Our daily anti aging skin care is lined up - bottles, tubes, jars. Our skin is smooth and the wrinkles have gone. We do not need to know anything else.
So many times you hear people say what I don't know can't hurt me. But today in our modern world of chemical toxicity I am afraid the answer to that question is a resounding NO. You couldn't be further from the truth.
Just look at the list of ingredients below in this anti aging skin cream:
List of Chemicals:
Aqua, Cyclopentasiloxane, Squalane, glycerine, arachidyl, alcohol, behnyl alcohol, arachidyl glucoside, cetearyl alcohol, cetearyl glucoside, aluminium starch octenyl succinate, butyrospermum parkii, c13-14 isoparrafin, laureth-7, polyacrylamide, retinyl palmitate, tricapryln, BHT, polymethal methacrylate, dipalmitoyl hydroxyproline, avena sativa kernel oil, petrolateum, tocopheryl acetate ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate, disodium edta sodium hydroxide, parfum, 2-bromo-2-nitropropane-1, 3-diol, dichlorobenzyl alcohol.
How would you like to be served that up on your plate for tonights dinner. No, seriously all of that is in just one small jar. A very small part of your anti aging skin care.
You might not be eating the stuff but your skin certainly is and then its getting into your blood stream.
Now answer truthfully the following 3 questions:
1. Do you know how each one of the ingredients benefits you?
2. Do you know the definition of each compound?
3. Do you know how each ingredient was made?
The answer is no. To be honest neither do you have any idea of exactly how many other chemicals were used but not labeled.
The other question is. Do you have any reservations about using such chemicals?
Probably not. But do you know that many of the chemicals used in personal care products have been found, by extensive studies, to perform a variety of nasty jobs - they can suffocate the skin, cause irritations, rashes, lung disorders, brain and immune system damage.
The list goes on but all I want to do is to make you aware that you really need to be mindful when choosing your anti aging skin care products. But it isn't only anti-aging skin cream, it is everything that you buy.
Believe it or not even your fruit and vegetables (unless organic) have been coated with so many different pesticides. The household cleaners, car cleaners, air fresheners.
The list could go on and on.
What is it that you are always told? READ the label before you buy! Well that's fine, but what if you don't understand the label (as with most of us) then reading or not reading the label will not make any difference.
So then, what do you do? You need to ask the cosmetic manufacturers what exactly is in their anti aging skin cream and any reputable dealer will tell you exactly what is in it.
Most cosmetic companies (as with any company) want your repeat business. But yes there are those who just want to make a quick buck off you. So beware!
Another alarming factor with any kind of cosmetic product is that manufacturers (of be it anti aging skin cream or anything else) are not obligated to make any claims to the FDA of what ingredients (apart from those that are banned) they have used in their products.
Literally then cosmetic manufacturers could use anything and not even put all the ingredients on the label. It's frightening isn't it? But you need to find a reputable, honest company with whom you trust and have confidence in.
Some companies will (if they believe in their product wholeheartedly) even give you a 100% risk free trial which means you are able to try their product and if you don't like it return it to them and get your money back.
Remember your skin is the largest organ in your body and if you don't treat it well it won't treat you well either. It is better to take a bit more time over choosing your anti aging skin care than being sorry later on.
So you may ask... what makes VOTRE VU unique and sets us apart from our competitors in the industry?
Our products are French-made and contain the finest natural ingredients available. They are hand-crafted by a family of artisans who have been perfecting the art and science of naturally-based skin care formulations for nearly a century. Among the many things that set our products apart is the superior proportion of power ingredients within each formula. Many low-to-medium-grade skin care products are comprised of primarily fillers, with only trace amounts of power ingredients. Votre Vu products, in contrast, boast high percentages of the power ingredients...they are superior products that give superior results!
Quality control is also of utmost importance throughout our entire organization - from the research, formulation and production to the processing of orders and quick and convenient deliveries. We are 100% committed to providing an exceptional customer experience.
Does Votre Vu test its products on animals?
No, we do not test any of our products on animals.
What is the shelf life of your products?
