Healthy Beauty by Samuel S Epstein MD

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Reviewed by Sharon

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‘Healthy Beauty is simply a must-read for anyone that cares about their health. We all use beauty and grooming products in our daily life. For those that use the typical toxin-laden products that are easily available, it’s a real problem. The toxins go into the body of the user and into our environment, making negative changes along the way. Dr. Samuel Epstein has written an extremely well-documented exposé on what I see as this country’s biggest cover up since tobacco.

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First let me say that it’s an understatement that today’s large beauty companies have dropped the ball when it comes to looking out for the public’s health. It is also an understatement that there are better alternatives right under our noses. I know this personally because many of the companies currently making these safer alternatives can be found right here at this site. My entire purpose for creating the All Natural Beauty Website was to lift up these all-natural beauty manufacturers, teach the public about a healthier way of beautifying and grooming, and to offer safe and effective products. Being a more touchy-feely, right-brain type, I just inherently knew that the standard beauty products available today are not good for us. Having multiple chemical sensitivities has given me even keener insight into this because I actually have physical reactions from using them. The difference between using synthetic products and natural products to me is a physical one, not just a theoretical one. When I read ‘Healthy Beauty’ it helped to further legitimize my feelings and gave me even more ammunition against those that have betrayed our public trust.

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Thank God for Dr. Epstein and his no-nonsense approach to this topic! If ever there was a book that tells it how it is, this is it. He doesn’t mince words, he’s obviously done thorough research on this subject, and he’s laid it all out for the laymen consumer to understand. This is the quintessential book about ‘why we all need to educate ourselves so that together we can make a difference’. Currently, the large companies have no watchdog in place. As Dr. Epstein is bold enough to point out, “…cosmetics and personal-care products present a minefield of potential dangers that the FDA has done criminally little to protect us against. These products are the single largest avoidable cause of disease in the US…” For those that just don’t get how many toxins are in our products, Dr. Epstein points out that “…the average woman uses six or more cosmetics and thirteen personal-care products containing several hundred ingredients. Some of these products, particularly fragranced hand soaps, are used on several occasions daily. Assuming that mainstream products used by most women each contain only two carcinogens, this would amount to over forty different avoidable carcinogenic exposures daily.

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This book is a gift to consumers everywhere. It not only takes the lid off of this dangerous cover up, it points out why our country is in the mess that it’s in. You’ll learn which ingredients should be avoided and why (including a tear-out sheet you can take shopping with you or keep near your computer). You’ll also find out which certifying bodies are doing what to let the public know which products are safe and which ones should not be trusted. There is an entire section which will bring you right up to the minute with what laws have passed in many states and countries, as well as which bills are presently on the table for passage.

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Things are changing for the better. As Dr. Epstein says, “a quiet revolution in our thinking and approach toward toxins is now underway. This sea change in attitudes holds the promise of transforming our roles as consumers, while giving us the power to influence both the marketplace and the institutions that mold public policy concerning what is safe for us to consume.” He goes on to say “Convincing companies to discontinue their use of toxic ingredients means making it more cost-effective to change than to continue as they are. One way to do this is through the power of the marketplace. If enough citizens boycott hazardous products in favor of safer ones, companies will be forced to alter their products to compete. And the first step toward making that a reality is re-establishing the consumer’s right to know”. Bravo!

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The All Natural Beauty Website and Dr. Epstein certainly think alike. Our site is getting the message out that a healthier way of beautifying exists right now, that can be more effective, safe… and fun. Dr. Epstein puts all of the facts down for the scientific and fact-based thinkers to consider in a way that makes complete sense. Between the two of us, and other caring people and organizations, we can show everyone that all-natural beauty care IS the way to go. Whether you are a right-brain or left-brain type, Healthy Beauty – Your Guide to Ingredients to Avoid and Products You can Trust will be a necessary book to read and have on your shelf. I guarantee that you will want to read it more than once as it is so packed with interesting information. There is even a section there for when family and friends ask you questions about why going all-natural is better. Please pick up this book. Whether you stop using synthetics altogether or decide to slowly work them out of your life, this book will inspire you into a healthier lifestyle. And we can ALL benefit from that.

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Here’s what BenBella Books (the Publisher) has to say ~

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Healthy Beauty Your Guide to Ingredients to Avoid and Products You can Trust

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By Samuel S. Epstein, MD, with Randall Fitzgerald Publication Date: January 2011
Written by Dr. Samuel S. Epstein, a founder and chairperson of the Cancer Prevention Coalition, Healthy Beauty gives the lowdown on salon safety, health risks hiding in everyday products, how we put our children in danger and more. Healthy Beauty will also educate you and your family on easily implemented solutions through the use of a variety of positive alternatives.

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In Healthy Beauty, you will learn:
• How beauty products can affect your children before they’re born
• The brutal carelessness producers use when creating products for women and children
• The risks taken when you step into a salon
• Toxins in men’s products such as deodorant, cologne and aftershave
• How to protect yourself and your family by reading labels and identifying potentially hazardous ingredients

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