this one IS itchy. Being that I'm wearing the mineral foundation, I don't rash on my face. But this does give me the to idea to run out for sunscreen with a physical sunblock, titanium dioxide and zinc oxide. Obviously the chemical sunscreen wasn't hacking it.
Welcome me to the micro- and nano-sized particle family. I'm staying for a while.
I apply the physical sunblock and have no more problems the remainder of the trip. My rash fades quickly and stops itching.
Now I just have to worry about white face, and leaving titanium dioxide and zinc oxide residue everywhere. It is on my pockets, on my collars, on the car handle ...
Purple Prairie Botanicals
I've been wearing two sunscreens since:
Purple Prairie Botanicals SPF 30, a very low 1 on the hazard scale of Cosmetics Safety Database.
Ingredients:
Water
Olive Oil
Hammamelis virginiana Witch Hazel
Kosher Vegetable glycerin
emulsifying wax
Cocos nucifera Coconut
Butyrospermum parkii Shea Butter
Jojoba oil
zinc oxide
titanium dioxide
vitamin E
Salix nigra extract Black Willow
Rosemary extract
This does have a fairly strong smell at application, and I wish they would use "light" olive oil. But the smell does disappear fairly quickly.
I do have a bit of white face on first application, but it seems to fade within 10 minutes.
It has much better slip than the other sunscreen. I wear this on my face and upper body.
Neutrogena's Purescreen Line, currently a hazard of 3 on the Cosmetics Safety Database:
- Sensitive Skin SPF 60+
- Pure & Free Baby SPF 60+
Ingredients:
Titanium Dioxide 4.9%
Zinc Oxide 4.7%
Alumina
Arachidyl Alcohol
Arachidyl Glucoside
Ascorbic Acid (Avena sativa Oat Kernel Extract - in Pure & Free Baby only)
Beeswax
Behenyl Alcohol
Benzyl Alcohol
BHT
Bisabolol
Butylene Glycol
Butylocytl Salicylate
Cetyl Dimethicone
Dimethicone
Dimethicone PEG-8 Laurate
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Disodium EDTA
Ethylhexylglycerin
Glyceryl Stearate
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Isohexadecane
Methicone
Methylisothiazolinone
Pantothenic Acid
PEG-100 Stearate
PEG-8
Polyaminopropyl Biguanide
Polyhydroxystearic Acid
Polymethyl Methacrylate
Polysorbate 60
(Potassium Sorbate - Pure & Free Baby only)
Retinyl Palmitate
Silica
Stearic Acid
Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer
Tocopheryl Acetate
Triethoxycaprylylsilane
Trimethylsiloxysilicate
Trisiloxane
Water
Xantham Gum
The two are so close in formula and ingredients as to be the same. I've found that with the oat extract in the baby formula, "Pure & Free Baby" applies slightly more easily. They both drag quite well, unfortunately.
I wear this on my arms and legs.
May I just point put that, man, these have a bunch of alcohol and silicone in them.
43(41) ingredients vs. 13 ... can you guess which one I reach for most often???
I developed a funky rash on my lower legs after spending a couple minutes reading while my dogs romped around outside this summer.
It went away, but the next time we did the same routine, the rash came back.
My culprit was the sun. Only the lower legs were exposed and the rash stayed around for several days to weeks, and then disappeared as if never there. It wasn't itchy on my legs.
I have a sun sensitivity. Ye gods, what's next?
Fast forward to our summer vacation - setting, Wauseon, Ohio. I've got SPF 75 sunscreen on (chemical base), I'm wearing a hat, and I have a floor length gown made out of "SPF" fabric draped over my summer clothes. I develop a rash at my collarbone area. And this one IS itchy. Being that I'm wearing the mineral foundation, I don't rash on my face. But this does give me the to idea to run out for sunscreen with a physical sunblock, titanium dioxide and zinc oxide. Obviously the chemical sunscreen wasn't hacking it.
Welcome me to the micro- and nano-sized particle family. I'm staying for a while.
I apply the physical sunblock and have no more problems the remainder of the trip. My rash fades quickly and stops itching.
Now I just have to worry about white face, and leaving titanium dioxide and zinc oxide residue everywhere. It is on my pockets, on my collars, on the car handle ...
Purple Prairie Botanicals
I've been wearing two sunscreens since:
Purple Prairie Botanicals SPF 30, a very low 1 on the hazard scale of Cosmetics Safety Database.
Ingredients:
Water
Olive Oil
Hammamelis virginiana Witch Hazel
Kosher Vegetable glycerin
emulsifying wax
Cocos nucifera Coconut
Butyrospermum parkii Shea Butter
Jojoba oil
zinc oxide
titanium dioxide
vitamin E
Salix nigra extract Black Willow
Rosemary extract
This does have a fairly strong smell at application, and I wish they would use "light" olive oil. But the smell does disappear fairly quickly.
I do have a bit of white face on first application, but it seems to fade within 10 minutes.
It has much better slip than the other sunscreen. I wear this on my face and upper body.
Neutrogena's Purescreen Line, currently a hazard of 3 on the Cosmetics Safety Database:
- Sensitive Skin SPF 60+
- Pure & Free Baby SPF 60+
Ingredients:
Titanium Dioxide 4.9%
Zinc Oxide 4.7%
Alumina
Arachidyl Alcohol
Arachidyl Glucoside
Ascorbic Acid (Avena sativa Oat Kernel Extract - in Pure & Free Baby only)
Beeswax
Behenyl Alcohol
Benzyl Alcohol
BHT
Bisabolol
Butylene Glycol
Butylocytl Salicylate
Cetyl Dimethicone
Dimethicone
Dimethicone PEG-8 Laurate
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Disodium EDTA
Ethylhexylglycerin
Glyceryl Stearate
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Isohexadecane
Methicone
Methylisothiazolinone
Pantothenic Acid
PEG-100 Stearate
PEG-8
Polyaminopropyl Biguanide
Polyhydroxystearic Acid
Polymethyl Methacrylate
Polysorbate 60
(Potassium Sorbate - Pure & Free Baby only)
Retinyl Palmitate
Silica
Stearic Acid
Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer
Tocopheryl Acetate
Triethoxycaprylylsilane
Trimethylsiloxysilicate
Trisiloxane
Water
Xantham Gum
The two are so close in formula and ingredients as to be the same. I've found that with the oat extract in the baby formula, "Pure & Free Baby" applies slightly more easily. They both drag quite well, unfortunately.
