Experts

Aubrey Hampton, Chief Executive Officer, Aubrey Organics, 4419 N. Manhattan Avenue, Tampa, Fla. 33614, 1-800-282-7394.

The first company in the United States to be certified “organic”, Aubrey Organics has been the leading organic company in personal care products for almost 40 years. Manufacturing over 220 products sold in over 4000 health food stores and hair salons, Aubrey Organics was founded by Aubrey Hampton in 1967. His premise was to create completely natural hair and skin care products free of synthetics and petrochemicals, products good for both the body and the earth. Today, Aubrey Hampton is acknowledged as one of the few authorities on natural organic cosmetics and phytochemisty for hair and skin care products in the world.

Aubrey has written three books on natural cosmetics: Natural Organic Hair and Skin Care (Organica Press), now in its sixth reprint, What's in Your Cosmetics (Odonian Press), and The Take Charge Beauty Book (Organica Press), co-written with Susan Hussey. Aubrey is also the founder and publisher of Organica Quarterly, an arts and environmental magazine distributed through independent bookstores and health food stores nationwide.

Paula Begoun, The Cosmetics Cop, Author, 1030 SW 34th Street, Suite A, Renton, WA 98057, 1-800-831-4088.

What originally started as a personal search for acne treatment has turned into 25 years of extensive experience and research for Paula Begoun. Her knowledge in the beauty industry combined with in-depth research and study of skin and cosmetics ingredients makes Paula one of the most respected resources among a variety of professional fields that involve skin care. Today, she remains a consultant for dermatologists, plastic surgeons, major cosmetics companies, and industry insiders. She has used her knowledge and expertise to develop her own cosmetics line.

Paula is the author and publisher of several best-selling books on the beauty industry, including seven editions of Don't Go to the Cosmetics Counter Without Me, Blue Eyeshadow Should Be Illegal, The Complete Beauty Bible, and Don't Go Shopping for Hair-Care Products Without Me. She has sold more than 2.5 million copies of her books and is also a columnist, with her “Dear Paula” column appearing in papers throughout North America. Paula is a nationally-recognized consumer expert for the cosmetics industry has led to repeated appearances on CNN, Oprah, The Today Show, 20/20, Dateline NBC, The View, and Primetime. Her website Paula’s Choice has organics information, cosmetic ingredients dictionary, facts, reviews, and her “Dear Paula” column links.

Samuel S. Epstein, M.D., Chairman, University of Illinois at Chicago, School of Public Health, MC 922, 2121 West Taylor Street, Chicago, IL 60612, (312) 996-2297.

Dr. Epstein is an internationally recognized authority on avoidable causes of cancer, particularly unknowing exposures to industrial carcinogens in air, water, the workplace, and consumer products--food, cosmetics and toiletries, and household products. Dr. Epstein is chairman of the Cancer Prevention Coalition, founder of the Environmental Mutagen Society, President of the Society for Occupational and Environmental Health. He has published nearly 260 peer reviewed articles and authored 11 books including the prize-winning 1978 The Politics of Cancer. His book How to Avoid Cancer from Cosmetics and Personal Care Products: The Neways Story encourages buyers to avoid the products that contain carcinogen ingredients on the labels in order to win the battle against cancer that effects nearly one in two men and one in three women in their lifetimes. Dr. Epstein would be a great source especially to serve as a scientific expert in the field of cancer and its relations to personal care products.

Andrea Kane, The Organic Beauty Expert, 157 Ebony Ave, Imperial Beach, CA 91932, (619) 865 - 1354.

The Organic Beauty Expert is self-proclaimed Andrea Kane. She has her own line of bath and body products called Marley’s Own after serving in the U.S. Navy. After learning about the organic and natural ingredients in toiletries, she decided to start her own online weblog. She claims to be the only organic blog for natural and organic beauty products, The Organic Beauty Expert, on the internet and includes a weekly podcast radio show. Andrea continues to design her own products, run the blog, and offer workshops. She has taught workshops at The University of Hawaii, Manoa, Hickam Air Force Base and for private groups. Andrea is a certified aromatherapist and is a member of the Handmade Beauty Network and The San Diego Chamber of Commerce.

Ruth Winter, MS, Author, 44 Holly Dr, Short Hills, NJ 07078, (973) 376-8385.

Working with her husband, Ruth is the author of more than 34 popular health books and is an award winning science writer with reports on leading edge of medical research including organics. She contributed over a hundred health and science articles to major national magazines including Family Circle, Woman’s Day, Good Housekeeping, and Reader’s Digest with subjects ranging from anti-aging hormones to medicines in foods. She has been covering health, food safety, and pharmaceuticals for more than 30 years.

Ruth was the former science editor of The Star-Ledger in New Jersey, and was a nationally syndicated columnist for The Los Angeles Times. With her master’s degree in science, she was formerly president of The American Society of Journalists and Authors. Ruth also was the winner of the American Medical Writers national award for magazine writing. She is also the author of A Consumer’s Dictionary of Cosmetic Ingredients, A Consumer’s Dictionary of Medicines: Prescription, Over-the-Counter, Homeopathic, and Herbal, and Poisons in Your Food. Her wide-range of knowledge, numerous publications, accomplishments, awards and extensive experience makes Ruth Winter a reliable and well-rounded source.

Non-Profit Associations

Organic Consumers Association. (2008) Coming Clean: Organic Integrity in Bodycare Products. Retrieved January 23, 2008, from http://www.organicconsumers.org/bodycare/index.cfm.

The Organic Consumers Association (OCA) is an online and non-profit public interest organization campaigning for health, justice, and sustainability. The Organic Consumers Association is the largest membership organization in the United States representing primarily the interests of those who purchase organic food. The OCA deals with crucial issues of food safety, industrial agriculture, genetic engineering, children's health, environmental sustainability and other growing topics. They are currently the only organization in the US focused exclusively on promoting the views and interests of the nation's estimated 50 million organic and socially responsible consumers. They work towards campaigning for health, justice, sustainability, peace, and democracy. Their website includes current news surrounding organic issues, ways for consumers to take action and ways to find organic products to support the campaigns. This organization is a good source for campaigning sources and the organic agricultural industry.

Environmental Working Group. (2008). EWG Research on Chemicals in Personal care products. Retrieved March 13, 2008, from http://www.ewg.org/.

Founded in 1993 by Ken Book and Richard Wiles, the Environmental Working Group (EWG) was established to provide information to the public and promote health and the environment. In 2002, the non-profit organization founded the EWG Action Fund to advocate for health-productive and subsidy-shifting governmental policies. The EWG created Skin Deep, an ingredients database, and the Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Product. In 2006, $0.84 of every dollar donated to EWG went directly to research and advocacy, according to the EWG website. The EWG is funded 78% by foundations and 18% by individual consumers. The EWG is considered to be a “watchdog group” working on issues such as chemicals in food and consumer products. However, EWG has been the target of complaints from the Center for the Defense of Free Enterprise and singled out by the conservative Capital Research Center. This organization is a good source for finding statistical data about cosmetics ingredients and governmental policies surrounding the industry.

For-Profit Businesses

Saffron Rouge Organic Boutique. (n.d.). NVEY ECO Organic Makeup. Retrieved March 16, 2008, from http://saffronrouge.com.

This business specializes in organic cosmetics as well as aromatherapy. All the products are certified organic or certified bio-dynamic which means it has been evaluated and inspected by a third party. All the products are evaluated according to purity, quality and effectiveness. The business stresses the importance of being certified “organic” because such measures are not widely adopted by manufacturers and government by law which sets Saffron Rouge above the rest of the competition. Saffron Rouge is the first company in the beauty industry to focus exclusively on organics offering over 800 products. The business has grown to be the #1 online shopping destination for organic skin care, cosmetics, and aromatherapy in North America since it began in 2002. This business is a great source for finding a variety of high-quality of cosmetics products and organic alternative products. The business publishes their rating of customer satisfaction and has extensive feedback from buyers.

Lavera Naturkosmetics. (2008). Go Organic Principles. Retrieved March 16, 2008, from http://www.lavera.com.

Lavera, meaning “truth”, was established in innovating natural skin care products since 1987. Lavera Naturkosmetics’ products, manufactured in Germany, are based upon strict guidelines from the Controlled Natural Cosmetics set by BDIH. All the organic ingredients are tested and certified by the independent INAC Institute. Their certifications support the company’s ongoing commitment and philosophy to the purest organic and natural ingredients. Lavera’s 250 products are made completely of mineral based sun protection and are parabens-free goods include anti-aging skin care, sun protection, color cosmetics, face, body, baby and hair care.

The company has won more than 180 awards to the OEKO-Test in Germany which is a very critical consumer magazine that checked the company’s ingredients and packaging, according to the business’ website. This source is interesting because it shows a comparison between United States standards for “organic” products and the rating system of European companies.

Government Agencies

U.S. Food and Drug Administration
5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville MD 20857-0001
1-888-INFO-FDA (1-888-463-6332)

The FDA is responsible for the safety regulation of most types of foods, dietary supplements, drugs, vaccines, medical products, blood products, medical devices, radiation-emitting devices, veterinary products, and cosmetics. Cosmetics are regulated by the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, a branch of the FDA that also regulates food. The FDA only has specific regulations regarding color additives that must be approved before being included in cosmetics products. The cosmetics which have not been safely tested by the FDA must include a warning. Otherwise, cosmetics are not generally subject to premarket approval by the FDA which is why the health risks are not being monitored. This source is important for consumers to see the lack of regulation and legislations surrounding cosmetics ingredients and safety.

U.S. Department of Agriculture
1400 Independence Ave., S.W.
Washington, DC 20250
(808) 541-2600

Established in 1862 by President Abraham Lincoln, the USDA was created to develop and execute policy on food, agriculture, and farming. Overall, the agency aims to meet the needs of farmers in the farming industry, promote agricultural trade, assure food safety and protect natural resources in hopes to end hunger in America. In 2002, the USDA established the United State’s National Organic Program which presides over organic certification for US companies. Under the NOP, any farming industry or food processor who wants to use the word “organic” with their products or business must be certified by this third party. This agency is helpful for finding information about how companies become certified “organic” and the laws regarding the official “organic” seal.

Government Documents

U.S. General Accounting Office. (1987). Report to Congress: Lack of Authority Hampers Attempts to Increase Cosmetic Safety. (GAO Publication No. HRD-78-139). Washington D.C.: GPO., August 8, 1978, pp. 1070-111. Retrieved from Ohio University ALICE Library: http://alice.library.ohiou.edu.

In 1987, the General Accounting Office released a statement that harmful cosmetics were being marketed in the United States. According to this GAO document, 125 ingredients available for use in cosmetics are suspected of causing cancer, 25 were suspected of causing birth defects, and several others may have adverse effects on the nervous system. This document encourages uniform FDA regulations on the minimally regulated safety standards regarding cosmetics. Although this document was reported to Congress 21 years ago, very little changes have been made by the FDA since. Since then, the harmful ingredients list has continued to grow and this document is an important source to show the growing concern, and long over due need, for cosmetics safety.

Food and Drug Administration Amendments Act of 2007, H.R. 2900, 110^th Cong. (2007). Retrieved February 11, 2008, from Lexis/Nexis Congressional database.

