Keys Backgrounder…About Us!

Keys Green Natural Anti-Aging Skin Therapies…Ancient Remedies & Modern Technology

Natural Beauty, Natural Hair Care, Natural Skin therapies, Natural Pet Care

“We believe that over 50% of all skin disorders in people and pets are misdiagnosed and are actually caused by chemicals in everyday products and the environment!

by Bob Root

Keys Technologist

Clean, Caring, Concerned and Diligent!

Everyone want to know these days what is in your products, what is not in your products and how does the making of your products effect the environment.  I thought it might be lighter to use the title Green Piece with an ‘i’ because that is what the PR people call the eco statement that a company offers.  Often these are full of $5 dollar words and platitudes.  So, I have attempted to inform here without using too many words or big words that have no meaning.  I am sure I have missed something, so make sure you use the comment box to ask me your questions.

Keys is not just another natural products manufacturer.  We design skin care solutions that solve problems.  If there was a FDA category for Natural Medicines, you would find Keys there.  What you will notice about our products is that we present them as natural solutions to problems with features, benefits and advantages offered.  We are not a company that focused on scents, nor do we add any ingredients to scent our products.  Although many people comment on the way our products smell, it usually begins with adjectives like clean, fresh, earthy et al. Read the rest of this story »

The New FDA Sunscreen regulations are about to go into effect.

Last year I wrote and article in July of 2011 about what to expect from the new regulations.  The article outlined all of the changes we as manufacturers had to make to make the regulatory changes seamless to consumers.  You can read the article titled “New FDA Sunscreen Regulations.”

There are a number of new things to expect to see in place by June 12, 2012.  Rather than bore you with details, here are some bullets of the major changes

• SPF used to mean only UVB protection.  Now manufacturers have to guarantee that protection is “Broad Spectrum” covering both UVA and UVB
• All the outrageous SPF numbers (i.e. SPF 75, SPF 100+ etc.) are now illegal.  The top rating is now SPF 50+
• The use of the term sublock is no longer allowed.  We can only use the term sunscreen
• Cosmetic moisturizer like Solar Rx must comply with all of the regulation applying to sunscreens
• Waterproof is a no no term.  Now a sunscreen can be water resistent, but the manufaqctuer must prove it and list the minutes of water resistent protectin on the label front
• There is now a very specific Drug Facts label that has to appear on the back of the product with very spefici language.  Below is an image of our new label with the drug facts panel.  The panel looks very similar to the panel we have used for the last five years, but is different.

The Not New Solar Rx – Improved

Solar Rx is not new in the sense that we have not changed the formulation or concentration of the ingredients.  We have been in compliance with the new FDA regulations for the last two years.   That said, we do have a new labels and a few process changes. Read the rest of this story »

Time To Get Wise

by Wendy Steele, Keys CEO

May is Melanoma month and it is not a celebration.

Around the world, there is a celebration at the beginning of May.  For me as a Melanoma survivor, it is a month where I give thanks for surviving.  It is the first day of May that I begin my summer long campaign to share my concerns, my knowledge and my experiences with people.  My goal is to save lives.

I am not cancer free, but I am free from cancer.  My advocacy has taken me to many places and I have met many survivors and unfortunately too many people that have lost loved ones, friends, spouces and parents.  What makes me sad is that they have also lost children.

The stories are wide and varied.  Here is just one subject that I hear all to often every May.

A frantic Mom and  a concerned Dad asking me for advice for their 16 and 17 year olds respectively.  Both the concerned parents were asking essentially the same thing: “How do I convince my teen daughter that she could wear anything and her skin will still look incredibly beautiful?”  Well, as it turned out, this was not just about teen fashion.   This was about preparation for the prom!  It turned out that the biggest issue was caused by the color of the dress and their teen’s steadfast belief that they could not possibly look beautiful in a white dress without tanned skin!  To prepare for their prom, both of these teens were insisting on sunless tanning.  I realized there must be thousands of parents going through this same drama, trying to win over the peer pressure their teens felt to spend the weeks before prom on tanning beds.

I received these requests for advice, because I am a melanoma skin cancer survivor and a skin health advocate.  I briefly pondered the fact that I do not  have a teen son or daughter…and I quickly found myself saying, but if I did I would share with them what I have learned in my life so far.

In fact, being a cancer survivor I have met very brave and fortunate people who have survived advanced melanoma skin cancer.  One of the most courageous survivors I have ever met is a young woman named Brittany Lietz.  I remember attending a Melanoma Awareness Month community college campus event, where Brittany spoke to an audience of mostly 17-19 year olds.  Brittany, a beautiful poised young woman introduced herself by saying she was a 21 year old melanoma survivor and that she had 25 surgeries in the past 2 years.  Brittany followed that bombshell by saying;  “And I am here to tell you that it all started with a white prom dress”.   Brittany explained that at the age of 16 she started using tanning beds so that she would have tanned skin to set off her new white prom dress.  The problem was that she did not know when to stop and became addicted to tanning-she became a “tanorexic”.  Brittany shared; “Here is what you really need to know, the next time you think about spending money on a tanning bed—when you lay down and pull the lid over you—it is just like laying down and pulling the coffin lid over your body!”  The collective shudder response like a wave over the audience, “ugh you are creeping me out!”  Brittany’s response was that she absolutely wanted them to have this kind of reaction!  She did not want others to ever have to experience the 8 inch scars and the barrage of surgeries and hospital stays that she had endured.   Her goal?  Simply to educate teens nation-wide based on her personal experience and to save lives.  Brittany delivered her very informative talk about why melanoma is becoming a young person’s disease. She had facts, statistics and reasons why they should avoid tanning beds and not jeopardize their skin health or future. Brittany shared that in her extensive travels around the country she had never heard a good reason for why people used tanning beds.