I wear this on my arms and legs.
May I just point put that, man, these have a bunch of alcohol and silicone in them.
43(41) ingredients vs. 13 ... can you guess which one I reach for most often???
10 August 2009
Polish Swatch - Nubar Cinnamon
Nubar Cinnamon. Looks nothing like.
Depending on the lighting, two coats of Nubar Cinnamon look yellow, gold, or beige. And the microglitter mixes gold and light red. It is not a duo, just very susceptible to light changes.
It is not a very attractive color with my skin tone. Perhaps it would be better as a top coat or in a frankenpolish.
It did seem to have staying power. Even after four days I couldn't find noticeable chips.
Depending on the lighting, two coats of Nubar Cinnamon look yellow, gold, or beige. And the microglitter mixes gold and light red. It is not a duo, just very susceptible to light changes.
It is not a very attractive color with my skin tone. Perhaps it would be better as a top coat or in a frankenpolish.
It did seem to have staying power. Even after four days I couldn't find noticeable chips.
Funky French - Polish Swatch - China Glaze Yee-Haw and Nubar Mon Amour
I'm not a big fan of the basic french or american manicure. I think they are boring, predictable, and utterly passe.
However, I do like a funky french on occasion, and my first trial in a very long time is below.
The tip color is China Glaze Yee-Haw and the nail color is Nubar Mon Amour. The Nubar is so colorless that I see no difference between a painted nail and a non.
China Glaze Yee-Haw is a frosty tanned apricot. Strongly recommended for the sunny days of spring and summer.
However, I do like a funky french on occasion, and my first trial in a very long time is below.
The tip color is China Glaze Yee-Haw and the nail color is Nubar Mon Amour. The Nubar is so colorless that I see no difference between a painted nail and a non.
China Glaze Yee-Haw is a frosty tanned apricot. Strongly recommended for the sunny days of spring and summer.
Polish Swatch - China Glaze Oh How Street It Is
For the first couple of days wear, I swore that China Glaze "Oh How Street It Is" was too orange. But it has grown on me.
It is right on that line of being a more reddened orange than an orange-red. Definitely one of the most orangey colors I have.
Unfortunately, I can't recommend the longevity. I have obvious tip wear by day three. Which is when these photos were taken.
In an attempt to make them last a couple more days, I added a coat of Nubar's "Gilded Gold." Which is my new favorite effects coat. It really looks like an aging Tuscan finish, where part of the gilded outer layer has worn away to reveal the base color.
I bought it to wear over my cremes. I've given up on finding a orangey-red frost or microglitter. But if I can find the creme, I can make it a microglitter. And this does it one better. It is a lovely effects coat. I suspect this is one bottle I will use up.
It is right on that line of being a more reddened orange than an orange-red. Definitely one of the most orangey colors I have.
Unfortunately, I can't recommend the longevity. I have obvious tip wear by day three. Which is when these photos were taken.
In an attempt to make them last a couple more days, I added a coat of Nubar's "Gilded Gold." Which is my new favorite effects coat. It really looks like an aging Tuscan finish, where part of the gilded outer layer has worn away to reveal the base color.
I bought it to wear over my cremes. I've given up on finding a orangey-red frost or microglitter. But if I can find the creme, I can make it a microglitter. And this does it one better. It is a lovely effects coat. I suspect this is one bottle I will use up.
Nail Polish and Customer Service ... Rant!
I love nail polish. Fun colors that catch the light and brighten your day. Dull colors to calm a wild wardrobe choice. Deep, dark shades that give winter mystery. And the unending search to find the perfect orange-red for that bit of pop when I'm feeling down.
Nail Polish companies, on the other hand, make me want to tear my hair out in frustration.
I've emailed CND once for suggestions regarding their new line. No response.
I've emailed Zoya half a dozen times requesting color suggestions. They have NEVER responded. I guess I'm much too small potatoes for a happening company like Zoya. Grrr. I'd probably buy more if I could get some half-way decent color suggestions. Which brings me to my second gripe.
Apparently Nail Polish companies are far too busy creating for their pink powderpuff customers, that the rest of us get left in the cold. I happen to know some of those pink powderpuffs, and I am thrilled that they can instantly find a color by closing their eyes and running a hand down a display, "Eeny meeny miny moe, with which one of these pinks shall I go?"
What about me? I can't wear pink. And don't tell me about all the "warm pinks" available. They are pink. I don't wear pink, I have too much yellow in my skin tone. I wear peach. Which brings us to Nubar.
I can, at least, get Nubar to answer my emails. But I'm not sure that puts them ahead of Zoya. This is how a recent exchange went ...
Me, "Salutation, etc. I need warm, spring and summer polish suggestions. I cannot wear pink or orange, instead I need peaches and and other orange based reds. The best examples I can give you are China Glaze's Yee-Haw and Zoya's Amber. I like both shimmer and cremes. I've got an abundance of fall and wintery dark shades, but my lighter colors need some expansion."
Nubar CS, "Check out the Corals Collection."
Okay, let's look at what a coral shade is ... orange. Can we see what I wrote above, I cannot wear orange. Obviously, I've run into another Customer Service group that either: 1) cannot read the email for all those pesky letters, or 2) is where the familial problem child is placed so that he/she cannot cause business difficulties.
Additionally, since Nubar's cart wasn't working, I had to place my order by phone (I detest those infernal devices). AND they sent me the wrong shade. They were quick to fix it, but ... mistake.
I'm not sure what I have learned from this little experience, regardless, couldn't someone who knows basic color theory and mixing describe polish colors on the website itself? Act like monitors still come in shades of green. Spell out for me what your polishes look like.
Zoya's site IS coming along. I've seen a great deal of improvement since I started ordering several years ago. They describe the color, opacity, and skin tone family. But you still can't do an indepth search. If I want an opaque cream ... I'm out of luck unless I want to go through the website bottle page by bottle page. Their search engine is limited to: color family and finish. And that is a pretty restricted list on both sides.
If I were selling polish, I'd have: a great color description, a swatch of the color in natural light, skin tone designation, opacity/translucency characterization, an awesome search engine that allows you specific requests, and shading suggestions (i.e. this color looks great on light warm skin tones OR this color looks best on dark cool or strongly tanned skin tones).
I wish, I wish, I wish ...
Anyone have a good orangy-red peach suggestion in 3-free formula?
