Sustainability: What chemicals to watch out for in women's wellness products
AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Deodorant, body wash, shampoo, moisturizer... these are just some of the products that could contain harmful dyes and chlorines that are not only detrimental to our health, but the planet's health as well.
Meteorologist Kristen Currie spoke with Mia Abbruzzese, Co-founder and CO-CEO of Attn:Grace, a women's health and wellness company, about to be on the lookout for when it comes to healthy, sustainable products.
Abbruzzese says the key is to pay attention to where these products are coming from, what's inside them, and where the product goes after. Are the products made from local ingredients? Can the bottle be recycled? Can the leftovers be reused?
Below is a full transcript of their discussion. Edits have been made for clarity.
Kristen Currie, KXAN News: We are talking about the importance of sustainability and being eco-friendly with women's health and wellness. So joining me today to discuss that is Mia Abbruzzese - let's jump into what we're doing and why this is so important.
Mia Abbruzzese, Attn: Grace: Sustainability is an important part of our everyday life now. I mean, it involves everything. We now compost in my house, I've taught the kids all about the importance of recycling and being kind to the planet. So it's something that we do as a family, and that my employees all do as a group together.
Currie: Are there certain things that we need to be thinking about as women and just in general, when it comes to health and wellness, and making sure we know that it's good for us and good for the planet?
Abbruzzese: It's so important that the products that we put against our skin in our bodies are more sustainable, are healthier, and don't contain any of the toxins and chemicals that a lot of the conventional products do.
In the products that we make, we've gotten rid of our chlorine bleach. We've gotten rid of all the dyes. And then we've created a top sheet against your skin in our incontinence products that is plant-based, and it's derived from sugarcane waste. It's a lot softer and gentler on your skin.
Currie: The never list. What is the never list?
Abbruzzese: Oh, gosh, yeah, the never list. These are chemicals that the European countries have banned in their products. They were the first to sort of make that "never list", and then Beauty Counter coined that phrase after. And so we've taken some cues from them, and we use that as sort of the starting point. We also work with E.W.G, the Environmental Working Group, and have some buffer deodorants that are approved by them.
Currie: Mia, thank you so much for joining us today.
Abbruzzese: Oh, thanks for having me, Kristen. I really appreciate it.
Fore more information on sustainable products and Attn: Grace, click here.
Chemicals to avoid
According to the National Institutes of Health, part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, chemicals to avoid in skin products include phthalates, parabens, PFAS, and triclosan. These chemicals are known to interfere with hormones.
Click here for the Center of Disease Control's "Paraben Factsheet."
IN-DEPTH: Other than color additives, cosmetic products and ingredients do not have to have FDA approval before they go on the market.