As you may have started to hear in the news, there’s a lot of talk about BPA – a chemical that can leach into our food products through can liners and #7 plastics. For all of us who fed our children in plastic bottles and sippy cups, this news is pretty disturbing.

Taken from the EWG blog:
In April of 2008, the National Toxicology Program raised concerns that exposure to BPA during pregnancy and childhood could impact the developing breast and prostate, hasten puberty, and affect behavior in American children. UGGHHHHHHH.

So now you’re probably saying, “I give up”, right? What more can I do? It seems like everything I eat, drink, put on my skin etc. has dangers! Well, actually yes – kinda. But my theory is – do what you can. Reduce risk and exposure where you can. I’m not suggesting that people stop eating canned food entirely or don’t ever drink out of a bottle made from #7 plastic (which, mind you INCLUDES the big 5 gallon jugs of Poland Springs or whatever brand of water used at water coolers in offices all over the country!). But – don’t do it if you don’t have to. I now walk down the hall at my consulting job to get the filtered water, passing by the Poland Springs cooler. I threw out our Nalgene water bottles and went back to the (cheaper!) #2 plastic, squeeze-type sports bottles. Both of those are pretty easy changes – and make me feel a little better.

Now, if I had infants that needed bottles? That might be more challenging. But as I’ve read recently, the glass bottles are not nearly as scary as you might think. One person said in the 2 years she used them, it only broke once – when it fell onto a ceramic floor.

Anyway – for more great information, I found the Boston Globe had a Q&A article about BPA this week and there’s also the link to their actual phone call Q&A, and there’s also the EWG blog cheatsheet and other links from there. I also noticed that there was a Boston Globe article today that stated that John Kerry and 5 other senators are pushing for legislation to ban BPA from children’s products. I’ll have to keep tabs on that one!

Hi all! Here’s a great big offer for you – to keep your shining (but not shiny!) faces happy and glowing. It’s simple:

Spend $100, and get

Your Choice of a FREE: Oasis for Faces face wash for sensitive skin, You’re Fresh face wash OR Even Stephen toner

“How can I take advantage of this freebie”, you ask?? Simply go to

www.gardengirlskincare.com

And order whatever makes you happy, totalling $100 or more (don’t include the Freebie Product in the order). Then when you check out, in the COMMENTS section, simply write which of the 3 products (You’re Fresh, Oasis for Faces or Even Stephen) you’d like for FREE!!

Don’t forget, our products are all free of parabens, sulfates, petroleum products (including mineral oil), phthalates, added colors and chemical fragrances.

As always – happy shopping!

In my never-ending quest for finding the safest preservative, I came across this interesting posting about why preservatives are needed and the issues with “natural” preservatives. It all goes back to the fact that skin care products need preservatives. And from my perspective, based on all of the research I have done, it is most important to use a paraben-free preservative.

Anyway – check it out. It’s a really quick but interesting read.

http://thebeautybrains.com/2008/04/25/7-reseasons-there-arent-more-preservative-free-cosmetics/

I read an article today about the fact that Earth Day is becoming a bit of a farce. You know, I have to agree (at least somewhat). While I do think we need Earth Day to remind everyone how important this planet is and that we need stop CONSUMING so much, I also agree that some of the “green” thing has become so trendy that it is meaningless. Like Bamboo clothing – yes Bamboo is easy to replenish and readily available, however in order to turn it into cloth – two highly toxic chemicals are used that can be major ground-water contaminants.

And what’s the deal with ethanol? At first glance it sounds like an answer to the rising gas prices – but instead it is driving up the cost of corn which then impacts feed costs etc. so our food costs are starting to rise. Shouldn’t efforts be made to decrease our consumption and improve the efficiency of our vehicles?

Anyway – that’s my Earth Day rant. I could go on and on with my other examples but I’ll spare you…

So I recommend, choose your “green” products with an eye toward true eco-friendly products. The best thing you can do? Reduce your own consumption – reuse products, only buy things you need, only drive when you have to, don’t buy individually packaged products unless you have to (snack packs etc), and lastly, stop buying cases of bottled water and use HDPE#2 Reusable plastic sports bottles instead. Of course, I have to apply this to my own self as well!! I’m trying but not quite there yet. But we owe it to our children at least to try, don’t we?

