What Are the Benefits of Paraben-Free Body Products?

If you’ve ever tried reading the ingredients on your body products and bath gels, your tongue has probably been twisted by methylparaben, propylparaben, ethylparaben or butylparaben. These and other parabens are all common additives. A few places you can find them include:

• Bath Gels.
• Lotions.
• Moisturizers.
• Cosmetics.
• Shampoos, conditioners and other hair products.

Here’s the problem. Parabens absorb through your skin and accumulate in your body. They have been linked to cancer time and time again. Research shows they actually accelerate the skin’s aging process, although they’re included in many products that claim to counteract aging. They’re linked to developmental disorders in children.

Paraben-free body products offer beauty without the risk.

Once parabens are absorbed, your body has trouble interpreting them. The closest thing they resemble are hormones, so that’s how they behave. They disrupt your body’s natural hormones, mimicking estrogen. High levels of estrogen can increase the risk of breast cancer. One study performed by the UK University of Reading tested the composition of breast tumors and found high levels of parabens.

According to the conventional beauty industry, parabens are necessary to maintain shelf life and keep away microorganisms. However, even conventional products should be thrown out if they’ve been sitting around too long.

So what’s the point of parabens? Paraben-free body products are healthier, both short and long-term.

Paraben-free body products are better understood by your body. They don’t introduce synthetic hormones that can disrupt the endocrine system, which plays a role in hormone production, digestion, metabolism and colon health. Paraben-free body products allow our bodies to function more naturally.

Parabens have been connected to problems in infants and children, like developmental disorders, dysfunctional immune systems and early puberty. Some boys and girls are experiencing puberty as early as seven and eight years old. This is only happening in developed countries like the US. While endocrinologists have no concrete data as to why, they theorize that hormone-mimicking chemicals could be to blame. Paraben-free body products don’t leave chemical deposits in our bodies that could be passed on to our children.

Paraben-free body products are also better for you in the short-term. In Japan, at the Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, researchers found that methylparabens increased skin’s sensitivity to ultraviolet rays, accelerating aging. Paraben-free body products include natural ingredients, such as vitamin E, proven to protect skin, reduce the appearance of wrinkles and counteract age spots. Paraben-free body products can also reduce rashes and allergic reactions, which often occur after contact with chemicals.

While the FDA claims “there is no reason for consumers to be concerned about the use of parabens,” the evidence stands against these chemicals. Wouldn’t you rather be safe than sorry?

The best way to preserve your skin isn’t with chemicals, but by nourishing it naturally. TheZenLily.Com offers signature paraben-free bath gels made with natural ingredients like witch hazel, aloe vera and flower extracts that your body understands and luxuriates in. We’re proud to offer these top of the line products that nurture the body and the planet.

High Fashion Hemp
When someone says the word “hemp”, fashionable, environmentally friendly clothes, purses, and other accessories are not usually the first thing that comes to mind. However, designers like Stella McCartney, Giorgio Armani and Calvin Clein are changing the perception of hemp. One design team even formed Hemtress, Inc., an accessories brand, which can be found online at TheZenLily.com, that uses hemp as their primary material. Hemp has come a long way from the rope-like accessories that were often associated with marijuana and more and more designers are seeing the benefits of using hemp in their products.
Hemp is easier on the environment than many other materials used for making clothes and accessories. The hemp plant requires little or no pesticides to grow and is harvested in only a few months. This sustainable textile is also durable and versatile. Hemp fibers are UV resistant, antimicrobial, and highly absorbent. Designers are attracted to hemp textiles because of their low impact on the environment and natural performance traits. Although growing hemp in the United States has been outlawed since the ‘50’s, the shipping costs and energy used to import hemp are outweighed by the benefits of using hemp.
Chic hemp items from outerwear to dresses to purses can now be found in many well known stores. Once again, hemp helps shoppers to see that you can be fashion forward and Eco-friendly. Popular style magazines and web sites are noting hemp products as some of the must have items. Many merchants are quickly catching on to the appeal of hemp. TheZenLily.com is one merchant that not only sees the value of the aesthetic appeal of hemp but also sees the value in using this sustainable textile.
Hemp clothing and accessories have come a long way in a short period of time and the new, high-fashion items made with hemp are sure to stay in style for years to come.

