D2BN Supports...

Last year, I was approached by numerous causes- all very worthy- to donate prizes for their fundraisers. I donated gift packs to numerous schools, community centres, online auctions and charity nights for Mothers Day, Fathers Day, Trivia Nights, Art Shows, Charity Dinners, and to raise awareness for local schools and numerous causes including breast cancer, homeless pregnant women, epilepsy, diabetes and SIDS. I have similiarly been approached this year to give prizes,and I will when & where I can, but have decided to take a more targetted approach and have a main nominated charity.

Sometimes, these donations result in repeat business, and this is a bonus. But, it's not why I donate. I donate because I think everyone who has been blessed should pay that blessing forward.

This year, I have decided that while I will still donate gift packs to other causes from time to time, I am focusing my fundraising efforts on Cranleigh School. Cranleigh School is a school here in Canberra that teaches children, aged 5-12 with disabilities, ranging from mild to severe.

Last year, I donated small prizes that supported their Trivia Night, Peter Blackshaw Charity Dinner (which raised money for the recently installed Liberty Swing), Mothers and Fathers Days  & their annual Art Show.

I am currently making 80 soaps for all the Cranleigh School mums for Mother's Day. The school has paid me for soap materials, and I am donating my time, as well as the extra craft bits & pieces to "pretty them up". I shall post pics when they're complete.

I am attending a meeting tomorrow to discuss this year's Trivia Night, where I intend to donate small "table" prizes, as well as 1 larger prize for the night. I'm not saying this to "big note myself", but to let you know what I'm up to, and also to let you know why sometimes I may be unable to donate to other, equally worthy causes.

I will help where I can, but please be aware that I am a fledgling business, and all $ I make from the business, is fed straight back into the business. There are times when I will not be in a position to donate items, or due to time constraints (I also work 2 part time jobs, and have a family) be unable to contribute.

So, from time to time, I'll be posting pics & posts of Cranleigh donations. I hope you like them- all other donation requests should cone to me via email, rather than via FB wall posts or Blog Comments: cid@dare2bnatural.com.au

Parabens

Why does D2BN avoid the use of parabens?

From Wikipedia:

"Parabens are a class of chemicals widely used as preservatives  Parabens are effective preservatives in many types of formulas. These compounds, and their salts, are used primarily for their bactericidal and fungicidal properties. They can be found in shampoos, commercial moisturizers, shaving gels, personal lubricants, topical/parenteral pharmaceuticals, spray tanning solution, makeup, and toothpaste. Their efficacy as preservatives, in combination with their low cost, the long history of their use, probably explains why parabens are so commonplace. They are becoming increasingly controversial, however, because they have been found in extremely low concentrations in breast cancer No causal link between parabens and cancer has been established, however."

Because parabens have been proven to penetrate the skin and can be traced in the blood for some time after application, it is theorized that they may have adverse effects on the body. One study found parabens present in the breast tissue of 18 out of the 20 breast cancer patients that participated in that study.

Please note there there are studies on both sides of the argument:  parabens are bad and parabens are ok. But since there have been studies that say there may be cause for concern, I have chosen to take the precautionary route and not use products containing them if I can help it, and use natural alternatives when and where possible.

According to some organic cosmetic manufacturers, parabens are actually unnecessary, as products made from high quality organic ingredients may be shelf-stable for approximately two to three years. I always recommend that D2BN customers use their products within 12 months of opening. Balms are best kept in the fridge during particularly hot weather (I always keep my balms in the fridge, then I know where they are! Except for my sleep balm, which I keep in the drawer next to me bed). I also keep all my perfumes and sprays in the fridge, rather than in the bath room- the heat & humidity in bathrooms can cause you to lose a third of each bottle to evaporation.

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Gift bundles

One of my very favourite things to do with D2BN products, is make gift bundles. It really gets my creative juices flowing.

Sometimes, a customer's request will be very specific, telling me exactly which products & fragrances they'd like me to bundle together. Other customers less specific- only telling me their budget and leaving the rest to me. One lovely customer's husband will text me "$xx, birthday, date- you know what she wants" and leaves it to me to put together something for his wife.

