Ideal Bite

What about Bare Escentuals?

I know this is a couple months after the initial tip but...After many years of trying mascaras, I finally found, and always used Clinique's naturally glossy mascara in jet brown. However, this time I went out and tried Ecco Bella mascara in brown...and I love it! I really do. I would say it is very comparable to the Clinique mascara, if not better, and much more earth-friendly, product and packaging wise. And the bottle even has a nifty little mirror on the side - I don't know when you'd really use it but I kind of like knowing it's there :)

Love the Kimpton. Comfortable rooms, staff, great social wine tasting hour and definitely pet friendly. When I stayed at the Kimpton in Denver, they had a room downstairs reserved for Yappee hour. Folks were welcome to bring their pooches for a social hour while the owners had the opportunity to mingle and enjoy the show. It's tough to find a comfortable hotel that is pet friendly. ***** for the Kimpton in Denver!

Wow, I love finding kindred souls that are haivng the same worry I am at the almost same time in the universe! I don't know if this makes a difference or not, or if anyone could chime in as to whether they have heard anything about this. I can't find good info online about the differences in parabens, but I am a little addled today, too. Anyhoo...I just wanted to add that I recently learned that "parabens" can also be botanical in origin. I really freaked out the other day after noticing a label in the shower that I swore was paraben free had them listed. I called the manufacturer, also my fave supplement company, Nature's Sunshine, about their hair conditioner and its evil "parabens." They are supposedly one of the best when it comes to quality standards and testing. The friendly chemist from the Health Sciences department sent me a detailed e-mail about the type of plant-derived parabens they use in their products. It was explained to me that the addition of these botanical stabilizers change the shelf life of moisturizer, conditioners, etc. from a couple of weeks to several months. Paraben-free may mean animal or petroleum derived parabens, but not without stabilizing/natural preserverative ingredients from plants, which happen to have the chemical structure that would qualify as a paraben. If they did not use something like these substances; then once opened, mold/bacteria could grow before a month passed, inside the tubes. If I spend more money on organic beauty products they have to last long enough for me to use them up!! I think most of us, being either more natural types who use less daily or make-up whores who use a huge variety of brands that may differ every few days with our experimental uses; would take more than a month to finish many skin care and make-up items. Just my 2 cents. Has anyone else heard similar info about shelf life and how to identify the good parabens, if possible? Namaste, J

THERE ARE NO GOOD PARABENS!!!! good going annie. I am a consultant for miessence as well! http://www.geauxorganic.mionegroup.com

Thanks for setting me straight, ladies. Miessence sounds fab...I will def. check it out. And I will call the health sciences research dude and ask him why the bad info/confusion about the paraben questions I had for him. Not cool if they misrepresented. Does anyone know why there is info out there that suggests blueberries have naturally occurring parabens which are somehow related the antioxidant activity of the fruit?? Is this bull**** or a huge error or just some silly hogwash/propaganda put out there to downplay some cosmetics company's continued used of yucky parabens??? I try to educate clients/patients and many love to debate with me..so getting solid info is very crucial to enlightening folks about the toxins we are slathering on and scrubbing up with every day. There is so much to know and the more I learn the more I feel like I don't know! Also I was cruising around on Skin Deep...very thorough info there...and I was wondering if y'all knew why the mixed tocopherols were listed as potentially harmful. I know Vit. E can be a good preservative but that if it is synthetically produced it can be not as preferable. The synthetic is a dextra vs a levarotatory enantiomer of the tocopherol molecule. I know the d version is less absorbable internally as a supplement and could be sourced from acetate coatings on photographic type films used for industrial purposes...like x-raying metal ships and buildings for stress flaws. And any vitamin E can be bad for O blood types; but those two negatives for Vit. E use are more internal/supplement use oriented. There must be some reason topically why the tocopherols as a whole are not preferable?? Thanks to the biters and all who comment here for the great resource. You guys rock! Namaste, Jessica

Jessica- Thanks for posting! I learned all kinds of things from you.:)

no doubt, shelley- Doktorj is a wealth of info!! thanks again for sharing!

There is yet another great alternative that is internationally CERTIFIED ORGANIC. To my knowledge, the first and only CERTIFIED ORGANIC company offering personal care products that are certified organic, made to food grade standards. You can check them out at http://healthquest.mionegroup.com. If it's not safe to eat, you don't want it on your skin, period.

I just found this blog about paraben free products and I just wanted to find out if any of you have heard of a company called CosMedix. They have a great physical sunblock that is perfect for under mineral makeup. It is the Reflect Spray. Just love it. I believe the entire brand is paraben free and plant based. Has anyone heard of it?