Holistic Health

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

"WHAT ARE PARABENS AND DO YOUR PRODUCTS CONTAIN THEM? “

The National Organic Program in the UK and USA prohibits chemical prese rvatives in products that are labeled"organic." So why are we finding chemical preservatives such as Methyl, Propyl, Butyl and Ethyl Paraben in personal care products labeled “natural and organic?" These chemical preservatives mimic your body's own hormones when they are rubbed into your body or washed down the drain or end up through recycling processes in your drinking water. They disrupt your body's endocrine system: your hypothalamus, your ovaries, your thyroid - virtually every system in your body.

At The Victorian Garden, we choose not to use any Paraben preservative and you will not find any in our products .   Paraben preservatives are masters at masking any problems in a product.  They not only preserve brilliantly but they cover up any other nasties, so if the product does go off, the customer would be none the wiser. 

 

"HOW DO YOU PRESERVE YOUR PRODUCTS ?”

As we've already mentioned, we do not use the Paraben preservative system used by most cosmetic companies.

Instead we use two Natural Preservatives

• Pentane-1. We have used this ingredient before in its old formulation but it has now been reformulated as a Natural Preservative and is used in our CREAM AND LOTION products
• Geogard Ultra It is non GMO. It is used in our WASH OFF / SHAMPOOS/ HAND WASH products.

Both preservative systems are multifunctional specialty additives for cosmetics and toiletries. They are accepted by Organic Certification bodies as Natural Preservatives. (Click here for more info:

Do you know that some organic products are "self-preserving?” Examples of this type of product would be Body Oils, Body Lotions, Lip Balm, Shower Gels, Moisturizers and Hand Made Soaps. Examples of self-preserved products that you might have at home would be honey, nut butter, wine, olive oil, sugar, vinegar and raisins - they need no preservatives or refrigeration. An ingredient or product may be self-preserving if it is not conducive to bacterial growth due to its basic or acidic nature, or because it contains no water. Our facial cleansers, facial moisturizing creams and body lotions are products that use specific herbal extracts, plant waxes, beeswax and essential oils, chosen for their natural preservative properties and these are used in addition to our two new natural preservative systems as mentioned above.

 

"DO YOU USE BOTANICAL OR MINERAL OILS?"

When choosing skin care products that are suited to your skin type, it is important to first understand the difference between botanical and mineral oils. Botanical oils are derived from plants and include oils such as sweet almond, grape-seed and olive oils. The molecular structure of these oils is such that it can penetrate the skin and moisturize deeply. Mineral oils, on the other hand, are by-products of the process to produce petroleum and include petroleum jelly, technical oil and paraffin waxes. As by products of the petro chemical industry, they also carry potential health hazards because 60% of whatever you put onto your skin is absorbed into your bloodstream. Mineral oils are much cheaper to produce and form the basis of most commercial moisturizers.

 

"DO YOUR CREAMS AND LOTIONS HAVE A SUNSCREEN? "

Yes the cream and lotion products all contain ingredients which are natural sun screens, particularly waxes (e.g. beeswax) which deflect the sun's rays and some vegetable oils have natural deflective properties. However, they are only around SPF 6 which does not offer enough protection from the dangerous rays of the sun especially in hot countries like South Africa. During our Victorian Garden presentations to the public, we do bring this subject to the fore in order that people may have a better understanding and will then be able to make an informed decision. 

We have researched the subject very thoroughly and have concluded that no sunscreens are safe. They give users a false sense of security because although they do protect against and prevent sunburn, they can do nothing to prevent skin cancer or premature aging of the skin. It is frightening to note that both chemical sunscreens (methoxycinnamate, padimate-o and the like) and physical sunblocks (Titanium Dioxide and Zinc Oxide) generate free radicals when exposed to the sun's rays, which can attack the nuclei of your skin cells and can cause mutations. Yes, that's right - they can actually cause skin cancer And that's not all - sunscreen chemicals passing through the dermis (the skin's upper layer) and mimic the effects of estrogen (the female hormone), and this can disrupt the body's natural hormones so they become out of balance.