Woops!! I got so excited about Marathon Monday around here that I spaced on the weekly special. So sorry! What a weekend – the Red Sox swept their series with Texas, the Bruins hang on in the playoffs, and we have the Boston Marathon. It was a great day – fantastic weather, great place to watch (my sister lives a block from the route), and my friend was in from Seattle to watch her husband run. On his BIRTHDAY no less! I’m so impressed by people who run marathons. For me, it would be an incredible form of torture. But I digress….

So this week we’ll do the sale for Tuesday AND Wednesday as my apology for missing Monday.

It’s a simple offer. FREE SHIPPING! You’ll save the $7.99 shipping cost if your order is under $75, and if you spend more than $75 you get free shipping AND a savings of $7.99. Fun, huh?

Simply go to www.gardengirlskincare.com

Order what you want, then when you check out, use coupon code

APR22

Don’t forget – you have until Wednesday this week. And as always – let friends and family know about these specials. And if they sign up for the email list, they get ANOTHER coupon for $5 off.
Have a great week!!

Winter may be leaving us, but that doesn’t mean our hands and feet don’t need our attention still. I find that this time of year I seem to be slathering on as much as ever.

Which brings me to this week’s goodie:

$5 off
either
Hand it to You hand cream (4 oz or 8 oz)
or
Zippity Do Dah peppermint foot cream.

So do your hands and feet a favor and give ‘em a little love.

Just go to
www.gardengirlskincare.com/handsandfeet.html

And order at least one of the products above. Then, when you are checking out, simply use coupon code

APR14

and you’ll get $5 off your order!

Enjoy and have a great week.

Does anyone else find it incredibly frustrating that we can “do what we’re told” and trust that what we are being told is the right thing – then come to find out we’ve been steered wrong?

OK you’re probably wondering what the heck I’m talking about. But here’s where I’m coming from. We grew up wearing tanning oil – and maybe if it was REALLY sunny we’d wear Coppertone which had an SPF of maybe 4 or something. Then came the big scare. SKIN CANCER. We were damaging our skin permanently and seriously risking malignant melanomas. So we slathered on SPF 15, 30 and 45. Fair-skinned people like me never left the house without sunscreen.

Fast forward a decade or two. Now the newest discovery is that a key ingredient in most sunscreens – oxybenzone – can actually be causing more damage than the good it does. ARRRGGHHHH. The following is taken from EWG.org:

“A new study by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reveals that 97% of Americans are contaminated with a widely-used sunscreen ingredient called oxybenzone that has been linked to allergies, hormone disruption, and cell damage. A companion study published just one day earlier revealed that this chemical is linked to low birth weight in baby girls whose mothers are exposed during pregnancy. “

Of course, the FDA says it is safe. But guess what? The last time they reviewed it was in 1970. Maybe it’s time for the FDA to ignore the Cosmetics Industry lobbyists and do the right thing to fully investigate this and other harmful toxins that have been deemed “safe.”

I am beginning my own review of natural sunscreens and once I choose one that I think is the best I will offer it at www.gardengirlskincare.com. I’ll keep you posted!

GEEEESH is spring EVER going to get here? Today was one of those miserable New England days – dreary, rainy, and cold. Yuck. It really irks me – it would be so refreshing to have a warm day. I’m not even asking for 70 degrees – I’d be happy with mid-50’s! Fingers crossed we’ll get there this week.

Anyway – enough complaining. Onto this week’s special! This week, we are celebrating “the basics” – washing and toning! The offer is:

Buy a Face Wash (either You’re Fresh or Oasis for Faces) and get
Even Ste(pH)en Toner at
50% off – that’s a $9 savings!

It’s easy – just go to:

www.GardenGirlSkinCare.com/facecare.html

and add either Oasis for Faces or You’re Fresh to your cart, then add Even Ste(pH)en as well. Feel free to continue shopping . Then when you are ready to check out, use coupon code: