Stem Organics
in the early morning of August 26th, 2007The Stem Organics story…
“At Stem Organics, we believe everything that you touch or that touches you matters. Our philosophy is that the best skincare you can get is that which is created with skin, health, and life in mind. This is why we have replaced the harsh and potentially ageing chemical ingredients traditionally found in skincare with the innocence and effectiveness of organic and natural alternatives. Stem Organics products soothe, hydrate, and promote anti-ageing benefits for healthy, glowing skin.”
The co-founders of Stem tout the use of indigenous products from Australia in their product lines. With native fruits and bush flower essences, it all sounds impressive, but is it just clever marketing and hype?
They then go on to claim the following:
“What we put in…
-Free radical, age fighting antioxidants
-Natural anti-inflammatory and skin super nutrients
-Certified organic and natural ingredients
-Premium quality and organic essential oils
-Vital essential fatty acids
-Nourishing cold pressed and organic nut, seed and fruit oilsIs as important as what we leave out…
-Petrochemicals
-GM ingredients
-Parabens
-Sulphates
-Artificial colouring
-Artificial fragrances
-Dioxins, and more”
On further investigation, Stem Organics is disappointing and misleading the public with their claims of being natural and safe, and to then say that they exclude a token of harmful ingredients is simply a gesture on their part as you can see below.
The flagrant use of Phenoxyethanol and Hydroxymethlglycinate, also known as Suttocide Glycerin both of which are toxic and cancer causing is of serious concern.
In a water-based solution such as a moisturiser or shampoo, sodium hydroxymethylglycinate decomposes to release formaldehyde into the product. The total free formaldehyde content in a product containing 0.5% sodium hydroxymethylglycinate (the recommended usage level) corresponds to 0.118%, which is 1,180 parts per million (ppm).
So, who are the guinea pigs for the cosmetic industry and these so called companies espousing that they’re safe?!
The risk, no matter how slight, shouldn’t need to be taken by you or your family, should it?
Thanks Stem Organics, but I think I’ll have my Kakadu Plum on the barbie!
These are the opinions of the author.
It has been brought to our attention that your blog site presents incorrect and slanderous comment about Stem Organics.
We bring to your attention our concerns:
We do not see activities as these beneficial or productive and ask that you do not get into commenting about other companies on whole especially when your comments are not correct.
Slander is unprofessional and it is something we choose not to enter.
As first contact we kindly ask you either add these opinions of this writer, unedited, in full below your comments on Stem Organics or remove all reference to Stem Organics from your website.
We would like to bring to you attention the following queries we have about your products.
Preservatives
You state you do not use preservatives in your products. Firstly we are concerned about companies who provide unpreserved products which are susceptible to harmful yeasts, molds and often invisible microbes. Presented with the facts I’m sure consumers would prefer low a level of preservative in products than run the gauntlet of a non preserved product.
Borox
We are curious about the nature of your companies own claims. We note in some of your products you include borax, which is a well known preservative and rodent killer (or as you call it Organic Sodium Tetraborate) . This ingredient goes against your claims of preservative free.
Borax is estimated to have a fatal dose from 0.1 to 0.5g/kg. Which incidentally is 0.000005%. Amounts used in cosmetics are up to 1.4% These substances are quoted as being toxic to all cells, and have a slow excretion rate through the kidneys. Kidney toxicity is the greatest, with liver fatty degeneration, cerebral edema, and gastroenteritis.
Boric acid solutions used as an eye wash or on abraded skin are known to be especially toxic to infants, especially after repeated use because of its slow elimination rate.
It would be interesting to learn where you source this “organic” borax (ie “Organic Sodium Tetraborate”), To date there is no known organic certification by any certifying body.
Fragrance
We are also curious as to why you list fragrances in your products then write don’t be fooled by experts who may label all aromatics under the term ‘Fragrance’.
You mention you may use nature identical ingredients, strictly speaking that’s not 100% natural, which is also a claim you make about your products.
–
We are disappointed by the comments and views from Elixir.
We are both in the natural skincare market to reduce the
number of chemical loaded offerings and increase the quality of a
customers skin health.
Again, as first contact we kindly ask you either add these opinions of
this writer, unedited, in full below your comments on Stem Organics or
remove all reference to Stem Organics from your website.
Kind Regards
Stem Organics
yola :: 1 week, 2 days after
Thank you for taking the time to write in to us and your interest in our Company.
You offered us two options; either to remove our post about Stem Organics or to post Stem Organic’s reply underneath ours. As long as you don’t mind a rebuttle, we have chosen to post your comments.
You accuse us of slander, being unprofessional and incorrect. The information we gleaned came directly off your website and the facts we posted about your
choice of preservatives were sourced from www.pubmed.gov - The National Library of Medicine and the National Institute of Health. Perhaps you should write to them also.
Preservatives
After a great deal of research, testing and money, Elixir Body Care did indeed revolutionise the way skincare and
body care can be formulated without the addition of preservatives and without compromising on the safety and efficacy of our products.
Simply because you cannot conceive of it being accomplished, doesn’t make it so, or perhaps you are aware of how to make these products without preservatives but simply find it uneconomic to do so.
Elixir Body Care does endorse Companies that meet or better our benchmark. Mannatech would be one, a nutritional company, who are on the verge of releasing a range of preservative free skincare and body care.
Organic Sodium Tetraborate
Thank you for bringing to our attention the fact that Sodium Tetraborate is still listed in our list of Things We Use and ingredients. It was an oversight on our part as we
have not used this for some time.
Whilst we’re on the subject of Borax, which is similar to salt; you mentioned toxicity concerns with its use, but you also forgot to point out that its used in French and Iranian Caviar.
You mention Borate to be harmful, so is Sodium Chloride aka regular table salt if abused.
“Organic” is generally a marketing term used by many in the cosmetic industry to say that a product is naturally occuring as in the case of Borate, a mineral salt, which I’m quite certain you would have been aware of. We did not state it was Certified Organic.
Fragrance
First of all, I think it would be prudent if I linked to the full post so that it can be read by viewers in context. The post clearly explained the differences between essential oils, natural fragrances and synthetic fragrance. It was all quite straight forward.
The fragrances we source are a blending of essential oils, fruit extracts and natural and nature identical products.
Where an essential oil is unobtainable, we would if necessary, source a substitute. If that substitute was synthetic, we would
a) notify our customers and
b) clearly state it’s inclusion in the product description.
We would not then call that particular product NATURAL.
Where we have the term Fragrance [parfum] listed in our ingredients, the definition, as listed in our glossary, does not imply the inclusion of a synthetic substance but, to reiterate, a blending.
To summarise, Elixir Body Care are formulators of preservative free, 100% natural, skincare and body care.
Regards,
Yola
yola :: 1 week, 2 days after