Brittany then took questions from her co-ed audience.  One young woman asked; “Knowing what you know now, what advice would you give to your own children in the future?”  Brittany replied, “Honestly I hope that I live long enough to get married and have children one day.”  Like others in the audience I was moved to tears at that point.  Brittany softly finished by explaining that if she did have children she would educate them to understand that their healthy skin is their first line of defense and they would learn at a young age how to protect their skin and nourish it every day.  Brittany finished by sharing that since she stopped tanning she has received more compliments on her beautiful skin tone than she ever did when she was tanned.

Brittany’s life and story continue to inspire me.  I have learned that it is never too late to pass along what you have learned in life so far!

May is both Melanoma Awareness month and for many Prom Month!

As a founder of Keys my mantra has always been to love the skin you were born with and to wear your natural skin tone proudly.  It is no secret that I am tan adverse.   I am also a melanoma skin cancer survivor and I have had several basal cell carcinoma surgeries.  Education and early detection about skin cancer will save lives and help young people avoid scars that last a lifetime.

I urge you to watch this video “Dear Sixteen Year Old Me” and pass it on to those that you love and care about.

Every May, I am reminded of my own mortality as a melanoma survivor.  Yes, I write articles, give speeches, get into fights with sun worshipers and even take on the docs in the Dermatology practice at the Mayo Clinic.  Yes, I am passionate about the effects of UV radiation on my aging and my health.  I have had too many cancers removed from my skin to not be passionate.

Every year I speak out every month about my concern for skin cancer and premature aging. I must admit that every year this time, I recall telling Bob that if we are going to pursue Keys as a business, I want to have a sunblock that is the safest, most effective and, oh by the way, it must be clear so I do not look like a mime.  I remember his face sort of grimace as he said, there is nothing that is impossible!  The impossible just takes a little longer.  He quickly followed with his signature quote that, “If it was easy, then anyone could do it!”  Well, he did it and I love Solar Rx.

Every year this time, I gear up for the battle starting in February to write, set appointments, interviews and other events where I can beat my drum about skin cancer, Melanoma and visible skin aging.  About the same time, Bob starts to tell me that it is also a celebration that makes May as Melanoma month important and worth noting.

Buy Two Solar Rx Together and the Second Solar Rx is at 20% Off

First Solar Rx = $26.95 SRP  and the second Solar Rx = $21.50 is 20% off SRP

This year I am still going to scream out, but I am also celebrating by puting Solar Rx on sale.  Because I want you to use enough for the summer, I am making the above offer good for all of May.  When you buy two Solar Rx, the first one is at the regular price of $26.95 and the second will be discounted 20% off ($21.50).  Yes, you have to buy two and I want you to use Solar Rx every day.

This is a very special sale because this time of year we sell out of Solar Rx.  No matter how much we make, we sell out.  So, creating this sale is for your benefit.   Not only will you save on buying two, you will be protecting you and your family from premature aging and skin cancer.

Please remember that Solar Rx is not a go to the beach sunscreen.  It is a daily moisturizer sunscreen that protects you from ambient UV radiation in your office, your car and when out and about.  It is not for sports, swimming or when you perspire.  Great under makeup or as a clear foundation, Solar Rx has your first line of UV defense in mind.

So, Click Here to go to the Keys Store to buy Two Solar Rx.

Wendy

I have always developed Keys products as solutions which interact with each other to build natural glowing and healthy skin.  When we created our regimes, they were simple and fairly obvious to understand what to use and when.  It was either wash your face add a moisturizer and an eeye cream for night and replace the mositurizer with a mositurizing sunblock during the day.

When we began to add toners, elixirs and fusions the complication factor went higher.   We recognizing that for people with dry skin they needed a more emollient foundation compared to someone with oily skin.  Even though we have only a few broad function products compared to other companies, we needed to communicate the functionality of each of our products and how they would fit into a day and night regime for people.

So, being a bunch of engineers, we set about to create three charts that show how to use our products, when to use them, why and in what order.  Like us they are simple and I hope easy to understand.

Click on the icons below for the chart that best fits your skin type

Here are the three categories in link form.  Each are in pdf format on single letter size images which can be freely reproduced unmodified.

• Normal Skin Keys Regime
• Dry Skin Keys Regime
• Oily or Acne Prone Keys Regime

Please give us feedback and comments or suggestions for changes.

Also, new on our Keys Online Store, are Build Your Own Regimes.  Click Here to go to the store specials.

Reflex ProBiome – The Back Story

Bob Root, Keys Chief Scientist & Founder

Reflex is one of the oldest new products we have.  I know that does not make sense.  It does to me because I developed Reflex almost five years ago and have been testing it since under the code name of Silken.  My problem was that the delay had nothing to do with developing the product, packaging or refinement.  My problem?  At least three of the ingredients I needed were not available in quantities greater than a few gallons.  If you keep in mind that I need thousands of liters or gallons to bring a product to market, a single liter is only good to prototype and lead to frustration.  As if it was a sign from the heavens at this place in space and time, providers showed up with production quantities of high grade organic virgin avocado oil, virgin Tamanu oil and our own ability to volume extract our Muras.  Later in the aricle below, all the ingredients are described and it was the fact that I can buy ample quantities of raw materials without compromising quality facilitate the launch of our new product by its real name.  Reflex ProBiome is unquestionably a big deal because of its ingredient quality.  Now we can produce it in manufacturable quantities.

