When are we successful and when have we settled?

Listening to the radio this morning and heard the following:
"In regards to the economy, is the bailout necessary... if the jobs that ARE being created, are the ones no one wants?"

How did this come about? Was it just on the coattails of Obama's speech last night; where he admitted that we needed the bailout now--Or is it just a repetition? We are creatures of habit. Our successes, failures, and schedules are repeated throughout history books and played out through our everyday medias. Some people are not a-typical scheduled human beings, but they do follow the "rules" and "procedures" of a society. Each individual is regimented by their own and individual chaotic order.

To each their own, but it doesn't bring up any new issues...Is it pride, or is it compromise? When do we say our pride is one thing, but to have a life, and a decent life is another? When is it living to obtain what we want? More so, how do we separate the idea of what we think we want, and what we actually need? There is no real answer other then our pride is what defines our actions. But why wouldn't we? We are creating the worst case scenarios for ourselves - and getting a friendly bailout of our own....hello Octomom?????

Growing up, people studied History, and no one knew about how things could have gotten so bad just before the Great Depression. Where the economy crumbled, aka where our society's safety net crumbled. It led to cutting back on comforts, our own comforts, and lifestyles we created. It only took the ending of WW1 to be "the wars to end all wars" to go back to "normal". Where life wanted to be lived again-- to live in the moment, carpe diem and all that jazz.... but we never did unstand the unstable economy at the time. It didn't take long for our joys to become the Great Depression...It is an equal part funny and scary to be living the history we once only read about.

A thought to remember...

I am a convict.
When I was young...
just your age... 
I was very poor.
I was starving.
One day I stood in front of a window.
A window full of bread
There was just glass between me..
and not being hungry anymore.                
It was so easy.              
So I broke it...         
and took what I wanted.       
Then they caught me...           
and put me in chains

An old literature classic to a modern day reality ...Les Miserables isn't just a tale written and adapted for the theatre... When are our Ethics and Morals transferred to us and when are they defined by us? Are you your own criminal because you have settled for some aspect of your life-- and how long before you break out of your own normalcy and challenge your desires.

To Paraben or Not To Paraben.... That is THE Question

A lot of people have been writing in and asking if Parabens are bad for you..... but a lot of the time people are just going on half truths, that they hear through the grapevine. So here it is folks, the cold hearted truth about Parabens is.... that they are not that bad ;-)

Paraben Information

What are Parabens, and what do they do?

A group of commonly used cosmetic/personal care product ingredients generally referred to as “Parabens” are methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl, isopropyl and isobutylparaben. They are ingredients known as preservatives that are highly effective in preventing the growth of fungi and bacteria and are used to preserve products and greatly extend their shelf life. Thus, they contribute directly to the quality of the product and, more importantly, its safe use for the consumer. Parabens have been used for decades as preservatives in the food, drug and personal care and cosmetic industries.

There have been a number of articles and Internet rumors over the last couple of years that have reported an association between Parabens and breast cancer. It is implied in these reports that Parabens can cause breast cancer by acting like estrogen, the female sex endocrine hormone, through a process called endocrine disruption. Some of these studies suggest a very weak estrogenic or endocrine disrupting effect of Parabens. However, these studies, which have been conducted in animals, are observed only when they are dosed with extremely high amounts of Parabens – far greater than anyone would be exposed to under actual conditions of use or with repeated use. The simple fact is that the Parabens are 100,000 times weaker than natural estrogen in the body - far too weak to have any effect in humans.

Are Parabens safe?

Preservatives are added to personal care and cosmetic products to prevent the growth of fungi and bacteria that may be introduced by the consumer during use. Any product that contains water is susceptible to being spoiled by the growth of fungi or bacteria, causing problems such as unsightly mold growth, discoloration, malodor or breakdown of the product. Under certain conditions, an inadequately preserved product can become contaminated, allowing dangerous levels of microorganisms to grow. Cosmetic products may be exposed to bacteria and fungi during product use due to contact with the skin or applicators that contact the skin. Parabens are widely used in all types of cosmetics to prevent these changes and protect the consumer.

