by Louisa Graves, Author & Beauty Expert

Is Your Skincare Making You Fat? 1

Did you know that fragrances in many body and skincare products can make us fat? Not just fat – but they can cause even more serious health issues that you need to know. Whether you’re a baby boomer, millennial, genXer, senior, female, male or transgender — please review and share this article with loved ones, friends and co-workers.

I recently read that as of 2022, over 75% of Americans are obese!!!  Why? Read on…

I don’t mean to rant, but I just can’t help but want to shout this from the rooftops – because what you are about to read is life-saving information.
You can share this information with your daughters, sons and friends or on social media but please include my website link https://HollywoodBeautySecrets.com as this is my copyrighted work. Thank you, my friends.

Synthetic fragrances (known as phthalates) are added to many commonly used products including facial moisturizers, serums, and body lotions, shampoos, conditioners, sunscreens, hairspray, makeup, soap, body sprays, anti-perspirants, “celebrity” fragrances, laundry detergent, fabric softeners, air fresheners, scented candles, cat litter and even garbage bags! I don’t know about you but scented garbage bags make me nauseous. What is going on here?

Did you know that if a product is fragranced, it’s very highly likely a synthetic phthalate which is extremely harmful to you and everyone in your family – whether inhaled or applied on our skin!!
Here’s why:

  1. The Department of Health and Human Services and the EPA have classified phthalates (synthetic fragrances) as a probable human carcinogen!
  2. The Centers for Disease Control confirmed that humans can accumulate phthalates in their bodies. Once lodged into tissues our organs, these fragrances can mimic estrogen, cause hormonal imbalances, as well as affect the thyroid, slow the metabolism, cause weight gain, loss of muscle mass in women, affect the size of the fetus, and reduce the sperm count in men!!
  3. Fragrances can also cause nausea, allergies, asthma, sinus issues, headaches, rashes, and may even damage our kidneys, liver and lungs.
  4. Skin is our largest organ and it absorbs everything we put on it.
  5. The FDA estimates that over 65% of cosmetics (makeup) contain toxic ingredients.
  6. Research from Environmental Working Group and the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics found an average of 14 to 17 chemicals in name brand fragrance products – yet none of these ingredients are listed on their labels!
  7. Most skincare is fragranced because it’s made with cheap and often toxic ingredients. Cheap ingredients smell really awful so manufacturers mask the odor with synthetic fragrances (phthalates) – which cost next to nothing. This keeps their costs down. Their bottom line is making money — not our health!!
  8. Did you know that women of all ages typically use 12 or more personal care products daily? And if your teens are using skincare, makeup, “celebrity” fragrances or body sprays, their bodies are accumulating these toxins every day— whether exposed via skin contact or inhaled! And BTW, you and your entire family are inhaling these toxic fragrances.
  9. If you’re using skincare that’s not mine found at my SHOP here at HollywoodBeautySecrets.com, then may I suggest that you check the ingredients for synthetic phthalates on the products you currently use. Phthalates are usually noted as “fragrance” or “parfum” on labels. To be 100% sure, contact the manufacturer and ask if the scent is made with real extracts from plants (which are safe) or if it’s synthetic (which you now know is unsafe).
  10. Lastly, parabens which are added to many skin and body care products, are synthetic preservatives. Parabens increase the shelf life of products. However, they also mess with our hormones and cause all kinds of health issues. Please take a moment to read my article about the hazards of synthetic parabens on this site.

For our health’s sake we can make changes for safer products. The best way to do this is to band together and stop buying scented/fragranced skin and body care products. And also avoid purchasing household products laden with synthetic fragrances. (aka phthalates).

Stay well my friends.

Hugs, Louisa

Is Your Skincare Making You Fat? 2

by Louisa Graves, Author & Beauty Expert

Is Hyaluronic Acid Safe? 3

Is Hyaluronic Acid Safe? Well this depends on the type of Hyaluronic Acid (HA). There is so much hype about HA in skin care products lately. Alarmingly, there are a number of skin care manufacturers claiming that Low Molecular Weight (LMW) Hyaluronic Acid (HA) is the best one – when in fact they are incorrect!

The truth is many cosmetic manufacturers and some aestheticians are misinformed about HA in general. In particular, the safety of Low Molecular Weight Hyaluronic Acid (LMW HA) is very concerning.

Many manufacturers misinterpret test results and put a positive spin on LMW HA.  But the reason I wrote this article is to inform women of all ages that there is no benefit to using Low Molecular weight HA. Why? Because it causes serious inflammation  of the skin.