Dramatic Skin – Keys Reflex ProBiome Anti-Aging Fusion

A biome is an ecological community operating together in harmony. Since we began Keys, we have treated the skin and its flora as a biome or eco-system. Reflex ProBiome feeds the community offering functional nutrients for the skin and friendly flora. Chemicals in skin care products destroy the skin’s flora and create imbalance on the skin. Reflex ProBiome is designed to restore the balance and make skin look remarkable.

Click Here to Go to Keys Store for Reflex Probiome

Reflex ProBiome is the culmination of four years of development combining modern skin age reversal without chemicals, hormones, synthetic steroids or fillers. Using Reflex ProBiome, you can expect reduction or elimination of fine lines, reduction of expression lines, skin toning, skin surface sculpting, firmness and more even skin color. The smooth luminescent finish and quick absorption into the skin are hallmarks of the quality of Reflex ProBiome. Simply we would place Reflex ProBiome in any competition against ‘any’ other anti-aging
or wrinkle solutions. Besides our confidence in Reflex ProBiome performance, it is completely made from natural unmodified ingredients.  At $24.95, it outperforms international chemical laden brands at a fraction of the cost.  The reason is simple 7 natural pharma grade ingredients compared to 50-75 ingredients that sometimes include hormones, Botox and exotic aggressive chemicals.

The secret of Reflex ProBiome is the combination of natural ingredients, the quality of the ingredients and the fact that all ingredients are whole and functional. Functional ingredients are those that are not over-processed and contain the whole properties from nature. Functional ingredients are on purpose and perform needed features and benefits to maximize skin appearance, hydration and skin health.

Reflex ProBiome is made from the purest organic oils assembled to replicate the skin’s own sebum while offering tetrapeptides, triglycerides, fatty acids, quadracarotenoids and nutrients that affect skin cell shape and health. Combining Organic Virgin Avocado oil, Organic Virgin Tamanu oil, Shea oil, ancient renowned Black Seed oil, Bergamot essential oil and the undisputable performance of Carrot Seed oil with our own Miras organic extract makes Reflex ProBiome a functional anti-aging product that is created from pure natural ingredients.

Read the rest of this story »

Tips to Stay UltraHealthy While Traveling

 Whether you are traveling for business or pleasure, with family, friends or solo here are some tips to stay UltraHealthy while away from home.

1.    Plan ahead.  This is the MOST important factor.

2.    Bring a meal or two with you. Whether you are traveling by plane or car, you do not want to get caught without an UltraHealthy meal.  If you are traveling by car make sure to pack a cooler filled with UltraHealthy goodies.  If you are traveling by plane most food will be fine for several hours being cooled by the air conditioner of the plane or an airport. Read the rest of this story »

Bob Root, Keys Chief Scientist & Founder

Functions and Uses

Keys products have many uses and functions.  When we develop a new product it is designed to solve problems and make people feel good.  We use pharmaceutical grade natural ingredients in therapeutic proportions to create products with functionality.  This functionality is broad and reaches across various parts of the body and often crosses over to pets.  This series of articles in this category is designed to feature the uses of the products.  This is how and why I design.

Omni – Skin Elixir

Below the description is a table showing many of the uses of Omni.

Omni is a technology term derived from the Latin word Omnis meaning “all.” When we began to develop AquaVit, it became clear that our Arianne ingredient had wonderful properties. Omni was originally being developed with an ingredient we named Miras. Miras is a special ingredient that comes from the fruit of the Forsythia plant and has very high levels of Oleanolic which is known to have many healing and cleansing properties for the skin without harming the skins probiotic EcoSystem.

To create Ariane, we blend & distill whole organic orange, lime, cranberry, cucumber, juniper berry, star anise, cassia cinnamon, anise seed, ginger and clove. Miras is created by blending the fruit, leaves and roots of the Forsythia plant to create a blend that is very high in Betulinic and Oleanolic . Betulinic is a naturally occurring pentacyclic triterpenoid which has anti-retroviral and anti-inflammatory properties, as well as a more recently discovered potential as an anticancer agent. Oleanolic or oleanic is a naturally occurring triterpenoid, widely distributed in food and medicinal plants, related to betulinic Read the rest of this story »

Jonathan Green Rootine Products are back and available for sale from Keys Website!

Well, the Jonathan team has been doing some redesign of the products packaging and some of the products to be more compliant with the Safe Cosmetics campaign.   Your favorites are back plus some new changes making the products even better.

• Jonathan Shampoo is now a thick rich liquid shampoo that cleans deeper and conditions.

• Jonathan Conditioner is richer

• Jonathan Styler is an even better leave-in styler

• Pure Paste, the natural version of the famous Jonathan Dirt, is cleaner, greener and offers a deeper styling pomade

• Jonathan Dry Shampoo is cleaner and offers a quick in between shampoo alternative to conventional shampoo

The packaging is a new style offering convenient packaging in greener containers and labeling.

You can click here to go to the Jonathan products in the Keys Hair Care Category on our store.

When your car’s engine is finely tuned and running optimally; you know it.  Likely that is the case with your own body also, and when it is out of tune you know that too.

 Your thyroid gland is like the engine in a car – when it is under-active everything slows down leading to weight gain, fatigue, poor concentration, constipation, infertility, low libido, depression, slow heart rate and low body temperature.  When it is overactive your metabolism speeds up leading to weight loss, anxiety, insomnia, fast heart beat and loose stool. Read the rest of this story »

Close Shave?  I am often asked why we do not make a shave cream or shaving soap.   My answer?   We already do!

