Pure Nuff Stuff

I'm trying to catch up on my reading properly (yes, yet another resolution) and came across this article, not seen it before. Take a look if you get a minute, it's interesting: http://safecosmetics.live.radicaldesigns.org//article.php?id=359

posted by Emily @ 15:51

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Tuesday 3rd February 2009

Books to read.....

Hi Emily, On the subject of books - could you have a section some where on the site where you could recommend books that would be useful to read. Its just that sometimes I see books advertised on chemical free products but don't now whether they are any good. However, if they were personally recommended by your good self, then I would have the confidence to buy them.

posted by PNS Fan @ 17:54

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Thursday 5th February 2009

What a great idea

I shall do just that, we've got a pretty comprehensive library here, but there are some really easy to read books on the subject out there, so I'll do a quick list in a new post - please feel free to add to that list with any you know of too though eh?

posted by Emily @ 12:08

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Monday 2nd February 2009

Soap and all your stuff!

Just wanted to say how amazed I was by your soap in addition to all your lovely 'stuff'. I've been buying 'natural essential oil' soap for years, but yours is the only one that every time you use it, you can still smell the essential oils. Usually, you smell the oils when the packet is opened, and maybe the first one or two uses, but then nothing. But yours keeps on going - you brill people!

posted by Steff @ 09:06

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Tuesday 3rd February 2009

Lovely Long Lasting Smelly PNS Soaps......

....yes - I agree, I have recenly being using Ylang Ylang and Lime PNS soap as a hand soap and the smell lasts right down to the smallest slither of soap. In fact, I can even smell it as soon as I walk in the bathroom.

posted by PNS Fan @ 17:59

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Monday 2nd February 2009

Aw, shucks, thank you Steff :)

It's lovely to hear that you're so pleased with the stuff! And it's all to do with the concentrations of the oils used in our experience, it's more expensive to use more oil of course, but then, it's a better product when you do, so it's a no-brainer for us. So much of the smelliness gets blasted by the actual soap making process that we just kept upping the EO content till we got a bar we liked (you should smell the workshop on soap days, it can knock you sideways, in the nicest possible way). We've talked to other soapmakers who use half what we do and we've been told we're mental, but then, we've never been great at following herds... :) I'll pass your comments on to Doug here, he makes the final decision on these things - he'll be delighted - thanks again for taking the time to write.

posted by Emily @ 18:12

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Saturday 31st January 2009

Just read it......

.....although we (informed people) have a good idea that if we use such products such chemicals may indeed be accumulating in our systems, it is good to learn that proper studies are starting to take place to try and conclusively prove that this is so because as yet no causal link has been shown between the use of chemical ridden toiletries and the induction of disease. Hope it will be the start of many more to come to prove what we - the converted already believe (Do I sound like a preacher?). It still sends a shiver down my spine when I read about these sort of things!

posted by PNS Fan @ 11:28

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Monday 2nd February 2009

Agreed, it's heartening and upsetting in equal measure isn't it?

It just seems logical to me that there's a link, but instinct is no replacement for hard empirical evidence is it? I'll keep posting any more evidence that I come across - thanks again to you for those articles you sent me too. As hard as it is all to read (dictionary by my side and all), it's just necessary now isn't it? Got some new good books in recently though, so I'll keep on with it.
On that subject, it was amazing to find ourselves mentioned in a couple that I bought recently - in a good way I mean, we were mentioned as a safe alternative which was great - I'll post specifically about them when I've read them all through though, but we were well proud of ourselves :)

posted by Emily @ 18:02

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Friday 30th January 2009

Cosmetics

Hi, just wondering if anyone can recommend any free from chemicals cosmetics i.e. mascara, concealer, face powder (or maybe PNS will be bringing some out soon?). Many thanks Liz

posted by Liz @ 23:26

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Saturday 31st January 2009

Cosmetics

I understand that PNS will be bringing out a new range of cosmetics soon - see green side bar. Emily will be able to bring you up to date with this when she reads this thread.

posted by PNS Fan @ 11:32

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Monday 2nd February 2009

Thanks PNSF :)

