BIG BAD L'Oreal USA

NEW YORK, July 17 (UPI) -- A former L'Oreal USA employee filed a lawsuit against the cosmetics giant, claiming the company sold products to foreign countries containing banned chemicals.

Former L'Oreal USA regulatory affairs director Jerome Chevallier says he was terminated from his job after going to his superiors to discuss alleged illegal activities at the company, ABC News reported Thursday.

He claims L'Oreal USA sold goods in South America that had carcinogenic chemicals in them. He also said workers erased certain formulas from electronic documents to elude criticism from regulators.

L'Oreal is also accused of selling goods to European buyers that had banned substances in them.

"All the products marketed by the L'Oreal Group are in full compliance with FDA regulations, as well as the European Union Cosmetic Directive, and the requirements for safety in the more than 130 countries where its products are sold," L'Oreal USA said in a statement.

Chevallier is seeking to get his job back in addition to compensatory and punitive damages, the report said.

© 2008 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Fragrance

What's that smell? Unfortunately, there's no way to know. Fragrance is considered a trade secret, so companies don't have to tell us what's in it – often dozens or even hundreds of synthetic chemical compounds. Almost half the products in Skin Deep contain the generic term "fragrance," from shampoos and deodorants to lotions and shaving creams. Even "unscented" products may contain masking fragrances, which are chemicals used to cover up the odor of other chemicals.  Some hidden hazards that may be lurking in products that contain synthetic fragrance include:  • Allergens: Fragrances are considered to be among the top five known allergens and are known to both cause and trigger asthma attacks.  • Phthalates: Product tests conducted by Consumer Reports ShopSmart magazine in January 2007 found the phthalates DEP and DEHP (which is banned in Europe) in each of eight popular perfumes tested. In 2002, the "Not Too Pretty" report from some of the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics founders revealed phthalates in more than 72 percent of personal care products tested, including fragrance-containing shampoos, deodorants and hair gels. None of the products listed phthalates on the label. Follow-up testing in 2008, published in the report, "A Little Prettier," indicated that some leading companies are now using fewer phthalates than in 2002, though these companies still deny that phthalates may pose a health risk. • Sensitizers: One in every 50 people may suffer immune system damage from fragrance and become sensitized, according to the EU's Scientific Committee on Cosmetic Products and Non-food Products. Once sensitized to an ingredient, a person can remain so for a lifetime, enduring allergic reactions with every subsequent exposure.  • Neurotoxins: As far back as 1986, the U.S. National Academy of Sciences identified fragrance ingredients as one of six categories of neurotoxins (chemicals that are toxic to the brain) that should be thoroughly investigated for impacts on human health. However, this research has not been demanded or funded. The FDA has taken no action on a petition submitted to the agency in 1999 requesting fragrance components to be listed on labels.  What You Can Do  Choose products with no added synthetic fragrance. Look for products without the word fragrance on the label, or choose products that use natural fragrance or essential oils. You can also use theSkin Deep advanced search to look for products with no added fragrance.

WHY NATURAL HANDMADE SOAP ???

Most soap contain chemical additives, and many are made with tallow produced from animal fat. Take a look at the ingredients listed on the soaps you regularly purchase. How many are natural, and what ingredients do you recognize? Can you find out what they do?

Indochine Natural handmade soaps are very different from these chemical soaps. Being handmade from natural vegetable oils, natural glycerin 

is retained which helps restore moisture to your skin while cleaning. Beneficial ingredients such as pure essential plant oils and various herbs are used to produce soap that smells good, is mild on the skin, and leaves your skin clean. Those with sensitive skin will appreciate the mildness of Indochine Natural soaps.

The benefits of using natural handmade soaps include;

-       synthetic chemicals and petrochemicals are not used;

-      eco-friendly as they are made entirely by hand using very little energy;

-   a cold process is used to make the soap, which retains the natural benefits of all ingredients.

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