This amendment required drug companies to pay the FDA a fee so that they could further research the new drugs and products that were released onto the market. This act was originally enacted in 1992 to help the FDA review products. This amendment was important because it enabled shorter review times and created a more predictable review process, while still maintaining high-quality reviews for consumers. This act, along with the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act of 1938, gave government more control to oversee the safety of cosmetics. This act is important to investigate because it actually defines cosmetics as products for "cleansing, beautifying, promoting attractiveness, or altering the appearance." Therefore, the FDA can classify cosmetics without actually checking their safety or regulating them. Although this information is hard to understand, it’s an important source to recognize that this gap in the definition gives a manufacturer the ability to use ingredients or raw materials and market the final product without government approval or safety investigations.

Statistical Databases

Enrivonmental Working Group. (2007) Skin Deep: Cosmetic Safety Database. Retrieved March 18, 2008, from http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com.

Skin Deep was created by the researchers of the Environmental Working Group (EWG). Due to the fact that the FDA does not require cosmetics companies to test their own products for safety, Skin Deep compares the ingredients in more than 25,000 products to 50 definitive toxicity and regulatory databases. Skin Deep is the largest integrated database for consumer resources. Consumers and investigators can learn what ingredients are in their personal care products by searching the product, ingredient or company. Search inquiries are then rated and sorted for the consumer to browse results:

The reviews of the products include the ingredients used in that product and their linked health effects, ingredients used, directions from the packaging, warnings from the packaging, ingredients concerns, and more in-depth analysis of the product. This source is very user friend and extremely informative.

Natural Marketing Institute. (2007). Organic Consumer Trends Report (OCTR). Retrieved March 18, 2008, from http://www.nmisolutions.com/r_organic.html.

This bi-annual publication examines general market trends, scientific advances, government initiatives, supply issues, consumer insights, new product introductions and claims across each category within the organic marketplace in order to predict the future of consumer’s preferences and behaviors. By utilizing public opinion polls and survey’s across several aspects of the organic market, OCTR seeks to assist marketers and retailers in understanding the interrelationship between general drivers of health and wellness, including health and medical conditions and the specific drivers of organic usage. This report focuses on the lifestyle, beliefs and attitudes, shopping patterns, product usage and brand purchase patterns, with marketplace influences such as new product introductions, supply, and politics. This source includes graphs, charts and tables that include analysis that would persuasively show the growing concern of consumers in the organic market.

International Websites

International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM). (2007). Organic Agriculture Training Platform. Retrieved March 18, 2008, from http://www.ifoam.org/.

This international organization’s mission is “leading, uniting and assisting the organic movement in its full diversity. Our goal is the worldwide adoption of ecologically, socially and economically sound systems that are based on the principles of Organic Agriculture,” according to their website. The IFOAM has 170 free manuals and 75 training opportunities to inform consumers about the safety of organic products and agriculture. The association, which began in Versailles, France, in November, 1972, aims to be a knowledge-intensive organization. The IFOAM, which has 600 delegates from over 60 countries, called on governments and regulatory agencies throughout the world to immediately ban the use of genetic engineering in agriculture and food production since it involves:

• Unacceptable threats to human health
• Negative and irreversible environmental impacts
• Release of organisms of an unrecallable nature
• Removal of the right of choice, both for farmers and consumers
• Violation of farmers' fundamental property rights and endangerment of their economic independence

• Practices, which are incompatible with the principles of sustainable agriculture as defined by IFOAM

This source is has a wide-variety of information regarding the conventions held by the organization and the current legislation being processed by the international community.

Quality Assurance International (2003). Delivering Cutting Edge Certification Programs. Retrieved March 18, 2008, from http://www.qai- inc.com/0_0_0_0.php.

This international organic company is U.S. based in San Diego, California was founded in 1989. The company is authorized by the USDA to be an independent, third party certifying agent that operates globally to certify organic products and operations to National Organic Program (NOP) standards. Being one of the world’s largest organic certifiers, they work in the U.S., Canada, Latin America and Japan. They certify organic producers, processors, private labelers, distributors, retailers, restaurants, wild crop harvesters, greenhouses and facilities. In March 2006, the QAI has officially certified over 259,000 organic products. QAI is a unique source because the company is committed to the ongoing education of the organic community and consumers especially in promoting consumer health and safety.

Online Blogs

Kane, Andrea. “Natural or Organic -- What the hell does it mean?” Weblog Entry. The Organic Beauty Expert. 09 March 2008. http://theorganicbeautyexpert.typepad.com/the_organic_beauty_expert/2006/11/natural_or_orga.html.

The Organic Beauty Expert is self-proclaimed Andrea Kane. She has her own line of bath and body products called Marley’s Own. After learning about the organic and natural ingredients in toiletries, she decided to start her own blog. The site claims to be the only organic blog on the internet and includes a weekly podcast radio show. Andrea is a certified aromatherapist and is a member of the Handmade Beauty Network and The San Diego Chamber of Commerce. She continues to design her own products, run the blog, and offer workshops. This particular post focuses on the simple differences between natural and organic products. The blog has lots of information about products, breaking news, reviews, and links to other sites about every personal care item imaginable. The site is a little difficult to navigate but provides other sources for further information.

Winters, Ruth. “Organic Cosmetics Booming”. Weblog Entry. Ingredient Blog. 03 June 2005. 09 March 2008. http://ingredientblog.blogspot.com/2005/06/organic- cosmetics- booming.html.

Although she has already been cited for other sources, Ruth Winters also has a weblog about “What's really in the food you eat, the cosmetics you wear and the chemicals you use in your home.” Starting in 2005, she writes about everything from salt and fish to antibiotics and anti-aging cosmetics. Her blog includes links to her other website Brain & Body. Ruth cites United State governmental departments and leading studies regarding the health field. Her extensive experience and continuing research makes the site up-to-date and provides other sources that can be researched for further information. Ruth’s source combines her medical and science passions to provide easy-to-understand and through provoking information for her readers.

