ingredients
Mucous membranes are the moist layer of semi-permeable tissue lining the mouth, nose, eyes, vagina, tip of the penis and gastro-intestinal tract. Because they do not have the protective layer (Stratum corneum) found on the surface of the outer skin, mucous membranes can be damaged, irritated and penetrated by synthetic chemicals much more easily. Most old style lubricants are primarily made of synthetic chemicals, some with known or suspected safety issues, such as skin irritants, penetration enhancers or estrogen mimicking properties. A few lubricant manufacturers do not even declare their ingredients; have a look next time you are shopping.
The ingredients used in all
Yes® products
are selected with the needs of the mucous membranes
in mind. The criteria that ingredients have to meet
to be used in a Yes® product include:
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1. |
Certified
and guaranteed purity and quality – organically produced wherever possible, as this ensures product integrity and no hidden chemicals carried over from the production processes, such as the recent FDA alert for Diethylene glycol (anti-freeze) in glycerin (1). All our ingredients occur in nature, contain no genetically modified ingredients and are not tested on animals. |
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2. |
A solid
pedigree of safety and performance – for
example, flax has been cultivated by man for
over 6000 years and the ancient Greeks and
Romans used it to heal, moisturise and nourish
skin(2). |
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3. |
No known skin or mucosal irritants:
| (a) |
No Menthol / Peppermint
oil – skin irritants and
can damage mucous membranes (3,4) |
| (b) |
No Grapefruit seed
extract – see below in sections
7 & 8 |
| (c) |
No Glycerin – is a mucus membrane irritant, feeds Thrush at concentration below 5% and in higher concentrations damages the mucous membranes (5,6,15). See section 9 below |
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4. |
No
natural or synthetic products that have health
issues or concerns:
| (a) |
No Parabens – (Parabens,
i.e. Methylparaben, are a range of synthetic
preservatives that mimic estrogen and are
potentially linked to breast cancer) (7) |
| (b) |
No Glycerin – A sugar alcohol that feeds Candida albicans in certain conditions and so causes a bout of Thrush in women (15) see section 9 below |
| (c) |
No Propylene glycol – a
penetration enhancer used in cosmetics,
as well as lubricants, to “pull” other
chemicals into the skin (8,9) |
| (d) |
No L-Arginine – an
amino acid that can initiate a Herpes outbreak
in people with genital Herpes (10) |
| (e) |
No Petroleum by-products such
as Mineral Oil (Liquidum Paraffinum), Petrolatum
(petroleum jelly), Paraffin oil (lamp oil
or premium Kerosine) or Paraffin wax. Two
concerns, firstly they coat the skin preventing
its normal functions (11) and
secondly they are potentially contaminated
with impurities linked to cancer or other
significant health problems. The EU has
restricted the use of Petrolatum in cosmetic
manufacture (12) |
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No Silicone oils such
as Dimethicone, Cyclomethicone or Dimethicone
Copolyol. Much like Petroleum by-products
they coat the skin, not allowing it to
breathe. There is so much breast implant
(these were / are Silicone oils) side effect
information and controversy that we recommend
you search for “silicone toxicity” in
Google and take a view yourself. |
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5. |
Never
tested on animals. No animal ingredients. Yes® oil-based contains Bees Wax which is approved by the Vegetarian Society. Yes® products are certified cruelty free. |
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6. |
Only
plant based ingredients unless there
is no effective or safe natural option |
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7. |
Preservation
and product cleanliness are critical.
We tested all commercially available natural and “natural” preservation systems and found that none were secure, reliable and safe enough to meet our criteria. For instance Grapefruit seed extract is a known eye irritant at low concentrations (13). We finally chose a combination of natural and synthetically produced preservatives for Yes® water-based to deliver the performance required. Even the synthetically produced ingredients are naturally occurring. If you know of a natural preservation system that works, please let us know (in the 3+ years we have been asking - nobody has suggested an alternative) |
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8. |
Grapefruit
Seed Extract (also called Citrus seed extract
and Citrus grandis). Independent research (FDA) has shown that Grapefruit Seed Extract’s antimicrobial properties are exclusively due to adulterants: undeclared synthetic chemicals; commercially available preservatives and disinfectants such as Methylparaben. Some of which are classified as poisons (14). Yes® products
will never contain Grapefruit
Seed Extract. |
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9. |
Glycerin (also called Glycerine or Glycerol) is a miracle molecule. Glycerin is an integral part of metabolism for almost all life. It has multiple functions on and in the body and is very beneficial for skin (stratum corneum). But glycerin is an irritant on the mucosa and, for example, this property is used to relieve constipation by irritating the rectum: glycerin suppositories. At low concentrations, (15) glycerin is a nutrient for Thrush, and at higher concentrations it damages the mucus membranes. |
Yes® water-based
ingredients:
Organic Aloe Vera, a renowned skin food; organic Flax extract which is particularly beneficial for the mucous membranes and three synergistic plant based gums – Guar, Locust Bean and Xanthan, all of which contribute to the deep velvety texture. Food and cosmetic quality preservatives are included and citric acid to buffer the pH.
Yes® oil-based
ingredients:
Two rich organic butters – Cocoa butter and
Shea butter – more skin food, which impart
smoothness and body; two fine emollient oils - sweet
almond oil and sunflower oil, both organic, which
confer a silky texture and skin moisturising benefits;
a little white organic bees wax, and lastly some
Vitamin E which as well as benefiting the skin, acts
as a preservative.
International Patent Pending
© The Yes Yes Company Ltd 2011
References:
- FDA Import Alert IA5502, www.fda.gov
- Flax: Ancient Herb and Modern Medicine By William
J. Haggerty, Ph.D., HerbalGram, 1999; 45:51-57
- A consumer’s dictionary
of Cosmetic Ingredients by Ruth Winter
- Cosmetics Unmasked, Dr.
Stephen & Gina Antczak
- A consumer’s dictionary
of Cosmetic Ingredients by Ruth Winter
- View any MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) for
Glycerol / Glycerine / Glycerin
- Cosmetic chemicals found in breast tumours, 12
January 2004 www.NewScientist.com
- Environmental Working Group, Skin Deep, Ingredient
Report: Propylene glycol, www.ewg.org
- Cosmetics Unmasked, Dr.
Stephen & Gina Antczak
- The herpes prevention and treatment website, www.herpes.com
- Toxic Chemical Ingredients in
Cosmetics Directory,
www.health-report.co.uk/ingredients-directory.htm
- Environmental Working Group, Skin Deep, Ingredient
Report: Petrolatum www.ewg.org
- The website of a company selling Grapefruit seed
extract www.biochemresearch.com/citricidal.htm
- Independent research findings:
Grapefruit Seed Extract www.yesyesyes.org/GSE
- Preservative free and self preserving Cosmetics and drugs, Kabara & Orth
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