Essentially Naked Candle Company
Handcrafted All Natural Soaps, Lotion Bars, Sugar Scrubs (using Organic ingredients) AND All Natural Soy Candles
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Why we choose to forgo the use of preservatives in our products.
Many "100% natural" products will claim to use only natural preservatives. Many preservatives that are supposedly "natural" are still manufactured or extracted using synthetic chemicals that contaminate the product making it more synthetic than natural! An extremely common preservative found in most very high end spa lines is Grapefruit Seed Extract. It sounds like the name, right? It sounds like they are just using the extracted juice of grapefruit seeds and their natural antimicrobial properties to preserve your all natural product, right? Think again!!
Below I have excerpted a very informative segment from Wikipedia.com on Grapefruit Seed Extract. Many other sites and references corroborate this information, I chose Wikipedia because it was a concise, informative and easy way to get the information to you. If you are interested in reading all the information from this site, please go to the following link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grapefruit_seed_extract
Our all natural products at Essentially Naked Candle Company will never contain any synthetic preservatives. We use only natural vitamin E oil as a preservative in our soaps, lotion bars, scrubs, and lip balms. Our products will necessarily have a shorter shelf life than the products that use these synthetic preservatives, but you won't pay the cost in the end of being exposed to potentially toxic chemicals. A telling point about Grapefruit Seed Extract is that it is not allowed in any organically certified product by USDA or QAI! If it is 100% natural and completely safe, why would this be?
If you have questions about the shelf life of any of our products, please don't hesitate to contact us! Most of our products have a shelf life of 3 to 6 months so plan to use them as soon as you receive them. We'll make more!! Finally, as I've said many times before, ALWAYS be sure to check your labels, even on products that claim to be all natural or that are high-end, big names!! You'll be surprised!
Anecdotal claims for an antimicrobial effect are based on a few abstract scientific experiments which show some antimicrobial activity for commercial grapefruit seed extracts and an ethanol grapefruit seed extract but not a natural GSE.[15][16][17] There is considerable scientific evidence that the anti-microbial activity associated with grapefruit seed extract is attributable to the contamination or adulteration of commercial GSE preparations with synthetic antimicrobials or preservatives.[18] The preliminary studies for the antimicrobial effect state that the Citricidal brand of GSE was used for testing.[15][16] According to the 2001 GSE study, the Citricidal brand as well as the Nutribiotic brand were both contaminated with synthetic benzethonium chloride that was implausible to be made from grapefruit seeds.[3] Another in vitro study claimed GSE had antibacterial properties.[17] As with the branded in vitro test[15][16] this extract was contaminated.[3] The ethanolic extract tested had become contaminated with ethanol, a chemical used in the extraction process.[17] Ethanol, also known as ethyl alcohol, is effective in inhibiting bacteria.[19] Nevertheless, as a result of marketing by manufacturers in the health food arena and a few misinterpreted studies conducted in vitro that tested contaminated extracts which were not pure GSE processed without solvents or brands which are known to contain preservatives, the controversy over the effectiveness of GSE continues even when studies conclude – self-made pure GSE has no natural antimicrobial properties and commercial GSE has been identified with contamination from synthetic preservatives.[1][3][13][18][20]
Independent studies have shown that commercial preparations contain the compound benzalkonium chloride, which is a synthetic antimicrobial commonly used in disinfectants and cleaning products, the related compound benzethonium chloride, the antibiotic triclosan, or the preservative methylparaben.[1][13][20] Some samples were shown to contain up to 22% benzalkonium chloride by weight, despite the known allergenicity[21] and toxicity[22] of the compound at higher doses.[13] These chemicals were not present in grapefruit seed extracts prepared in the laboratory, and GSE preparations without the contaminants were found to possess no significant antimicrobial effect.[1] Although citrus seed extract is sold in health food markets,[13] there is no good evidence for any natural antimicrobial activity.[1][14]
A study that examined the antiviral properties of GSE found that GSE had no efficacy as a disinfectant for feline calicivirus and feline parvovirus.[23] Grapefruit seed extract has been advocated to be a powerful antimicrobial with proven activity against bacteria and fungi. However, independent studies have shown the efficacy of grapefruit seed extract as an antimicrobial is not demonstrated. Although citrus seed extract is claimed to be a highly effective plant-based preservative by some natural personal care manufacturers, studies asserted that the universal antimicrobial benefits associated with GSE are merely from the presence of synthetic preservatives. Natural GSE has no antimicrobial properties.[1][18] Newer studies found commercial grapefruit seed extracts contaminated with synthetic preservatives such as benzethonium chloride.[4][5][6]
