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 »

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!

____________________________________________________________

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 »

KEYS TV About Keys

Simple, Effective Pharmaceutical Grade Products for Skin Health Video

Bob Root Keys CTO and Co-Founder at White Sands NM

Many people have asked how we started Keys and why.

This short video overview will give you a sense of who we are, why we started and our purpose.

As an overview, Wendy Steele, Keys CEO was diagnosed with Melanoma Skin Cancer a little over ten years ago. She survived the cancer, but was terribly afflicted with skin disorders that were diagnosed by doctors as adult acne, eczema, psoriasis,l contact dermatitis and a myriad of other incorrect bad guesses. What she found was that it was the chemicals in prescription skincare and the sunscreens she had to wear to protect her skin.

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By Wendy Steele, Keys CEO

Wendy Steele Keys CEO and 10+ Year Melanoma Survivor

A few years ago when I fell and sprained my ankle, I had to send Bob to Santa Monica CA to meet with 300 Hollywood makeup artists.  The trip was to introduce Eye Butter as a natural alternative to eye foundations and creams.  Our message then and now was that natural products no longer needed to be a compromise.  Our message was and is that Eye Butter, Luminos and Solar Rx actually make people look good on and off camera.  Not just for the Red Carpet.

Most of you know that Bob is my business partner and also my husband.   Since I was then on crutches and unable to travel, it was hard to send him to be with makeup artists which were mostly beautiful women with “the natural look”.  As the story continues,  happily, Bob’s connection with these women did not end with the event in Santa Monica.  The relationships have strengthened and multiplied to where most of our beauty advisors are  makeup artists and actors.  And during this journey we have learned so much from them not only about on-camera results with Keys products, in addition many have become such good friends of Keys through our relationships with them.  Truly, they have become my friends as well.  Many attending a surprise birthday party for Bob at the Reagan Library in Southern California.

Traditionally, products are endorsed by celebrities by being paid to do so.  Not only can we not afford to do this form of endorsement, but it is generally against our philosophy.  Beauty is a relatively new market sector for us and most of the clear cosmetic product advancements came from our association with some very creative makeup artists. Read the rest of this story »

Dirty Dozen Chemicals: SLS

Bob Root, Keys CTO

By Bob Root

Keys Technologist

Many people that I meet ask me to describe why I do not use certain chemicals.  I tell them that my reasons are practical not political.  I generally explain in three to five pragmatic reasons why I do not use certain ingredients.  Most encourage me to offer my simplified reasons, so I am beginning to undertake why we do not use certain ingredients.  In this series of article, I will start with the Dirty Dozen. Read the rest of this story »

A new iPhone application promises to inform the consumer of which products should be avoided using a database of INCI names and the ingredients allotted safety profile.

iPhone app

Cosmetifique can be used with both the iPhone and iPod Touch and claims to have a searchable database of over 5,000 ingredients, in INCI format. Results for ingredients searches come back highlighted as either red, orange or green, to denote whether the ingredient is good, acceptable or should be avoided. According to application designer Alfredo Delli Bovi, this can inform the consumer whether the cosmetics they have bought or are planning on purchasing are dangerous to their health or the environment. Cosmetifique also allows favourite products to be saved with the name, brand and colour, which can then be shared with friends via email, facebook or twitter. Delli Bovi explained that the ingredients suggested as good are natural and green ingredients.  “We talked to make-up gurus and 90 percent of them preferred natural ingredients, so we don’t suggest chemical ones like dimethicone,” he said. A local scientific agency provided much of the information for the application as did webservices, explained Delli Bovi. The application is now available to purchase from Apple’s App Store at a price of $1.99.  The company website is http://www.cosmetifique.com/ BTW, the cosmetics industry is up in arms over this app

Acne Solutions.  Real or Unreal?

Bob Root, Keys CTO

By Bob Root, Keys Technologist

There are many acne treatments on the market promising a quick result.  They work quickly and as quickly, the skin rebounds, for most with, with a vengeance.

We receive a lot of emails from people wondering what we have for treating acne.  Ironically, Keys is in business because of acne treatment.  More about that later.

The major quick fix for acne has been the same since the 1920’s.  The chemical is called Benzyol Peroxide.  Benzoyl peroxide is an compound in the organic peroxide family. It consists of two benzoyl groups joined by a peroxide group. Benzoyl peroxide is used as an acne treatment, for improving flour, for bleaching hair and teeth, for polymerising polyester and many other uses. Read the rest of this story »

New Eye Butter

Softer, smoother and more effective anti-aging properties

By Bob Root, Keys Technologist

Eye Butter is now better butter.  The ingredients are the same.  The amount of each ingredient has not changed.  Two of the processes in making Eye Butter have been changed to increase its efficacy and soften the consistency while also being smoother.

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In keeping with our commitment to keep you informed about studies dealing with the Dirty Thirty chemicals, here is a synopsis and link to a recent article regarding phthalates in personal care products.  Please note that we have tracked the use of phthalates in room fresheners, scented candles, dryer sheets, laundry detergents, cologne/perfumes and a high percentage of personal care products.  The consumer simple rule that we suggest is that if a product has a strong fragrance that lasts for a long time, it is most likely synthetic and contains a form of phthalate.  When in doubt inquire to a product manufacture for assurance that their products do not contain phthalates.  Keys Engineering

Personal care ingredient linked to ADHD

A new study has linked phthalates, a substance used in some shampoos, lotions, air fresheners and children’s toys, with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. Although research on the health effects of phthalates (pronounced “thalates”) has been somewhat inconsistent, the latest study, published in Biological Psychiatry, adds to troubling findings about the chemical.

“These data represent the first documented association between phthalate exposure and ADHD symptoms in school-aged children,” Yun-Chul Hong, MD, PhD, senior author of the study, said in a statement. He and his colleagues came to their conclusions after measuring urine phthalate concentrations and evaluating ADHD symptoms in 261 Korean children, age 8 to 11 years. They found that the higher the concentration of phthalate metabolites in the urine, the worse the ADHD symptoms.

Some studies to date on phthalates have linked the chemical to hormone disruptions, birth defects, asthma and reproductive problems. Other studies have found no significant association between phthalate exposure and health risks.

Here is a link to the article.  Click Here