Originally published October 23 2012
Avon and 5 Hour Energy team up for breast cancer pink washing
by Derrell Jones
(NaturalNews) In the spirit of breast cancer awareness month, 5 Hour Energy and The Avon Foundation for Women Breast Cancer Crusade has teamed up to help stamp out breast cancer. Living Essentials, LLC., owner of 5 Hour energy, will be providing a minimum $75,000 donation to the Avon Foundation but that amount can increase depending on sales from the new 5 Hour Energy drink flavor, pink lemonade. An admirable gesture considering how breast cancer has become one of the biggest scourges in modern medical history but something is amiss in this seemingly idyllic gesture.
Living Essentials and Avon are both producing products with suspect ingredients when it comes to overall health and well-being. 5 Hour Energy contains phenylalanine. In an unbound state (not attached to another amino acid) it is a known serotonin disruptor. The artificial sweetener sucralose (trade name Splenda) is also used with all of its potentially health robbing attributes. As bad as either of these ingredients are, Avon is the focus here because it continues to be a leader in cosmetics that contain harmful, even carcinogenic, ingredients.
Suspect products and their ingredients
Deodorant (Sweet Honesty Roll): Aluminum is one of the chief ingredients in Avon's line of antiperspirants. It is used to block sweat from rising to the skin. Once aluminum is absorbed by the skin, it is thought to affect the estrogen receptors in breast tissue. Considering that many of the breast cancers occurring in women are estrogen driven aluminum in its various forms is seen as a potential carcinogenic or at the very least, a cancer precursor material. Another ingredient of note is the dubious "fragrance." Listed as a single ingredient, its subcomponents are not required to be disclosed. Some of these subcomponent ingredients contain chemicals like phthalates. Phthalates are estrogen mimickers that can adversely affect the pituitary gland. Again, estrogen mimickers can fuel estrogen driven cancers.
Lipstick (Smooth Minerals Lipstick): This line of lipsticks contains several suspect ingredients such as aluminum oxide, polyethylene, and polybutene but two are of particular concern. Titanium dioxide is an endocrine system disruptor and is also listed as a possible carcinogen by the Canadian Center for Occupational Health and Safety. Used in many products for various reasons, it provides a double impact by influencing hormone production with the possibility of being carcinogenic in and of itself based on lab testing. Particle size seems to matter from a health standpoint so avoid products using micronized versions of this ingredient. In addition, two parabens are listed as ingredients, methyl- and propyl-parabens. Parabens have long been associated with endocrine disruption causing hormone related problems especially in regards to estrogen. Also worth mentioning is the fact that six different types of parabens have been identified in breast cancer tumors raising the issue that it could be a carcinogen.
These are just two examples of products citing only a few suspect ingredients. Become aware of what you put on your skin and actively seek out natural alternatives for your health and the health of your family. A great source for cosmetic information you can use is: http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/
Avon is not the only corporate culprit using potentially harmful ingredients in their products and misleading the public in a pink-washing campaign. There are many others and shedding light on this particular pink-washed promotion can hopefully bring more knowledge of what companies you can and cannot trust in these matters. Donating money to find a cure is fine unless, of course, you are a part of the problem despite corporate position statements to the contrary.
Sources for this article include:
http://www.goodguide.com/products/334334-avon-smooth-minerals-lipstick
http://www.goodguide.com/products/266313-avon-sweet-honesty-roll
http://www.goodguide.com/products/266220-avon-smooth-mineral-blush
http://www.naturalnews.com/027466_Avon_parabens.html
http://www.avoncompany.com
http://www.ccohs.ca/headlines/text186.html
About the author:
Derrell is a Holistic Health Practitioner and Nutritional Consultant. His mission is to assist as many people as possible during a time when great health is stolen instead of fostered. Follow Derrell at thoughtfulhealth.blogspot.com or email him at [email protected]. If you are interested in toxin free nutritional and personal care products please visit thoughtfulhealth.mysiselpro.com.
Derrell is a Holistic Health Practitioner and Nutritional Consultant. His mission is to assist as many people as possible during a time when great health is stolen instead of fostered. Follow Derrell at thoughtfulhealth.blogspot.com or email him at [email protected]. If you are interested in toxin free nutritional and personal care products please visit thoughtfulhealth.mysiselpro.com.
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