I was recently at a farmers market in the California Desert and asked by a man who complained of razor stubble and bumps from his shaving cream.  He asked if we would develop a shave cream that was all-natural, would not burn his skin, would not chafe, would not dry his skin and would not drag like other natural shave creams.   I said we already do and a lot of men and women use this special product every day.   Smiling, I told him that it was our Mangrove Shampoo!Remember that Keys believes in making products that solve problems and make people feel good.  This is our mantra.  We also say that our products do many things beyond what the label says.

Read the rest of this story »

A healthy glow. Human melanocyte skin cells fluoresce as their calcium signaling spikes after exposure to ultraviolet light and retinal, a key step in producing melanin. This led researchers to discover rhodopsin receptors in skin, which detect UVA light. (Credit: Image courtesy of Brown University)

ScienceDaily (Nov. 3, 2011) — In a new study, biologists report that melanocyte skin cells detect ultraviolet light using a photosensitive receptor previously thought to exist only in the eye. This eye-like ability of skin to sense light triggers the production of melanin within hours, more quickly than previously thought, in an apparent rush to protect against damage to DNA.

 For most people, tanning seems a simple proposition. A naturally light-skinned person lies in the sun for hours and ends up as bronzed as a Jersey Shore star. To scientists, the reaction of skin to ultraviolet light is more mysterious. A new study demonstrates that skin detects UVA radiation using a light-sensitive receptor previously found only in the eye and that this starts melanin production within a couple of hours. Until now, scientists only knew that melanin production occurred days after UVB radiation had already begun damaging DNA.

“As soon as you step out into the sun, your skin knows that it is exposed to UV radiation,” said senior author Elena Oancea, assistant professor of biology in the Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Physiology, and Biotechnology at Brown University. “This is a very fast process, faster than anything that was known before.”

Scientists believe that melanin protects the DNA in skin cells against damage from UVB rays by absorbing the incoming radiation. It isn’t perfect, which is why people must use sun block. But the new study in the journal Current Biology shows that the body mounts its defense much sooner, well before it becomes apparent in the form of a tan.

Read the rest of this story »

Overlay of the confocal/multiphoton image of the excised human skin. Yellow color represents skin autofluorescence excited by 405 nm; Purple color represents zinc oxide nanoparticle distribution in skin (stratum corneum) excited by 770 nm, with collagen-induced faint SHG signals in the dermal layer. (Credit: Biomedical Optics Express.)

ScienceDaily (Nov. 30, 2011) — Ultra-tiny zinc oxide (ZnO) particles with dimensions less than one-ten-millionth of a meter are among the ingredients list of some commercially available sunscreen products, raising concerns about whether the particles may be absorbed beneath the outer layer of skin. To help answer these safety questions, an international team of scientists from Australia and Switzerland have developed a way to optically test the concentration of ZnO nanoparticles at different skin depths. They found that the nanoparticles did not penetrate beneath the outermost layer of cells when applied to patches of excised skin.

The results, which were published this month in the Optical Society’s (OSA) open-access journalBiomedical Optics Express, lay the groundwork for future studies in live patients.

Read the rest of this story »

by Bob Root, Keys CTO

There is another book on the horizon for us.   The working title is simple, “SK!N”.   After Chemical-Free Skin Health was published, I started to get so many questions that focused more on “what to do” than what is wrong.  Yes, there will be a chapter about the negative effects of chemicals in products.  The majority of the book are things that we should be doing to improve skin health which has a direct connection to youthful appearance and beauty.

These articles are snippets from the book which are triggered by questions that I get that I think are important now!  Books just have this tendency to stretch things out a bit too far.

Like all good citizens, I have a disclaimer.  For future reference, I once had a professor that said, “Ask Root the time of day and he will lecture you on the origin of time.”  So forewarned is forearmed.  ;-]…..There are no simple answers and no simple questions when it comes to Skin!

Bob

 I had a medical colleague ask me what she thought was a simple question.  “What is the normal pH of the skin?”  Remember there are no simple questions or answers.

Bob’s Answer, Part of the problem we find with all medicine is the use of the term “normal.”  Nowadays, the gaps in normal are quite large and do have some ethnic bias.  The ethnic shift is primarily food type consumed.  The other interesting thing is that in the last ten years or so, the gap has widened.

Read the rest of this story »

Market Shift: Keys Care Receives “Champion” Status – Fulfills Safe Products Pledge

Consumer demand for safer products drives fastest-growing market segment

The  Campaign for Safe Cosmetics announced today that Keys has achieved the highest recognition earning “Champion” status by meeting the goals of the Compact for Safe Cosmetics, the Campaign’s voluntary pledge to avoid chemicals banned by health agencies outside the U.S. and to fully disclose product ingredients – a pioneering practice in the cosmetics industry.

“Congratulations to Keys for being a ‘Champion’ and for demonstrating that it’s possible to make personal care products that far exceed current safety standards in the United States. A growing number of consumers are seeking personal care products that do not contain hazardous chemicals, and our report shows that making safer products is not only possible, but is also part of a successful business model,” said Mia Davis, organizing director of the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics and coordinator of the new Safe Cosmetics Business Network. Read the rest of this story »

Bob Root, Keys Chief Scientist & Founder

I must admit that I have been CNN Free for nearly tens years. Really!  I find myself working at looking at the world through positive lenses.  I have found that watching things out of my control affects my overall health.  This is not an “ignorance is bliss” approach to living as much as it is a focus on what I can effect, affect and control.