Multimedia Resources

Assaf, J. (Producer). (2006). Brower Youth Awards 2006: Teens for Safe Cosmetics Campaign [Motion picture]. United States: YouTube Video. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SunE_c59noc.

Teenager Jessica Assaf was shocked to learn that many personal care products contain chemicals that have been linked to cancer and reproductive problems. Working with the Teens for Safe Cosmetics Campaign, Jessica began to realize that people were supporting her efforts to educate the public about these harmful cosmetics. She soon began to realize that she could institute change on a larger scale and really get the message out to the public. With four of her friends, Jessica lobbied senators and the California governor's office to pass SB484, a bill that requires cosmetics manufacturers to disclose to the Department of Health Services if their products contain carcinogens or other toxic substances. After successfully passing SB484 on October 7, 2005, she organized a Teens for Safe Cosmetics Summit educating teens from around the country on how to conduct their own safe cosmetic campaigns. Over thirty students took part in the workshops and began their own projects in their communities, malls and schools.

This source is motivation and factual. The personal testimonies from Jessica, legislators, lawyers, allow viewers to see the growing concern surrounding this issue. The video has facts, statistics, and eye-opening percentages about the serious risks of the cosmetics industry’s ingredients.

Brokaw, T. (Anchor). (2003). Body Pollution: Everyday chemicals that attack your body [Motion picture]. United States: NBC Nightly News. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yFCgOsyYgo0.

Tom Brokaw reports for NBC night news and his report focuses on scientific research into the chemicals that are poisoning our bodies. Researchers took blood and urine samples from volunteers and the findings were shocking. The study of toxins found that in one female volunteer, her human body contained 95 chemical contaminants that are absorbed from everyday products. Of these 53 are known to cause cancer, 62 are toxic to the brain and nervous system and 55 can cause birth defects. This source mentions the use of products such as cosmetics, personal care products, as well as home and gardening products that contain these harmful chemicals.

Phillips, P. (Director). (1998). Harmful Cosmetics and Hygiene Products [Motion picture]. United States: Project Censored. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R261vJpNCaM.

Although highly criticized for being extremely left-sided, Project Censored is a media research group from Sonoma State University that tracks 700 to1000 news stories published in independent journals and newsletters. Project Censored, launched in 1976, this company compiles an annual list of 25 news stories of social significance that have been overlooked, under-reported or self-censored by the country's major national news media. This particular project focuses on the harms of everyday personal care and hygiene products.

The episode mentions Dr. Epstein’s, one of the previously mentioned experts in the field of cosmetic safety, book called The Safe Shopper’s Bible. The report explains that the average American woman absorbs more than 50 chemical compounds known to be carcinogens from these products. This source, although slightly outdated, cites many experts, doctors, authors and scientists in the field of cosmetic ingredient safety. The video also interviews an alternative “organic” company, Neways International, which was also featured on CBS’ morning news show also.

Recent Books

Begoun, P. (2007). Don't Go to the Cosmetics Counter Without Me: A Unique Guide to over 30,000 Products, Plus the Latest Skin-Care Research (7^th ed.). Seattle, WA: Beginning Press.

Going on its 7^th edition, this book takes a look at beauty myths and answers common questions regarding cosmetics including the differences between “organic”, “natural”, and “synthetic.” The majority of the book--and that's nearly 1000 pages--is devoted to reviews of thousands of cosmetics, from cleansers, foundations, alpha-hydroxy acids, and moisturizers to lip liners, eye shadows, and concealers, all of which Begoun has personally tested. Begoun also deconstructs ingredients lists and classifies ingredients by irritants, carcinogens and more. This source would be extremely helpful in aiding consumers in the education about harmful cosmetics ingredients. Its multiple editions make the information current and credible.

Epstein, S. (2005). Unreasonable Risk: How to Avoid Cancer from Cosmetics and Personal Care Products: The Neways Story (2^nd ed.). Chicago, Illinois: Environmental Toxicology.

In its second edition, Dr. Epstein’s book gives advice for shopping for alternatives to the mainstream products and therefore avoiding the risks of cancer. He teaches consumers how to recognize dangerous ingredients on cosmetics labels and their harmful affects. He addresses the personal care and cosmetics products that are used by men, women, and infants and the dangerous exposure from these products. Dr. Epstein explains that it is “unbelievable” that the cosmetics industry, which is a multibillion dollar trade, would continue to inflict such risks on unsuspecting consumers, especially when there are safe alternative products and ingredients available. It is even more “unbelievable” that the "charitable" American Cancer Society and federal National Cancer Institute and "cancer establishments" worldwide remain “recklessly silent and fail to advise consumers, Congresses and Parliaments, of the scientific evidence for these avoidable cancer risks.” This book is a good source because it has blunt facts and statistics. Dr. Epstein’s in-depth experience and powerful persuasion strike a “buyers beware” motivation into readers.

Hampton, A., & Hussey, S. (1999). The Take Charge Beauty Book: The Natural Guide to Beautiful Hair & Skin. Tampa, FL: Organica Press.

This is a great how-to book that would appeal to a lot of readers and journalists looking for help on how to rid themselves of the cosmetics they use daily that include harmful ingredients. The authors have also included a beauty “cookbook” which contains 30 different alternative recipes for cosmetics that readers can make themselves. Aubrey Hampton, who is the national leader in organic cosmetics, claims to have written “everything the cosmetics companies do not want you to know” in this book. Susan Hussey, nutrition and beauty expert offers a complete program of herbal and vitamin supplements, including vital information on essential fatty acids and amino acids, and their effect on your hair and skin. This book would be a great source to finding beauty alternatives to harmful cosmetics.