Nail Polish companies, on the other hand, make me want to tear my hair out in frustration.
I've emailed CND once for suggestions regarding their new line. No response.
I've emailed Zoya half a dozen times requesting color suggestions. They have NEVER responded. I guess I'm much too small potatoes for a happening company like Zoya. Grrr. I'd probably buy more if I could get some half-way decent color suggestions. Which brings me to my second gripe.
Apparently Nail Polish companies are far too busy creating for their pink powderpuff customers, that the rest of us get left in the cold. I happen to know some of those pink powderpuffs, and I am thrilled that they can instantly find a color by closing their eyes and running a hand down a display, "Eeny meeny miny moe, with which one of these pinks shall I go?"
What about me? I can't wear pink. And don't tell me about all the "warm pinks" available. They are pink. I don't wear pink, I have too much yellow in my skin tone. I wear peach. Which brings us to Nubar.
I can, at least, get Nubar to answer my emails. But I'm not sure that puts them ahead of Zoya. This is how a recent exchange went ...
Me, "Salutation, etc. I need warm, spring and summer polish suggestions. I cannot wear pink or orange, instead I need peaches and and other orange based reds. The best examples I can give you are China Glaze's Yee-Haw and Zoya's Amber. I like both shimmer and cremes. I've got an abundance of fall and wintery dark shades, but my lighter colors need some expansion."
Nubar CS, "Check out the Corals Collection."
Okay, let's look at what a coral shade is ... orange. Can we see what I wrote above, I cannot wear orange. Obviously, I've run into another Customer Service group that either: 1) cannot read the email for all those pesky letters, or 2) is where the familial problem child is placed so that he/she cannot cause business difficulties.
Additionally, since Nubar's cart wasn't working, I had to place my order by phone (I detest those infernal devices). AND they sent me the wrong shade. They were quick to fix it, but ... mistake.
I'm not sure what I have learned from this little experience, regardless, couldn't someone who knows basic color theory and mixing describe polish colors on the website itself? Act like monitors still come in shades of green. Spell out for me what your polishes look like.
Zoya's site IS coming along. I've seen a great deal of improvement since I started ordering several years ago. They describe the color, opacity, and skin tone family. But you still can't do an indepth search. If I want an opaque cream ... I'm out of luck unless I want to go through the website bottle page by bottle page. Their search engine is limited to: color family and finish. And that is a pretty restricted list on both sides.
If I were selling polish, I'd have: a great color description, a swatch of the color in natural light, skin tone designation, opacity/translucency characterization, an awesome search engine that allows you specific requests, and shading suggestions (i.e. this color looks great on light warm skin tones OR this color looks best on dark cool or strongly tanned skin tones).
I wish, I wish, I wish ...
Anyone have a good orangy-red peach suggestion in 3-free formula?
02 June 2009
Winter Sensitive Skin Care
MOISTURIZER
I've been using La Roche-Posay Toleriane moisturizer for over a year now, a moderate 3 on the Cosmetics Safety Database website. It works great during the summer months, but once the second month of winter hit, I realized that LRPT couldn't handle the dry. My skin was so tight!
I found Toleriane's boosted brother, La Roche-Posay Toleriane Riche, by looking through the propaganda included in the box. Riche is also a moderate 3 on the Cosmetics Database website.
Riche has a thicker texture that works well for the dry months. The two products are incredibly similar as far as ingredients go, with the Riche having an additional ingredient in Shea Butter.
If you find yourself in a similar sensitive skin situation as myself, I'd glance through the website or propaganda of your favorite skin care brand. You may find that they have a lighter lotion for summer and a heavier lotion for winter.
Additionally, you can use straight Shea Butter or another favorite oil. Moisturizers actually work by blocking the loss of moisture from the skin. Not necessarily adding moisture into the skin.
LA ROCHE-POSAY TOLERIANE
WATER/AQUA
CYCLOPENTASILOXANE
ISOCETYL STEARATE
SQUALANE
GLYCERIN
ISONONYL ISONONANOATE
PENTYLENE GLYCOL
ALUMINUM STARCH OCTENYLSUCCINATE
CETYL ALCOHOL
PEG-100 STEARATE
GLYCERYL STEARATE
ACRYLATES/C10-30 ALKYL ACRYLATE CROSSPOLYMER
DIMETHICONOL
OCTOXYGLYCERIN
SODIUM HYDROXIDE
LA ROCHE-POSAY TOLERIANE RICHE
WATER/AQUA
ISOCETYL STEARATE
CYCLOPENTASILOXANE
SQUALANE
SHEA BUTTER
GLYCERIN
CETYL ALCOHOL
ALUMINUM STARCH OCTENYLSUCCINATE
PENTYLENE GLYCOL
PEG-100 STEARATE
GLYCERYL STEARATE
DIMETHICONOL
SODIUM HYDROXIDE
CITRIC ACID
ETHYLHEXYLGLYCERIN
ACRYLATES/C10-30 ALKYL ACRYLATE CROSSPOLYMER
I've been using La Roche-Posay Toleriane moisturizer for over a year now, a moderate 3 on the Cosmetics Safety Database website. It works great during the summer months, but once the second month of winter hit, I realized that LRPT couldn't handle the dry. My skin was so tight!
I found Toleriane's boosted brother, La Roche-Posay Toleriane Riche, by looking through the propaganda included in the box. Riche is also a moderate 3 on the Cosmetics Database website.
Riche has a thicker texture that works well for the dry months. The two products are incredibly similar as far as ingredients go, with the Riche having an additional ingredient in Shea Butter.
If you find yourself in a similar sensitive skin situation as myself, I'd glance through the website or propaganda of your favorite skin care brand. You may find that they have a lighter lotion for summer and a heavier lotion for winter.
Additionally, you can use straight Shea Butter or another favorite oil. Moisturizers actually work by blocking the loss of moisture from the skin. Not necessarily adding moisture into the skin.