For some time now, I have been afflicted with the belief that much of our health is not about doctors, prescription or even prevention.  As I have studied, for my own life, I have found that health and specifically skin health, are directly relates to changing behaviors and realizing that it is not just about what we put into or on our body, it is how we do it and exercising the critical systems of the body.  Simply, just eating right and going to the gym are minor things and pale in comparison to focusing on our physical, mental and endocrine body balance.   Read the rest of this story »

It is summer and it is sunscreen season.  Below is an article I recently wrote about the new welcomed changes from the FDA that will force manufacturers to reveal what is in their sunscreens.  Please read it and the links to the FDA.  This change has go a long way to help save lives through UVA and UVB dangers awareness.  Also, since this new regulation, I thought it would be good to reprint the blog article herein.  I encourage you to study to protect you and your family.

My grandfather used to say to me, “make up your mind.  Don’t let someone make up your mind for you!”  It is more important than ever that you listen to facts based on studies and not opinion.

Read the rest of this story »

by Bob Root

It has been about three years of communication with the FDA before the new sunscreen regulations came out June 11, 2011.  The FDA requested input from many companies and organizations.  Keys and other presented facts, opinion and wishes.  For some the time and the angle of the new direction have been touted as too little and too late.  I for one am happy with the changes. Read the rest of this story »

WISDOM FROM “UGLY DUCKLINGS” by Wendy Steele  (Original Post May 9, 2011…See updates below)

My recent experience with several “ugly ducklings” has once again put a bright spotlight on my desire and responsibility to share my personal wisdom about skin health.

So far in this month of May, I have had the pleasure to personally talk to and meet many of our mid-west customers during multiple special events.  At one event I was wearing several flesh-colored bandage strips on my upper chest and self-consciously made sure that I covered those strategically with clothing, as I did not want to reveal those ugly little bandages.  I thought later that perhaps I would have been better off letting them show, because then I could share more personally my own experiences with “ugly ducklings”.   Knowledge is a powerful thing. Read the rest of this story »

Gluten Sensitivity: Is something You Are Eating Making You Sick?

Are you eating something everyday that could be making you sick?  I was!  During my second year of medical school I was diagnosed with Graves Disease, an autoimmune disorder that caused my thyroid to be overactive.  Each night before going to bed I would eat two pieces of sprouted whole wheat toast so that I could make it through the night without losing weight.  Little did I know that each night I was poisoning myself.  At that time, I was not aware of the gluten / autoimmune thyroid connection and my intolerance to gluten. Read the rest of this story »

By Bob Root

It is a constant quest to understand and then explain the effects of UVA and UVB on our skin and our lives.  Our involvement with the Skin Cancer Foundation, Johns Hopkins, Mayo Clinic, Scripps and various universities expose me to all sorts of information.  I am always searching for the simplest and best explanations to help people understand UV radiation.  Clearly I feel that I stand on the shoulders of many scientists and advocates.  Below is by far the best I have seen as a simple elegant guide.  It comes from the Skin Cancer Foundation and has an equally simple title.

Read the rest of this story »

Omni – Skin Elixir Spray 60ml (2oz)

Omni is a revolutionary product from every aspect.  Omni is a technology term derived from the Latin word Omnis meaning “all.” When we began to develop AquaVit, it became clear that our Ariane ingredient had wonderful properties. Omni was originally being developed with an ingredient we named Miras. Miras is a special ingredient that comes from the fruit of the Forsythia plant and has very high levels of Oleanolic which is known to have many healing and cleansing properties for the skin without harming the skins probiotic EcoSystem.  We then combined Ariane and Miras together for a combined effect that rivals any skin care, anti-aging or beauty product in the world.  Of course, I am biased. Read the rest of this story »

New 3X Larger Size Eye Butter Eye Cream, 45ml

Well, you have been asking for it and it is finally here.  Three times the size of our regular size Eye Butter, this new 45 ml version is the same Eye Butter, just in a larger container.  When we were able to locate our new glass jar in Germany for the 15ml Eye Butter, they had a bigger sister size as well. Read the rest of this story »

I am very happy to announce a new product long in development called AguaVit

AguaVit is more than a toner. Take one sniff and the scent conjures deeply rooted emotions of times gone by. AguaVit means “Water of life.” It is made from a functional ingredient created by Keys called Arianne. To make Ariane we blend & distill whole organic orange, lime, cranberry, cucumber, juniper berry, star anise, cassia cinnamon, anise seed, ginger and clove. Read the rest of this story »

You are what you apply – to your skin! What’s in your body lotion?

You’ve heard the old adage “you are what you eat.” Now I’d like to add another to that. “You are what you apply.” To your skin, that is!  Substances that affect your overall health and wellbeing don’t simply work their way through your system by travelling the gut alone.  An often-overlooked route – the transdermal (through the skin) route – allows substances ranging from the beneficial to the bad to enter your bloodstream and circulate throughout your body.  So, if you are what you eat, and you are what you apply, the question is:  what are you? Read the rest of this story »

Keys Skip Generation Technology – Blended Whole Botanicals

by Bob Root  Keys Technologist

We are about to introduce two new products that represent a significant advancement for us and the industry.  AguaVit and Omni are two new products coming soon that employ a remarkable change for us in how we produce products that offer functionality, efficacy and performance.