The shelf life of Votre Vu products varies from item to item depending on the ingredients. Most last from 6 months to 1 year. To find the shelf life of an item you purchased, look for the Period After Opening (PAO/"open jar") symbol on the informational insert that was included in the packaging. "12 M" indicates a shelf life of 12 months after opening. "6 M" indicates a shelf life of 6 months after opening, etc. This information can also be found on our corporate site or your Consultant's personal web site.
Are all of your products made in France?
At this time, all of our products EXCEPT the SnapDragon Beauty Beverage are manufactured in France.
What do the symbols on your packaging mean?
The following the volume declaration indicates that the product has been filled in accordance with the average system of measurement used in the European Union (EU).is the "Period After Opening" symbol and it varies from product to product. The number listed in the jar icon tells you the recommended number of months within which the product should be used after you have first opened it, provided the product has been stored under normal conditions and not exposed to extreme temperatures. For example (12M) means that you should replace this product within 12 months of opening.
How can I determine when an e-mail about cosmetic safety is an Internet rumor?
It can sometimes be difficult to tell if an e-mail, or other information we see on the Internet, is true or false. Misinformation can be dangerous and it is important to be sure that the information you have is true and factual. Some people seeking to use misinformation for their own purposes may represent the e-mail as being factual. It is very important to get the facts. Make sure to thoroughly check the actual source of information before processing it into your daily life.
There are several government information sites that can be helpful:
United States:
http://www.dhs.gov/xcitizens/general_1165337828628.shtm
http://www.fbi.gov/cyberinvest/escams.htm
Canada:
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/cps-spc/person/cosmet/hoax-vente_e.html
Europe:
http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/industry/comms/internet
The following Web Sites might be helpful in determining when a message is a hoax:
(1) http://hoaxbusters.ciac.org/HBHoaxInfo.html
(2) http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/521469_2
(3) http://www.hoax-slayer.com/spotting-email-hoaxes.html
(4) http://www.internetsecurityguide.com/
Where do the ingredients used in Votre Vu products come from?
Our ingredients come from all over the world. They are products of nature, so elements like climate and soil composition are critically important in producing the premium quality that we demand. Because they are natural, many ingredients are native to certain regions. We scour the globe to find the premier producers of each ingredient and only the very finest make it into our finished goods.
Are your products organic? What does "organic" mean?
If a product is organic, the majority of its ingredients (90% or more) have been grown and processed according to government-controlled, organic agricultural standards. These standards do not allow for any use of synthetic pesticides, chemical fertilizers, or genetically modified organisms (GMOs). They also adhere to strict criteria regarding the treatment of animals and the environment. Organic products will not contain any petrochemicals (synthetic ingredients derived from petroleum or oil) and will only have been minimally processed to preserve the integrity of the ingredients.
Some of our products are organic. If a product is organic, this is noted in the product's description on our web site and on the product's packaging.
Do your products contain preservatives?
Preservatives are an essential part of all skin care and hair care products. Without preservatives, products would quickly become a breeding ground for bacteria and microbes. Preservatives are used only as necessary to prevent the growth of microorganisms that would otherwise damage our products or render them un-safe.
Are your products hypo-allergenic?
Because our products are made with natural ingredients, we have found that even those with very sensitive skin can use most of them. Every effort is made to use the most hypo-allergenic ingredients possible, but even the gentlest ingredient can cause an allergic reaction to some. If you are prone to allergic reactions, we recommend testing each product on a small patch of skin prior to using.
Are your products non-comedogenic?
Our products are not tested to determine whether or not they are non-comedogenic, however, we do try to use non-comedogenic ingredients whenever possible.
Do your products that contain SPF protect against both UVA and UVB rays?
Yes. Our SELF PRESERVATION Sunblock Crème for Face and Body contains SPF 30. Our FULL BENEFITS Anti-Aging Day Crème contains SPF 15.
Why do you use parabens?
Parabens are a type of preservative and they have been used in skin care for over 70 years because they are safe, effective and have a lower incidence of causing allergic reaction than other preservatives in studies and tests.
Why do skin care products need preservatives? When water is added to a formula, the formula must be preserved or it can become a breeding ground for microbes and bacteria. If you were to use a lotion, cream, or wash that was infected with bacteria and that cream, lotion, or wash went into your open pores or a cut on your skin, you could get an infection. Parabens protect the product and thus protect you, the consumer.
