Indulge

Review of Cosmetic Safety Database

Thursday, August 7, 2008 by Jacqui Pini

How hazardous are the products we are using? The Environmental Working Group’s Cosmetic Safety Database lets you type in product names and it identifies a hazard rating on a scale of 1-10 for the product (10 is the worst). It works by looking at the ingredients in more than 25,000 products and then compares those ingredients to what is listed in 50 toxicity and regulatory databases.

From baby care to oral care to fragrances the Cosmetic Safety Database encompasses a full range of products. I decided to look at some of the products I used quite a bit including Crest Vivid White Fluoride Toothpaste (refreshing mint). It came in at a 6 on a scale of 1-10. Not great, right? It tells me my toothpaste has ingredients linked to cancer, developmental/reproductive toxicity and more. It is also very clearly lists the “percentage of data gap” there could be and it gets into much greater detail on what they mean when they say something is linked to cancer. It is a good overview written in a comprehensive, organized manner.

There was one red flag I found when searching different products. The results page, where it gives you data on what is in the products, also has a link to buy the product off of Amazon.com. This made me curious as to whether or not they would link a user to a site selling a product that got a score of 10. I found Eternity by Calvin Klein, Eau De Toilette Spray, with a rating scale of 10, and yes, it also had a link to purchase it. You can draw your own conclusion about that.

The site does give very helpful information on what to look for to keep your purchases as healthy as possible in their safer shopping tips list. Some things they recommend:

1. Use fewer products. Basically, the less you use the less exposure you have to chemicals.
2. Avoid using baby powder on newborns and infants- FDA warns powders may cause lung damage if inhaled regularly.
3. Use milder soaps. Soap removes dirt from the skin’s exterior, but also removes your body's own natural oils.

Labels: celebrity eyebrows, cosmetic safety database, cosmetics, famous haircuts, hazardous make-up, indulge, Indulgence

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Perfectly groomed eyebrows for men or women

Wednesday, July 2, 2008 by Jacqui Pini

'My eyebrows make a more profound impact on [other] people than they do on me. I figure, I am what I am, kiddo. I just let 'em grow.' –Peter Gallagher

Is being known for your eyebrows a good thing? That depends on what they look like ... and whether or not you're a Hollywood star. From unruly to overplucked to the ever-too-common unibrow, eyebrows do not always grow in a way that suits the face. That is exactly why people pay good money to pluck, wax, thread and even dye their brows.

Anastasia Soare of Anastasia Beverly Hills, who has her own salon, and products in Nordstrom, Sephora and more, is the go-to eyebrow professional for both men and women in Beverly Hills. She has worked with Madonna, Jennifer Lopez, Jennifer Garner, Sharon Stone, and, as if that is not enough, she is also a favorite of Oprah Winfrey.

Don't worry, we are still here for you even if you do not have time to jet out to 90210 for a wax. Anastasia tells Indulge how to get that perfectly groomed salon look from home and what we should avoid.

Indulge: What are some for the biggest mistakes people make with their brows?

Over-tweezing is a constant problem; the problem starts with not knowing where your brow should begin and end. That is why I create brow kits such as my exclusive kit with Sephora that includes a DVD which takes you step-by-step on how to recreate my shaping method at home.

Indulge: I see there are a lot of tools involved in keeping brows groomed, what would you say are some of the most important?

Tweezers, of course, and brow gel are the easy first steps; you just tweeze stray hairs and gel the brows in place.

Indulge: Do you do a lot of men’s eyebrows? What is some advice for men looking to stay groomed without looking overdone?

Yes, absolutely. The key with male brow grooming is that it should involve NO ARCHING. Men go to salons and come out with female brows - think Boy George. It makes them look goofy and I’m sure that the majority are embarrassed and displeased with the service and they don’t try it again. Whenever you shape men’s brows, clean up the hairs in between the brows and choose the distance by placing his thumb between his brows. For underneath the brow, just tweeze lightly and leave it as natural as possible.

Indulge: How did you get started?

When I came to L.A from Romania in 1989 I got a job in a small salon on Melrose Place doing facials and waxing. I started doing peoples brows for free as part of the facial service and in six months time my book was 70% filled with brow appointments. I didn’t try to discover the niche by any means - it sort of discovered me.

Indulge: Tell us about your salon and some of your favorite products?

I opened my own salon in 1997 after six years of renting two small rooms in a big salon. It was the most liberating feeling being able to operate and design my own space. I have renovated it numerous times depending on how my personal taste changes and right now it's classy with a clean, contemporary twist.

I can’t say I have a favorite product as all my products serve the purpose of perfecting the brow with various modes of application and payoff to suit each and every customers’ needs. If I had to pick the two 'must-have' Anastasia products ... it would be my hand crafted stainless steel tweezers (they are precision crafted to remove the tiniest hairs), and next would be my flake-proof clear brow gel (right). The gel is a must-have to keep anyone’s brows in place all day.

Indulge: Tell us what the Oprah Show was like?

Incredible ... more than I ever expected. She was wonderful with her guests and is such a classy lady.

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Indulge readers... it is your turn! Who do you think has the best eyebrows? Oprah, Mario Lopez, Brooke Shields or George Clooney? Vote in my poll located on the right.