....Some consumers believe this extract is an effective natural preservative even though multiple scientific studies have concluded that the universal antimicrobial activity is merely from contamination with synthetic antimicrobials.[1][3][13][18][20][38]
References
1. von Woedtke T, Schluter B, Pflegel P, Lindequist U, Julich WD. Aspects of the antimicrobial efficacy of grapefruit seed extract and its relation to preservative substances contained. Pharmazie 1999 54:452–456. Abstract
3. Takeoka G, Dao L, Wong RY, Lundin R, Mahoney N. Identification of benzethonium chloride in commercial grapefruit seed extracts. J Agric Food Chem. 2001 49(7):3316–20. Abstract
4. Avula B, Dentali S, Khan IA, M.A., Simultaneous identification and quantification by liquid chromatography of benzethonium chloride, methyl paraben and triclosan in commercial products labeled as grapefruit seed extract. Pharmazie. 2007 62(8):593–6. Abstract
5. Sugimoto N, Tada A, Kuroyanagi M, Yoneda Y, Yun YS, Kunugi A, Sato K, Yamazaki T, Tanamoto K, Survey of synthetic disinfectants in grapefruit seed extract and its compounded products. Shokuhin Eiseigaku Zasshi. 2008 49(1):56–62. Abstract
6. Bekiroglu S, Myrberg O, Ostman K, Ek M, Arvidsson T, Rundlöf T, Hakkarainen B, Validation of a quantitative NMR method for suspected counterfeit products exemplified on determination of benzethonium chloride in grapefruit seed extracts. J Pharm Biomed Anal. 2008 47(4-5):958–961. Abstract
13. Takeoka GR, Dao LT, Wong RY, Harden LA. Identification of benzalkonium chloride in commercial grapefruit seed extracts. J Agric Food Chem. 2005 53(19):7630–6. Abstract
14. Todd Caldecott. Grapefruit seed extract antibiotic activity is due to preservative compounds. Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients. 2005. Article
15. Reagor L, Gusman J, McCoy L, Carino E, Heggers JP. The effectiveness of processed grapefruit-seed extract as an antibacterial agent: I. An in vitro agar assay. J Altern Complement Med. 2002 Jun;8(3):325-32. Abstract
16. Heggers JP, Cottingham J, Gusman J, Reagor L, McCoy L, Carino E, Cox R, Zhao JG. The effectiveness of processed grapefruit-seed extract as an antibacterial agent: II. Mechanism of action and in vitro toxicity. J Altern Complement Med. 2002 Aug;8(4):521. Reagor Lana, corrected to Reagor Lee. Abstract
17. Cvetnic Z, Vladimir-Knezevic S. Antimicrobial activity of grapefruit seed and pulp ethanolic extract. Acta Pharm. 2004 Sep;54(3):243-5. Abstract
18. Ganzera M, Aberham A, Stuppner H. Development and validation of an HPLC/UV/MS method for simultaneous determination of 18 preservatives in grapefruit seed extract. Institute of Pharmacy, University of Innsbruck, Innrain 52, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria. J Agric Food Chem. 2006 May 31;54(11):3768-72. Abstract
19. Kampf G, Kramer A. Epidemiologic background of hand hygiene and evaluation of the most important agents for scrubs and rubs. Bode Chemie GmbH & Co., Scientific Affairs, Melanchthonstrasse 27, 22525 Hamburg, Germany. Clin Microbiol Rev. 2004 Oct;17(4):863-93. Abstract
20. Sakamoto S, Sato K, Maitani T, Yamada T. Analysis of components in natural food additive “grapefruit seed extract” by HPLC and LC/MS. Bull. Natl. Inst. Health Sci. 1996, 114:38–42. Abstract
21. Chiambaretta F, Pouliquen P, Rigal D. Allergy and preservatives. Apropos of 3 cases of allergy to benzalkonium chloride. J Fr Ophtalmol. 1997;20(1):8-16. Abstract
22. Liu H, Routley I, Teichmann KD. Toxic endothelial cell destruction from intraocular benzalkonium chloride. J Cataract Refract Surg. 2001 Nov;27(11):1746-50. Comment in: J Cataract Refract Surg. 2003 Feb;29(2):233. Abstract
23. Eleraky, N.Z., Potgieter, L.N., Kennedy, M.A. Virucidal efficacy of four new disinfectants. J Am Anim Hosp Assoc. 2002 38(3):231–4. Abstract
38. Brandin H, Myrberg O, Rundlöf T, Arvidsson AK, Brenning G. Adverse effects by artificial grapefruit seed extract products in patients on warfarin therapy. Eur J Clin Pharmacol. 2007 Jun;63(6):565-70. Abstract
Retraining your brain to see natural imperfections as beautiful, healthy, and appetizing
Think of the shampoo or conditioner you used while growing up. Those beautiful pearlescent colors, perfectly creamy textures, and strong, lingering scents. Over the past 50 or so years we have been conditioned to see those textures and colors as the embodiment of purity and cleanliness. Better yet, if something is clear in color, it seems as if there could be nothing unhealthy in it--it is akin to our most precious and pure resource, water. It is not by chance that we have been easily schooled in this way, our evolutionary heritage has indeed benefited from people that selected the best (disease free and freshest) fruits and vegetables. These would have been healthier to eat and thus have carried a selective advantage against poorer quality fruits and vegetables, giving the person that chose them a selective advantage in terms of nutrition for themselves and their children.
