Courts make ruling on Dr. Bronner’s organic lawsuit

By Simon Pitman, 16-Dec-2009

California courts have upheld certain motions by the defending cosmetics companies in the amended federal lawsuit bought by Dr. Bronner’s that.

The judge chose to grant the motions filed by the defendents to dismiss for lack of subject-matter and failure to state a claim in favor of the defendants, headed by the Hains Celestial Group.

However, the California judgment deemed that Dr. Bronner’s motion to dismiss a counter claim filed by Ecocert, which certifies some of the beauty products in question, was granted.
Nevertheless, both Ecocert and Dr. Bronner’s have been given 30 days to amend their pleadings as the court deemed certain defects in the proceedings could be rectified through amendment.

The court ordered that any amendment plea should be filed by 13th January, 2010, while a case management conference is scheduled for February 12th.

Ongoing saga dating back to April 2008

The lawsuit was first filed back in April 2008 under the plaintiff name All One God Faith, doing business as Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soaps, under the premise that its complicity to strict FDA regulations governing organic beauty products was not being met by its competitors.

Dr. Bronner’s claims that many of the leading organic beauty brands are not complying with the standards enforced by the FDA, in turn not complying with consumer expectations as to the definition of an organic certified product.

The natural soaps company originally brought the lawsuit against a number of players including Hains Celestial (Jason Naturals and Avalon Organics brands), Levlad (Nature’s Gate), Kiss My Face, YSL Beaute and the certification bodies OASIS and Ecocert.

In the original lawsuit Dr Bronner’s asked that the companies cease to market products with organic in the product name unless they meet USDA National Organic Program specifications, which it believes represents consumers’ expectations of the term organic.

However, last July the company upped the stakes and by asking for damages incurred through loss of sales to what it alleged were falsely advertised organic products.

Second amendment focused on mislabeling of organic products

In the second amended complaint presented at the San Francisco Superior Court, Dr Bronner’s is calling for the profits made from the sale of the defendants allegedly mislabelled organic products to be awarded to the company.

In addition, it asked for monetary compensation for the diversion of sales from Dr Bronner’s to the defendants.

Likewise the lawsuit also asked that certifiers OASIS and Ecocert should stop certifying products as organic if they could not be certified under the USDA national organic program.

Dark chocolate can help sun-protection but is not a sunscreen alternative

A study has revealed that a daily portion of dark chocolate could protect the skin against wrinkles caused by UV from the sun. However, experts advise that chocolate should not be considered an alternative to sunscreens.

The research, published in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology by researchers at private Harley Street clinic European Dermatology, involved 22 women with an average age of 42. For a three-month period, half the volunteers consumed a daily portion of 20 grammes of dark chocolate droplets that were very high in flavanols, the antioxidants that naturally occur in cocoa beans.

The rest of the volunteers ate chocolate that looked identical but had lower flavanol content. The volunteers were regularly exposed to controlled doses of UV light to assess how long it took before their skin became inflamed. The results revealed that among those on low-flavanol chocolate, there was no change in the amount of UV light tolerated by their skin. For those with the high-content chocolate, there was a significant improvement in the skin’s resistance to the sun’s effects.

Researcher and dermatologist at the European Dermatology London Dr Stefanie Williams, said that consumption of high-flavanol chocolate should not replace topical application of sunscreens but should be used as an additional measure to help protect skin. She said, “At the moment we would not advise people to replace traditional sunscreens with consumption of antioxidant foods such as high-flavanol chocolate, but these two measures work well in concert and can be used together.”

Nutritionist Carina Norris explained that she didn’t believe that the amount of flavanols in chocolate would “give you any photoprotection worth speaking of”.
She added, “Any slight effect would be negligible, compared to, say, the photoprotection from a sunscreen.”

Norris warned against advising the public to compare the consumption of chocolate to the protective benefits of traditional suncreens. She said, “As a nutritionist, I’d be very wary of promoting the photoprotective properties of flavanols, in case people think they can get away with going without sunscreen, simply because they’ve eaten some high-flavanol chocolate.”The health benefits of dark chocolate have been publicised for some time, however, Ailsa Higgins, senior nutritionist at Champneys in Tring, commented that consumption needed to be in moderation. She said, “Too much chocolate will make you fatter, and to get real health benefits you need to eat quite a lot, everyday.

“However, as part of a healthy diet, a couple of squares of dark chocolate (at least 70% cocoa solids) can make a little contribution to your health and pleasure.”

Kate Donovan, Laura McCreddie and Jenni Middleton

Advice to drink eight glasses of water is not backed by evidence

A study has revealed that drinking eight glasses of water a day as traditionally advised may not have the anti-ageing impact originally suggested.

The Food for the Skin review by the British Nutrition Foundation, says that a balanced diet and sunscreen are more important in preventing the signs of ageing such as wrinkles and that there is no firm evidence to back up the theory that eight glasses of water should be consumed a day in order to maintain youthful, vibrant looking skin.

Dr Laura Wyness, senior nutrition scientist at The British Nutrition Foundation, confirmed that although water has been presented in the popular press as the secret to healthy glowing skin, the scientific evidence to support such a statement is lacking. “Water is essential for life; the human body is made up of between 45 to 75% water, depending on body weight,” she said.

“Drinking water has the advantage of fulfilling hydration requirements without providing additional energy or adversely affecting dental health. There is however, little scientific evidence on the effects of water consumption on skin hydration, and the influence of drinking more or less water on the appearance of skin.” She said that more research in this area is required.

