EcoLiving Ideas

By Chryso D'Angelo on Jun 11, 2012

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Welcome to my beauty column! We will devote this space to a different product category for the month, be it body wash, nail polish or bath salts. We’ll let you know which brand outshines the rest in the categories of safety, environmental responsiveness, packaging, practicality and results, so that you can make informed choices about what you slather on, dust on and lather up with. This month we review healing moisturizer…

I love when springtime melts into summer, but temperature shifts can wreak havoc on your skin. It may feel dry, scaly or itchy after spending time in the sun and shore—and especially after a dip in a chlorinated pool.

I have a mild case of eczema on the inside of my left arm that acts up after about a half-hour in the sun, so if I forget to put on sun protection or if it fades after a few hours and I fail to reapply, my skin gets itchy, red, raised and bumpy—ewww!

Healing moisturizers help calm my skin flair ups, but many on the market contain petroleum, which is a bi-product of the stuff that’s used to produce gasoline. You may see it listed at ‘petroleum’, ‘mineral oil’ or ‘paraffin oil’ on the ingredient lists of your products.

Some studies show that petroleum-based moisturizers can cause skin cancer in mice. One such study by Rutgers University was published in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology in 2008.

The real question is whether or not petroleum-based moisturizers can cause cancer in humans--there is no answer, yet.

I wanted to find petroleum-free healing moisturizers for this column, but my task was tough as I was only able to locate two popular brands. If anyone knows of any other completely petroleum-free products, please share them with me. In the meantime, I tested these four healers on the market…

Elemental Herbs All Good Goop Natural Healing Balm

Safety: By November 2011, when the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics' Compact program closed, this company had achieved Champion status.

• This product ranked 0 out of 10 in safety on the Skin Deep database (low hazard).

Environmental responsiveness: Solar-powered production facility, donate to 1% for the Planet, Save Our Snow and United Plant Savers; PETA and Leaping Bunny approved  

Packaging: Recyclable  

Results: This organic, petroleum-free product is touted to be “strong enough for a climber’s raw knuckles and gentle enough for a baby’s bottom.” That being said, my baby couldn’t wait to dive in with her little fingers and slather it on her cheeks—and I can’t blame her. The product, infused with lavender, smells lovely and it goes on fairly light, not greasy. It calmed the eczema flare-up on my arm by reducing the swelling and the itch and left my skin feeling super-moisturized, making it my best of the bunch!

Ingredients from packaging: Organic Calendula, Organic Comfrey, Organic Lavender, Organic Plantain, & Organic Yarrow Infused in Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil with Pure Beeswax, Lavender Essential Oil and Vitamin E.

Practicality: $8.50 (1 oz.)

Aquaphor Baby Healing Ointment

Safety: By November 2011, when the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics' Compact program closed, this company had not signed the compact. It’s not certified by PETA or Leaping Bunny as not testing on animals, however the brand’s website states that the company does not test on animals.

• This product ranked 2 out of 10 in safety on the Skin Deep database (low hazard).

Environmental Responsiveness: The brand’s parent company, Beiersdorf, reports that in 2011, it developed a new sustainability strategy that will lower its carbon footprint by 30 percent per product sold by 2020.

Packaging: Recyclable

Results: Recently, I had a bad skin reaction after the weather in New York turned warm all-of-a-sudden. I made sure to apply sunscreen to my baby’s skin, but I forgot all about myself! That evening, a patch of skin on my arm flared up due to the sun exposure and I turned to Aquaphor. I applied it and awoke the next morning to practically clear skin. After another application, the eczema flare-up was completely gone! Unfortunately, the product contains petrolatum and mineral oil—so I use it only occasionally.

Ingredients from packaging: Petrolatum. Inactive Ingredients: Mineral Oil, Ceresin, Lanolin Alcohol, Panthenol, Glycerin, Bisabolol.

Practicality: $6.99 (3 oz.)

100% Pure Organic Healing Moisturizing Balm

Safety: By November 2011, when the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics' Compact program closed, this company had not signed the compact.

Environmental responsiveness: This company does not test on animals, according to its certification. The product is 100% natural, vegan and gluten free.

Results: This balm is so light, so it’s great to use all over, including on your face and hands. I love to rub it on my cuticles before bedtime because it’s not greasy. In fact, it’s even a bit dry and sometimes flakes up a bit on the skin until you rub it in completely. In addition to avocado, shea and almond butters, the mixture also contains anti-aging vitamins C and E.

Ingredients from packaging: Organic Butters of Avocado1, Shea2 and Almond1, Cabernet Grapeseed Oil, Organic Sea Buckthorn Oil2, Organic Green Tea1, Organic Rosemary Extract3, Organic Lavender Essential Oil1, Vitamin C (ascorbyl palmitate), Vitamin E (a-tocopherol), Blackcurrant Oil

Practicality: $25 (1.7 oz).

Curel Ultra Healing Lotion for Extra Dry Skin

Safety: By November 2011, when the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics' Compact program closed, this company had not signed the compact.

• This product ranked 2 out of 10 in safety on the Skin Deep database (low hazard).

Environmental responsiveness: As of EWG's last review, this company is not certified by PETA or Leaping Bunny as not testing on animals. It supports global disaster relief efforts through Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontieres.

Results: This lotion is very light, non-greasy, and dries quickly. I applied it to my elbows and knees and saw a significant difference in a few days; my skin was softer and less ashy. Advertisers point out that Curel’s moisturizers “work at the source of dryness to help replenish skin’s ceramide levels (which help retain skin’s moisture)” to help prevent dryness from recurring. Consumers seem to agree—it was voted the “Best New Product” of 2011 in Better Homes and Gardens magazine. However, it does contain Petrolatum.

Ingredients from packaging: Water, glycerin, Petrolatum, Cetearyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Chloride, Dimethicone, Cetyl-pg Hydroxyethyl Palmitamide, Isopropyl Palmitate, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Extract, Butyrospermum Parkii (shea butter), Avena Sativa (oat) Meal Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (orange) Peel Oil, Acacia Senegal Gum, Gelatin, Butylene Glycol, Dmdm Hydantoin.

Practicality: $5 (13 oz.)