For organic growers, buyers, distributors and manufacturers of fruits, vegetables, foods, natural body care products, etc., there is a perception that we must strive to meet these unattainable ideals of perfection that have been brought about through the use of synthetic chemicals, pesticides and fertilizers. We have fallen prey to the unattainable ideals of consumers who don't realize that the true content of their foods and products aren't reflected in the synthetic colors, flavors or textures but in their unknown and possibly synergistic effects on our bodies and our environment. As suppliers and purveyors of natural products, we have a responsibility to educate our consumers about the practices and ingredients we choose to use and more importantly why we choose to use them. In doing this, we are beginning to change the perception of purity from something that is artificially free of blemishes (or the proverbial warts) into something that is appreciated especially because of its authentic look, taste, and feel (warts and all).
With our natural products we strive to use ingredients that have been grown organically, sustainably, and where necessary (such as with ingredients that can only be grown in poorer countries) we prefer to use fair trade ingredients. Protecting environments and the local peoples that survive in them are just as important to us as making sure that the ingredients we use are going to be healthy for your skin and good for your body. Your business is an indication that we are meeting our goals and we appreciate you and your commitment to living a healthier life!
Over time, I plan to post information on the ingredients that we have chosen for our products and why we use them. I also plan to have some blogs about our suppliers. I'd like you to meet our local bee keeper and others that make our products special! If you ever have a question about an ingredient, don't hesitate to contact us and we'll do our best to get you the information you need.
Does pH matter?
Recent research in dermatological journals indicates that it does. Your skin has a naturally acidic layer called the acid mantle that is an important protective barrier from bacteria and other environmental pathogens. Bar soaps (both handmade and commercially made) are more basic due to the necessity of a strong base (lye) to cause the reaction that forms soap. This higher pH can temporarily disrupt the acid mantle. So, what can you do to keep your skin's acid mantle intact? Do you turn back to the liquid commercial cleansers with unwanted chemicals in order to obtain a more neutral pH? Are there natural remedies to continue using organic bar soaps while keeping the acid mantle of your skin healthy?
Do not go back to the chemical filled products just because they are pH balanced. Balanced pH is only one of many things to consider when purchasing body care products. With the recent surge in patches and transdermal creams that bypass the digestive system as conduits for medicating internal problems, it is obvious that your skin is a gateway to your entire body. There are more natural remedies to this problem. One very simpe, very inexpensive option... organic vinegar. That's right, just a mist of plain, white, organic vinegar or any other natural product that has an acidic ingredient such as citric acid (naturally derived from fruits), lemon juice, vinegar, alcohol, etc. This helps keep your skin in the acidic pH range. If you use facial toners, these usually have an acidic ingredient so don't mist your face with vinegar if you use a toner already. Just lightly mist your body after you bathe or shower and you are good to go!
Soaps made with goats milk are another option. Milk has a slightly acidic pH which can bring the pH of a bar soap down to be more balanced with the skin's natural pH.
One caveat, everyone is different. Try using the acidic mist. If you don't notice a difference in the health of your skin you may not need it as much as another person. That is the great thing about the human condition, we are all unique!
So, if pH is important for my skin, how does it affect my hair? As long as the chemicals in a shampoo or conditioner are not corrosive, your hair can handle a higher and lower pH and playing with this factor can be a great way to cheat your genetic makeup. If you have thick hair you might want to use a shampoo and conditioner that are more acidic. If you have very thin, limp hair, choosing a shampoo and conditioner that are more basic can give more volume. Why? The surface of each hair is covered with small "scales". A more acidic pH causes these "scales" to lay flat. A more basic pH causes these "scales" to stand out (like a fluffed up porcupine).
Again, just play around with different combinations until you find one that works for you. I prefer to use goat's milk shampoo on my hair because the acidic properties of the milk bring the pH down and I naturally have very thick, unruly hair. This makes my hair lay flatter and makes it more manageable. My husband on the other hand, likes the shampoo bars with no goats milk (more basic), because he has very fine hair and it gives it some volume.
We welcome your comments, suggestions, and questions!
Welcome to the Essentially Naked Candle Company blog!
Hello and welcome to our new blog!
Feel free to leave us feedback on our products and tell us what you would like to see from us in the future!
We hope that the information contained in this blog will be useful to you while at the same time allowing us to get to know our customers better.
We are excited to hear from you!
Lance and Marsha Williams