Newspaper & Magazine Article

Engasser, P. (2007). Safety of cosmetic products. Journal of
Cosmetic Dermatology, 6 (1), 23-31. Retrieved from Health
 Source: Consumer Edition database.

Dr. Engasser, a Clinical Professor of Dermatology at the University of California, San Francisco, aims to explain to readers the newest developments in product testing and manufacturers attempts for product safety. As technology increases and world wide efforts are being made, consumers and dermatologists are becoming more aware of the product processes. The article explains the multi-step process that products undergo for scientific safety testing. The article aims to inform consumers to increase safety understanding for both buyers and patients.

Dr. Engasser focuses on a wide range of cosmetics topics in the article including the best practices of the most common companies, environmental regulations, and contact dermatitis often related to cosmetics. The data in the article also focuses on statistics regarding the chemicals and preservatives used in cosmetics and their affects. As technology makes product testing more efficient and effective, the regulatory legislation will continue to increase and research will be ongoing for consumer safety, according to the article.

Dr. Engasser was presented the Rose Hirschler Award by the Women’s Dermatologic Society in 2005 for having made significant contributions to medicine and dermatology for enhancing the role of women in the dermatologic specialty. This article would be a good source of information regarding the start to finish evaluation of some cosmetics products and the scientific processes.

Fink III, J. L. (2007). State Failure-to-Warn Claims Preempted
by Approved Labeling? Pharmacy Times, 73(11), 72-72.

Dr. Joseph Fink is currently a professor of pharmacy law and policy at the University Of Kentucky College Of Pharmacy in Lexington. This legally important article exposes the fact that although the FDA may approve the label of a product, it does not necessarily mean the product is safe for the user. Simply, the FDA has approved the wording of the label or package insert of the ingredients. The article discusses two court cases regarding the safety of consumers and the court’s decisions to side with the manufacturers’ following of the policy created by the FDA about standards for product labeling and the limits that were required.

According to Fink, because the FDA defines these mandates, there can be lawsuits in state courts using failure-to-warn product liability legal theory to argue to that manufacturer failed to tell consumers of the danger. The article explains that, “Under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, FDA is the expert federal public health agency charged by Congress with ensuring that drugs are safe and effective, and that their labeling adequately informs users of the risks and benefits of the product and is truthful and not misleading." This article serves as a critical source to prove that there is a lack of legislation and mandated regulations by the government to warn consumers of any or all risks in products.

Hartman, E. (2007, November 11). A Close-Up on Cosmetics:
Experts Divided on the Safety Parabens. The Washington Post, 
pp. N2. Retrieved from America’s Newspapers database.

Eviana Hartman is columnist for the Washington Post, an editor at Nylon magazine and was formerly a fashion writer for Vogue. The article not only mentions the harmful effects of personal care products to humans but, ironically, also marine life through bathing in water, sewage treatment and excretion from humans’ skin. Parabens, which are commonly used as preservatives in cosmetics, have been linked to breast cancer as well as reproductive issues in both men and women as cited in several studies in the article. However, the article quotes the Food and Drug Administration’s official statement on parabens reads: "FDA believes that at the present time there is no reason for consumers to be concerned about the use of cosmetics containing parabens."

Trade Magazine & Scholarly Articles

For trade magazine regarding the cosmetic industry try searching the:
United States Food & Drug Administration - Cosmetic Trade Publications

Nagel, A. (2008). Natural Personal Care to Get Standards.
Women’s Wear Daily, March 14, 2008. Retrieved from http://www.wwd.com/search/article/123425?page=0&query=organic.

The organic cosmetics industry has grown into a $9 billion market. This article announced the plans of three major companies’ plans to define the differences between “natural” and “organic” to make shopping simpler for consumers. Whole Foods, Organic and Sustainable Industry Standards [OASIS], and Burt’s Bees all have slightly different definitions but agreed that there is a need to regulate and establish what is certified “organic” by a third party so that the real organic companies can deliver products to consumers. The new regulations would ban roughly 250 different ingredients and would require products to be 85% all natural or organic in order to receive the seal of approval. This article serves as a vital source to demonstrate how the companies are continuing to care about consumer safety and requiring the highest quality of products in the industry.

Newman, K. (2006). Sustaining Natural Growth. Global Cosmetics Industry, April, 2006. Retrieved from
http://www.gcimagazine.com/articles/5528366.html.

Karen Newman is Editor in Chief for Global Cosmetics Industry and author of GCI’s blog, Beauty Union. Newman’s article uses consumer’s attitudes from statistical databases to show the growing trend to natural and organic cosmetics. In 2004 alone there was an estimated 2,900 new natural cosmetics and personal care products launched including baby care products. The article additionally noted that Aubrey Organics created a line of products that include SPF components. Newman points out the fact that consumer’s awareness is growing about brand quality, safety and effectiveness. The only challenge facing the organic industry is the lack of parabens for preservation makes product stability a test. This source is an interesting way to examine how the organics industry has steadily increased over the past few years.

Kline & Company, Inc. (2007). Natural Personal Care 2007: Competitive Brand Assessment and Ingredient Analysis. Kline Market Research, Report #Y632, 4^th Quarter, 1^st Edition.

Kline & Company focuses on the chemicals and materials, consumer products, energy, and life science industries worldwide. Kline offers marketing research reports and company consultation. The Competitive Brand Assessment and Ingredient Analysis report analyzes the U.S. and Western European markets for key trends, challenges, business opportunities, and ingredient analysis in the field of natural personal care products. The report focuses on issues such as:

• What is the definition of “natural”?
• Who are the market leaders and how do their brand profiles differ?
• Which brands are truly “natural” in terns of the ingredients used?
• What has been the effect of various distribution outlets for natural care products
• What regulations are affecting the market, if any?
• Where are the opportunities for marketers of natural care products?

