1. LET’S
TALK
SHOP
Sunscreens have been around for nearly 100 years. In the beginning, sunscreens
started out as pasty zinc oxide that no one would use due to its ill absorption.
Scientists spent years creating sunscreens with clear chemicals that would absorb
UV light. In 1944, Coppertone® became the first mass marketed sunscreen. Fast
forward to now, when about a billion dollars worth of sunscreen are sold each
year in the United States.
17 individual sunscreen ingredients are currently FDA approved: 15 of these are
clear chemicals that absorb UV light and 2 are made of minerals that reflect UV
light. Of the 15 that absorb the light, 9 are known endocrine disruptors. This is
not the case with zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, the two mineral, or physical,
sunscreens. These 2 work very differently – they sit on the surface of the skin and
physically block UV light.
Chemical sunscreens soak into the skin and quickly find their way into the
bloodstream. They scatter all over the body without being detoxified by the liver
and can be detected in blood, urine, and breast milk for up to two days after a
single application. That would be just fine if they were uniformly safe – but they’re
not.
9 of the 15 chemical sunscreens are considered endocrine disruptors. Those are
chemicals that interfere with the normal function of hormones. The hormones
most commonly disturbed are estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, and thyroid.
This can lead to a slew of health related issues including infertility and hormonal
prematurity.
Sounds unsettling, doesn’t it? But, there’s more. As stated earlier, chemical
sunscreens function by absorbing UV light. In the process, some may get used
up and mutate. Some generate DNA-damaging chemicals called “free radicals.”
These may lead to cancers.
Poisoning that takes place over decades is difficult to study. Chemicals like
arsenic and botulism make us sick very quickly, and so it was easy to figure out
that they are toxins. Lead is a toxin that takes longer to cause illness, so it was
many years before the government listened to scientists and restricted its use.
Chemical sunscreens are even harder to study since their effects are subtle and
take a long time to appear.
If there were no good alternatives, we would be in a pickle – we’d have to make
some hard decisions whether or not to use sunscreen. Fortunately, we have great
alternatives.
Zincoxideandtitaniumdioxidearerocksthataregrounddowntoafineconsistency.
They do a great job at blocking both UVA and UVB light. Zinc is less whitening
on the skin and blocks nearly all dangerous UV light. Inexpensive versions of
these sunscreens are gooey and while you might put them on your kid’s skin,
most people don’t like them. But newer zinc oxide sunscreens contain particles
so small that they are transparent. These sunscreens are called micronized and
do a great job at protecting against UV radiation.
Bottom line? Use a micronized zinc oxide containing SPF 15 broad-spectrum
sunscreen every day of the year and an SPF 30 when you’re on the beach or
working in the garden. How much should you use? An ounce spread over your
whole body should do it. And reapply it every 2 hours or so.•
By Arthur W. Perry, MD, FACS
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MINERAL
SUNSCREENS
N AT U R A L B E A U T Y Q U A R T E R LY
SUMMER 2014
Edited by Audrey Overcast
PAGE 1
Your Sunscreen Might Be Poisoning You
Pure

2. PAGE 2
Trending Now....
FACE
HAIR
BODY
It seems that every few months or so, some new miracle ingredient is touted as the
next big thing in cosmetics. Argan oil is no exception.
Argan oil (the oil extracted from the fruit of Morocco’s argan tree) has been popping
up in our shampoos, body butters and facial masks, with manufacturers pointing to its
endless hydrating and healing properties.
But does argan oil live up to the hype?
“Argan oil has incredible conditioning and anti-aging properties that keep hair and
skin revitalized,” says cosmetics expert Marla Malcolm Beck, the CEO and co-founder
of Bluemercury.com. “It’s great for dry skin, does not clog pores, helps minimize fine
lines, and can treat split ends.”
It can also be used to prevent stretch marks, she says, and even improve certain skin
conditions. “Argan oil can help people with mild acne as the oleic acid found in the oil
helps promote healthy levels of sebum production, and its linoleic acid helps prevent
excess dead skin cells by promoting healthy skin turnover.”
Dermatologist Gary Goldenberg agrees — but only to a degree.
Goldenberg, who serves as an assistant professor of dermatology and pathology at
the Mount Sinai School of Medicine, notes that argan oil has long been thought to be
a treatment for dermatitis and acne, “although studies for this are lacking,” he says.
“Tocopherols, or vitamin E, is likely the most beneficial ingredient in argan oil,” says
Goldenberg, who adds that tocopherols are often used in cosmetics for “their presumed
anti-oxidant effect.” But knowing this, he usually just recommends vitamin E itself as a
moisturizer for patients with scars, eczema and dry scalp.
That’s not to say he disapproves of argan oil for those who want to try it. Goldenberg
sees no harm in using the stuff, and even goes as far as to say, “I think it’s a safe
product.” That’s definitely good news, especially for those who feel they might benefit
from the plentiful argan-infused treatments flooding the cosmetics aisle.
Beck, however, warns against buying beauty products simply because they list argan
oil on the label. “I would recommend that you make sure you’re purchasing what is
right for your hair and body,” she urges.
For this very reason, Beck would recommend trying specifically tailored argan oil
offerings — especially for hair. “Our clients love the Moroccanoil Treatment, which
has three different formulas: light, color-treated and thick.” For dry, damaged or color-
treated hair, she claims that Oribe Gold Lust Nourishing Hair Oil is a must-have (and it
doesn’t hurt that her clients refer to it as “liquid gold”).