Traditionally, companies blend ingredients to create a new product.  These can be oils, essential oils, extracts and blends of ingredients that were separately processed.  Often these ingredients are estered or separated and refined for a specific function.  For example, Vitamin E can be refined from vegetables  to look for and extract only a portion of the Vitamin E or the creation of a Tocopherol substance using refining processes.   Then many ingredients with separated functionality are blended together to create some action.  This is a lot of work and I continually question separating components of any natural substance to increase its intensity.  Deriving an intense form of Alpha Hydroxy Acid (AHA) from fruit like apples sounds natural, but it is not.  The intense action of an AHA burns the skin to exfoliate rapidly with many consequences beyond red skin.  So it true of many estered ingredients. Read the rest of this story »

New 15ml Glass Eye Butter in Front of the Former Plastic 15ml

We now have a new 15ml glass jar for Eye Butter that is physically smaller on the outside and contains the same amount of product inside.  Our older plastic acrylic jar gives way to a new glass jar manufactured for us in Germany by legendary crystal glass manufacturer Stolzle.

Like many companies, when we started, our choice in packaging containers was limited.  We searched for  a lead-free glass container for the last three years and finally found one that is smaller on the outside and holds the same amount of product on the inside.  More important, it is glass which permits us to use steam to sterilize the container before filling.  Add that it is 100% recyclable and you have our new Eye Butter 15 ml jar. Read the rest of this story »

Chemical-Free Skin Health is the book written by Bob Root that is a compilation of all his experiences being on the road with Keys customers.  The book answers the most commonly asked questions as well as proposing some radical ideas about skin health.   Bob features information about the Human Microbiome Project and the nearby National Institutes of health that is a spin-off of the human genome project.

Of all the points Bob makes in the book, the one that drives his continued passion is his deep concern that the chemical bactericides used as preservative in most skin care and household products are destroying the natural ecosystem on our skin.  Parabens and Triclosan used as preservatives and antibacterial agents is an undiscriminating killer of the probiotics on our skin.  This subject is so important to Bob that he has made it the focal point of his book tour which begins in March. Read the rest of this story »

The future of medicine is now.

If I asked you to describe your ideal physician – what would he or she “look” like?  Would she be compassionate and empathic?  Would she meet with you for a hour or maybe even two? Would she listen attentively to every detail of your health history knowing it’s interconnected like a web and everything is a clue into your present state of health?  Would she be knowledgeable about nutrition, environmental toxins and stress reduction, and more importantly, spend time talking with you about these things?  Would she be concerned with preventing disease and getting to the root cause of your illness instead of just treating the symptoms with a pill? Would it be a healing partnership rather than a hierarchal relationship? Read the rest of this story »

UltraHealth…What A Concept!  A Real BHAG!

by Bob Root, Keys technologists & founder

In tech, we had a phrase that we used to differentiate really big projects.  BHAG stands for a Big Hairy Audacious Goal.  When I helped to start Keys, we had some big hairy goals.  Universal Wellness was perhaps the biggest.

Remember, I am from high tech engineering, a practicing quantum physicist and a dreamer.  Ergo a futurist who believes anything is possible.  The adage that anything new is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration simply means to me that usually one person or a few have the spark of an idea and then it takes many more people working hard over a period of time until the rest of us get it.  In all endeavors, we all are both leaders and followers at some point in time.  The concept of Universal Wellness is not new, but it certainly is becoming a BHAG with many leaders and many followers of Natural  and Functional Medicine.

Mehmet Oz (Dr. Oz) and I have a similar BHAG.  To put ourselves out of business.  Universal  wellness will do that.  Read the rest of this story »

Wendy’s #1 Life Rule:  Simplify!

Keys Products Have Many Uses!

We design products that can simplify your life.  At Keys we think differently!

Over six years ago, when we started designing and manufacturing skin health products, we had a fundamental belief that we could invent products that would solve skin issues and make people feel good.  We were inspired by our imagination and explored the use of revered healing natural ingredients so that each of these products effectively would have more than one use.  We believed they should be simple, safe and make life less complex every day.   What a concept and it is our reality! Read the rest of this story »

The new book by Bob Root is now available for sale.   The book is available on the Keys web site store as well as various book sellers like Amazon.com and Barnes & Nobel.  Below are the links to the book sale pages.

• Keys Online Store:  Click Here
• Amazon.com: Click Here
• Barnes & Nobel: Click Here

We are pleased to announce the next generation sprayer head for our RediCare product.  The innovations for this new design development are a finer mist spray, more even and less pressure required to operate and a new integrated locking mechanism.

New RediCare Sprayer Integrated Lock

Most people quickly notice the new locking mechanism.  The prior sprayer used a “wishbone” clip that kept the pump from operating while in a bag, backpack or pocket.   The problem with the old design is that the small clip was easily lost.  In the process of developing the next generation sprayer, we sought all the new features plus an integrated lock.  As simple as it seems, it took us a long time to bring the design to the market.

Below is a short video that shows the operation of the locking latch.  Merely push the button from the right of the pump to open the sprayer for operation and a second push from the left to latch it closed and prevent accidental discharge of the pump. Read the rest of this story »

Keys now selling Jonathan Green Rootine  hair care products

By Bob Root

The rumor is true!  Keys is now marketing part of the Jonathan line.

About four years ago Keys started growing as a new name in Hollywood because of our high-definition natural foundations, Eye Butter, soaps and sunblock.  The industry began to realize that they could now have  skin care products that out performed conventional chemical laden products.  It was a natural progression for them to want hair care and makeup that out performed conventional products. Read the rest of this story »

Bob Root in his new book Chemical-Free Skin Health outlined many of his concerns over the widespread use of Triclosan in foods, products and skin care.  The article below was dated today in the Natural Products Manufacturers newsletter.