Wyness added that water can be obtained from both food and various drinks, not just plain water consumption. “We obtain water from all the foods and drinks we consume. The body has sophisticated systems for getting rid of toxins, and it is not necessary to consume excess water or other substances to enhance this process,” she explained. “A universal water intake recommendation that is applicable to all individuals is difficult to define as there are many factors that affect an individual’s need for water, such as environmental conditions, changing physical activity levels of the individual, their age, gender and body mass.”

Although individuals need to drink enough water to maintain body fluid, other factors are more important for the condition of the skin according to Carina Norris, registered nutritionist. “For example, most skin ageing is caused by sun damage, so your first consideration regarding keeping your skin looking good should be a sunscreen, not a glass of water,” she explained.

However, she added that nutrition does play a role in how skin looks and that someone eats a poor diet it does show in the skin condition. Norris stated, “Vitamins A and C are particularly important. Vitamin A is involved in maintaining your skin as a 'barrier' to the outside world, and vitamin C is needed to make collagen, which is responsible for the skin's resilience, and resistance to wrinkling. Vitamin E is also thought to play a role in skin condition.”

Eating fruit and vegetables also remain important to skin health according to Norris. “Some of the best 'skin foods' are fruit and vegetables,” she commented. “They're rich in vitamin C, as well as beta-carotene, which the body can use to make vitamin A. Nuts and seeds are good too, as they contain vitamin E.”

26 Nov 2009
Kate Donovan

Best Xmas Gift Buy's

Our very own beauty guru's best buys.

Jubilee Vanity Bag - by Lavera
Sarah Says: Great value Xmas gift and very handy bag.

Minicure Gift Set - by Zoya
Sarah Says: Cute gift set and everything you need for a great manicure.

Essentials Kit - by Inika
Sarah Says: Everything you need for a mineral make-over and a glam bag to keep it in.

Hair & Body Gift Set - by John Masters
Sarah Says: A great starter set to experience the benefits of this professional organic range.

Passion to Garden Gift Set - by Essentially YoursSarah Says: Superb value gift for the keen gardeners.

Sarah's Best Glam Party Buy's

Our very own beauty guru's best buys.

Sparkle Gloss Topcoat - by Zoya
Sarah Says: Great to glam up any nail polish colour.
Purely Bronzed Tanning Mousse - by Inika
Sarah Says: Instant tan without the chemicals.
Transparent Lip Gloss - by Lavera
Sarah Says: This will add shimmer to any lipstick.
Zoya Polish - Truth Collection
Sarah Says: Great selection of metallic autumn colours.

European Natural Cosmetics - Sales Increasing

Natural & organic cosmetic sales continue to increase at a healthy rate in Europe, with revenues projected to increase by 13 % to 1.7 billion € this year. Organic Monitor forecasts sales revenues to approach 2 billion € in 2010. Organic Monitor’s 2009 edition of The European Natural Cosmetics Market Report finds that natural & organic cosmetic sales have been affected by the financial crisis. However, healthy growth is continuing because of increasing distribution and high consumer demand for chemically-clean and ethical cosmetics. The UK market has been the most adversely affected by the economic recession. The market growth rate has dropped from 16 % in 2008 to 8 % in 2009 because sales have been hit in organic food shops and health food retailers. However, natural and organic cosmetic sales continue to expand at double-digit rates in other European countries.

The French and German markets are the fastest growing in Europe. High growth rates are occurring as product penetration increases in mainstream retailers. Both countries have observed a large number of retailer private label launches in recent years. Certified natural and organic cosmetics have been introduced under private labels of supermarkets, drugstores, perfumeries, organic food shops and discounters in these countries. Private labels are so successful in Germany that they comprise over 10 % of total sales. Alverde has become the leading retailer private label of natural cosmetics in the world, having over 100 certified products across categories. Natural and organic products now comprise 3 % of total cosmetic sales in Europe. The market share is above 4 % in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. High growth in the German market is projected to raise the market share of natural and organic cosmetics to 10 % in the coming years. Apart from private labels, a major retailing trend is the growing number of concept stores for natural and organic beauty products. Dedicated stores are being opened by leading natural cosmetic brands, large retail groups as well as private investors. Most developments are in Paris where highly established brands such as Dr. Hauschka as well as large retailers like Monoprix are opening concept stores.

The European Natural Cosmetics Market Report, produced by continuously tracking the European natural and organic cosmetics market since 2003, finds the competitive landscape has changed significantly. High growth rates have been responsible for mergers, acquisitions and an influx of new entrants. Rising competition is leading natural and organic cosmetic brands to expand distribution outside traditional sales channels. This strategy has enabled the Swiss company Weleda to consolidate its position as market leader. With competition for retail shelf-space stepping up, Organic Monitor expects market winners to be companies who can successfully differentiate their products from competitors. New entrants and existing participants are advised to consider strategies based on product differentiation and market segmentation; companies should target specific consumer groups or sales channels. In the report, Organic Monitor gives revenue forecasts and growth projections for the natural cosmetics market in ten European countries. The adoption rate of natural and organic cosmetic standards is expected to rise considerably in 2010. Germany and France currently have the largest number of certified products; the eventual introduction of Cosmos and growing popularity of NaTrue are expected to make standards more widespread in Europe.

Source: Organic Monitor

Zoya Mini-Cure Gift Set - Now in Stock!

Mini-Cure Gift Set - by Zoya

Make your holiday colour last up to 7 days with the Zoya Holiday Mini-cure kit

Kit includes:
Anchor Basecoat - 0.25oz
Nail Polish - Shiloh - 0.25oz
Armor Topcoat - 0.25oz
Hurry Up Speed Dry - 0.25oz
Remove +. Nail Polish Remover - 1oz

Formaldehyde, Toulene & DBP Free