Holy smokes – the FDA actually did a study and concluded that the levels of lead in lipstick was much higher than they had previously thought.

According to a summary by Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, the “FDA found lead in all 20 lipsticks it tested, at levels ranging from 0.09 parts per million (ppm) to 3.06 ppm – more than four times higher than the highest lead level of 0.65 reported in the 2007 CSC study. FDA used a new testing method to analyze lipstick and concluded that earlier methods likely underestimated the amount of lead in lipstick.”

The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics article goes on to say “The FDA study found an average level of lead in lipsticks of 1.07 ppm – more than 10 times higher than its own standard for lead in candy. FDA’s standard for candy is based on the lowest lead level that can be achieved.”

But of course, on its Web site the FDA says that “lipstick, intended for topical use, is only ingested incidentally and in very small quantities and the FDA does not consider the lead levels that it found in the lipsticks to be a safety concern.”

The Campaign is asking for some sort of standard for lipsticks to be established – but the FDA does not believe it is necessary. They also refuse to publish the names of the companies that were tested.

FYI – the worst offenders in the 2007 study conducted by Campaign for Safe Cosmetics were L’Oreal, Maybelline and Cover Girl.

And you know what? It’s not that lead-free lipstick is impossible to make – nor is it costly. The 2007 study noted that one of the brands that didn’t have lead was an inexpensive drug-store brand. So once again – what’s the deal?

To check out some FAQ’s regarding the study – click here. And of course – be careful what you use on your lips! My recommendation? Try Burt’s Bees Lip Shimmers. Easy to find, work great and they are SAFE.

Big savings this week on all of our paraben-free, sulfate-free, petroleum-free and phthalate-free face care products – washes, toners, exfoliators, anti-aging treatments, and moisturizers.

To take advantage of this great offer, you have to be a member of our mailing list. But the best part? The list is free to join, we don’t ever sell our list and we only send you offers and a newsletter. It’s easy to join – just go to our homepage at www.gardengirlskincare.com and click on the link.

We’ll send you the email and you can get started on saving right away!

All this writing about dry skin vs. dehydrated skin (see below), made me realize that I very seldom do a special offer on one of our unsung hero” products – Cookies + Cream.

Cookies + Cream is an amazing face masque that is used once per week and leaves your skin feeling incredibly soft and smooth. Ground vanilla beans will soothe your senses and calm your skin, while white kaolin clay will draw out impurities without drying skin. Finally, the high honey content forms a thin barrier on the skin to help trap the moisture and keeps skin hydrated, and rice bran oil’s high antioxidant levels and moisturizing properties keep skin smooth, soft and protected.

And this week – we are giving you the chance to get Cookies + Cream for <b>FREE</b>!!! Find out how by signing up for our email list at www.gardengirlskincare.com.

Baby steps are better than no steps I guess? This week Massachusetts issued a warning to parents of young children and pregnant women to avoid plastics that may contain BPA (bisphenol A). While I would much rather they ban all products containing BPA, like Connecticut did a few months back, at least they are acknowledging that this is a dangerous chemical and that there are significant concerns regarding BPA exposure to young children.

According to an article in the Boston Globe:

“The state’s warning is precise for parents of children up to age 2: Avoid transparent (clear or colored) plastic containers or baby bottles with the recycling number 7 and the letters PC (which stands for polycarbonate); use glass or stainless steel instead. If plastics are still being used, parents should avoid heating those containers because that can increase the release of the chemical. They should also wash the containers by hand with warm water and soap, instead of placing them in dishwashers.

There are so many zillions of bathroom cleaners out there now it’s amazing. But have you ever read the warnings on the labels? Ventilation, gloves, burns, poison etc. It’s crazy. While I admit that occasionally you need something stronger than a homemade, natural cleaner – most cleaning can be done surprisingly well with ingredients you have around the house. And I’m not talking just a lame attempt at cleaning, I mean really effective cleaning.

Here are some great tips for cleaning the bathrooms that not only will be better for the environment and your family’s health (think of the reduction in dangerous fumes) – but also better for your wallet.

Since white vinegar is the star of the show, I suggest buying a big ol’ bottle at a wholesale club. We have one in our kitchen, one in the laundry closet and one in the bathroom cabinet. It’s incredibly cheap and amazingly effective. And no- your house will not smell like pickles

1) Toilet bowl cleaning: Getting rid of hard water stains, odors etc can be a pain in the tush (so to speak). But actually – all you need is 3 cups of white vinegar. Toss that into the toilet bowl and leave it in there. If you want even more disinfecting add a few drops of Tea Tree oil. After it soaks for about 15 minutes, scrub with a toilet brush. If you need even more scrubbing action, you can use Borax. Borax is another amazing household cleaner- however you do need to be careful with it, as you would with some of the more typical cleaners. It can be toxic if it is ingested. Read more about how Borax cleans here. It’s very interesting, actually.

2) Tub + Shower Cleaning: I admit that sometimes this is where I bring in the big guns when necessary to totally get rid of mildew (which our master bath shower seems to breed despite all kinds of efforts on our part). But almost all of the cleaning can be done easily without the chemicals. Because of vinegar’s acetic acid, it breaks down and reduces things like soap scum, mildew and mineral buildup. Fill a spray bottle 1/2 with white vinegar and 1/2 with water. Spray it on and leave it on for 10 minutes or so. Then you can scrub if necessary or just rinse.

You can leave the bottle in the shower for daily spritzes to keep your shower clean and fresh and reduce the scrubbing for the next time. Spray it on then rinse it off.

To shine up the chrome and get rid of mineral build-up use either the vinegar spray or Borax (again – see the link above for Borax information).

If you have rust spots, make a paste of cream of tartar and water. Apply it to the stain then rinse off.