From Natural Foods Merchandiser

The Environmental Protection Agency is considering whether to ban the antibacterial chemical triclosan in consumer products, in response to a petition submitted by 82 environmental and public health groups led by Beyond Pesticidesand Food & Water Watch. Read the rest of this story »

In an effort to bring relevant information to you, we occasionally find interesting reports.  This one tags onto the EWG Fragrance Report and includes concerns we have had for a long time regarding unlisted chemicals in fragrance found in household products.

This is a FYI for you!

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Scented Consumer Products Shown to Emit Many Unlisted Chemicals Read the rest of this story »

Gathering Thyme is a new community herb shop and holistic health education center focused on providing Marin County and the Bay Area with exceptional natural healthcare products, education and support.  “Keys is very excited to add Gathering Thyme to our reseller list because they are true trusted advisors in their community,” said Wendy Steele, Keys CEO.

In the retail shop you will find a wide selection of high-quality locally-sourced herbal products including the very best in bulk herbs, teas and spices; Western, Chinese, and Ayurvedic herbal formulas; practitioner-lines of dietary supplements; a terrific selection of organic face and body care products for women, men and children; a large selection of new and used natural healthcare books; bulk salts, clays, and body care products; and herb and health related supplies and gifts.

Read the rest of this story »

New book, “Chemical-Free Skin Health” premiered at the California Women’s Conference.

Keys creates ECO Island.

Keys product chosen by Maria Shriver for second year in a row for speakers’ gift bag.

Long Beach California, October 25, 2010, California Women’s Conference. “Chemical-Free Skin Health” is a new book written by Keys founder and Chief Technology Officer, Bob Root.  The book is the first  written by a natural products industry formulator to help users make better buying choices for safer cosmetics and safer personal care products.  Bob Root offered, “I wrote my book because I realized that many people want safer cosmetics and safer personal care products, but they did not know how to go about making buying decisions.  I created ‘Chemical-Free Skin Health’ to give people a sort of users guide to help make better choices.  I ask my readers to Stop, Challenge and Choose!  I want them to stop buying products that can harm them, challenge conventional thinking and choose the right solutions for them in a quest for better skin health by using natural products.”

Bob Root, An Unlikely Formulator!

Read the rest of this story »

Chemical-Free Skin Health!

Bob announced the beginning of a book focused on skin health over two years ago at the Natural Products Expo West. His book will be published in early October and Bob will officially launch the book at the 2010 California Women’s Conference. Maria Shriver chose Keys Luminos for last years Women’s Conference for the speakers gift bag. This year, she chose Keys Solar Rx for the speakers gift bag.

The book, titled “Chemical-Free Skin Health” with a subtitle of “Stop • Challenge • Choose” will be published by Orion’s M42 publishing company and will be sold on the show floor by Vroman’s bookstore. Bob will be at the show signing the books.

Keys will be exhibiting in the newly created section called the “ECO Island” which features green sustainable products. For those attending, Bob and Wendy will be in the Keys booth along with Kathleen Beaton, Hollywood makeup artist and writer of the Foreword for Bob’s book. Kerry Malouf, motion picture makeup artist and beauty editor for Malibu Magazine will also be in the Keys booth in the ECO Island. Read the rest of this story »

Comments of the personal care industry, by Bob Root, Keys CTO

Bob Root, Keys CTO

“The world is a changen,” is an old southern phrase.   It generally means that new things continue to appear at a little to fast a pace.   The concept of safe cosmetics does not fit into that phrase.  I believe we are actually returning to the basics and our roots from not a too distant a past.

Our first lotion was a refined version of one my grandmother created.  She taught me to make a very fine lotion that she used to simmer on the pilot light (Google ‘pilot light’ if you are under 40) on the stove. She had long since passed-on by the time I started Keys, but I remembered the formula and process. Very emollient, Tortuga rivals the department store brands at a fraction of the price. Why, because it is all natural whole ingredients and not 50+ chemicals designed to mimic a real natural lotion. Read the rest of this story »

Triclosan: The Biocide that Creates Super Bugs?

By Bob Root, Keys Technologist

Bob Root, Keys Technologist

Chemical Warfare Chapter 12:  Biocides:  Indiscriminate killers that create super bugs?

For almost two years, I have been working on a book draft titled, “Chemical Warfare.”  It is a book focused on simplifying information about personal care and household products uses and concerns for public safety.  As I studied, I realized how much hearsay there was in the industry.  Taking a scientific approach, I turned to the research community for insights and facts…as best as they are.  Part of my dedication was and is to release information that is important in real-time.  Books, after all, are merely a snapshot in time and pale in comparison to real-time information gateways like our blog.

FACT vs FUD is a chapter in this book as well as an article on this blog.  In this overly inflammatory news based society of ours, my resistance is to publish anything that is not based in research. Read the rest of this story »

In a world of fast paced communications, we continue to try to simplify, condense and corral the information we present in a way that helps clarify not only our position, but that of the natural products industry.  Over the next few month, we will continue to simplify all that we present to be in one place.  Here!

The Clean Green Cafe offers both a chat forum and a blog.  These are now condensed to this location and available on the tab bar above.

The writing style will continue to be firm, frank and friendly bringing all of what we can find out that is going on, the trends and our opinion of things.

The Clean Green Cafe will also continue to be a place where we aim to inform.  It will also be the home of the new book being written by our founder, Bob Root, titled “Chemical Warfare!” a story about the natural products industry from an insiders perspective.

Ele Keats   Actor Artist Keys Fan!

When we started Keys, we began small with a few products and some real fans.  Our core belief is that products should solve problems and make people feel good about themselves and what they are using in and on their body.

As we have grown, we feel it is time to honor some of those that we have helped, have been with us for a long time and those using our products in unique applications.