LA ROCHE-POSAY TOLERIANE
WATER/AQUA
CYCLOPENTASILOXANE
ISOCETYL STEARATE
SQUALANE
GLYCERIN
ISONONYL ISONONANOATE
PENTYLENE GLYCOL
ALUMINUM STARCH OCTENYLSUCCINATE
CETYL ALCOHOL
PEG-100 STEARATE
GLYCERYL STEARATE
ACRYLATES/C10-30 ALKYL ACRYLATE CROSSPOLYMER
DIMETHICONOL
OCTOXYGLYCERIN
SODIUM HYDROXIDE
LA ROCHE-POSAY TOLERIANE RICHE
WATER/AQUA
ISOCETYL STEARATE
CYCLOPENTASILOXANE
SQUALANE
SHEA BUTTER
GLYCERIN
CETYL ALCOHOL
ALUMINUM STARCH OCTENYLSUCCINATE
PENTYLENE GLYCOL
PEG-100 STEARATE
GLYCERYL STEARATE
DIMETHICONOL
SODIUM HYDROXIDE
CITRIC ACID
ETHYLHEXYLGLYCERIN
ACRYLATES/C10-30 ALKYL ACRYLATE CROSSPOLYMER
29 May 2009
Soap, the wonderful wonder ...
My go to soap is ALL TERRAIN's Wonder Wash ... I have two backup bottles.
It is:
- fragrance free (of course)
- pH neutral (which makes it a multi-purpose soap)
- biodegradable (it is advertised as a Hiker's soap) ... it probably isn't environmentally friendly/neutral, but biodegradable is a good start
- filled with eight ingredients ONLY
I've used this to: clean my makeup brushes, degrease my body, wash my hair, and wash my face (no eye stings). I have not yet used it to bath dogs, but I'm sure it will happen eventually.
This product receives a low 1/10 on the hazard scale at Cosmetics Database. I thoroughly recommend it to those with sensitive skin.
Ingredients:
Water
Sodium coco sulphate
coco betaine
coco amide
vegetable glycerine
sodium chloride
olive oil
citric acid
It is:
- fragrance free (of course)
- pH neutral (which makes it a multi-purpose soap)
- biodegradable (it is advertised as a Hiker's soap) ... it probably isn't environmentally friendly/neutral, but biodegradable is a good start
- filled with eight ingredients ONLY
I've used this to: clean my makeup brushes, degrease my body, wash my hair, and wash my face (no eye stings). I have not yet used it to bath dogs, but I'm sure it will happen eventually.
This product receives a low 1/10 on the hazard scale at Cosmetics Database. I thoroughly recommend it to those with sensitive skin.
Ingredients:
Water
Sodium coco sulphate
coco betaine
coco amide
vegetable glycerine
sodium chloride
olive oil
citric acid
Soap ... when it's so drying it hurts
Another JASON Naturals products with a thumbs down ...
UPDATE -
Even the hubby, who describes himself as an oily beast, had drying problems with this soap. He liked it best on days when he had been working outside and really needed a good detergent for a single soap and rinse.
JASON Fragrance Free Body Wash is simply too strong to use as a daily soap.
I won't be purchasing this product again.
Item No. 02022
I used this body wash for close to a month. I like the fragrance free aspect (naturally) and that it degreased my skin. The only early problems I noticed was stinging eyes. For whatever reason, maybe its slip ingredients, this liquid soap can squeeze through my lids and get directly on my eyeballs ... just about every time I washed my face. Now, I've been using liquid shower soaps for a while, and I've never had this consistent problem.
Secondly, after three or so weeks, I finally figured out that this was making my skin so dry! My mucus membranes were so itchy. Once I discontinued with this product and returned to my old soap, no more problems. I don't have a really good hand on soaps, so I don't know where Sodium Myreth Sulfate falls as far as detergent strength. However, either the detergent or another product was making me very uncomfortable, for days at a time.
The hubby is going to finish the bottle off, so I may get an update eventually.
However, with my own experience, I would not recommend this product for someone with sensitive skin ... regardless of what the bottle says.
It gets a low 2/10 hazard on the Cosmetic Database rating.
Ingredients:
Water
Aloe barbadensis leaf gel
Sodium Myreth Sulfate
Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine
Cocamide MEA
Glycol Stearate
Begetable Glycerin
Chamomilla recutita extract
Camellia oleifera extract
Echinacea angustifolia extract
Rosa canina extract
Polyquarternium-7
Glycereth-2 Cocoate
Benzoic Acid
Phenoxyethanol
Sodium Benzoate
UPDATE -
Even the hubby, who describes himself as an oily beast, had drying problems with this soap. He liked it best on days when he had been working outside and really needed a good detergent for a single soap and rinse.
JASON Fragrance Free Body Wash is simply too strong to use as a daily soap.
I won't be purchasing this product again.
Fragrance Free Body Wash
Gentle, fragrance free body wash bubbles into a rich, creamy lather to make your shower as luxurious as a bath. Gently cleanses with botanical surfactants while soothing skin with Aloe Vera and Chamomile. Leaves skin feeling soft and clean. Great for sensitive skin types.
16.0 FL OZItem No. 02022
I used this body wash for close to a month. I like the fragrance free aspect (naturally) and that it degreased my skin. The only early problems I noticed was stinging eyes. For whatever reason, maybe its slip ingredients, this liquid soap can squeeze through my lids and get directly on my eyeballs ... just about every time I washed my face. Now, I've been using liquid shower soaps for a while, and I've never had this consistent problem.
Secondly, after three or so weeks, I finally figured out that this was making my skin so dry! My mucus membranes were so itchy. Once I discontinued with this product and returned to my old soap, no more problems. I don't have a really good hand on soaps, so I don't know where Sodium Myreth Sulfate falls as far as detergent strength. However, either the detergent or another product was making me very uncomfortable, for days at a time.
The hubby is going to finish the bottle off, so I may get an update eventually.
However, with my own experience, I would not recommend this product for someone with sensitive skin ... regardless of what the bottle says.
It gets a low 2/10 hazard on the Cosmetic Database rating.
Ingredients:
Water
Aloe barbadensis leaf gel
Sodium Myreth Sulfate
Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine
Cocamide MEA
Glycol Stearate
Begetable Glycerin
Chamomilla recutita extract
Camellia oleifera extract
Echinacea angustifolia extract
Rosa canina extract
Polyquarternium-7
Glycereth-2 Cocoate
Benzoic Acid
Phenoxyethanol
Sodium Benzoate
28 May 2009
Some of my favorite recipes ... searching for cheese!
I guess I've been following a Vegan diet for about a year now. It's difficult only when going to restaurants and grocery shopping. I don't have much trouble "denying" myself (let's not talk about the chocolate), and I don't miss much from my previous dietary life. I don't even miss cheese itself. Sure, the smell of a block of Swiss or Colby or Mozzarella on the counter can make my mouth water, but I don't usually miss cheese. (I don't miss smelly French cheeses at all, I never handled strong cheeses well. That just means I left plenty for the person who does!)
