Skin deep/do you know what you put on your skin?

[Eden]

I have super coarse hair. Would the bronner's make it really frizzy? Do you use conditioner?

I have thick curly hair. This sounds nasty and I was super skeptical, but I tried it and it really works. Only shampoo your hair once or twice a week... It took a lot of will power and I cut down slowly going to every other day... every 3rd day. Now I just wash it when it looks dirty, which is usually only once or twice a week, or less depending on how much time it spends in a helmet. I still shower every day of course and my hair gets rinsed and conditioned every day as well, just no shampoo. I find this also means its much less important to be careful about what I wash it with, because it doesn't frizz as easily.

[kat_h]

I looked up two products on that site and noticed that the ingredients listed on the site are very different from the ingredients listed on the package. I don't mean just one or two things different, but completely different. I had always assumed that in Canada we had basically the same stuff (except for Mountain Dew of course) just with bilingual packaging. I'm surprised to find out that the contents are so different.

[Eden]

I looked up two products on that site and noticed that the ingredients listed on the site are very different from the ingredients listed on the package. I don't mean just one or two things different, but completely different. I had always assumed that in Canada we had basically the same stuff (except for Mountain Dew of course) just with bilingual packaging. I'm surprised to find out that the contents are so different.

Doesn't suprise me - different cultures aquire different tastes, stuff like chicken bullion/stock can be very different depending on who its packaged for. I've heard Coca-Cola made for Mexico has real sugar in it, rather than corn syrup and that it tastes a whole lot better. Companies really do tailor their products to different markets.

[kat_h]

Doesn't suprise me - different cultures aquire different tastes, stuff like chicken bullion/stock can be very different depending on who its packaged for.

Different taste in chicken stock isn't the same concept as different ingredients in Blistex. I wonder if some of the ingredients in the US version of Blistex are banned in Canada, or vice versa.

[shootingstar]

Doesn't suprise me - different cultures aquire different tastes, stuff like chicken bullion/stock can be very different depending on who its packaged for. I've heard Coca-Cola made for Mexico has real sugar in it, rather than corn syrup and that it tastes a whole lot better. Companies really do tailor their products to different markets.

I would tend to agree with KateH in Calgary, there might be certain substances (food additives) that are banned. I kinda doubt the culture of mainstream U.S. is so different from Canada..

However....keep in mind that it is to the manufacturer's advantage for the Canadian market, to have some bilingual (English and French) on the label. So perhaps they might take an opportunity to modify product abit anyway if a separate label must be stuck on. Just a thought.

[shootingstar]

Responding to original topic...in a way this is why I don't want to go the hair colouring route at all and be on that path for many years. Hard to believe the chemicals to dye hair, which might touch scalp are all safe products.

It's amazing to look at bottle of shampoo these days to see its ingredients.. not that I've gone "organic" yet... since so-called "organic" shampoos are expensive.

My use of makeup has reduced over the past few years. In my present job, I only wear makeup (meaning foundation and lipstick), um..every 3-4 months.

And it's a predominantly male workplace. 25% women vs. 80%.

I think cycling has made me care about being fit instead of how polished I look on the job. Not sure that's the objective here.

[7rider]

I looked up two products on that site and noticed that the ingredients listed on the site are very different from the ingredients listed on the package. I don't mean just one or two things different, but completely different. I had always assumed that in Canada we had basically the same stuff (except for Mountain Dew of course) just with bilingual packaging. I'm surprised to find out that the contents are so different.

Banned in Canada...

Or another alternative is that the website is just wrong.
Out of date....
Incorrect formula labelled...
etc....

[kat_h]

Banned in Canada...

Or another alternative is that the website is just wrong.
Out of date....
Incorrect formula labelled...
etc....

Could be. Did you compare any products you own to what's listed on the website? Were the ingredients the same?

[Brandi]

I looked up two products on that site and noticed that the ingredients listed on the site are very different from the ingredients listed on the package. I don't mean just one or two things different, but completely different. I had always assumed that in Canada we had basically the same stuff (except for Mountain Dew of course) just with bilingual packaging. I'm surprised to find out that the contents are so different.

We deffinatly have different ing then you guys. You guys are not as loose with it as we are. Our fda is not runned that well.

[Brandi]

I have checked the labels on some of my stuff and it was the same.

[VeloVT]

Both cosmetics and "dietary supplements" are regulated differently than drugs by the FDA. While FDA requires fairly rigorous pre-market testing for drugs (though maybe not rigorous enough, given some of the recent problems with Vioxx, etc), the FDA has no authority to regulate supplements and cosmetics pre-market unless they make medical claims. They can only pull things off the shelf if they make unproven medical claims, are contaminated/don't follow labeling requirements, or are connected to a large incidence of adverse events (like ephedra was) and therefore can be construed to present a public health risk. Unfortunately this can't be proven until these events are reported in sufficient number to the FDA...

This is a huge loophole that Congress needs to fix in my opinion.

However, I also think we need to take "science" we find on the internet with a grain of salt. I am not a scientist, and some of these claims are pretty extreme, and I can't really evaluate them. History has certainly shown that we sometimes approve dangerous chemicals for public consumption, but there are lots of quacks out there I can't evaluate too...

[KnottedYet]

I have super coarse hair. Would the bronner's make it really frizzy? Do you use conditioner?

I don't know what it'd do for your hair. Lucy Liu also uses it, and her hair looks pretty darn good!

I don't use conditioner. (my hair is very thin and fine)

[Jolt]

I have thick curly hair. This sounds nasty and I was super skeptical, but I tried it and it really works. Only shampoo your hair once or twice a week... It took a lot of will power and I cut down slowly going to every other day... every 3rd day. Now I just wash it when it looks dirty, which is usually only once or twice a week, or less depending on how much time it spends in a helmet. I still shower every day of course and my hair gets rinsed and conditioned every day as well, just no shampoo. I find this also means its much less important to be careful about what I wash it with, because it doesn't frizz as easily.

Interesting...you're making me want to experiment--I picked up some soap recently that's not Dr. Bronner's but seems similar (Trader Joe's brand) and plan to try it once I finish the stuff I currently have in the shower. Not sure I could get away with washing only once or twice a week though--on about day 3 my hair definitely starts looking dirty.

[Jolt]

However, I also think we need to take "science" we find on the internet with a grain of salt. I am not a scientist, and some of these claims are pretty extreme, and I can't really evaluate them. History has certainly shown that we sometimes approve dangerous chemicals for public consumption, but there are lots of quacks out there I can't evaluate too...

Definitely! There's a lot of good info out there but a lot of garbage too. That said, I've come to the conclusion that as far as all these chemicals go, it's probably a good idea to go by the precautionary principle (i. e. if you're not sure whether they're safe stay away from them where possible). A lot of the stuff (cosmetics etc.) is really rather unnecessary anyway.

[SadieKate]

So campers, what do you suppose a "strict safety test" would involve?

Could it be ... animal testing ?????

So, what if I'm the aminal?

Horseman's Dream Veterinary Cream* (for use on horse and dogs) is the cat's PJs for healing bloody fissured heels and cracked fishing hands. I don't leave home without it.

*NOW WITH LANOLIN!