3) Mirror and Glass cleaning: There are a couple of options here. You can just mix equal parts of water and vinegar in a spray bottle. Or you can add a few tablespoons of rubbing alcohol to the mixture – which helps it evaporate more quickly. If you feel like you need some extra power you can add a few drops (just a few) of liquid dish detergent to the mixture. Don’t add too much detergent or it will make it streaky. Whatever combination you choose will give you clean and sparkly windows, mirrors and chrome.

With all of these, don’t forget that they can still be dangerous in the hands of children. So clearly mark your bottles and make sure they are kept safe from small children. And do not mix them with any commercial household cleaners. There are so many dangerous combinations (like ammonia and bleach) that you can never be too safe.

(This is an article that I wrote awhile back but realized that I never posted it here – so yes, I’m recycling but I think you’ll like it!)

There are some natural ingredients that are so wonderfully and simply effective they are worthy of a little exploration. One of those ingredients is Jojoba Oil. Nope – it’s not pronounced “joe-joe-bah” – it’s “ho-HO-bah”. Jojoba oil has many uses and a rich, wonderful history. Plus – it’s relatively inexpensive and easy to find. So really – does it get much better than that?

Jojoba oil comes from the crushed seed of the Simmondsia Chinenis shrub that is found mainly in the deserts of the southwestern region of the United States and northern Mexico. Used for centuries by Native Americans, the oil has many uses including cosmetic, medicinal and nutritional purposes.

One of the special qualities about Jojoba Oil is that it not really “oil” but it is comprised of liquid wax esters. Sebum, a liquid wax ester found naturally in human skin, acts to waterproof and protect both hair and skin, keeping skin from becoming dry and brittle. It also can control the growth of microorganisms on the skin. Because Jojoba is so similar to sebum, it easily can emulate the same functions.

Jojoba has many benefits:

- It is easily absorbed in the skin.
- It is hypo-allergenic.
- It does not clog pores.
- It contains many key nutrients and minerals including: Vitamin E, Vitamin B complex, plus silicon, chromium, copper and zinc.
- It also contains a high level of iodine – which could contribute to its antibacterial/antifungal properties.

Some of my favorite uses of Jojoba are:

Skin moisturizer. Especially good for face. Look for it as a main ingredient in skin products. It is found in almost all Garden Girl moisturizing products – body butters, body lotions, face creams, face masques and scrubs, hand cream, foot cream, body scrub and baby lotion. It truly is a wonderful emollient.

Hair repair. Jojoba is fantastic for hair. Tame flyaway hair or even repair dry or damaged hair with just a couple of drops. It takes only a little to add a little shine and smooth hair. I say this from experience – after having used more than a couple drops. Not good. So stick with 2 or 3 drops.

Eye make-up remover. Jojoba is the best eye make-up remover that I have found. You can pay big bucks for some fancy products, but nothing works as well as Jojoba, in my opinion. And it is much less expensive. Soak a cotton ball with Jojoba, and gently wipe off make-up. The bonus is that once your make-up is gone, you can gently pat the excess oil back into your skin around your eyes for added moisturizing. PLUS it is a great conditioner for your eyelashes.

Cuticles. Excellent cuticle oil. You’ll be amazed at how quickly ragged, dry cuticles can be revived with a few drops of Jojoba oil.

With its long list of uses and its reasonable price, Jojoba oil is something you should keep in your medicine chest (or wherever you keep your “stuff”). Look for it at health food stores, or other stores selling natural products.

Well I dunno about you but these days I feel like I gain girth just breathing. I have been trying to be good about exercising but to be honest I’m not very dedicated. So I thought a great way to get a sweet treat this Valentine’s Day – without worrying about extra calories – would be to have an irrisitable offer on Hugs and Smooches body butters. This way – whether you crave chocolate but don’t want to extra fat and calories, or if you are simply looking for an incredibly soothing, hydrating and rich body butter that smells delish – you win!

We did a little giveaway (the winner will be announced in my next post!) that was quite popular. So if you find that you weren’t the winner – then you can STILL win!

And don’t forget – these make great gifts not just for yourself, but also for daughters, mothers, nieces, teachers etc. And I will admit that in our testosterone-dominant house they are both a big hit and are the preferred choice for moisturizer.

Ok – enough babbling, here’s the deal:

Buy ONE Hugs vanilla or Smooches chocolate/mandarin body butter and get ONE FREEEEE! Woohoo! This is valid on either 4 oz. OR 8 oz. Whatever size you buy, will be the size you get for free. Best of all – you can mix and match: buy a Smooches and get a Hugs, or buy a Hugs and get a Hugs etc. Your choice! I will warn you, however, that we are running dangerously low on the 8 oz. Hugs so those will be first come, first served.

Usually, I have no restrictions on the offers I do, but this time it is limited to 2 free products. So choose wisely and ENJOY!

Here’s all you need to do:
1) Go to www.gardengirlskincare.com – place your order and include either 1 or 2 Smooches or Hugs in the order. (again, you can order more but the limit is 2 free).
2) When you are checking out, be sure to put in the comments section what you want for your freebies!

Easy peasy! The best part? You have until Tuesday at midnight to place this order! All orders by Monday are guaranteed for pre-Valentine’s Day delivery. Orders received by Tuesday night will be shipped on Wednesday and I’m 95% sure they’ll arrive on time.

Check out the s.i.m.p.l.e blog for a great giveaway of Earthlust stainless water bottles. All you need to do is post on the simple blog which one you like the best and you’ll be entered to win. Good luck!

Hey – check out this fun mom-blogger site that has some great holiday games and activities for the next couple of weeks. You can win some great prizes! Janice Wehner, our GG consultant in CT is representing Garden Girl so be sure to find her on there too!