I've been on the hunt for a couple of good faux cheeses. Macaroni and Cheese was a childhood staple. I think Mom gave up trying to make us eat healthy all the time, and a box of Mac and cheese was the thing we loved as kids (with hot dogs cut up and swirled around in the cheesy goop left behind). I've tried a couple of recipes, and they are usually edible. But only one gets two thumbs up.
Faux Mac N Cheese - Allison Rivers Samson's Mac 'n' Cheese is a VegNews favorite and I can see why ... I've made it twice, and even the omnivore in the family enjoyed it. I cut down the sea salt and margarine (in half I think) as it was too fatty and way too salty the first time around. I love how much zing this has in it.
The one thing I've have missed more than anything with my Vegan adventure is cheesy nachos ... chips, chili, and melted cheese. I could do the chips and chili, but there wasn't any cheesy goodness to add on top. And the faux cheeses at the grocery store just didn't do it for me (there used to be a Monterrey Jack that was fairly edible, haven't seen it in years though). However, this mustard dip is a good replacement. The hubby said, "Kinda bland" when he tried it. To which I replied, "Good, that means I'll get to eat it all." (Um, I'm married to a metabolic menace, and I cannot tell you how many times I've gone to the fridge to get something, and the MM has already polished off the item in question. It is nice to make something for me, knowing that it will be there the next time I check ... root beer, melon, soy yogurt, and now vegveeta are on this list.)
Faux Cheese Dip - Dreena Burton's Vegveeta is a Kira favorite.
Obviously, it is not going to taste like cheese, but it tricks my taste buds enough that I thoroughly enjoy my nachos now. :) It also keeps pretty well in the fridge for several days. I've made it three times and it usually lasts me four or so days.
I've been on the hunt for a couple of good faux cheeses. Macaroni and Cheese was a childhood staple. I think Mom gave up trying to make us eat healthy all the time, and a box of Mac and cheese was the thing we loved as kids (with hot dogs cut up and swirled around in the cheesy goop left behind). I've tried a couple of recipes, and they are usually edible. But only one gets two thumbs up.
Faux Mac N Cheese - Allison Rivers Samson's Mac 'n' Cheese is a VegNews favorite and I can see why ... I've made it twice, and even the omnivore in the family enjoyed it. I cut down the sea salt and margarine (in half I think) as it was too fatty and way too salty the first time around. I love how much zing this has in it.
The one thing I've have missed more than anything with my Vegan adventure is cheesy nachos ... chips, chili, and melted cheese. I could do the chips and chili, but there wasn't any cheesy goodness to add on top. And the faux cheeses at the grocery store just didn't do it for me (there used to be a Monterrey Jack that was fairly edible, haven't seen it in years though). However, this mustard dip is a good replacement. The hubby said, "Kinda bland" when he tried it. To which I replied, "Good, that means I'll get to eat it all." (Um, I'm married to a metabolic menace, and I cannot tell you how many times I've gone to the fridge to get something, and the MM has already polished off the item in question. It is nice to make something for me, knowing that it will be there the next time I check ... root beer, melon, soy yogurt, and now vegveeta are on this list.)
Faux Cheese Dip - Dreena Burton's Vegveeta is a Kira favorite.
Obviously, it is not going to taste like cheese, but it tricks my taste buds enough that I thoroughly enjoy my nachos now. :) It also keeps pretty well in the fridge for several days. I've made it three times and it usually lasts me four or so days.
Restaurant Concerns for Vegans and those with Food Allergies
Expanding on our restaurant problems:
I went to a new middle eastern kabob restaurant a couple of weeks ago and ordered the mixed appetizer platter. I requested that the waitress ask the kitchen what on the appetizer I couldn't eat due to the dairy allergy (I was expecting her to tell me the Tzatziki yogurt sauce was the only thing off limits). Well, lo and behold the hummus and babaganoush had "milk by-product" in them. I was shocked. I've been making hummus for years, and I've yet to come across a recipe that calls for milk (or its by-products) and in a search for babaganoush recipes I found the same thing. I was ready to send the appetizer back and say I wasn't paying for it since I couldn't eat the main foods I bought it for. How utterly disappointing. You can't let your guard down for a minute!
And this also tells me how accurate are the "homemade" claims of this restaurant. I don't know about you, but I pick up "milk by-product" powder in my grocery aisle ALL THE TIME!!! Sheesh, makes me wish I enjoyed cooking.
I went to a new middle eastern kabob restaurant a couple of weeks ago and ordered the mixed appetizer platter. I requested that the waitress ask the kitchen what on the appetizer I couldn't eat due to the dairy allergy (I was expecting her to tell me the Tzatziki yogurt sauce was the only thing off limits). Well, lo and behold the hummus and babaganoush had "milk by-product" in them. I was shocked. I've been making hummus for years, and I've yet to come across a recipe that calls for milk (or its by-products) and in a search for babaganoush recipes I found the same thing. I was ready to send the appetizer back and say I wasn't paying for it since I couldn't eat the main foods I bought it for. How utterly disappointing. You can't let your guard down for a minute!
And this also tells me how accurate are the "homemade" claims of this restaurant. I don't know about you, but I pick up "milk by-product" powder in my grocery aisle ALL THE TIME!!! Sheesh, makes me wish I enjoyed cooking.
15 May 2009
Seborrheic Dermatitis Comments
I am so thrilled that you have found my SD thoughts useful.
Don't we always feel like a spotlight is trained on our SD breakouts and just know the whole world is thinking strange and disturbing thoughts about our little known disease problems? Now we have a small forum for sufferers with similar experiences.
It feels good knowing that I've brought the information to a wider public. I think most of us feel very alone following the thoroughly useless discussions we get to have with our GPs or Dermatologists. I felt like I was in a Jeff Foxworthy skit, "Here's your [sign] meds! You have Seborrheic Dermatitis, we don't know what causes it, it is not caused by an allergy, and here is a prescription. Go fill it and don't bother me."
Ick! And just another stick for the depression pile, huh?
So, I've decided to collate all the information I've gotten from commenters to this point. You've made many excellent suggestions, thanks.
So many of us seem to find a food allergy underlying our problem. (grumble, grumble) ... Why don't the doctors ask us what's going on? We know!
And, perhaps not so surprising, milk and its hidden by-products are the culprit for several of us. As readers pointed out casein (milk protein) is a BIG problem. And yes, when you cut out dairy you realize exactly how much you don't get to eat. (My pantry is so pitifully narrowed in product range these days.) Milk and its by-products are in just about everything! I really cannot figure out why manufacturers, in adjusting their recipes, think, "hm, lets add a bit of milk to this and all our problems will be solved!"
In scientific parlay, casein is a calcium salt phosphoprotein. Its stability makes it an excellent binder and one would assume the price is fairly cheap ... hence the large amount of it found in our foods.
Unfortunately, casein allergies are widespread and most of us aren't aware of the problem. On a purely scientific basis, most animals (us included) lose the ability to digest milk as we leave infancy.
Regardless, one of the great things I've discovered on ingredients lists: allergy info! If you scroll to the bottom of an ingredients list, there is usually an allergens in product list. And milk is included 99.95% of the time. :) This is one of the great and worrisome things about science, we can split a product up in a 1000 different components and you don't know what the original product was if we use one of those components. Hence casein and not milk being in the ingredients list itself, but milk being listed in the allergens list. Whew, clear as mud?
On to the comments -
Brandon in Honolulu shared his SD story, and his problems seem gluten related. He cut out wheat and citrus (some people have trouble with the acidity and/or plant protein allergies). After suffering for 25 years, his symptoms have disappeared.
Since he suffered digestive difficulties along with SD, Celiac's Disease seems a likely culprit. So while he's cut out breads and some fruits, he's much happier with his skin.
There are several recipe books for gluten free/celiac disease diets. I always check out Amazon and the reviews. I'd also strongly recommend checking any of these books out of the local library before buying.
One Anonymous poster has gone through two years of SD flare-ups. This SD sufferer began using direct pure Tea Tree oil application as a temporary fix. (I caution you to take care in Tea Tree Oil usage, it is usually highly concentrated and far too strong for direct skin application, especially with us sensitive skinners. I'd recommend diluting the product. It did not work for my own SD problems.)
"A" eliminated eggs first ... they were not the culprit. But a wheat elimination showed a great deal of skin promise. An unexpected relapse led to the discovery of "hidden" gluten. Much like milk is hidden in many products, so is wheat. Gluten proteins are a stabilizer, so many companies dump it into products. (I also found out that current labelling laws do not require all present gluten be labelled in foods ... if the FDA recognizes a food additive as GRAS, generally recognized as safe, it may not have to be listed on the label if this food does not normally contain the GRAS food additive ... Huh?!?)
And just like "A" found out, when I went gluten free, I found gluten in everything. "A" discovered wheat diluted soy sauce, in practically every sushi restaurant in town. I finally started bringing my own soy sauce to the sushi restaurant. I use the San-J Organic Wheat Free Tamari Soy Sauce. It is available at my local grocery store, but I bet you can order it online if you can't find it locally.
"A" has had problems with cross contamination by gluten products, and is VERY careful of all dietary choices.
Ludawg noticed a huge improvement in SD symptoms when taking the antifungal Diflucan for yeast infections.
Ludawg is also a casein allergic individual. And when searching for casein free foods, realized that few foods were actually casein free. Such unexpected products as soy cheese had casein. Yes, I completely agree that milk products have no business in soy cheese, and yet, there they are!
Once the casein was gone, not even the dry, cold months of winter brought the SD back! Yeah! Another success story.
Steve Carper's webpage has a great list of milk free cheese alternatives. I also found awesome cheese and Faux Mac N Cheese recipes on the blogs. I haven't completely given up on cookbooks, but the bloggers definitely have something going.
Another Anonymous poster uses Ketoconazole shampoo to treat the yeast overgrowth. I'm glad it works for some of you. It did not work for me.
Tiffany has been dealing with SD for several years. She began wearing mineral makeup, which is a really good idea. Mineral makeups don't sink/absorb into the skin, they rest on top. And since so many of us with skin diseases/conditions seem to have sensitive skin, the less you challenge/test your skin with difficult ingredients the better. Which is why we need to be careful when we test new products attempting to control our skin problems.
I really feel for poster "M," talk about the docs from H-E-double hockeysticks! What a run around to get an allergy test completed, and then to find out the test didn't cover casein allergies! I am so sorry "M".
Once we fall into the allergy circuit, it really feels like a downward spiral doesn't it? Once that immune system is sensitized, the strangest things can happen. "M" was dealing with recurring sinus infections, major skin sensitivities, pink eye, etc. I've been through the antibiotic cycle, where you come out of each round worse than you went in.
"M's" problems are mostly casein based (which, of course, the doctors couldn't figure out). However, "M" also has other food allergies, which have worsened over time.
"M" reminds us of how quickly problems show up on our skin. It has the largest surface area of any organ of our entire body, and has an incredibly close relationship with our immune system. Pay close attention to your skin, and you'll have a good idea of your health status.
(Sigh), I've had similar thoughts. I try to place myself in my doctors' shoes, and I haven't yet figured out why they can toss off our concerns so easily.
Doug developed an SD sensitivity following sunscreen exposure, and subsequent cleaning and removal via scrub mitts.
For his sensitive skin, he now follows this routine:
Doug tried psoriasis face wash and face cream from the Home Health line of products and reports positive results. In the words of a friend, "They didn't do squat for me." But this only highlights how many difficulties and complications this condition presents.
I hope the additional information helps.
Kira
Don't we always feel like a spotlight is trained on our SD breakouts and just know the whole world is thinking strange and disturbing thoughts about our little known disease problems? Now we have a small forum for sufferers with similar experiences.
It feels good knowing that I've brought the information to a wider public. I think most of us feel very alone following the thoroughly useless discussions we get to have with our GPs or Dermatologists. I felt like I was in a Jeff Foxworthy skit, "Here's your [sign] meds! You have Seborrheic Dermatitis, we don't know what causes it, it is not caused by an allergy, and here is a prescription. Go fill it and don't bother me."
Ick! And just another stick for the depression pile, huh?
So, I've decided to collate all the information I've gotten from commenters to this point. You've made many excellent suggestions, thanks.
So many of us seem to find a food allergy underlying our problem. (grumble, grumble) ... Why don't the doctors ask us what's going on? We know!
And, perhaps not so surprising, milk and its hidden by-products are the culprit for several of us. As readers pointed out casein (milk protein) is a BIG problem. And yes, when you cut out dairy you realize exactly how much you don't get to eat. (My pantry is so pitifully narrowed in product range these days.) Milk and its by-products are in just about everything! I really cannot figure out why manufacturers, in adjusting their recipes, think, "hm, lets add a bit of milk to this and all our problems will be solved!"
In scientific parlay, casein is a calcium salt phosphoprotein. Its stability makes it an excellent binder and one would assume the price is fairly cheap ... hence the large amount of it found in our foods.
Unfortunately, casein allergies are widespread and most of us aren't aware of the problem. On a purely scientific basis, most animals (us included) lose the ability to digest milk as we leave infancy.
Regardless, one of the great things I've discovered on ingredients lists: allergy info! If you scroll to the bottom of an ingredients list, there is usually an allergens in product list. And milk is included 99.95% of the time. :) This is one of the great and worrisome things about science, we can split a product up in a 1000 different components and you don't know what the original product was if we use one of those components. Hence casein and not milk being in the ingredients list itself, but milk being listed in the allergens list. Whew, clear as mud?
On to the comments -
Brandon in Honolulu shared his SD story, and his problems seem gluten related. He cut out wheat and citrus (some people have trouble with the acidity and/or plant protein allergies). After suffering for 25 years, his symptoms have disappeared.
Since he suffered digestive difficulties along with SD, Celiac's Disease seems a likely culprit. So while he's cut out breads and some fruits, he's much happier with his skin.
There are several recipe books for gluten free/celiac disease diets. I always check out Amazon and the reviews. I'd also strongly recommend checking any of these books out of the local library before buying.
One Anonymous poster has gone through two years of SD flare-ups. This SD sufferer began using direct pure Tea Tree oil application as a temporary fix. (I caution you to take care in Tea Tree Oil usage, it is usually highly concentrated and far too strong for direct skin application, especially with us sensitive skinners. I'd recommend diluting the product. It did not work for my own SD problems.)
"A" eliminated eggs first ... they were not the culprit. But a wheat elimination showed a great deal of skin promise. An unexpected relapse led to the discovery of "hidden" gluten. Much like milk is hidden in many products, so is wheat. Gluten proteins are a stabilizer, so many companies dump it into products. (I also found out that current labelling laws do not require all present gluten be labelled in foods ... if the FDA recognizes a food additive as GRAS, generally recognized as safe, it may not have to be listed on the label if this food does not normally contain the GRAS food additive ... Huh?!?)
And just like "A" found out, when I went gluten free, I found gluten in everything. "A" discovered wheat diluted soy sauce, in practically every sushi restaurant in town. I finally started bringing my own soy sauce to the sushi restaurant. I use the San-J Organic Wheat Free Tamari Soy Sauce. It is available at my local grocery store, but I bet you can order it online if you can't find it locally.
"A" has had problems with cross contamination by gluten products, and is VERY careful of all dietary choices.
Ludawg noticed a huge improvement in SD symptoms when taking the antifungal Diflucan for yeast infections.
Ludawg is also a casein allergic individual. And when searching for casein free foods, realized that few foods were actually casein free. Such unexpected products as soy cheese had casein. Yes, I completely agree that milk products have no business in soy cheese, and yet, there they are!
Once the casein was gone, not even the dry, cold months of winter brought the SD back! Yeah! Another success story.
Steve Carper's webpage has a great list of milk free cheese alternatives. I also found awesome cheese and Faux Mac N Cheese recipes on the blogs. I haven't completely given up on cookbooks, but the bloggers definitely have something going.
Another Anonymous poster uses Ketoconazole shampoo to treat the yeast overgrowth. I'm glad it works for some of you. It did not work for me.
Tiffany has been dealing with SD for several years. She began wearing mineral makeup, which is a really good idea. Mineral makeups don't sink/absorb into the skin, they rest on top. And since so many of us with skin diseases/conditions seem to have sensitive skin, the less you challenge/test your skin with difficult ingredients the better. Which is why we need to be careful when we test new products attempting to control our skin problems.
I really feel for poster "M," talk about the docs from H-E-double hockeysticks! What a run around to get an allergy test completed, and then to find out the test didn't cover casein allergies! I am so sorry "M".
Once we fall into the allergy circuit, it really feels like a downward spiral doesn't it? Once that immune system is sensitized, the strangest things can happen. "M" was dealing with recurring sinus infections, major skin sensitivities, pink eye, etc. I've been through the antibiotic cycle, where you come out of each round worse than you went in.
"M's" problems are mostly casein based (which, of course, the doctors couldn't figure out). However, "M" also has other food allergies, which have worsened over time.
"M" reminds us of how quickly problems show up on our skin. It has the largest surface area of any organ of our entire body, and has an incredibly close relationship with our immune system. Pay close attention to your skin, and you'll have a good idea of your health status.
- "M" wrote ... I am starting to wonder if doctors who make their living treating skin conditions are negligent or if there's actual malice in never exploring the cause of these problems.
(Sigh), I've had similar thoughts. I try to place myself in my doctors' shoes, and I haven't yet figured out why they can toss off our concerns so easily.
Doug developed an SD sensitivity following sunscreen exposure, and subsequent cleaning and removal via scrub mitts.
- Please join me in welcoming Doug to the sensitive skin family.
- Doug supplements with probiotics to improve digestion and nutrient uptake.
For his sensitive skin, he now follows this routine:
- Cetaphil Gentle Cleanser - let face air dry For daytime, Neutrogena Combination Skin Moisturizer
- For nighttime, Cetaphil Sensitive skin moisturizer cream
- Once a month application of 1% hydrocortizone cream with aloe in the corners of nose and ear canals (irritation arises from ipod earbuds at the gym - I wonder if this could be a chemical sensitivity to something in the earbuds???)
- Using the extra suds from shampooing with Head and Shoulders as a face wash, finishing with Cetaphil cleanser
- Doug's better than I am and NEVER uses hot water! He's also given up his chemically laden sunscreen and uses sunblock from Keys Soap. Being zinc oxide based, it normally "wouldn't" absorb into the skin ... however, Keys Soap sunblock uses nano sized particles of zinc oxide. And, well, science (and regulating government) hasn't figured out how to deal with nano sized particles in absorbable/ingestible material yet. Keys Soap isn't hiding their ingredients, but they aren't drawing attention to them either.
