Gillian Deacon

A fantastic resource for reading labels and choosing safer products. While I do sometimes question a blanket distrust of chemicals (everything is a chemical if you look closely enough), that doesn't undermine the power of this book: a revealing of the unnecessary and potentially harmful ingredients that are added to products we use on a daily basis. I don't want to go all this-book-changed-my-life on you, but it's been four years since I've used a toothpaste with an added foaming agent. So, you know, take from that what you will.… (más)

The book opens with Gillian Deacon's personal story for why she decided to write this book - when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Even though she believed that she had been living a healthy and sustainable lifestyle for years, she realized that one can never be too cautious. Deacon employs a few new vocabulary terms that help to introduce the reader to what Deacon hopes to accomplish with this book - by teaching the readers to be cautious about what to use in, on, and around their bodies. The first term is pinkwashing, applying to "big cosmetics corporations that position themselves as leaders in the struggle to eradicate breast cancer... [that] are, in fact, makers and marketers of products that contain many ingredients known or suspected to cause breast cancer." This term is related to the next- greenwashing, in which big corporations do the same thing with environmental awareness. She even gives a list of product lines that fall under this heading on page 10.
Deacon's motto throughout the book is "Be your own advocate," and she uses the book to teach the reader how, with multiple resources that can be found both in books and on the internet. The chapter on label reading introduces the reader to the concept of the chemical body burden, which "refers to the accumulation of chemical ingredients in the human body." This chapter was incredibly illuminating, as I am sure most people do not consider the cumulative effect of all of the manufactured products that we use on a day-to-day basis, or even how different chemicals in these different products can react negatively with one another. Governmental bodies such as Health Canada or the U.S. FDA, are also shown to be of little help in curbing the influx of chemicals into the retail market that have been presented to be linked to illness and disease - and are sometimes even prohibited from use in European countries. She gives a list of the 20 worst chemicals to avoid and why on page 31 - a list which had me examining every product in my bathroom.
Each chapter begins with some basic information about the body parts mentioned to illustrate why and how the chemicals found in products can harm the body. Every chapter is supplied with a list of products that can be found on the internet applicable to that chapter's topic along with the pros and cons of each product. If that is not enough, she also supplies recipes for do-it-yourself homemade body care products, such as face masks, hair treatments, and lipsticks.
The book also teaches that many of the common "spin" words that companies use to promote a product as safe or healthy are, in fact, meaningless, without an industry-standard definition: natural, hypoallergenic, botanicals, pure plant essence, herbal conditioning, purifying, and nourishing, to name a few. Other words can be used to hide chemicals, such as fragrance or perfume, as the companies are not legally required to list the chemicals used to achieve them. Even the regulated word "organic" can not always be trusted as anything with less than 60% organic ingredients can not be truly organic.
In short, this book is a priceless commodity for me, and with it I hope to detox both my home and and family, adding years to all of our lives.… (más)

I've tried in the last few years to clean up the way I eat - less processed and more whole foods. It's absolutely helped with some of my health concerns. But I picked up a copy of There's Lead in Your Lipstick by Gillian Deacon and realized I really hadn't given much thought to all the personal care products I use.

Gill Deacon was reading Stacy Malkan's 'Not Just a Pretty Face: The Ugly Side of Beauty' while waiting to have an ultrasound to help diagnose her possible breast cancer. It is in Chapter 6 - "Pinkwashing" that the following appears...

"More American women have died of breast cancer in the last 20 years than the number of Americans killed in World War I, World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War combined." "Many of the big cosmetics corporations that position themselves as leaders in the struggle to eradicate breast cancer - holding annual fundraisers and pink-ribbon campaigns - are in fact, makers and marketers of products that contain many ingredients known or suspected to cause breast cancer."
Deacon's diagnosis was positive. There's Lead in Your Lipstick was started before her diagnosis and finished after her treatment.

"This is not a cancer survivor's rant against the chemical industry. This book is simply a guide for all those who want to be cautious and considered when choosing the products and ingredients they use in, on and around their bodies. So when I read, and share with you on these pages, that an ingredient is linked to cancer and other health concerns, I don't take it lightly. Neither, dare I suggest, should any of us."
Most of us read food labels quite carefully, now that the ingredients and percentages are listed. But how many of us take the time to investigate what's in our shampoo, make up and deodorant etc. before using it? I didn't. After reading Deacon's book, I won't ever take for granted that 'somebody' is making sure that these products are safe for us. They're not.

There's Lead in Your Lipstick is an absolutely fascinating, eye opening, educated look at every type product we use to clean, buff, touch up and make up our bodies. Toxic ingredients and ingredients to look out for are described in depth. Many words used on labels and in advertising aren't necessarily what we think. Natural does not equal organic. Indeed I found myself in the bathroom, book in hand, scouring the labels of my shampoo and body wash. (very scary...) Formaldehyde is banned in Canada, Japan and the European Union but is deemed safe for use in cosmetics in the United States, despite the US EPA classifying it as a carcinogen.

Deacon provides alternatives - organic and natural suppliers websites with an in depth review of each. I am checking out these lists for sure. She also provides 'recipes' for many products you can make yourself - facial masks and scrubs for example.

The title? The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics found 61% of lipsticks tested contained detectable levels of lead, but none included lead as an ingredient on the label.
There's Lead in Your Lipstick is an excellent resource - one I will be referring to often.… (más)

The Not so Good Stuff

* A little repetitive
* Personally would have organized the Where Can I Find Stuff once at the end of the book instead of at the end of each chapter
* No mention of Lush, which concerns me, I love their stuff and always thought it was free of chemicals and toxins - now must research them -- I will be totally pissed if they are being less than honest

Favorite Quotes/Passages

"We may be complex enough to know that true beauty comes from within ... but we'd like to look the part on the outside, too."

"I must admit that as a teenager, I once tried a tanning bed. I guess I thought I could impress Shaun Cassidy on the off chance he rang my doorbell if I just had a suntan in the middle of February."

"He probably reads a full page about world politics and culture before I've even managed to finish moisturizing"

What I Learned

* About Pinkwashing and Greenwashing -- this is really eye opening
* Obviously tons of stuff about the horrific amount of unsafe chemicals in the beauty products I use
* Tons of practical advice, especially for switching from a regular toothpaste, to a natural toothpaste

Who should/shouldn't read

* This is a must read for everyone
* A definite must for all libraries

4 Dewey's

Don't forget to enter my contest to win a copy of There's Lead in Your Lipstick

Details Here (Canada Only and ends Today at Midnight)

I received this from Penguin in exchange for an honest review… (más)