May Angel Star » Giveaways

What’s Hazardous for your Health + Giveaway

Veronica — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 15:42:38 +0000

I went to one of those home party’s, you know what they are. The invitation you get from your friend that makes you cringe. The party you can’t miss because she’s your BFF and she’ll kill you if you don’t show. Purchasing something out of guilt is what friendship is all about right?

This party was different.

I walked away feeling disgusted with my lack of knowledge and my shared public ignorance.

A small ember of glowing light flickered to life inside me, by the end of the week my mind was a towering inferno of swirling information and fiery wisps of anger.

I was so worked up I decided, after conferring with my husband, that I needed to be in a place to share this message with others and offer them a solution.

I became a direct sales consultant.

What message could make me, an introvert at heart, go into direct sales?

In 2008, at the age of 14, Ava Anderson saw a report on hazardous chemicals in the blood of teenagers that directly reflected the products they were using on their skin. The study had been conducted by the Environmental Working Group (EWG). She researched products on the Cosmetics Database created by the EWG and began removing all harmful products from her parents and grandparents homes, much to their chagrin. They wanted replacements, and with a lot of research Ava could not find a full line of products that had a “0″ hazard score out of the 0-10 scale used on the Cosmetics Database.

Trying to find safe products had become a full time job and she was becoming angry that so many products claimed to be natural and safe but were actually toxic. After 8 months, with the help of her family, she came to the conclusion that she needed to make a fully non-toxic line of skincare, with the promise that if any ingredient ever becomes more than a “0″ that product will be reformulated.

They felt the best way to get out the important health message of the products was to do direct sales instead of having items sitting on shelves of a store and I couldn’t agree more. Ava Anderson Non-Toxic is the first full line of non-toxic skin care.

A few tidbits of information:

Europe bans 1,342 toxic chemicals from personal care products. US bans just 9!

Manufacturers must clean up their products for European distribution, but leave the toxic chemicals in for US…. because no one is stopping them.

The FDA has no oversight. The people who “oversee” personal care products are a committee of executives from the biggest personal care product companies themselves. The committee makes their own rules and posts them as “guidelines.” Adhering to them is optional.

According to Dr. Samuel Epstein, Former Head of the Cancer Prevention Coalition, and author of TOXIC BEAUTY, “It is more dangerous to put a product on your skin than to eat it.”

Our skin is our largest organ.

What we eat gets detoxified by our bodies. When chemicals are put on the skin, they do reach the bloodstream. Think of trans-dermal medicinal patch drug delivery systems, like a nicotine patch, estrogen patch or seasickness patch.

Adults have, on average, 485 chemicals in their blood. The average woman is exposed to approximately 250+chemicals each morning. (EWG, Environmental Working group)

Disease in this country is up way beyond genetic incidence! Environmental toxins are being blamed, and they are everywhere in our environment. We can’t control genetics….we can’t control the air … but we can certainly control what we eat and drink and what gets to our blood stream directly by what we put on our skin.

Manufacturers can legally hide hundreds of toxic chemicals in the word FRAGRANCE without listing them on the ingredient label. They call it a “trade secret.” The Environmental Working Group has randomly tested products off the shelf and found “phthalates” in more than 72% of the products tested, yet not listed on a single bottle. (EWG)

Studies link phthalates to cancer, autism, ADHD, infertility and more. (Dr. Philip Landrigan, Mt Sinai) In 100% of scientific studies, phthalates cause genetic mutations.

Other red flags and blaring sirens you can find on your ingredients list: Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, anything starting with PEG, or ending in –ETH or paraben

Getting to know your product labels with the support of the Cosmetics Database will help empower you to make healthier decisions.

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As soon as I got home from my friend’s party I checked the products I was using against the Cosmetics Database and saw that they were moderate to high on the scale.

As were my kids. I was poisoning my own children. Now if you are a mom, you know one thing, you do whatever you can to protect your children. I was angry that I assumed buying kids products meant that they were non-hazardous. The last thing I want is to be pumping hormone disrupting chemicals into my childrens blood!

I did the same with my Mom, one of her products, a simple face wash made by Equate was immediately thrown in the trash! She promptly ordered the skincare line and the hand and body lotions.

I am in the process of replacing all of our health and beauty products with Ava Anderson Non-Toxic.

Pictured above: Eye-Makeup Remover, Toner, Cleanser, Sugar Lip Scrub, Moisturizer, Exfoliator

Pictured above: Shampoo, Conditioner, Hand and Body Lotion, Shower Gel, Moisturizing Hand Soap, Moisturizing Hand Soap Refill, Lip Balm

They also have make-up featuring lip glosses, lipsticks, blush and foundation.

Not only are these products non-toxic, they are fabulous products that really work and smell great!

Check your products against the Cosmetics Database and see for yourself.

I think you might be surprised by what you find, especially in the products you use on your children on a daily basis.

You just might become as angry as I have and decide to do something about it.