- Doug made the excellent suggestion to bring your own face towel to gym. Depending on how sensitive your skin is, you might want to bring another towel to minimize direct contact with the equipment. Also remember to regularly wash your pillow cases and sheets.
Doug tried psoriasis face wash and face cream from the Home Health line of products and reports positive results. In the words of a friend, "They didn't do squat for me." But this only highlights how many difficulties and complications this condition presents.
I hope the additional information helps.
Kira
Product Review - JASON Fragrance Free Nightly Facial Moisturizer
From the website, http://www.jason-natural.com/products/fragrance_free.php:
"Fragrance Free Nightly Facial Moisturizer
Item No. 02097"
I was hoping to use this as an alternative to my La-Roche Posay Toleriane Skin Cream. No go.
Within 10 minutes of putting this on my face, my skin started to burn and ache. So off it came.
One month later I tried it again with the same results.
I've got too bad a reaction to recommend it for anyone with sensitive skin.
The only plus ... fragrance free. So what am I reacting to? Or what combination am I reacting to? Maybe it is the Ceteareth-20 or the phenoxyethanol or one of the plant extracts (though I've been exposed to most of the plant extracts in other incarnations)? Whatever the cause, it gets a thumbs down. I've got to say, more Jason products get a thumbs down than up in my own studies.
It does get a moderate 3/10 hazard rating from the Cosmetics Database (I use this site all the time).
Ingredients
Water
Cetearyl Alcohol
Glyceryl Stearate SE
Aloe barbadensis Leaf Gel
Prunus amygdalus Dulcis Oil (Sweet Almond)
Helianthus annuus Seed oil (Sunflower)
Vegetable Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Stearic Acid
Dimethicone
Butyrospermum parkii (Shea Butter)
Myristyl Myristate
Vegetable Glycerin
Vegetable Squalane
Simmondsia chinensis Seed Oil (Jojoba)
Natural Tocopheryl Acetate (Vit E)
Cucumis sativus Fruit Extract (Cucumber)
Calendula officinalis Flower Extract (Marigold)
Epilobium angustifolium Flower, Leaf, Stem Extract (Willowherb)
Panthenol (Vit B5)
Ceteareth-20
Allantoin
Cellulose Gum
Carbomer
Phenoxyethanol
Potassium Hydroxide
Potassium Sorbate
Sodium Benzoate
"Fragrance Free Nightly Facial Moisturizer
Cucumber Extract, Shea Butter and Organic Jojoba Oil alleviate feelings of dryness and tension associated with sensitive, extremely dry skin. This nightly treatment seals in moisture for hydrated, balanced and even skin tone
NET WT 4 OZItem No. 02097"
I was hoping to use this as an alternative to my La-Roche Posay Toleriane Skin Cream. No go.
Within 10 minutes of putting this on my face, my skin started to burn and ache. So off it came.
One month later I tried it again with the same results.
I've got too bad a reaction to recommend it for anyone with sensitive skin.
The only plus ... fragrance free. So what am I reacting to? Or what combination am I reacting to? Maybe it is the Ceteareth-20 or the phenoxyethanol or one of the plant extracts (though I've been exposed to most of the plant extracts in other incarnations)? Whatever the cause, it gets a thumbs down. I've got to say, more Jason products get a thumbs down than up in my own studies.
It does get a moderate 3/10 hazard rating from the Cosmetics Database (I use this site all the time).
Ingredients
Water
Cetearyl Alcohol
Glyceryl Stearate SE
Aloe barbadensis Leaf Gel
Prunus amygdalus Dulcis Oil (Sweet Almond)
Helianthus annuus Seed oil (Sunflower)
Vegetable Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Stearic Acid
Dimethicone
Butyrospermum parkii (Shea Butter)
Myristyl Myristate
Vegetable Glycerin
Vegetable Squalane
Simmondsia chinensis Seed Oil (Jojoba)
Natural Tocopheryl Acetate (Vit E)
Cucumis sativus Fruit Extract (Cucumber)
Calendula officinalis Flower Extract (Marigold)
Epilobium angustifolium Flower, Leaf, Stem Extract (Willowherb)
Panthenol (Vit B5)
Ceteareth-20
Allantoin
Cellulose Gum
Carbomer
Phenoxyethanol
Potassium Hydroxide
Potassium Sorbate
Sodium Benzoate
Semester 1 - Whole Class Teaching
I have just completed my first semester teaching Anatomy & Physiology to pre-nursing and other pre-medical students at a local community college.
Whew, thank the goddess I made it out alive, healthy, and sane (or at least as sane as I was when I started). I don't think I have worked harder in my life!
The student evaluations trickled in, and I am reminded at how un-prepared our high-schoolers are for college. They don't know how to study, they expect me to hand out notes (NOTES!), and they are incapable of taking care of their own business. How many times I wanted to say to my classes, "What do I think you all are? College students?!?"
Apparently, I am supposed to teach high school, 13th grade. And what I love is my students who think paying for class is enough to get them a passing grade, and not even that, a high grade, an A even!
So I've begun putting my opening lecture together for next semester.
It will start out with:
I am not teaching 13th grade in High School.
I am not your parent.
I am your facilitator.
You are the teacher.
Paying your tuition, and occasionally putting in an appearance in class is not enough.
I do not grade by your effort but by your performance.
etc.
I cannot count the number of students who told me, "But I have to pass this class." Um, that's great. Do your work.
Sigh, I fear for our future.
Whew, thank the goddess I made it out alive, healthy, and sane (or at least as sane as I was when I started). I don't think I have worked harder in my life!
The student evaluations trickled in, and I am reminded at how un-prepared our high-schoolers are for college. They don't know how to study, they expect me to hand out notes (NOTES!), and they are incapable of taking care of their own business. How many times I wanted to say to my classes, "What do I think you all are? College students?!?"
Apparently, I am supposed to teach high school, 13th grade. And what I love is my students who think paying for class is enough to get them a passing grade, and not even that, a high grade, an A even!
So I've begun putting my opening lecture together for next semester.
It will start out with:
I am not teaching 13th grade in High School.
I am not your parent.
I am your facilitator.
You are the teacher.
Paying your tuition, and occasionally putting in an appearance in class is not enough.
I do not grade by your effort but by your performance.
etc.
I cannot count the number of students who told me, "But I have to pass this class." Um, that's great. Do your work.
Sigh, I fear for our future.
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