And hello and welcome to you Liz, thanks for the question :) We are indeed hoping to bring out some face powders, blushers and eye colours soon - but mascaras are proving a touch trickier, the packaging we can afford is a bit, well, naff to be honest. Ditto that for lipsticks, but I will keep looking.
As for other brands that are pretty OK, Lilylilo has a good rep for ingredients and customer service (haven't specifically checked the mascara ingredients recently though - have a look and do feel free to ask me about any you're not sure of).
As for ones I've tried myself though, Santee is pretty OK on ingredients but I found that more of it ended up underneath my eyes than on the lashes after a couple of hours, which seems to be the problem with most of the natural ones really, it's a tough one to crack as we've all been so spoiled with the staying power of all the plastic ones.
Does anyone else have any experience of good natural mascaras at all?

posted by Emily @ 17:57

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Saturday 7th February 2009

Mascara

http://naturisimo.com/products_other.cfm?showmnu=1&type=Mascara This is the best site I have found for natural mascaras...however I have STILL not managed the courage to buy and try!! I believe there may be the possibility of buying trial sizes for some products though, hope this helps.

posted by Heleng @ 13:36

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Friday 13th February 2009

Mascaras

The Living Nature one doesn't look too bad at all, but some of the others include ingredients that I'm not too keen on. I'm starting to think that this is one product that just won't perform the way we'd like it to without some artificial elelments. And with my "80/20 rule" head on, perhaps that's an acceptable compromise. What do you think? Is there a point you come to where you just think you've done so well with eliminating so many toxins that a very few that wriggle thier way into your life are OK as long as you're aware of them?

posted by Emily @ 10:48

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Friday 13th February 2009

80:20

The living nature one was pretty much the only one I thought was ok...and I think that one does come in a trial size. I do think that the 80:20 rule is a good one but I tend to try to use the 20% as an excuse for my car and the non organic food that I just cannot resist though!! I am not so sure about using chemicals so close to my eyes and would still like to go for the natural based products. That said the mascara that I use atm is by rimmel so that is pretty bad...only use it about once a month though!! Performance of mascara is important if it ends up on your cheeks there is little point in bothering as it just looks worse!!

posted by Heleng @ 18:22

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Friday 13th February 2009

A definate no to 80/20 mascara

Yes, I see where you are coming from with the 80/20 thing. Indeed, there are things we need to use in life that are not eco friendly, to quote Helen for example - using the car. I need my car and there are no buts. That's not to say I don't think that we should be researching alternative eco car types etc. However, when it comes to toiletries which can be directly absorbed by my body then my feelings are a little stronger. I wouldn't like to see PNS develop a mascara and use the 80/20 rule - not sure if this was what you were getting at Emily - but I think it would definately weaken the whole PNS company ethos which I personally feel comes across very strongly. My view is that is if a product is required and PNS cannot produce it using the 100% rule - then don't produce it. Ok, I break the rule and occasionally use Miessence mascara - I only use it on my top lashes - it helps stop the smuges. Although mascara is applied to the lashes - so effectively not absorbed - my concern is that when you take it off it comes into contact with your eyes and if this was to happen on a daily basis what would the unknown consequences be. If PNS were to produce an 80/20 mascara in my humble opinion it would be the start of a slippery slope!

posted by PNS Fan @ 21:41

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Saturday 14th February 2009

Precisely

That is just what I was getting at and I am sure most of your customers will agree!

posted by Heleng @ 08:46

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Monday 16th February 2009

I quite agree

Sorry if you took my comments to mean we were thinking of producing something that would compromise our ethos, I didn't mean to imply that but it's obvious that's what came across, huge apologies. We certainly won't be producing a mascara - or anything else for that matter - until we can do it cleanly and in line with the rest of our founding principles, it's just one of the reasons we don't do one now.

I think what I was trying to get at is that we all have different compromises. For example, I don't use the car much and because we live in a rural area, am lucky enough to be able to buy good organic food locally so can avoid supermarkets altogether, but I know not everyone is in that position. On the flip side of that I'm really aware that by being a responsible dog owner, I use a lot of plastic to pick up after the beast. And I am guilty of using some rubbish mascara from time to time too. I try not to beat myself up about it too much though, and in the meantime, I keep looking out for a good mascars to cross that thing off my naughty list.

posted by Emily @ 12:48

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Monday 9th February 2009

Thanks for that :)

I'll have a look at that, it doesn't ring a bell so I might even give it a go, will keep you posted of course x

posted by Emily @ 11:04

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2011/12/14 - You can now review us, give us stars and everything
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