- Annette Taylor Sullivan

TheZenLily.Com is excited to announce that on Friday, May 21^st at 6:00 pm in Santa Barbara, CA. Peggy Oki, Coordinator Origami Whales Project has spearheaded a “Save the Whales” event that is not to be missed.  The evening will include a screening of the Academy Award® Winner for Best Documentary of 2009, The Cove, Shallow Water, Deep Secret, which will be followed by appetizers and refreshments, silent auction and live music by special guests Ground Floor and Lonesome Dub.  TheZenLily.Com is honored to participate in this important event to raise awareness of illegal whaling practices.  Other generous sponsors include Whole Foods, Santa Barbara Winery, Island Brewing Co., Peets Coffee and Tea, Cork Tree Cellars, Zookers, Porch, Patagonia, Earth People Movement, Burning Flag Press, Monika McCoy and more.  A donation of $5 is appreciated for admission.  Simply put, “Everybody needs to see this film.”

Please see event details, The Cove film synopsis and Origami Whales Project (OWP) information below:

The Cove Screening

Carpinteria Women’s Club

1059 Vallecito Road

Santa Barbara, CA.

Doors Open at 6:00 pm

THE COVE Synopsis:
Academy Award® Winner for Best Documentary of 2009, THE COVE follows an elite team of activists, filmmakers and freedivers as they embark on a covert mission to penetrate a remote and hidden cove in Taiji, Japan, shining a light on a dark and deadly secret. Utilizing state-of-the-art techniques, including hidden microphones and cameras in fake rocks, the team uncovers how this small seaside village serves as a horrifying microcosm of massive ecological crimes happening worldwide. The result is a provocative mix of investigative journalism, eco-adventure and arresting imagery, adding up to an unforgettable story that has inspired audiences worldwide to action.
www.thecovemovie.com

Since 2004, the Origami Whales Project (OWP) has worked to raise awareness concerning threats to cetaceans (dolphins and whales) through its stunning and memorable “Curtain of 34,000 Origami Whales.” Created by thousands of concerned citizens across the globe and exhibited throughout the world, this large-scale public art project serves as a powerful visual statement and memorial for the thousands of individual whales killed since the 1986 ban on commercial whaling. As urgent need for cetacean rights activities arise, the Origami Whales Project has expanded with additional outreach and education programs, creating “Curtains” of origami dolphins and whales in United States, Dominica, and New Zealand.
http://www.peggy-oki.com/cu_origami.part1.html
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Information on the “Curtain of 34,000 Origami Whales”:
www.peggy-oki.com/cu_origami.html
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Don’t forget to shop The Zen Lily at www.TheZenLily.com.

Zen masters for centuries have said when you are troubled; busy yourself with simple tasks….. so when I found myself sinking into “a funk” having just relocated to a new town (on a new coast) during a major national economic crisis, with the holidays fast approaching…that’s just what I did.

I had been half-heartedly looking for a volunteer opportunity for weeks when I “lucked” upon the Origami Whale Project. I say “luck” because I just happened to walk outside my front door when my neighbor was on her way to an origami whale folding and stitching gathering and asked if I would like to join her. I was literally still in my pjs at the time on a beautiful Southern California Saturday and feeling like a total recluse, so I dared not turn down the offer. Besides it was for a good cause, “Saving the Whales” and one that I was passionate about. But needless to say this is not what I thought I would be doing when I woke up that morning and quite honestly, I wasn’t really sure I could fold an origami whale, let alone stitch one. Did that involve sewing? I went anyway. When I arrived and after deciding which job would produce the least anxiety, I set to task folding whales amongst the group of strangers. So it was on that day and several more over the season, that instead of the usual holiday shopping, cocktail parties with friends and time spent with family, there I sat alongside Peggy Oki and other volunteers in impromptu workspaces, amidst piles of colorful paper, folding and stitching long strands of little whales.

Peggy Oki, founder and coordinator of The Origami Whale Project (OWP), is an all-around impressive female skateboarder, surfer, entrepreneur, artist and environmental activist dedicated to the protection of marine mammals. In 2004 Peggy initiated the Origami Whale Project in response to the urgent need to raise awareness concerning the ever-increasing threat by whaling nations towards the return of commercial whaling. With small local beginnings and growing to global participation, Peggy leads with compassion and gratitude, inspiring collaborators, volunteers and classroom students to join her in this effort. Since its inception, thousands of paper origami whales have been folded in proportion to the growing estimated number of whales that continue to be slaughtered by nations such as Japan, Iceland & Norway. Each tiny whale is hand folded using recycled paper pieces and then painstakingly stitched into a large colorful curtain. On exhibition, the curtain is a powerful and moving visual statement. It not only serves as a memorial for those whales that have been slaughtered, but it also as a call to action to help halt the further slaughter of these magnificent creatures.

