Tag Archives: tamanu cream

Informational

Does a Drop Count? How Skincare Companies Deceive Customers with their Labeling

A drop might do for some, but not us. It is legal to advertise an ingredient in a product, or call a product after that ingredient as long as you have the ingredient in the product… Even if it’s only a DROP! As most people know who read ingredient labels: The first ingredient is the most prominent. As you go down the list there is less and less of what is there. So if the ingredient you are buying the product for is five or six lines down, chances are you only have a drop or less in each use.

What gives? Why do companies exaggerate the best ingredients and ignore the elephant in the room – The frankenstein ingredients that they throw in to make them last longer on the shelves? Would a product ever be called “Yellow #11 Cream”? It’s not quite as catchy and I think you answered your own question.

I recently stumbled upon an Argan Oil cream giveaway. This being a major ingredient in our Tamanu Cream, my curiosity took me to the ingredients on the back. Here’s what I found:

That’s right. The named ingredient is listed third to last. Right after Yellow #11 and Red #17. Just like I would never recommend using the oils directly on the skin (they don’t absorb), I would never say is enough! We deal with miraculous ingredients everyday but they’d have to be taken from the Fountain of Youth for a drop to make an effect!

Argan Oil makes up 5% of our Tamanu Cream. The primary ingredient (and namesake) Tamanu Oil makes up 6%. Would you rather have something that looks (coloring) and smells (fragrances) great when first opened – or something that actually works and makes you feel good?

Products Mentioned:
Carley’s Tamanu Cream for Scars and Discolorations

Informational, Ingredient

Why Freshness Matters (with Cosmetics)

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In this day and age, being a budget conscious consumer has never been easier. Not only can you purchase products for dirt cheap prices at the supermarket but Frankenstein ingredients keep them “fresh” for years.

With a year past expiration these products often work just as “well” as when you purchased them. What does it say about a product that is as effective from Day 1 as it is in Year 2 or even 3?

The “fresh” label is thrown around a lot. Products made fresh create a fresh feel, freshy smell and makes your skin feel fresh! The problem? Most products on store shelves can’t be made fresh. The product turnover (rate they sit on the shelf) isn’t high enough. Even if the big companies could, they wouldn’t due to fear of margins.

Since skin care products are derived from plants and animals (though Carley’s avoids animal products) – their has to be a point where these ingredients lose effectiveness. This is where products that would otherwise go stale are pumped with ingredients to prolong lifespan. This is where that term “Frankenstein products” comes into play. Or if your a little more modern – think of the villain Bain that needed toxic chemicals to keep his powers.

The benefit of selling online is that product turnover is high. What is made in a lab one day can be packaged up the same day and ready to be shipped by the morning. Compared to products sitting on store shelves – that’s like comparing a fresh doughnut to a Twinkie!

What happens to ingredients when they go stale?
They become less effective. Most skin care products today are made in a pH acidic formula to take advantage of the long term preservatives (parabens). This is how big manufacturers get away with making millions of products at one time. Even if it takes years for them to be sold.

How long do you have before a product goes stale?
A typical retail product will have a shelf life of several years. It’s hard to know because there are no manufacture dates. Retail requires a long shelf life. We make everything in small bactches and ship fresh. We recommend you use within one year.

How can you prolong freshness?
Refrigerate – Products containing delicate ingredients such as the Eczema Cream, Eye Cream, Virgin Coconut Moisturizer, Lip Balm, Foot Balm, Tamanu Cream, Regeneration Cream and Rose Hip Cream are all stored in refrigeration. When not in use for a prolonged period, keep these products refrigerated. Don’t freeze them!

Keeping the products out of direct sunlight helps – FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Sun – Just like your own skin, the sun can damage products. Try and keep any product out direct sunlight. This means keeping your shower window sill clear.

Preservatives – The more preservatives, the longer a product lasts. More importantly, the more preservatives the higher likelihood of skin irritation. To last any time on your bathroom counter a product needs some preservatives. This is why we carefully choose which preservatives are used – usually just a trace amount (less than 0.4%) of Germall Plus. No “natural” preservative can really ward off any significant bacteria or staleness.

As a general rule of thumb, use products within a year. We date ours as such. If you aren’t finishing these in a year, you aren’t using them enough.

Products Mentioned:

Informational, Ingredient

Is Dimethicone (Silicone) in your Store Bought Moisturizers?

“I am allergic to dimethicone and unfortunately it is in everything. I have oily skin that is prone to acne. However, sometimes I think it’s because I’m having a allergic reaction to my shampoo or conditioner or toothpaste. Like I said dimethicone is in everything. Do you have make up, moisturizers, sun screens, hair products and or toothpaste without dimethicone? Desperately seeking a great product without silicone in it, but I live in Hawaii. Is it still free shipping? Thank you in advance for responding to me.” -Debra N.

You along with many others, including me, are allergic to dimethicone, or silicone. it has many other names and is not even required to be listed on the label. it is  a menace. manufacturers (even small ones)use it because it makes filling bottles easy. no bubbles or foam. and in hair care it is used to make the hair ‘silky’ but seals the hair shaft and causes the hair to die. we do not use any silicones or dimethicones or anything associated with those chemicals.

Take a look at your store brand moisturizer and glance at the ingredients. Out of all of the unpronounceable names, look for Dimethicone. Also referred to as silicone, Dimethicone has a place in this world. Is that place in your moisturizer?

In order for a moisturizer to restore moisture to the skin it needs to enable the absorption of materials into the skin. Otherwise it’s just something that sits on the skin. Silicone smothers the skin and makes the moisturizer sit on the skin. The greasy feeling you get when you put on that moisturizer with silicone is actually the silicone particles sitting on your skin. If a silicone-based moisturizer is such a walking contradiction, why do companies use silicone?

A major ingredient of Gas-X is Dimethicone

Silicone is used for one reason – to treat bubbles and foam. Bubbles become a major problem when manufacturing in large quantities. Without silicone, that product of yours will come in the mail half full after all of the air bubbles popped. Now it makes sense why Gas-X would use this ingredient (it fights gas). A silicone-based moisturizer may also contain a more consistent feel. Some may experience side effects such as irritated skin including rash and stinging.

By appearance these store brand moisturizers look great. They may feel great at first. But they do little. Those precious oils you hear about on the labels don’t even go in the skin. We will never put silicone in our products for this very reason. That means hand topping off every product for getting rid of air bubbles. This also means more care is put into the manufacture. Only a few hundred bottles are made a time for this reason. Next time you put one of our moisturizers on your skin, notice how fast it absorbs into your skin. You’ll stay moisturized longer without it sitting on your skin. That’s a real moisturizer!