Argan oil skin treatments are also tailored to specific skin types, but Beck recommends
two to start with: Laura Mercier’s Flawless Skin Repair Crème, which she says gets
a boost of hydration from the inclusion of argan oil; and Darphin Nourishing Satin Oil,
which Beck personally uses on her skin and arms before a night out. “You can instantly
see the hydrating power, which transforms your skin,” she says of the Darphin oil. “And
it smells amazing.”
Still, Goldenberg states that it’s hard to pinpoint which of these specific benefits is a
direct result of argan oil and not vitamin E.
“I think it’s very important to understand that lots of claims are made without scientific
data,” says Goldenberg of argan advocates. For example, Goldenberg says he’s
familiar with one particular scientific study that likens argan oil products to placebos,
and a few cosmeceutical studies in which there was no standard with which to measure
the oil’s effects. “It’s much easier to show a benefit that way,” he warns.
The cosmetic effects of argan oil, then, should be left up to each individual consumer
to determine after a reasonable period of use — or at least until the next “miracle oil”
infiltrates the beauty aisle.
Marla Malcolm Beck is the co-founder and CEO of Bluemercury Apothecary and Spas, Bluemercury.com
and M-61 Laboratories.
Gary Goldenberg, MD, is a board certified in dermatology and dermatopathology, and acting assistant
professor of dermatology and pathology at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine and a medical director of
the Dermatology Faculty Practice.
written by Fox News Magazine
Argan Oil: What’s ‘Oil’ the Fuss About?

4. Always Check The Ingredients!!!So you just treated yourself to some cool mineral makeup, huh? Let’s take a peek at your fresh new palette. Ooooo,
very nice – especially the Ke$ha-inspired blue. Magazines constantly tout the eco-friendly benefits of such finely
milled, earth-derived pigments because they’re pure and simple, just the way that Mother Nature intended. No
chemicals, no fillers, no funky business cooked up in a lab – plus they’re safe for sensitive skin types and so versatile
whether you like to lay ‘em on thick, thin or somewhere in between
.
Heyyyyy, wait a second. Did you actually read the label on your brand spankin’ new eye shadow? Right… that micro-
scopic decal you immediately peeled off the bottom of the package and chucked promptly into the garbage. I’m no
expert, but based on the list of ingredients, it looks like manufacturers are taking serious liberties when they use the
phrase mineral makeup on their products. There are a few key ‘red flag’ compounds that the Environmental Working
Group’s Skin Deep Cosmetics Database says we should all avoid like the plague, but at this very moment, you’re
probably wearing them on your eyelids… or cheeks… or slathered all over your face. Yikes.
The lesson learned is that seemingly squeaky green cosmetics aren’t automatically angelic just because they bear
the ‘mineral makeup’ label. Paying attention to the ingredients in your beauty and skincare products is of the utmost
importance since everything that is applied externally ultimately absorbs into skin before finally entering the blood
stream. Popular cosmetic manufacturers that have jumped on the mineral makeup bandwagon include Almay, Avon,
L’Oreal, Maybelline, Neutrogena, Physician’s Formula and Urban Decay (among others) but some of their beauty
products are harboring the following ugly secret ingredients… so buyer beware.
written by Elizah Leigh
written by Eliza Leigh
• Parabens
From propylparaben, benzylparaben and isobutylparaben
to methylparaben, ethylparaben and butylparaben, 6 major
paraben esters discourage the growth of fungus and bacte-
ria in cosmetic and food products, but there’s a big human
health hitch. These chemicals have been found to signifi-
cantly alter endocrine functions, and based on numerous
studies, are responsible for upping one’s chance of develop-
ing breast and ovarian cancer.
• Lead
While the naturally occurring mineral has long been integral
to the production of metal food can seals, water pipe solder
and higher-efficiency automobile fuel, we began recognizing
in the 1960s that the toxic metal really messes with the brain
while also inhibiting fertility and triggering joint/muscle pain.
• Talc
Hydrous magnesium silicate – which goes by the alter
egos of French chalk, asbestine, beaver white and agalite –
possesses anticaking properties, enabling cosmetics to be
applied to the skin quite smoothly. This naturally occurring,
widely used mineral has been deemed potentially carcino-
genic, particularly with respect to the lungs and ovaries.
• Mineral Oil
When gasoline is distilled from refined crude oil, a clear
odorless liquid remains – mineral oil. The process by which
it is created places a tremendous burden on the natural
environment, but when used as a personal body care item,
mineral oil is equally as harmful since it contains a carcino-
genic impurity called 1.4 dioxane.
• Phthalate-Based Fragrance
On a daily basis, a typical person is likely exposed to
hundreds of phthalates which make vinyl products highly
flexible, cosmetics ‘flow’ more readily, nail polish less likely
to chip, detergent seemingly fresh smelling, skin softer,
perfume last longer and hair spray firm yet touchable.
Rodents can sustain ridiculously high levels in laboratory
tests without succumbing to illness, and yet other studies
have found a direct correlation between high human
phthalate exposure and compromised reproductive
development/function in both males and females.
• Coal-Derived Colorants
The soft bituminous stuff yields a thick, sticky tar-based
tint that imparts makeup and hair dye with oddly appealing
color-bestowing properties, and yet it pulls a Dr. Jekyll – Mr.
Hyde once it enters the human body by triggering immune
and central nervous system challenges, among various
other health concerns.
info@purebeauty.com
Phone: (555)345-1287
Fax: (555) 345-1288
Pure Beauty Group
111 Hudson Avenue
Tempe, AZ 85613
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