Titanium dioxide is used extensively as a new treatment to coat windows especially in office blocks, as it is has the exceptional ability to attack and degrade anything that touches it, so office windows can be kept pristine clean. The subject is certainly a “hot potato” and we reiterate that we won't be making a sunscreen product in the foreseeable future at least not until suitable organic ingredients become available. It is true that we could easily make a sun lotion with beautiful organic ingredients combined with Titanium Dioxide and Zinc Oxide, but it would not be ethical for us to do so as our philosophy is to use only organic or natural ingredients.

We suggest that you do your best to avoid the sun especially in this wonderful country of ours where we live under permanent blue skies and hot sun – South Africa . Choose loose fitting clothing when it is hot combined with large straw hats to keep the sun off your face and neck (the quickest areas to age) and long sleeves where possible.

 

Q - Are your products Vegan friendly?

A -  Yes, the majority of our products are Vegan Friendly.   None contain animal derived ingredients and no ingredients or finished products are ever tested on Animals.  We are proud members of Beauty Without Cruelty International and are on their White List of recommended products, one of only a few companies to achieve that privileged status.  However, we do use organic yellow beeswax in some cream and lotion products, which is sustainably produced in Kwa Zulu Natal, South Africa.  In spite of our research, we have not found any natural plant waxes which offer the same outstanding properties as beeswax.  The beekeepers from whom we purchase our beeswax are dedicated and committed people who love their bees and care for them in every way possible.  The bees are kept healthy and calm at all times. Responsible and caring apiarists (bee keepers) play a vital role in agriculture as so many thousands of bees have been exterminated through the use of chemical pesticides.

We have many Vegan customers who purchase  our products and there are plenty of product choices  from within our three product collections which do not contain Honey, Beeswax or Propolis (theby products of the beehive).  All products which are Vegan Friendly are marked on our pricelists and on our website pricelists, with a V.

 

Q - How is the beeswax taken from the bee hive, in order not to upset the bees and does this have any unpleasant effect on the bees and their hive?

A - Beeswax is collected from different areas in the hive:

1. Cappings -when removing the frames, the honey cells are sealed with a wax capping. This is removed before the honey can be extracted.

2. Broken comb – when extraction is done some combs will break and this wax is then harvested

3. Top bar harvesting – when top bars are used, the honey is extracted with a press which yields a great amount of wax

4. Burr comb – when combs are built in cross sections or in the wrong place which could stress the bees, then the wax is removed

5. Pest invasion – with conditions like the Capensis problem, the invader bees (which kill the indigenous bees in order to take over their home)  have to be destroyed and so are euthanized and the combs melted to render wax which is returned to hives as wax foundation sheets for the indigenous bees to build upon

 

Q - DO YOU USE GRAPEFRUIT SEED EXTRACT TO PRESERVE YOUR PRODUCTS?

A – No. The Swiss Toxicological Information Center of Basel, Switzerland, reports that “Grapefruit seed extracts contain benzethonium chloride in concentrations of 7-11% represent a major health risk if larger amounts of a concentrated solution are ingested (i.e. by mouth). Exposure of the skin or the eye may cause toxic symptoms. The Swiss Toxicological Information Center discourages consumers from administration of these extracts of these extracts unless it is known which of them are containing benzethonium chloride and what the concentrations are. However you choose to look at the situation, grapefruit seed extract IS still, undisputably, a synthetic compound, and it is NOT approved as a preservative for organic foods. Because it is distributed by several different companies to hundreds of manufacturers, how do you know what is in the grapefruit seed extract that is in so many of your "natural" and "organic" body care products? The answer is that no-one can be sure what GSE is bound with but what is known is that GSE alone cannot preserve any skincare product effectively for more than a few days. (For full report click here)

 

The decision is yours

Our products are made with love and care by our team of experienced bio chemists well versed in the art of creating Natural and Organic skincare products to international standards.   We are registered with the *CTFA of South Africa (Cosmetic Toiletries and Fragrance Association and The Allied Health Professions Council of South Africa, Our products are approved by Beauty Without Cruelty.
*Note: The Cosmetic, Toiletry & Fragrance Association of South Africa is the industry's voice committed to maintaining the high quality and safety of cosmetic products. The CTFA guides members on the Self-regulatory Codes of Practice & Standards to ensure that the South African cosmetic industry flourishes.

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