As I sat and folded the origami whales that first day, I felt the anxiety of “not doing enough” and the aloneness that I had been feeling so acutely begin to lift. First of all, yes, I could indeed fold an origami whale (most first graders can) and what do you know, I could stitch them too. And while I did, I noticed that my mind became clear for the first time in weeks. I didn’t think about mounting bills or my job search even once, and when I did, it was with renewed focus. Physically the tedious repetition seemed to calm my body in an almost Zen-like way; I truly think my pulse rate slowed. Secondly, as I sat with these women fastidiously working on their whales and listened to there stories, from personal histories and experiences to what they were going to make for dinner that night, a feeling of connectedness that had been waning since my recent move returned. More than that, I was inspired by the tireless effort and committed compassion of Peggy Oki and moved by realization that each little whale I folded and stitched represented a giant gentle creature that had been brutally killed. And although it is a difficult and even heartbreaking subject, we did it anyway. Volunteering for the OWP strengthened my global consciousness, and ultimately, the opportunity to contribute in even a small way to help end their suffering and ensure their survival was undoubtedly good for my own soul.

Last week I helped Peggy pack up the Origami Whale Curtain; there were 12 large freight boxes in all containing an incredible 34,000 whales! A little whale from each volunteer had gone a long way. As I closed the final box and the lid came down, I spotted one of the little whales I had made and wished it well on its mission. That little “whale” was going a long way too. This year the curtain is headed for Maui where it will be on public exhibition during “Whale Day” on February 20^th 2010. Hopefully, those who view it hanging among the sobering numbers of other origami whales will feel compelled to do their small part and could go a long way in support anti whaling legislation. Later, as I reflected back on my most recent volunteer experience, I was reminded of how much we get in return for what we give. So next time you find yourself caught up in your own circumstances, I encourage you to spend a little time volunteering for the greater good and for your own mind, body and spirit….. A little really does go a long way.

“Never doubt what a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world; indeed it is the only thing that ever has!” -Margaret Meade

To find out more about Peggy Oki and how you can support or get involved with the Origami Whale Project, please go to www.Peggy-Oki.com.

Adrienne Russo

West Coast Contributor

Thankfulness in Threes:

Nov 22, 2009

     The Zen Lily wanted to take this opportunity to express our thanks to all who came out to support our shows over the last three weeks.  It has been a lot of work, but has also been a great joy to connect with you all.  It always gives us so much pleasure to be able to share our mission, as well as provide our customers with beautiful handmade jewelry and gifts they can share with their loved ones.    

     As a result of the patron support we received from the Pan American University Women (PAUW) organization, Christ the King Catholic Church, and Grace Lutheran Church, we are happy to report that we were able to make significant donations to breast cancer research, Half the Sky Foundation and the Akola Bead Project.

     We are very excited about our recent progress and hope that you will join us in helping those in need by visiting our website for your Holiday Shopping. (remember the gift-giving holidays will be here before you know it-yikes!).  Thanks again to all our supporters, who enabled us to lend our financial support to worthy causes around the world.

 In Peace & Thankfulness,

Lisa Otero Sullivan

The Zen Lily, Inc.

www.TheZenLily.com

     We at TheZenLily.Com are proud to support several charities which are dear to our hearts.  The Akola bead project is one charity in particular which we have contributed to over the past several months and are very excited about.  To give you a little back ground information, the  UAPO (Ugandan American Partnership Organization) created the Akola Bead Project in an effort to help Ugandan widows in rural villages gain economic independence.  Their vision is to use sales revenues to expand the project throughout Uganda so that other widows will have the chance to learn a trade and make wages to support their families. 

Photo by Will Graham

Daily Life:

     The widows get together and hand-roll the most beautiful and vibrant beads from paper and string them to form exquisite necklaces which are sold in the US and local Ugandan markets.  The word Akola in Lusoga dialect means “to work in the spirit of love.”  It is believed that through the power of love and hard work, the Akola project will provide relief and support to the struggling and devoted widows of Uganda and their children.  I have never been to Uganda and witnessed the project, but as I was doing my research, I stumbled upon an insightful blog from photographer Will Graham who became acquainted with the widows as they rolled their beads on a recent photo shoot.  His photos are not only beautifully vivid and inspiring, but compelling as well.   I was personally touched by his description of the widows as they worked. 