The U.S. FDA has classified methyl and propylparaben as GRAS, which means they are Generally Regarded As Safe by medical and toxicological experts for use in preserving food. The FDA has also stated that Parabens are safe for use in cosmetics.

Link to FDA statement on Parabens in Cosmetics: http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/cos-para.html

Under European Cosmetic regulations, Parabens have been reviewed for safety by the European Commission and are allowed for use as cosmetic preservatives.

Parabens provide clear benefit by effectively protecting the product against the growth of potentially harmful microorganisms. Based on the weight of current scientific evidence, there is no reason for consumers to be concerned about the use of cosmetic and personal care products containing Parabens.

More Information:

Some scientific studies have suggested that butyl and possibly propylparaben can mimic the effect of the endocrine hormone estrogen when tested at very high concentrations in cell cultures and female mice. This effect is sometimes referred to as endocrine disruption. Some recent studies have claimed that there is a link between Paraben exposure, particularly in underarm cosmetics, and breast cancer caused by endocrine disruption. These studies have been largely discredited by the scientific community, particularly by those who study the toxic effects of chemicals on the body. In fact, scientists who study the effects of products on the population (epidemiologists) have found no direct link between underarm products and breast cancer (1).

Many materials found in plants used as food also have an estrogenic effect. These naturally occurring materials are called phytoestrogens and are present in soy and other fruits and vegetables. Some of these phytoestrogens, when tested in the same way as Parabens, give similar estrogen-like results. However, Parabens have been shown to be 10,000 times weaker than the most potent phytoestrogens and 100,000 times less potent than estradiol, the estrogen produced naturally by the body. Most scientists agree that there is no endocrine- disrupting effect from the use of Parabens in cosmetic and personal care products because their action, if any, is so weak.

REFERENCES:

(1) Mirick, D.K., Davis, S., and Thomas, D.B. (2002) Antiperspirant use and the risk of breast cancer. J. Natl Cancer Inst. 94(20):1578-80.

http://www.cosmeticsinfo.org/HBI/9


So there you have it folks.... Remember EGI Cares about the world around us, our enviromental footprint and most importantly, our consumers.

3rd Year in a Row Elizabeth Grant Skin Care Wins 2 FASHION Awards.

Elizabeth Grant International Wins TWO Reader’s Choice Beauty Awards from FASHION Magazine
Elizabeth Grant’s Moisturizing Stick and Biocollasis Gold Mask earn first place in their respective categories

Toronto, ON- In the 7th Annual FASHION Magazine Reader’s Choice Awards, Elizabeth Grant International has won top honour in two categories. Elizabeth Grant’s Moisturizing Stick has won the ‘Lip Balm Over $10’ category and the Biocollasis Mask has won in the ‘Mask Over $25’ category. FASHION Magazine polls its readers each year to find out the best beauty buys on the market. This year’s results are available in the February 2009 issue.

The FASHION Magazine Reader’s Choice Awards are a great way for consumers to find out about products that really work and are a bang for their buck. This is the third year in a row that Elizabeth Grant Skin Care has been awarded a prestigious Reader’s Choice Award.

“It’s always an honour to be recognized with an award from a major publication. For these particular awards, I feel especially privileged because it is the readers and consumers that have chosen the best products for FASHION Magazine,” said Elizabeth Grant, founder and CEO of Elizabeth Grant International.

Elizabeth Grant Skin Care’s Moisturizing Stick is a highly moisturizing balm that leaves lips feeling soft and hydrated. Formulated with exclusive Torricelumn™, natural honey, avocado oil, wheat germ oil and Vitamin E, the Moisturizing Stick helps repair dry and chapped lips

The Biocollasis Gold Advanced Cellular Radiance aids in the restoration and rejuvenation of the skin. This treatment contains an extraordinary complex of liquid 24kt gold infused with nano-peptides and Torricelumn™ blended with natural soy and microencapsulated proteins. Using Elizabeth Grant’s Biocollasis Gold Advanced Cellular Radiance on a weekly basis will help refine skin making it appear firmer and more luminous.