My mother was a lot of things. I mean really - actual careers.
She was a single mother, with six small children (in 1978 she had six kids aged 12, 10, 4, 3, 2, and a new baby), during the height of the global economic crisis of the late 1970s and early 1980s. For those of you who don't recall: the Bank of Canada rate was 21% in 1981 and the GDP dropped 5% in that same year. The national unemployment rate was 12% in 1983.
I received a newsletter from Gwyneth Paltrow's mailing list recently:
Dear Friend,
It’s a well-known fact that lead is toxic, especially to children. But did you know it could be lurking in your lipstick, eye shadow or shampoo?!
Most people mistakenly believe that the personal care industry is highly regulated. It’s not. At all. Companies are not even required to say on the label whether a product contains lead – no matter how much is in it!
Let me begin by saying thank you for allowing me to indulge in a very personal post.
This past month the culmination of over 20 years of work manifested in a career long goal coming to fruition. Of course, as with all things like this there is a story.
The number one question I am asked is how people can avoid chemicals in their cosmetics.
I always preface my response with the statement: "I think consumers should have access to well formulated, safe to use, and effective cosmetics." This is a statement I stand behind 100%. I am absolutely not a subscriber to the the "chemicals are bad" bandwagon that permeates the industry today.
Many of you know that one of my favourite past times is to wander through cosmetics departments just to hear the pitches the sales staff use to sell the very expensive cream and lotions and such.
I always preface with: I don't think the sales people are actually telling un-truths, even though these sales pitches are complete fiction, as they are trained to use these sales pitches. I blame the companies for over inflating their claims of the products and, of course, the marketing teams which create the "story" behind products.
When I am shopping, for cosmetics I look for certain ingredients in the formula, which I consider "must haves." While this list is different from body care to skin care to makeup to hair care, there are some key ingredients for which I am always on the lookout in all categories of products.
Here is the time you have all been waiting for: my semi-annual Canadian Tour!
Without a doubt this is my favourite part of my job. I love travelling to the various cities and meeting all of you.
To those who have attended past events: thank you and I hope I see you this year. For those of you who have not yet had a chance to attend a DTB Event and meet me in person, here is your opportunity!
Well, at least in the world of fashion it is two weeks away.
With all the new clothing looks now in stores, the new makeup trends are right around the corner. Expect to see major releases from all the major brands starting August 22.
The Fashion Low Down:
Over flowing capes (pictured here is from the Chloe)
Newbeauty.com published an article last week with a list of cosmetics ingredients "on their radar." To be fair, the website did not pass judgment or offer an opinion on the efficacy of these ingredients, they simply published a list of ingredients, the products in which they are currently found, and the claims the manufacturers make regarding the use of these ingredients.