This source would be extremely valuable in comparing the industries between the U.S. and Europe as well as examining trends and focusing on the differences in legislation that governs the companies.

Specialized Print Reference Books

Winter, R. (2005). A Consumer's Dictionary of Cosmetic Ingredients: Complete Information About the Harmful and Desirable Ingredients in Cosmetics. New York, NY: Three Rivers Press.

Ruth Winter is science writer who is mostly known nationally for her many books and magazine articles about health, drugs and beauty ingredients. The American Society of Journalists and Authors presented her with its Career Achievement Award in Nonfiction Writing in 2004. Her book works much like a dictionary listing and evaluating all of the ingredients used in health and beauty products which makes the book easy to use for consumers.

A Consumer’s Dictionary of Cosmetic Ingredients, which has several editions that are updated, also gives scientific tips and information about safety of products. Many of the users who rated her book say, “never go to the cosmetic’s counter without this book.” The book includes over 6,000 ingredients, listed alphabetically, to help consumers recognize these ingredients in their products and their potential effects. This source is valuable in de-constructing product labels and recognizing the harmful ingredients used by the cosmetics companies.

Begoun, P. (2002). The Complete Beauty Bible: The Ultimate Guide to Smart Beauty. Seattle, WA: Beginning Press.

Paul Begoun is better known as the Cosmetic’s Cop. This consumer reporter uses this unique reference book to discuss cutting edge beauty formulas including organic products, outrageous beauty claims, and controversies within the cosmetics industry. In its second edition, the Beauty Bible includes common product ingredients to help consumers make smarter cosmetic decisions. Begoun is a consumer advocate and aims her book to help consumers look better, live healthier lives, and spend less money trying to do it. The multi-sectioned book includes tips to help readers find the best products for their particular skin types too. This source does not focus exclusively on organic products but emphasizes the harmful ingredients used in common cosmetics and their health effects.

Specialized Online Reference Sites

Foerstel Design (2008). All Organic Links: Committed to the Organic Community. Retrieved March 18, 2008, from http://www.allorganiclinks.com.

This site is a highly organized directory of organic information and subcategories in the organic community. The main categories include associations & organizations, farm supplies, food, growers, health & beauty, home, reference works, service providers, and shopping. All Organic Links aims to connect consumers with businesses that support organics and a healthier planet. Each link includes a description of the site and sites are tested weekly for validity. Consumers can search the database by keywords that are found in titles, descriptions and website urls. There were roughly 74 links related to organic cosmetics in the subcategories. This site is very easy to navigate and although each site’s description is written by the contributor of the website, all the sites aim to offer additional resources to the organic community. This would be an effective source when beginning basic research about organic cosmetics in the field of beauty.

Enrivonmental Working Group. (2007) Skin Deep: Cosmetic Safety Database. Retrieved March 18, 2008, from http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com.

Skin Deep was created by the researchers of the Environmental Working Group (EWG). Due to the fact that the FDA does not require cosmetics companies to test their own products for safety, Skin Deep compares the ingredients in more than 25,000 products to 50 definitive toxicity and regulatory databases. Skin Deep is the largest integrated database for consumer resources. Consumers and investigators can learn what ingredients are in their personal care products by searching the product, ingredient or company. Search inquiries are then rated and sorted for the consumer to browse results:

The reviews of the products include the ingredients used in that product and their linked health effects, ingredients used, directions from the packaging, warnings from the packaging, ingredients concerns, and more in-depth analysis of the product. This source is very user friend and extremely informative.

Aubrey Organics Interview

Interview Transcript:

M: First, can you start by telling me how about the company and Mr. Hampton?

K: The company was started by Aubrey Hampton; he is the founder of Aubrey Organics. It started back in 1967 in New York City. And it basically started because Aubrey Hampton was working for a company called Fabergé Cosmetics. He had lived with his mother who was French and a botanist in Indiana. She would make all the herbal products in their house and sell them in the rural farm land area. This was back in the 1930s and 40s. She was making her own soaps, dish soaps, everything they needed because that was what she was used to. His father was an organic farmer.

When he went to New York to get his degree, he was working for Fabergé when he came up with his first product: Relaxer Bath. The soap product has a lot of ginger, Aloe Vera and herbs in it. It was made to relax the body. He had a friend who wanted to try some. Aubrey gave him some to try and came back and said there is a health food store in New York. I showed them the product and they wanted to try it. So Aubrey made some products in his kitchen, gave it to his friend and sold it at the health food store. They wanted more, he made more, and they kept selling out. So Aubrey thought this was great and just kept making it and selling it to little health food stores.

In the 1960s, Aubrey asked the owner of Fabergé if he wanted to include the Relaxer Bath in their line of products or if he could formulate some products that didn’t have so many chemicals and petrochemicals in them. The Fabergé Cosmetics company said no, we don’t need that. We have our own line. Aubrey said there are these chemicals that could make it more natural and would make it better for people to use. Fabergé said no, we’re not interested. Aubrey kept after them and eventually Fabergé said if you’re this passionate about it, you should go start your own company. Aubrey said it wasn’t a bad idea so he left Fabergé and went to start his own company.

So that is the history of how the company began. After that, he made our second product which is our number one selling product today called GPB (Glycogen Protein Balancer). It’s a hair conditioner made from lactalbumin and glycoprotein—two kinds of protein to strengthen and revitalize hair fiber—plus vegetable proteins from almond and soy. It gives a nice shine and softness to the hair. It also strengthens the hair shaft. That is the second product he ever made in his line and is our best selling product.