Read on for the difference between safe High and Medium (HMW HA & MMW HH) Versus LMW HA….

Both High (HMW) and Medium Molecular Weight (MMW) Hyaluronic Acid, are known as sodium hyaluronate on skin care labels. Both High and Medium HA are two safe forms of Hyaluronic Acid for our skin. They are used in facial fillers and added to high quality topical serums and creams. When applied topically, HMW and MMW HA sit on the surface of the skin where it binds to water to maintain hydration, and cross links with other HA molecules to help maintain the skin’s barrier. The result is dewy and plumper looking skin. However, as we age, we slow down making HA, thus the skin starts to look and feel dehydrated and aged. 

Our bodies produce HA so it is completely natural to humans – and therefore very unlikely to cause an allergic reaction. However, if we are talking about Low Molecular Weight (LMW) Hyaluronic Acid, which is unfortunately found in many commercial serums and creams, there are important health and safety issues you need to know. Plenty of literature supports that Low Molecular Weight (LMW) HA should be avoided!!

Here’s why:

  1. LMW HA causes inflammation and accelerates aging skin over time!
  2. If skin is prone to melanoma, small fragments of LMW HA are known to promote tumor invasiveness!
  3. Another study suggests that LMW HA may also play a role in breast cancer metastasis.
  4. NEVER use LMW HA serum for micro-needling or micro-skin rolling because this will cause scarring and aged looking skin.

Is Hyaluronic Acid Safe? 4

An article published by Barefacedtruth.com also notes, “We strongly suggest you review any hyaluronic acid products you may use on yourself or others. Make sure the formulator didn’t fall prey to marketing materials from one of those too-clever-by-half ingredients manufacturers who make up a good story (about LMW-HA) but haven’t a clue about the real science.… Sodium hyaluronate is High Molecular Weight HMW-HA, which is the natural form.”

NOTE: For micro needling (aka micro skin needling), use only High Molecular Weight Hyaluronic Acid (HMW-HA)  to prevent scarring and for excellent skin rejuvenating results.

The following serums can be applied nightly for anti-aging and can also be used for micro-needling, aka needle rolling  or micro-skin rolling.

* Skin Uplift Serum * Deep Penetrating LED Peptide Serum * Stem Cell Serum * Night Perfect
Watch a good micro skin rolling video HERE

Shop with confidence at HollywoodBeautySecrets.com. Products on this site are formulated with Medium to High Molecular Weight (HMW) Hyaluronic Acid, they are as follows: 

Skin Uplift Serum * Deep Penetrate LED Peptide Serum * Stem Cell Serum * Beyond CP * Ultimate Age-Proofing Complex * De-Aging Solution * Eye Perfect * Night Nutrient Cream *

20% Vitamin C Serum with Antioxidants * Soothing Toner

Get more information about these products at my SHOP 

Sunscreen is essential to your skin in the summer

Anti Aging Secret #1: Use Sunscreen To Protect Your Skin 5As we age wrinkles appear on our faces due to free radical exposure and habitual expressions like smiling and frowning. Over time, the skin’s ability to heal itself also slows down, skin cell regeneration slows, as does collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid production.

Let’s not forget that smoking, stress and gravity also cause lines, wrinkles, dark spots, sagging and aged-looking skin.

But THE worst culprit of all is exposure to the sun! Let me assure, you, though, that rejuvenating your skin and body is easier than you think.

You can significantly repair and slow aging naturally when you use my Age-proofing secrets listed below:

Anti Aging Secret #1 – Use Sunscreen To Protect Your Skin

The sun is responsible for 75% of wrinkles on your face, age spots on your hands, face and chest area.

Did you know that skin damage can start after just ONE minute of sun exposure?

Wearing effective sunscreen creates a barrier that causes sunlight to refract (reflect away) from skin thus preventing UV rays from penetrating into the skin. For full protection, wear sunscreen every day – rain or shine.

Anti Aging Secret #1: Use Sunscreen To Protect Your Skin 6

30 SPF Sunscreen + Primer in one

Effective sunscreen should be SPF 30.

Read labels to ensure that your sunscreen offers UVA/UVB protection with nano-particle free clear zinc oxide. Nanoparticle-free ingredients stay on top of the skin to refract harmful rays of the sun. They do NOT penetrate into the skin or into the organs – and do not cause hormonal imbalances. This is why I personally use and recommend only nanoparticle-free such as our popular 30 SPF Sunscreen by Suntegrity. It also has antioxidants and acts as a primer to give the skin a smoother look under makeup.