His blog entry is as follows:

     “These women get together once a week and make bead necklaces made out of paper. They use the time to talk with each other about the concerns of the week. Who is sick, who is hungry, who needs help with school fees, and who needs help with the kids.  It is a tight-knit group, they are tough women because they have been through a lot as women in Uganda.  I have gotten to spend the past three Saturday’s with the women. By now I know most of their names and they call me Willie. They sit in the moving shade of the large tree in front of a small mud church. I usually sit for a while before taking pictures. Trying to see what is happening in the group.

     Will Graham goes on to say that when his shoot was over, he realized that these women don’t just roll up paper into beads.  They are rolling up their hope into beads.  The beads that they make carry their concerns, their dreams, and their hopes.  They are making their hope into something beautiful.  They are Adorning Hope.

     The Zen Lily, Inc. is privileged to be able to purchase the Akola Bead Necklaces directly from a UAPO representative who works alongside the widows.  Because we believe so strongly in this cause, we sell the necklaces at cost to keep the price as low as possible to our customers.  The Akola project has employed over 120 widows in the Busoga region and 20 women in the war-torn district of Pader.  This vital project continues to expand and TheZenLily.Com’s Blog will keep you updated on its progress.

Most Recent Progress Report:

     I received a letter from the UAPO the other day which reported that thanks to our and your gracious support, the project has seen tremendous growth over the last several months.  The Akola Project has expanded to include 150 women throughout Uganda.  Through their hard work, they have generated over $20,000 in income allowing them to support their day-to-day expenses such as, pay school fees for their children, gain access to much needed medical care, purchase livestock, and start new businesses.

     The purpose for writing this blog entry is my attempt to explain how TheZenLily.Com is “bigger than jewelry”.  Typically, when I explain to people who we are and what we are doing, I feel like I always fall short in describing the full scope of our endeavor.  I am not sure that most people fully understand its philanthropic aspect.  Although we aspire to become a successful business, more importantly our focus is to make a positive difference in the world by encouraging a higher consciousness or awareness and concern for the wellbeing of our global neighbors.  To put it plainly, we want to help women all over the world “adorn hope”. 

Thanks for all your support.

Sincerely,

Lisa Otero Sullivan

Our Beginnings-A Lifelong Friendship

As you navigate our website, you may find yourself questioning who we are and what we are about.  The Zen Lily, Inc. was founded on several heartfelt principles, the most important being that of friendship.  Lisa and I have been friends for over thirty years.  Part of me cringes as I write that.  Could that really be?  Thirty years?  The other part of me smiles, though.  I often tell people that Lisa is my yang.  Or I am her yin.  Or vice versa—it depends on the day of the week.  We always say that we were cut from the same cloth.  We came from similar upbringings, and view the world around us in many of the same ways.  Despite our differences, which are few and far between, I can say that she is one person that I do not feel whole without, like a twin that doesn’t look like me.  Not a day goes by that we don’t talk on the phone—in fact, most days, it is several times a day. 

We met in the first grade.  Of course, if you ask Lisa, she doesn’t remember these details.  So she chooses to take my word for it.  I often serve as the archives for her childhood memories.  I have an uncanny ability to have instant recall when it comes to retrieving distinct and vivid memories from my childhood, while at the same time, struggle to recall what I ate for breakfast this morning, or if I fed the goldfish already.  The fun part though, is reminding her of things she would probably rather forget.

I remember one of the first times I saw Lisa.  First grade.  Circa 1978.  We weren’t in the same class, but I knew I wanted us to be friends.  I had Ms. Millian, and she was in Mrs. Trice’s class.  Even though we didn’t see each other in the classroom, I saw her at recess.  I used to like to write in the dirt with sticks.  Lisa liked to squint a lot.  Or at least I thought.  She was also a fashionista in the making, so the squinting gave her a kind of alluring edge.  Her mom let her wear short shorts—you know, the cool kind with the contrasting colored piping on the edges.  Even cooler, she was allowed to curl her hair with a curling iron, pinning one side up and feathering the opposite side just like Farrah Fawcett.  I know, it seems impossible, but even cooler still, she had a Bee Gees lunchbox—the plastic kind with the matching Thermos. 

