The Girl Effect

2011-10-06T22:23:00.000-07:00

As a result of the years I've spent doing the work of helping women to feel good about being in their skin I have a reverence for the ability of women to grow through trying circumstances, cultivating their wisdom and sharing the gift of that wisdom with their community. One of the many things I'm grateful for is the opportunity to witness this commitment of spirit.

I am also grateful that my 9 yr old daughter is raised in a community of strong, positive role models whose lives represent the vast opportunity that life offers. Instilling a sense of self-confidence and self-worth in a girl is sometimes a daunting responsibility. There are many girls in the world who are not as fortunate as my daughter and will not be encouraged to find their gifts and passions to share with the world.

Some facts:

One quarter to one-half of girls in developing countries become mothers before age 18; 14 million girls aged 15-19 give birth in developing countries each year.

75% of 15-24 year olds living with HIV in Africa are female.

Medical complications from pregnancy are the leading cause of death among girls ages 15-19 worldwide.

Out of the world's 130 million out-of-school youth, 70 percent are girls.

When a girl in the developing world receives 7 or more years of education, she marries 4 years later and has 2.2 fewer children.

An extra year of primary school boosts girls' eventual wages by 10-20%. An extra year of secondary school: 15-25%.

When women and girls earn income, they reinvest 90% of it into their families, as compared to only 30-40% for a man.

There's no doubt that investing in creating a better life for the young girls of the world is creating a better life for us all.

My prayer and vision for young girls everywhere is for the world to hold them up so that their light can shine magnificently bright.

A solution: The Girl Effect (http://www.thegirleffect.org/question).

The Real Deal on Parabens

2008-10-26T23:56:00.000-07:00

Increasingly we hear about products being re-formulated to be paraben-free or we see new product lines being marketed as paraben-free. So, you may be asking -- what are these parabens and what are they doing to my body? Well, parabens have been the most used antimicrobial preservative in cosmetics since 1938. It has been found to be one of the safest and least likely preservative to cause irritation or allergies on the skin, it's inexpensive and is derived from petroleum.

The "concern" began when a 2004 study by Phillipa Darbre of the University of Reading in England suggested that there was a possible link between breast cancer and deoderants/antiperspirants. Her study questioned whether parabens combined with other agents in underarm products, like aluminum salts may have significant effect on diseases like cancer. The study found parabens in 18 of 20 breast tumors, however, there are numerous reasons to question the suggested conclusion. For example, no history was taken of the tumor donors, the study did not state if the tumors were subjected to chemotherapy - which contains parabens, it didn't take into account that tumors commonly metastisize under the arms where the lymph glands are located AND the study didn't check deodorant and antiperspirants formulas for parabens (98% do NOT contain parabens).

Am I saying that there is no concern about using parabens? NO! And here's why: parabens are what is known as Endocrine Disruptors (sustances that act like hormones in the endocrine system and disrupt physiologic function). The estrogenic effect of parabens on the endocrine system manifests in adverse effects on reproductive organs, fetal development, hormone levels, cancers and more. Once parabens penetrate the epidermis (outer layer of skin) they become estrogen metabolites and are no longer estrogenic. (Have I confused you yet? ... Stay with me!) If parabens are ingested or injected into the body they are estrogenic (i.e. Endocrine Disruptor). What I am saying is that the parabens in your cleanser are not harmful when applied to your skin. When that cleanser washes off your skin and gets into the water system is when we are all being exposed to the negative effects of parabens through ingestion of the parabens that are now in our ecosystem.

So why not just ban all manufacturers from using parabens? That would solve the Endocrine Disruptor problem, right? Um, no. Parabens are 1 of over 8,000 Endocrine Disruptors in our environment. By choosing to use products that are paraben-free you are making a contribution to the over-all effort of creating a cleaner, safer environment for us all.

If we don't use parabens to kill potential bacteria, fungus and yeast in our products, then what are manufacturers using? Some ingredients naturally preserve themselves (i.e. AHAs, glycols). After three years of intensive research and testing the laboratory that created the Kimberly Skin Care Line has re-formulated the products with the following six preservatives: methylisothiazolinone, phenoxyethanol, potassium sorbate, sodium benzoate, sodium dehydroacetate and sorbic acid. Some preservatives are know to be formaldehyde releasing (known to be an allergen and irritant). Check to be sure that the following are NOT in your products: imidazolidinyl urea, diazolidinyl urea, DMDM hydantoin, quaternium-15.

So many of us are trying to live more consciously in terms of protecting our environment and living longer, healthier lives -- I hope that this information helps to clarify the paraben "issue" for you and makes you a more informed consumer!

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REFERENCES:

Rebecca James Gadberry, Ingredient Review: Parabens, the California Safe Cosmetics Act and Organics, January 2006, Skin Inc. (http://www.yglabs.com/pdfs/10001.pdf).

Salynn Boyles, Antiperspirant: Link to Breast Cancer? February, 2006, WebMDHealth (http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/524555).

Dana K. Mirick, Scott Davis, David B.Thomas, Antiperspirant Use and the Risk of Breast Cancer, 2002, Journal of the National Cancer Institute (http://jnci.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/full/94/20/1578).

Kimberly's Skin Care Blog

The Girl Effect

The Real Deal on Parabens