In 1971, Aubrey moved to Tampa Bay, Fla., with his wife. He bought a home and started making his products in his kitchen and selling them out of his home, by mail order, word-of-mouth in the Tampa area, and also in small health food stores. In 1970 the industry was made up of small independence. The health food stores were very much into herbs and into showing people how to make their lives better by using natural products.

As the years went by, the industry and our company grew. We by the 1980s in over 2,800 health food stores and by the 1990s we were in over 4,000 health food stores. Today, he is still in the natural products industry and supports that industry. You won’t find us in mass production stores like Walgreen’s or CVS. We are completely in the natural industry which Aubrey supports. We have over 220 products in the personal care field.

M: Why organic cosmetics?

K: (Laughs) Aubrey always says, “Why use something synthetic when something natural works so much better?”

M: Fair enough. What is the major difference between your cosmetics and the leading cosmetics company’s?

Well if we are going to compare ourselves to a mass produced product, the major differences is we don’t use petroleum- or mineral-based ingredients in our products. In our industry, Aubrey has never has parabens in his products and that’s one of the things that is used as a major preservative in products. We don’t use preservatives in our products. One of the things that separates us from other companies is that we still hand make all of our products. We make them in batches of 50 gallons or less.

M: So there is no big factory?

K: We don’t have a large factory and we don’t manufacture our products. We make enough to meet shipments and ship almost immediately. So even our overseas customers get fresh products. We just make them the way he traditionally made them when he made them out of his kitchen in the 1960s. Our largest batch, which is only 50 gallons, is how we can ensure our quality control on the products. We can assure testing on the products by making those batches small.

M: It’s like Aubrey Cosmetics is just working out of a larger kitchen now.

K: Yeah pretty much! When we do scheduled tours and we bring people into the lab it’s like being in the kitchen. You will see the staff putting in the ingredients that they need just like a recipe. All the products have batch cards, and all the batch cards are like a recipe. Like I said, the thing that keeps us different is our small batches help us ensure the freshness, quality insurance, and that we take the time to really look at our products to make sure everything we are sending out the door is fresh.

M: On your Web site you list the 10 synthetic ingredients to avoid. Why do you think cosmetic companies are continuing to use harmful synthetic ingredients?

K: Well number one, all of those things we say to avoid especially DTA and DEA, have been researched and have been linked to carcinogens. The others are still in studying and research. The most they have come out with is that they are potential hazards. So most of the time, since these are ingredients that you can buy in bulk and at a lesser price, it comes down to your company is trying to survive. For us that’s not it. You should avoid those ingredients, if you can, and there are alternatives out there that are available and better for the body.

They have done studies and they know that everything you put on your skin from the top of your head to the bottom of your feet gets absorbed into the body. Although they are absorbed at different rates, it all makes it way into your body. There are certain links now between endiocronchic ingredients that disrupt the endiochronic cycles in males and females in puberty. Males, it’s affecting their reproductive organs, and in females it’s causing them to go into puberty at a faster rate. Females are developing breasts at a much faster rate and males are having more reproductive difficulties. They are linking this to personal care ingredients.

M: That is really scary.

K: Yeah, it is scary because they also know there is a link between salmon. They have found salmon, which go to their birthplace to spawn and then die, when they have done studies on salmon that the salmon have both the male and the female reproductive organs which is not supposed to happen. They are finding this because a lot of these toxic chemicals and ingredients are making their ways into streams and lakes. They are finding thing in studies on this type of species.

One of the sites I can recommend you can go to about the safety of ingredients is called environmental working group. It’s from a consumer safety site. They go out and test ingredients and do studies on them. They also rate different manufacturers like a lot of the makeups. They find how much lead is in cosmetics and things like that. However, some ingredients like Aloe Vera, for example, don’t have a rating because they haven’t done studies on it. No one really goes out and tests it because it has been around for so many centuries and has been known to heal man. And you also have arsenic which contains lead and if you have too much of it, can be toxic if ingested or applied topically can cause death.

There are certain ingredients, herbs, and botanicals that definitely have been researched and studied and you wouldn’t use them. Others like lavender, there hasn’t been a bunch of studies because it’s been used for centuries and seems work as an aromatherapy and is calming. But it also works on the skin. It works on all fives senses. So what they do at EWG is to give a rating to the consumer of the ingredients that are in certain products. Some of the times, with our 220 skews, they don’t give us a rating. But because we use over 400 herbs and botanicals and essential oils that most of ours say ‘not tested’. There really isn’t anything to test for because they are such natural ingredients that come straight from the earth.

That’s why when we say avoid these top 10 ingredients is because there are so many alternatives that are safer for the body and the skin that can be used instead.

M: When it comes to the difference between the leading cosmetic companies and your products, what is the difference between natural and organic?

K: Oh, that is such a big thing for the personal care industry now because the personal care industry is regulated by the FDA. They don’t have an organic standard. They don’t even have a natural standard. There is not much guidance regardless. They don’t test a lot of personal care products. They just don’t get involved in it. The most definitive way to put it is if it’s “organic” then the soil, room and product from an agricultural standpoint has not been treated chemically. There has been no crop dusting; they use beetles or some other natural way. It means the soil has not been chemically treated for at least three years. And it is an agricultural and national organic standard.

You must be using all organic ingredients in the product for it to be “organic” by the USDA, which monitors meats, produce and dairy. That standard falls under the USDA and not the FDA. The standard does not fall under the FDA whatsoever. So, our industry and the natural products industry, including our general manager, Kirk Vulva, have been involved and helping over the past seven years what natural standards and what are organic standards. There is no clear definition because it does not fall under any law.