The world's skin care and cosmetic scientists are searching for a natural preservative, but to date a safe and effective one has not been discovered.
Furthermore, the FDA full endorses the use of parabens:
Preservatives may be used in cosmetics to protect them against microbial growth, both to protect consumers and to maintain product integrity. The FDA believes that at the present time there is no reason for consumers to be concerned about the use of cosmetics containing parabens. However, the agency will continue to evaluate new data in this area.
Why do you use fragrance in a few of your products?
Fragrances are ingredients used in a wide variety of cosmetic and personal care products to make the products more pleasant and to make them more familiar to the users. Fine fragrances, or perfumes, are used specifically to provide a pleasant and attractive aroma for the consumer, to provide pleasure and a familiarity/memory response.
The use of safe and tested fragrances in some of our products is to enhance the consumer's experience, and to deliver the most pleasurable formula as recommended by our laboratory, which is dedicated to product quality and consumer safety.
Link to the Web Site for the International Fragrance Association:
http://www.ifraorg.org/
Why is there alcohol listed in some of your ingredients?
Many alcohols are moisturizers. In the labeling of cosmetics, the term "alcohol," used by itself, refers to ethyl alcohol. Cosmetic and skin care products labeled "alcohol free" may contain other alcohols, such as cetyl, stearyl, cetearyl or lanolin alcohol. These are known as fatty alcohols, and they are moisturizers. The effects of these ingredients on the skin are quite different from those of ethyl alcohol. Disinfectant or astringent alcohols, like alcohol SD 40, are great for the skin when used in specific amounts.
What should I know about skin care ingredient labels?
You might feel like it sure would help to have an advanced chemistry degree to understand ingredient labels. But you do not need to go back to school to feel secure about Votre Vu and our products! Skin care and cosmetic chemistry isn't a simple matter of ingredients that are good or bad - it's a matter of how much is good or bad, how things react with each other, the age and quality of the ingredients, the origin of the product development, whether they are appropriate for your skin type, how they will be used on your skin, how often they are to be applied, is it the right season for this product, do other personal factors negate the efficacy of using these ingredients, (i.e. smoking and drinking too much alcohol)... the analysis can go on for days! Votre Vu has taken this burden away from the consumer by tackling these questions ourselves in conjunction with our formulators.
Can there be too much of a good thing when it comes to skin care ingredients?
A sprinkle of this, a tablespoon of that: knowing something is blended in a formula is not enough information to decide whether or not it is good for you. In baking, a pinch of sugar is often a good thing, enhancing the flavor and assisting a chemical process so the recipe comes out right. But a cup of sugar is something else completely - too much of a good thing! This relates beautifully to skin care. If you decide to reject products simply because they list something that someone said was bad, you are just as likely to end up settling on a different product that may be worse for you. The lesson learned here? You'll need more information than the simple fact that something is included within a formula to know whether or not it will be a beneficial blessing or a consumer's curse.
Are products with long ingredient lists usually better than those with shorter ingredient lists?
No, long lists aren't always more luxurious! Many companies load up products with long lists of ingredients that allow them to write enticing advertising copy. But consider length of list - with so many ingredients, it's very likely that many of them won't be present in sufficient enough concentrations to provide much benefit.
I am fearful of ingredients I cannot pronounce easily. What should I do?
Do not trounce what you cannot pronounce! We're not sure how this so-called good rule of thumb crept into our collective consciousness, but we hear often from people that they are worried about ingredients they can't pronounce. Think about it, everyone can pronounce ammonia snake venom, but do we want them in our skin care products? Remember that everything on the planet is a chemical and has a chemical name. For instance, Tocopherol is Vitamin E; Glyceryl Stearates are tropical oils like soy oil and palm oil.
The lesson here? Find out what it is before you decide its benefits based on how it sounds.
** At our recent La Fete Sales Symposium in Chicago we were fortunate enough to have the grandson of the founder of the lab in Paris that manufactures our products speak to us about the ingredients. He told us that he has eaten the products, when he was a young child in the lab with his grandfather. Now he does not recommended eating our products however to make a point, our products are safe enough to eat :)
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