I have been asked to make the usual occasion gift bundles- birthdays, Mother's Day, Christmas etc, and also for some unusual occassions- meeting interstate family for the first time; Aussie packs to give overseas visitors;  my favourite being the "Congratulations on dumping the jerk!", closely followed by "Need an emergency gift for the feral neice"

I often make gift bundles to donate to schools, fetes, raffles, charity auctions and the like. I sometimes use this as an opportunity to have a play or experiment with something I haven't tried before, even if it's just new packaging or something.

Baby bundles are common. At one stage a few years ago, I had two customers (unknown to each other) order a bundle for a co-worker who was about to have twin boys. The two customers worked in two different places, but Canberra being as small as it is, I wondered- what are the odds? I checked with the customers, and sure enough, same couple, so I was able to make up two very different bundles. And the Mums of those two boys still buy my goats milk soap for their sons.

Sometimes people just want a small token gift for a pregnant co-worker or friend of the family, or something much more extravagant. I was recently asked to make a baby bundle for a family member about to have her 6th child and who "must have everything by now!", so my customer was looking for something a tiny bit different.

 I thought this would be a good opportunity to put together some "Green Sheep" gift packs. Jenni, Emma and some others had suggested my doing this a few times, so it was finally time for me to get to it. My "Green Sheep" gift bundles contain a "Where is the Green Sheep?" board book, a Goats Milk Soap, and a Tommy Tippee novelty bottle with a green sheep design- BPA free, of course! This went down so well with the receiver, I have put one aside for my gorgeous sister in law who is about to have baby number 8.

So far, I have to say my favourite type of gift bundling has been for weddings. My cousin, Kerrie, was married last year and asked me to make small wedding favours for all her guests (left) as well as thankyous for her bridesmaids, groomsmen, celebrant and organiser. That was so much fun! I branched out a bit into candles for that one. Another cousin is getting married next year, so I hope to be able to another wedding then.

So, if you're ever stuck, please don't hesitate to call! I may just be able to whip up the perfect, unique gift for whatever occasion you might like to celebrate.

Why should we avoid sulphates?

Is the use of sulphates in bath products actually dangerous, or has this ingredient received a bad rap? Most brands of bath products (body wash, shampoo- anything that bubbles, really) include this ingredient. The reason it's used, is because it is an inexpensive detergent and makes mixtures foam well. It bubbles, and it cleans- all good, right? Not necessarily.....

What Science Says About Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS)

In its report on the safety of sodium lauryl sulfate, the Journal of the American College of Toxicology notes that this ingredient has a "degenerative effect on the cell membranes because of its protein denaturing properties." What's more, the journal adds, "high levels of skin penetration may occur at even low use concentration." The publication expressed additional concerns:

• Carcinogenic nitrosamines can form in the manufacturing of sodium lauryl sulfate or by its inter-reaction with other nitrogen-bearing ingredients within a formulation utilizing this ingredient. the hair follicle could result from such deposition.
• Other studies have indicated that sodium lauryl sulfate enters and maintains residual levels in the heart, liver, lungs and brain from skin contact. This poses the question whether it could be a serious potential health threat from its use in shampoos, cleansers, and toothpastes.
• Still other research has indicated sodium lauryl sulfate may be damaging to the immune system, especially within the skin. Skin layers may separate and inflame due to its protein denaturing properties.
• Although sodium lauryl sulfate is not carcinogenic in experimental studies, it has been shown that it causes severe epidermal changes in the area it is applied, indicating a need for tumor-enhancing assays.
• Additional studies have found that sodium lauryl sulfate is heavily deposited on the skin surface and in the hair follicles. Damage to

- Final report on the safety assessment of sodium lauryl sulfate." Journal of the American College of Toxicology; 1983.

Don't panic, it is widely recognised that it appears to be safe to use products containing sulphates, briefly, followed by thorough rinsing from the surface of the skin, which we tend to do with shampoos, and body wash, though not bubble bath.

Often, people with eczema, dermititis and other skin conditions are advised to avoid sulphates, as their irritant nature tends to exacerbate these conditions.

If products do not contain Sulphates, can they still clean?

Of course they can! While sulphates are really good cleaners (think engine degreaser ) they are not the only cleaner found in bath products. Common replacements for Citric Acid, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate and Sodium Laureth Sulfate are carboxylate, also known as Sodium Cocoyl Sarcosinate and Laruyl Sulfoacetate Sodium, a sulfonate. These ingredients are derived from plants and are of a very high quality and are very mild to human skin and eyes. So, products containing these ingredients may cost a little more, but are milder and clean just as well.