I, on the other hand, was exceedingly uncool in the first grade.   Not allowed to wear the “in” short shorts, at the restriction of my mother, I resorted to rolling my longer denim shorts up as many times as I could to get the desired length.  Unfortunately, this didn’t result in me looking any more fashionable.  In fact, the effect was the exact opposite as I had intended.  The denim diaper look, in case it needs clarification—will not earn you any points as a budding fashionista, even in 1978. 

The whole squinting phenomenon intimidated me, too, only because I mistook it for hostility or a look of disdain on Lisa’s part.  This, coupled with the shame of my denim diapers, discouraged me from ever asking Lisa to play with me the whole school year.  But still, I knew we could be friends one day.  So, you can imagine my excitement when in the second grade, we were both placed in Ms. Dobbins’ class for language arts.  It turns out that Lisa’s squinting wasn’t a look of disdain at all—she just couldn’t see!  This was fantastic news to me.  Maybe in her state of acute eyestrain, she hadn’t noticed my denim diapers, or that I had no friends and liked to draw in the dirt with a stick at recess.  And better yet, maybe she hadn’t noticed my most lame possession yet from across the cafeteria—a rusty Holly Hobby metal lunchbox…with no matching Thermos. 

So here we were in second grade.  We were both good readers, so we got put in the same small reading group, the Bluebirds.  Lisa had a cool new pair of glasses now—Wonder Woman glasses.  And not only did she have superhero spectacles, she wore TAPE on one of the lenses to correct her weaker eye.  I was envious again of her fashion sense—like she was a badass girl pirate with her eye patch.  In addition to admiring her fashion sense, I also admired her intelligence.  After all, she could read without the assistance of a ruler, one that we had to slide down the page from line to line to keep our place in our books. 

So from there, our friendship grew, and we grew.  We always remained friends through the years.  We were closer at times, and sometimes followed other paths we needed to follow to become the women we are today.  Ultimately, Lisa introduced me to my husband, so I either blame her or I give her credit for the life I have today.  I have a wonderful, supportive husband, one beautiful daughter, Hannah, and one daughter in Heaven.  Lisa is also blessed with a great husband, and two terrific boys.  Smart and fashionable—two important traits when you are looking for a BFF in second grade.

When the idea came to start the Zen Lily, the other principle we kept close at heart was that of the concept of “girl power.”  One thing we agree on is that when you empower a woman, you make the world a better place.  Women at their best can be a tremendous support system and source of power for one another.  In addition to the joy it brings us to create stylish affordable jewelry, and to discover other interesting artists’ work, it’s a great excuse for us to spend more time together.  Unfortunately, like most women, each of our busy lives don’t afford for enough of that. 

While jewelry making is simply an outlet for creativity and a way to relax and unwind for me, The Zen Lily is bigger than that.  As Lisa works toward her Masters’ degree in Marriage and Family Counseling, The Zen Lily serves as a springboard to launch her career as a licensed marital and family therapist.  Her dream is to not only open her own private practice as a therapist, but to also eventually open a wellness center for women—a place that women can go to have access to valuable resources that will lead to healing, health, and well-being.  Not only does The Zen Lily offer “chic unique gifts at affordable prices,” but it also offers a wealth of information that is useful and helpful to women.  To be a part of that dream, and to support her in whatever ways I can inspires me.

I know that no matter where life takes me, I will always have Lisa by my side.  And I will be by hers.  It is comforting to know that you have people that will love and support you unconditionally, and that you can do the same for someone else.  That is the power of friendship. 

In exploring our website, we hope that you will find our message of friendship inspiring.  Whether it is professional networking or self-help you are interested in, donating to one of our charities for the betterment of women all around the globe, or if it is simply to buy a sentimental and meaningful gift for a special woman in your life, The Zen Lily has something to offer everyone.  We welcome you and hope that you will find something inspirational and purposeful for you here.  Come join us in making these exciting connections with others in the world, and help us to make the world a better place because of it.

Jen Rakita

So this is our story.  We would like to know more about yours.  Feel free to post your comments at the end of this blog entry.  We would love to hear from you.  What do you like most about our site?  What would you like to see more of?  Do you have an inspirational story of your own to share?  We would love to hear it. 

“In the sweetness of friendship, let there be laughter.  For in the dew of the little things, the heart finds its morning and is refreshed.”—Khalil Gibran