If you want to replace your hazardous products or even become a consultant email me at veronica@mayangelstar.com or go to my site Ava Anderson Non-Toxic

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Give Away:

8 oz. Hand and Body Lotion ($14.95 value)

Our Hand & Body Lotion is formulated to go beyond what typical lotions are designed to do. Most lotions on the market create an immediate appearance of hydration and softness. Yet the majority contain ingredients that actually dehydrate the skin when used on a regular, long-term basis. The result of these formulas is best described as an intentional dependence…the more consumers use them, the more they seem to “need” them. Ava’s Hand & Body Lotion delivers genuine, meaningful hydration and moisturization to the skin. You will notice an improvement immediately and even more improvement over time. Our Lotion is safe & nourishing for the skin, and free of the toxins, irritants & harsh chemicals that could cause damage to the health of the body as a whole (and the environment, too).

INGREDIENTS: organic aloe vera gel, behentrimonium methosulfate, organic coconut oil, organic apricot kernel oil, organic olive oil, organic sweet almond oil, organic shea butter, avena sativa (oat) kernel flour, allantoin, geogard ultra, potassium polysorbate, organic sweet orange essential oil, organic citrus lemon essential oil, organic pomegranate oil.

Required Entry:
1. Visit the Cosmetics Database and leave a comment with the toxicity level of one of your current skin care products. Please leave an email address or way to contact you if you win.

Bonus Entries:

2. Visit Ava Anderson Non-Toxic and post a comment with your favorite item.

3. Make a purchase from my Ava Anderson site post a comment stating you did.

4. Follow me on twitter and use the tweet below or make up your own as long as it has @mayangelstar and the link about this giveaway and leave a comment.

Find out what’s hazardous to your health and win an Ava Anderson Hand and Body Lotion via @mayangelstar http://bit.ly/fnOH6a #giveaway

5. Blog about the giveaway and leave another comment with the link to the post.

This contest will end on Monday April 4th, 2011 at 10:00 pm, eastern time. I will use random.org to select the winners and contact them. (If winners do not respond in 48 hours, I will pick another.) U.S. entries only. Good luck and thanks for entering!

Valentine’s Giveaway Winner!

Veronica — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 04:54:56 +0000

The randomly picked winner of the

Fireproof DVD and The Love Dare Book

giveaway is:

Sara L.

Congratulations!

I have sent you an email, please get back to me with your address!

For those that didn’t win and haven’t yet seen the film, please do check it out. It might just change the way you look at your marriage!

Happy Valentine’s Day (It’s a giveaway)!

Veronica — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 17:24:47 +0000

Brian and I already exchanged gifts this morning.

I was too excited to wait until tonight. I got Brian a card of course, but I actually wrote something inside besides my name, he was impressed! The movie Facing the Giants, a coupon for an extra long back rub, a giant Reese’s peanut butter heart, and a Valentine’s themed nightie (for ME to wear!)

Brian got me a card, which he wrote in, he’s a writer and always writes something extra! The movie Fireproof and a box of chocolates.

I need to decide on dinner. Brian said we could go out with the kids or eat in take-out after the kids are in bed. I think I want to order in, maybe Chinese food. I’m really in the mood for some pot stickers and spring rolls. Plus, I’m thinking Reese’s blizzards for dessert while we snuggle up together and watch a movie. And of course, sometime in the evening I will have to model his V-Day gift, (wink, wink, nod, nod)!

In honor of Valentine’s Day

I present to you the following giveaway!

Fireproof DVD

Kirk Cameron stars as Caleb Holt, a heroic fire captain who values dedication and service to others above all else. But the most important partnership in his life, his marriage, is about to go up in smoke. This gripping story follows one man’s desire to transform his life and marriage through the healing power of faith and fully embrace the fireman’s code:

Never Leave your partner Behind

and

The Love Dare

The Love Dare is a 40-day challenge for husbands and wives to understand and practice unconditional love. Whether your marriage is hanging by a thread or healthy and strong, The Love Dare is a journey you need to take. It’s time to learn the keys to finding true intimacy and developing a dynamic marriage. Take the dare!

1 Corinthians 13:7-8

Love bears all things, believes all things,

hopes all things, endures all things.

Love never fails.

To get a chance to win this giveaway do the following:

Comment with 1 thing you admire about your spouse.

Write about how you spent Valentine’s day with your spouse in your blog and link back to this giveaway somewhere in the post.

(Make sure you write a comment with the link to the post in your blog so I know you get another entry.)

The giveaway closes on Thursday February 19th at 10pm (EST).

The winner will be chosen randomly and announced on Friday!

Have a fantastic Valentine’s Day!

And the winner is (giveaway #1)

Veronica — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 18:22:04 +0000

Rachel of Just Wondering!

Can’t wait to see what color/colors you pick!!!! You know my email address, you can email me your address and as soon as I get the scarf and hat done I will send it your way!

I picked the winner with the BuzzMyBlog.com FREE Contest Winner Picker. It’s an amazing little program!

Thanks to everyone who participated! There will be more giveaways in the future