Canary Cosmetics Reading Room

Every month millions of women everywhere depend on a little helper to do it’s job but how many of us realize we are taking a little dose of poison at the same time. The rise of female diseases and compromised immune systems of our multi generational female population encourages a closer look at this dependable and consistent consumer choice.

Ninety nine percent of the conventional tampons marketed to women are a rayon fiber and or cotton combination of fibers that have been chlorine bleached. Rayon fibers are made from chemically processed wood pulp in a process that wastes almost two thirds of the wood material. The cotton used in conjunction with the rayon fibers have been bleached in chlorine. Chlorine leaches a chemical by-product known as “dioxins” which are powerful carcinogens that can damage the immune system and disrupt the endocrine system. Hundreds of studies have shown a direct link between dioxin exposure and cancer, birth defects and reproductive disorders.

When was the last time you looked at the ingredients on your tampon box? Here are the usual ingredients listed: Rayon and/or Cotton Fiber, Polyethylene/Polyester, Polyester or Cotton, Polysorbate 20, Fragrance. Anytime you see “Fragrance” in the ingredient list…buyer beware! When there is not a direct and conclusive list of the fragrance source such as “organic rose or lavender oil” you are unconsciously subscribing to phthalates. Phthalates are industrial chemicals frequently added to consumer products to make fragrances last longer and to make plastic more flexible. Phthalates are found in shower curtains (a recent pull from all major stores), makeup, nail polish and in our bodies via a “blood burden” test. Phthalates are suspected hormone disruptors that can enter the human body via skin absorption, inhalation and ingestion.

We Americans have been desensitized to what smells, feels and tastes good to us. We have forgotten what “squeaky” clean means through a number of masked and very well thought out marketing campaigns to make us “think” we know what smells, feels and tastes good. Currently there are only two companies that are creating 100% organic cotton tampons that have not been bleached with chlorine. Natracare and Seventh Generation make tampons with or without applicators that are clean and green enough to use anywhere in or on your body. Shouldn’t that be the idea? Their websites are www.natracare.com and www.seventhgen.com

I encourage you to try them out and see if you can feel the difference! You may spend a few pennies more each month but on the flip side you won’t be spending hours of your precious life in compromise. It is a completely different feeling having something inside of you that isn’t compromised and drenched in chemicals.