Mineral Powder make-up offers additional sun protection, especially if you don’t like the feel of cream sun screen. Mineral powder is microbial so it helps prevent breakouts. If you have adult acne or a teenager with acne, consider using mineral make-up. I like Mineral Fusion which offers many shade and is found at most health food stores.

When spending time outdoors, re-apply sunscreen every two hours. And be sure to wear a long sleeved shirt and sun visor for added protection. Wear cotton gloves to protect hands when driving as damaging UV rays can penetrate through windshield glass.

Anti Aging Secret #1: Use Sunscreen To Protect Your Skin 7Lastly, wearing polarized sun glasses help protect your eyes from UVA/UVB rays and help prevent early development of cataracts.

Reference:

Look and Fee Your Best On Any Budget: Copyright 2007,2011 Louisa Maccan Graves

 

by Lisa Matsuda

I’d like to welcome my niece, Lisa Matsuda as a contributor to the HollywoodBeautySecrets team. Thank you Lisa.

What are parabens?

Parabens are widely used in the cosmetics industry as a preservative and as an anti-microbial agent that prevent mould and bacteria. There are three types of parabens in cosmetics products that are widely used: methylparaben (methyl paraben), propylparaben, and butylparaben. They can increase the shelf life of products by years, not just months!

Why Parabens are Dangerous! 8Parabens are found in shampoos, commercial moisturizers, shaving gels, personal lubricants, topical/parenteral pharmaceuticals, spray tanning solution, makeup, and toothpaste, and they are also used as an additive in processed foods.

Why they are dangerous:

Parabens enter the human body either through contact with the epidermis (skin) or via the gastrointestinal tract and blood. Paraben esters can be found in the blood stream in as little as one hour after application!  One study found that the higher the use of commercial lotions, deodorants, and other personal care products, the higher the level of parabens found in the bloodstream.

Recent studies have linked parabens to cancer, endocrine disruption, reproductive toxicity, immunotoxicity, neurotoxicity and skin irritation. They have also been found in human breast milk and are thought to cause damage to sperm DNA as well.

A 2012 study from the University of Reading in the UK discovered 99 percent of tissue samples collected from women contained anywhere from one to five different types of parabens.  These compounds mimic estrogen, and elevated levels of estrogen have been linked to the development, growth, and progression of breast cancer.

Not only bad for you, but also bad for our oceans:

Parabens have also been found in ocean mammals. Another study done by the US government which studied 8 different species of marine life from Florida to Alaska found parabens in each species tested, no matter their location. These parabens were found to be synthetically sourced and not naturally occurring. Methyl paraben and a metabolite of methyl paraben called 4-hydroxybenzoic acid (4-HB) were the most commonly found paraben in the samples taken. As in humans, these chemicals act as estrogen in a mammal’s body.

While the exact affect these chemicals have on the oceans is still being studied, the fact that these mammals are being affected by, not only plastics and waste, but by our choice of personal products should inform our decisions when choosing our skin care.

Is it too late?

Fortunately, it is not too late to change! A study done by UC Berkley on the effects of chemicals in cosmetics showed a 45% reduction in parabens in the blood stream after just 3 days of switching to paraben-free products!

The less demand for these chemical laden products, the less they will be made. Hollywood Beauty Secrets is committed to providing SAFE, EFFECTIVE, paraben-free products for your beauty routine. Join the thousands of women that have made the switch!

Want Paraben-free products?

Visit my SHOP for 100% GUARANTEED paraben and fragrance free, premium quality skincare care at a cost-effective price!

See top sellers: Eye Perfect, Ultimate Age-Proofing Complex, Skin Uplift Serum, Skinlasting Super Hydrator for Body and many more.

If you live in the USA, you can get a free 15 minute phone consultation with Louisa at www.HollywoodBeautySecrets.com Just email your phone number to CustomerService@hollywoodbeautysecrets.com, the state you live in, and time zone and we’ll contact you to schedule your consultation.

 

SOURCES:

https://www.collective-evolution.com/2016/04/06/what-happens-to-your-skin-when-you-switch-to-cosmetics-with-less-chemicals/

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/jat.1786

https://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/pressroom/presspacs/2015/acs-presspac-october-14-2015/parabens-and-their-byproducts-found-in-dolphins-and-other-marine-mammals.html