But if you are using agricultural or botanical ingredients that have been grown to that standard and have been certified by a third party, which is a very important factor, then it can be labeled “organic.” One of the things in the United States is the Quality Assurance International of San Diego, Calif. They have a standard for what can be labeled as “organic” but they are all using different standards between the different third party inspectors.

If you are going to put the USDA organic symbol on a product, that product must contain at least 95 percent by volume certified organic ingredients. And we go by the USDA and National Organic Program standard is. Again, all these labels must have a third party certification. So customers can look for symbols from QAI, Oregon Tilf and National Organic Program. We are currently one of the top companies that are helping to write the standards for organic ingredients so that all manufacturers are on the same playing field and the labels aren’t confusing the consumers.

M: As a consumer, what is the most important thing we need to know about cosmetics ingredients labels?

K: Read the labels. If you don’t know what a product is call the company and ask them. What is this ingredient? And ask about their process. A lot of companies will say they have an organic ingredient but don’t have a third party certification and they are processing the organic ingredient with a chemical solvent. That is very important. As a consumer, if I want to make sure a label is correct and there is anything that I can’t understand or doesn’t make sense to me – call the company and they should be able to tell them.

Our company has an organic certification; we get certified every year, even for our plant. We have a certification that says we don’t use any chemicals to clean our equipment and we’ve been certified since 1994 and were one of the first in the field. It says that we are equipped to handle certified organic ingredients in our plants and put them in our products.

M: It sounds like a lot of extra work but is worth it for the consumer in the end.

K: That’s one of the things Mr. Hampton did. His line is always give the best to the consumer even if it costs a little bit more. We always try to be competitive in retail prices but our quality is second to none. The quality of the ingredients we source from around the world and certified ingredients that we put into each product and the quality of making them into small batches so they are easily controlled and the quality of not warehousing our products, we ship them fresh. These are things we do to ensure our customer that they are buying a high quality ingredient at a good price.

M: Do you know if there is any legislation in place that requires cosmetics companies to list their ingredients on the labels?

K: There is now, but back in the early 70’s there was no law that said you had to put your ingredients on the label. But since 1967, years before the Cosmetic Labeling Act made full label disclosure mandatory, Aubrey has been telling our customers exactly what is in our products. He decided that he wasn’t using anything but herbs; he had nothing to hide, so he listed all the ingredients on the back of the labels. He is a strong activist for consumers reading their labels and knowing what is in their products.

One of the things that is changing in the all of the cosmetics and personal care industry, including the Estee Lauders and Aveda of the world, is there is a law that requires you to use INCI ingredient labeling which is really misleading for the consumer. We are a simple company that uses simple formula and simple ingredients. But, there is a law that has not been enforced by the FDA and these ingredients are a set of ingredients that are created by pharmacists, chemises, and engineers. These people have said that instead of calling it Aloe Vera we are going to call it Aloe Barbadensis. If you are someone else who doesn’t know what that is, it can be very confusing.

We are trying to educate the consumer. We have put out a dictionary that has these terms so that when a consumer has a question, they can look it up and have the answer.

M: I noticed your online dictionary and all the facts about the different ingredients. It really takes the guess work out of the labels and answers questions for the consumers to help them be safer.

K: That’s what we do, that is part of our education. Aubrey has been doing that since the conception of the company in 1974.

M: Can you tell me a little about yourself and your role in the company?

K: I am the executive director of national sales so I am responsible for all the North American sales. I came from the military and going into organic cosmetics was really a neat experience for me. I really appreciate everything I have learned because it helped me change my lifestyle including what I eat. I used to run to McDonalds on a regular basis but now I am little more educated and wise about my decisions. It opened my eyes to what we are doing as a country and world with what we put into our bodies.

For Aubrey Organics, we want to stay in business to be a business but also to stay in business to make the industry safer for the consumer. We don’t want to put anything out there, we want to put high quality product out there that will have benefits for the consumer. So if they have an infant and they go to put a cream on them, they know they are putting something on their child that is going to make them sick or give them eczema or something of that nature. They can put it on and feel secure in the knowledge that it is a healthy product.

M: Since you started working for Aubrey Organics have you switched to organic cosmetics?

K: Oh yes! (Laughs) When I found out some of the ingredients I could believe it. I was like are you kidding me? I’ve been putting that on my skin? You know, one of the things that totally floored me was back in the 60’s they used to put a product called ‘urea’ which comes from horse urine. And some countries still use it but luckily for us, it is mostly synthetically produced now. There are also a lot of cosmetics that still contain a high percentage of lead. A certain amount of lead is okay because it is a mineral, minerals come from the Earth, so they are natural, but you have to be careful how much you are putting on. Over time, that can become a lot of lead.

A lot of people, after a period of time, when they are putting on their cosmetics notice that their face breaks out. They may blame it on stress or hormones but sometimes it’s just the make-up because it contains a lot of ingredients that aren’t the best for your skin.

M: It’s amazing how the word “natural” can make a product seem better when in reality is not tested to be any safer for the consumer.

K: The industry as a whole is trying to product the consumer by coming up with simple standards so that the consumer can realize these products are created wholly to increase your health. And although cosmetics may not be ingested, one thing we want to do us causes no harm.

M: Is there anything else you think I should know?

K: You covered a lot of the hot topics, especially the difference between “organic” and “natural” labels. That goes back to consumer trust in a company and that’s the most controversial topic at this time.

Contact Information:

Karen Ress, National and International Sales Director
4419 N Manhattan Ave
Tampa, FL 33614-7650
Phone: (813) 877-4186 ext. 235
E-mail: karenr@aubrey-organics.com
Web site: www.aubrey-organics.com