Featured Keys Customer:  Ele Keats, Hometown:  Hollywood California

Read the rest of this story »

It is that time of year again when the various sunscreen reports come out.

The Environmental Working Group 2010 Sunscreen Report is out a couple of months early.

Once again, Keys Solar Rx receives great marks in the Moisturizer with SPF category.

I offer the title above with a great deal of respect for this years EWG 2010 Sunscreen Report.  I use the colloquial title because for the first time I feel there is a report that we can all read and understand.  Good on ya EWG for making something that we can read and learn as well as drill down for the details.

This year there are some interesting changes in the report that might not be very apparent, so I will try to hit some highlights to simplify it for you.  Most notable is that the ranking system is gone and it is a very clear, concise easy to read educational document. Read the rest of this story »

We always endeavor to report on things that we know based on facts or studies.  This small review is most definitely and opinion piece from us, so you should form you own opinion by reading the links and watching the various videos available at the links.

Keys Review, Toxic America

Well if you missed it, the CNN series with Sanjay Gupta titled Toxic America was quite good. Read the rest of this story »

Both?

Bob Root, Keys Technologist

As a part of my ongoing series of looking at the Dirty Dozen Chemicals shown to provide elevated cancer rates in people and animals, in this article, I outline why we do not use parabens leaving the judgmental diagnosis to the NGO’s attacking them.  The Dirty Dozen Chemicals are a list of 12 developed originally by the Marin County Cancer Project which at the time, had the highest Cancer Rates in the US.  Followed by Search For The Cause and Teens Turning Green the list is now designated the Dirty Thirty.

So, are parabens good guys or bad guys?  Both it seems and there is a why we do not use them as well.

Below is a scavenged description of parabens from Wikipedia.    On the surface and from a chemical perspective they do their job.  Many chemists and companies support their use based on a belief of safety.  I believe that they are looking at the wrong reasons for safety.

Our society seems to primarily look at safety as, “will what we put on our skin hurt us directly?”  I believe that we should be looking at whether it hurts us based on contact and will it cause something else to hurt us because of it. Read the rest of this story »

Ingredients, Skin Deep Report  and Everything Else…

Musing from an interview with Bob Root, Keys Care CTO

Bob Root, Keys Chief Technologist Near Los Alamos National Labs

I recently took up Storm Chasing as a hobby… Just kidding although I feel like one of those guys chasing Tornado’s in the Midwest when it comes to the natural products industry.

I was recently on a conference call with various members of the Natural Products Manufacturers Association enraged about a change that the EWG had made in the rating of Vegetable Emulsifying Wax from a 1 to a 4.  The tone was angry because as Compact Signers, we were not given a why, who, what or a heads-up at all to the change.  As of the time of the call, no one knew why the ranking was changed, who provoked it or the reason for the change.  Normally, I would not address this here on our blog, but there has been so much uproar at the consumer level that our customer service, sales and marketing teams asked for some clarity.  The title of this article maybe should have been Williams Shakespeare’s,  ”Much Ado About Nothing!”

Read the rest of this story »

Click Here To View Keys Labels

We have always published our product labels on our website.  Admittedly they have been a little hard to find and took some work.  As a part of the evolution of our website and our dedication to simpler more informed content, we have created a page on our blog dedicated to our products from an informational standpoint.  The page on the main menu bars above and to the right show a new category called “Keys Products.”  As we add information, it will appear in this category and as a brief article like this one.

So, now all of our label art in flat pattern is available to be viewed by clicking this link or the label image herein.  You can also go to the category page and click the link there to see these labels.

You will also notice that we are beginning to add recycle symbols to our labels.  Many of our containers are made in the EU and do not have mold recycle marks.  These packages are fully recyclable.  We are adding the symbol to all of our labels as an assurance.  As we add the symbol, we will update the label art page above to reflect the changes.

EWG Report Cover

The EWG just released a report on Fragrances. Below is a part of the report and links to read the entire report.

What is important to understand is that these same secret ingredients are used in personal care and household products. That familiar brand fragrance of Tide, Dreft and dryer sheets come from fragrance developed in the same process as the cologne’s and perfumes listed in the EWG Report.

This report is not startling to us, but it will be to you. It is clear and concise as well as very easy to understand. Simply if it has a long lasting smell, it is a good chance that your products have some of these secret ingredients that are talked about in the report.

This morning our chief scientist, Bob Root, was a featured speaker on the industry call hosted by the Product Stewardship Institute. Read the rest of this story »

Wendy Steele, Keys CEO

UV “B” Chic and UV “A” Wise  Video

Wendy Steele Keys CEO and Ten Year Melanoma Survivor

After the shock of being diagnosed with Melanoma Skin Cancer and the aftermath of dealing with all the chemical in my life that cause my skin disorders, the reality set home pretty quickly.   My skn could never again be exposed to prolonged UV events.  Growing up with a golden tan every summer, sailing the Chesapeak Bay and living in San Diego on a boat caused me to rethink my lifestyle.  Moreover, it caused me to become a advocate and spokesperson for UV and sun avoidance.

Yes, we make one of the finest sunblocks in the world. Consumer Reports said it was the most effective. The Environmental Working Group said we are the safest.   Still, my advocacy is education to stay out of the sun, wear a UPF rated hat and clothing, wear sunglasses and then cover exposed skin with sun protection.  Strange that a sun protection company would say cover-up…not really! Every day throughout the world, people die from Melanoma. Many do not realize it until it is too late.   I dress the way I do and take the sun seriously because my life depends on it. Read the rest of this story »