Giving PEG The Brush Off

First the fun...Our first game was a hoot...and, yes, we have a winner! She selected a yummy exfoliator...great to detoxify and polish up her face for the holidays. You glow, girl!

This was so much fun that I am repeating Game Days and have a fabulous prize to award. Take a look...

These seven brushes are fabulous and you cannot buy them. They are professionally designed, super soft, non-animal and ready for our winner. Valued at $150, this is a great gift or keep for yourself!!!

To play and be eligible, go to this link: www.avaandersonnontoxic.com/pennyrudder
and select the safest skincare and haircare on the planet...the only completely zero-toxin line out there. Either shop through this link for yourself or let me place the order for you. If you email me directly to order, I will also be able to repeat the free shipping offer. I will give each order over $35, 1 chance for the brushes, each order over $68, two chances and each order over $99, three chances.

This contest runs from today (Happy December!) through December 15th. Winner will have the brushes December 16th!!

Next, in this Monday's post, I rattled off a bunch of things. harmful chemicals, that I do not want in my skin or haircare. I am going to share some facts about those so you can make an informed decision about what you do or not want in your body.

While a nice name for a gal, PEG, is a dangerous name to have on your skincare label. Many direct sales and department store brands are loaded with PEG's. 

Here is the scoop on PEG's...

How many cosmetics and toiletries do you use in a day? Go ahead and add them all up, from shampoo and body wash to makeup and hair dye. You assume those products are safe and non-toxic, right?

But did you know that, according to the government agency that “regulates” cosmetics, the FDA's Office of Cosmetics and Colors, "... a cosmetic manufacturer may use almost any raw material as a cosmetic ingredient and market the product without an approval from FDA."

That’s right. And an Environmental Working Group analysis shows that “89 percent of 10,500 ingredients used in personal care products have not been evaluated for safety by the CIR, the FDA, nor any other publicly accountable institution.”

Many common cosmetics like shampoos, mousse, moisturizers,deodorants and shaving products contain PEG compounds shown to have harmful impurities… but there are smart alternatives noted below!

That means that the cosmetics you use daily likely contain ingredients that have not been studied at all, have been studied inadequately, or worst of all, have been studied and have been found to cause harm.

Why You Don’t Want Polyethylene Glycol (PEG) in Your Cosmetics

One such ingredient that is widely used, yet seldom spoken of, is polyethylene glycol (PEG). PEG-6, PEG-150 and other similar names are all close relatives of the PEG family. PEG compounds are synthetic chemicals that turn a harsher chemical into a "softer" one, used in cosmetics as surfactants, cleansing agents, emulsifiers, skin conditioners and humectants that many believe could increase the risk of a variety of cancers, including breast cancer. They contain various harmful impurities, according to a report by the Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) committee that was published in the International Journal of Toxicology, including:

•Ethylene oxide: Ethylene oxide increases the incidences of uterine and breast cancers and of leukemia and brain cancer, according to experimental results reported by the National Toxicology Program.
•1,4-dioxane: According to the National Toxicology Program, "1,4-dioxane is reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen."
•Polycyclic aromatic compounds (PAHs): Known to increase the risk of breast cancer.
•Lead
•Iron
•Cobalt
•Nickel
•Cadmium
•Arsenic

Unfortunately, the risks associated with PEG compounds are widely underexposed. Even the CIR concluded that many PEG compounds "are safe for use" in cosmetics, yet they added that PEG compounds should “not be used on damaged skin."

Do My Cosmetics Contain PEG Compounds?

According to the Environmental Working Group, the following percentages of common toiletries contain PEG compounds and other impurities that are linked to breast cancer.


Mousse 90.3%
Hair Dye 79.5%
Baby Bath Wash 73.8%
Douche/Personal Cleanser 58.3%
Menopause Cream 54.5%
Depilatory Cream/Hair Remover 48.2%
Baby Lotion/Oil 46.4%
Anti-Itch/Rash Cream 46.3%
After Sun Products 45.5%
Lip Balm/Treatment 43.6%
Moisturizer 43.1%
Deodorant 42.7%
Facial Moisturizer/Treatment 42.0%
Shaving Products 41.3%
Anti-Aging Treatment 41.0%
Styling Product 39.6%
Eye Treatment 38.8%
Concealer 37.9%
Foot Odor/Cream/Treatment 37.3%
Conditioner 35.2%

What’s the Alternative?

It may seem like an impossible feat to find cosmetics and toiletries that don’t contain PEG or other harmful additives, but if you can move beyond the major commercial lines of cosmetics sold in department, grocery stores, drug store chains  and most direct sales companies, they can be found. Click here and you are PEG-free and safe and you may win those fabulous brushes! www.avaandersonnontoxic.com/pennyrudder