Friday, September 7, 2007

Marin County craves for Omega 5 oil treats, shouldn't you...


Is what we put on our bodies as important as what we put in them? Mounting research does suggest that seemingly benign chemicals in lotions, lipsticks and shampoos could have harmful, even serious effects on health. Here are some local companies, chosen by Judi Shils of Search for the Cause, that sell safer cosmetics and creams.

As a nutritional healing practitioner, Tzeira Sofer knows the benefits of fresh fruits and natural products. After working with skin care experts in Israel, Sofer started the lines t’Zerah and Pomega5 in downtown San Anselmo. After only a few years, the products became available at Whole Foods, Mollie Stone’s and, if you were lucky enough to be ranked as a celebrity, the gift bags at the 2007 Golden Globe awards.
Graphic Designer Lisa Levin founded Pharmacopia after being diagnosed with the chronic pain condition fibromyalgia. Levin researched natural products to help relieve her symptoms and as a result Pharmacopia was born. The company is now a million-dollar business, offering such products as ginger hand cream, sold at Nancy Koltes and Evo Spa. For a juice-based formula (rather than water based, as most beauty/body care products are), choose Juice Beauty, sold at Sephora and Whole Foods. The Marin-based organic skin-care line uses ingredients like honey, raw cane sugar and ylang ylang from Madagascar.

EO founders Susan and Brad Black started making products with sustainable and organic essential oils in their garage in 1992 and now fill a 15,000-square-foot operation space in Corte Madera.

EO neighbor Stellar Spa is tweaking its five-year-old product line, started by owner Dana Vande Weg, to be mineral based and paraben-free.

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