So What's The Big Deal About Parabens?

First and foremost, let me explain just what exactly parabens are. Parabens are synthetic preservatives used in foods, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and personal care products such as deodorants, moisturizers and shampoos.

Parabens extend the shelf life of body care products for months or even years. Common parabens include methylparaben, ethylparaben, propylparaben and butylparaben.  Every time you use a skin or body care product using these preservatives, they are absorbed through your skin and into your blood stream.

 

Parabens can mimic hormones in the body and disrupt functions of the endocrine system.  In simple terms, this means that, parabens can mimic estrogen and disrupt the body's hormone system.  

A high lifelong exposure to estrogen can increase breast cancer risk. Estrogen, and synthetic chemicals that act like estrogen, play a role in stimulating the division of breast cells and affect other hormones that stimulate breast cell division.



So all of you Bath and Body Works, The Body Shop fans and just about any body care product you buy, please be sure to take the time to read just what ingredients you are putting on your body and are being absorbed into your blood stream.

Please visit 1630 for all natural, paraben free body care products.

For more information on parabens: http://www.livestrong.com/article/150690-what-are-the-dangers-of-parabens-in-skin-care/#ixzz1XHw16m4T

Orange Vanilla Whipped Body Butter Giveaway

Oh my goodness!  I know I haven't posted in forever but, I have been busy, busy, busy working on 1630 and further perfecting my products.  Well I am happy to announce that FINALLY, the site is live.  Quite frankly I want to celebrate!

To celebrate our "grand opening" so to speak, I'm giving away a 4oz jar of 1630's, all natural, Orange Vanilla Whipped Body Butter.


WIN IT!
*Visit 1630 and come back and tell me what other body butter you would love to try
EXTRA ENTRY: Read the home page and tell me if you learned something you didn't know about every day, commercial body care products.  
U.S. Residents Only 

 

Contest Ends September 10, 2011

Do You Know What You're Putting on Your Skin?

Seriously, do you have any idea what's really in your everyday skin and hair care products?  Let's take a look at one ingredient that seems to be in just about everything, shampoo, soap, conditioner etc.  It just might be a surprise as to what you are absorbing into your skin.

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate and Sodium Laureth Sulfate

This inexpensive detergent is commonly used in cosmetic cleansers, hair shampoos, bath and shower gels, bubble baths, etc. - It is probably the most dangerous ingredient used in skin and hair-care products. In the cleaning industry SLS is used in garage floor cleaners, engine degreasers, car-wash soaps, etc. It is very corrosive and readily attacks greasy surfaces.

A study at the University of Georgia Medical College, indicated that SLS penetrated into the eyes as well as brain, heart, liver, etc., and showed long-term retention in the tissues. The study also indicated that SLS penetrated young children's eyes and prevented them from developing properly and caused cataracts to develop In adults.

May cause hair loss by attacking the follicle. Classified as a drug in bubble baths because it eats away skin protection and causes rashes and infection to occur.

Is potentially harmful to skin and hair. Cleans by corrosion. Dries skin by stripping the protective lipids from the surface so it can't effectively regulate moisture.

Another extremely serious problem is the connection of SLS with nitrate contamination. SLS reacts with many types of ingredients used in skin products and forms nitrosomines (nitrates). Nitrates are potential cancer-causing carcinogenics.

With that said, I challenge you to look at all of your skin and hair care products at home and, find out which if not all, have this dangerous ingredient in it.  This will help you understand my calling to all natural products.

Knowledge is The Key

Like I said in my last post, I gave myself a year to study and learn about home made body butter.  I had no idea what I was about to discover.  In the process of searching and learning, I began reading about ingredients in lotions and butters.

One of the first things I learned was that there are basically two types of butter.  One is an emulsified body butter and one is not.  An emulsified body butter is where it is made mostly with water and then emulsified with oils and preservatives.  The other body butter is made with all natural oils and butters.

I tried to make the emulsified body butters but never quite got it right.  But the more I learned about ingredients, I didn't need to get it right.  The all natural body butters were calling my name.

How I Found My Passion Pt. 2

So yeah, the whole home made sugar scrubs thing never panned out.  But oddly enough that didn't bother me.  I will usually will  keep trying and trying until I get it.  And eventually I will get it but for now, I have a different calling.

One of my other favorite products to review was body butter!  Oh how silky and luxurious body butter is!  And the bulb went off.  I can make this stuff!  Off I went to study and learn how to make body butter.

So yeah I bombed the first time.  I tried to substitute an ingredient I didn't have with another and nope it did not work.  But I was determined to get this body butter thing down. I had a lot to learn.  However, I knew in my heart, I wanted to turn this craft into a business from home.  So I gave myself a year to study and learn all that I could. When I finally launched my products, I wanted them to be of the highest quality and my packaging to be professional.

How I Found My Passion Pt. 1

I've been blogging for some time now and I've done lots of reviews and giveaways.  Some of my favorite products to receive were always the bath and body products.  One day, something said, "I bet you could MAKE this stuff!"  I had the hubby go out and buy ingredients for my first home made sugar scrub.

It turned out terrible!  But I was determined.  I kept making them and some of them turned out half decent.  I had a friend who sold bath and body products on Etsy and her sugar scrubs were amazing!

Naturally I couldn't ask for her recipe so, I tried to recreate what she sent me.  Yeah, I never mastered the sugar scrubs.  But I did master something else!  Stay tuned to find out what.  :)

A Little History

By nature I'm a talker.  And to top it off I love to write.  So to make this short and sweet will be a bit of a task for me.  However, I'll try and do my best. :)

I've been a stay-at-home mom for many, many years.  I am  married with four children.  My two daughters are from my first marriage, (now that's a blog within itself!).  And I have two sons with my current husband.  The girls are 16 and 13.  The boys are five and four.  Oh yeah we also have a mini schnauzer, Sassy.

My hubby is the best!  He's a hot Latino, 10 years my junior.  Yep, I'm a cougar ha ha.  He's from the enchanted island of Puerto Rico.  He can cook, not good for my hips, cuz they don't lie.  But the man can cook.  But what I love most about him is his heart.  He so giving and forgiving.  I know he would give me the moon and the stars if he could.

Anyway, I've been trying to figure out what-the-heck-to-do-from-home for a looooong time.  I've tried some of everything, MLM, Mary Kay, internet marketing, none with any success.  I've always read and heard that you need to find you passion.

It took years but I finally did and it's the last thing on earth I ever thought I would be doing.