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40x40

Rachel King (13 KP) rated There's Lead in Your Lipstick: Toxins in Our Everyday Body Care and How to Avoid Them in Books

Feb 11, 2019  
TL
There's Lead in Your Lipstick: Toxins in Our Everyday Body Care and How to Avoid Them
Gillian Deacon | 2011
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
The book opens with Gillian Deacon's personal story for why she decided to write this book - when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Even though she believed that she had been living a healthy and sustainable lifestyle for years, she realized that one can never be too cautious. Deacon employs a few new vocabulary terms that help to introduce the reader to what Deacon hopes to accomplish with this book - by teaching the readers to be cautious about what to use in, on, and around their bodies. The first term is pinkwashing, applying to "big cosmetics corporations that position themselves as leaders in the struggle to eradicate breast cancer... [that] are, in fact, makers and marketers of products that contain many ingredients known or suspected to cause breast cancer." This term is related to the next- greenwashing, in which big corporations do the same thing with environmental awareness. She even gives a list of product lines that fall under this heading on page 10.
Deacon's motto throughout the book is "Be your own advocate," and she uses the book to teach the reader how, with multiple resources that can be found both in books and on the internet. The chapter on label reading introduces the reader to the concept of the chemical body burden, which "refers to the accumulation of chemical ingredients in the human body." This chapter was incredibly illuminating, as I am sure most people do not consider the cumulative effect of all of the manufactured products that we use on a day-to-day basis, or even how different chemicals in these different products can react negatively with one another. Governmental bodies such as Health Canada or the U.S. FDA, are also shown to be of little help in curbing the influx of chemicals into the retail market that have been presented to be linked to illness and disease - and are sometimes even prohibited from use in European countries. She gives a list of the 20 worst chemicals to avoid and why on page 31 - a list which had me examining every product in my bathroom.
Each chapter begins with some basic information about the body parts mentioned to illustrate why and how the chemicals found in products can harm the body. Every chapter is supplied with a list of products that can be found on the internet applicable to that chapter's topic along with the pros and cons of each product. If that is not enough, she also supplies recipes for do-it-yourself homemade body care products, such as face masks, hair treatments, and lipsticks.
The book also teaches that many of the common "spin" words that companies use to promote a product as safe or healthy are, in fact, meaningless, without an industry-standard definition: natural, hypoallergenic, botanicals, pure plant essence, herbal conditioning, purifying, and nourishing, to name a few. Other words can be used to hide chemicals, such as fragrance or perfume, as the companies are not legally required to list the chemicals used to achieve them. Even the regulated word "organic" can not always be trusted as anything with less than 60% organic ingredients can not be truly organic.
In short, this book is a priceless commodity for me, and with it I hope to detox both my home and and family, adding years to all of our lives.
  
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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2440 KP) rated Murder in the Graveyard in Books

Oct 16, 2025  
Murder in the Graveyard
Murder in the Graveyard
Various Authors | 2025 | Mystery
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Watch Out for the Extra Body
Just in time for Halloween, we get this fun collection of murders set in and around graveyards. In addition to the unexpected dead body or two, we also get involved in revenge, teenage parties, amnesia, family feuds, and an escaped convict. Many of these stories are set around Halloween, although a few take place at other times of the year. And yes, a couple lean into the spooky, but it always fits the story, so I didn’t mind.

Many of these authors featured their series stars. I’ve read many of those novels, so it was fun to spend time with them. For those who I haven’t met outside of these short story collections, I didn’t feel like I was missing anything with the stories we got here. Each story was fun, taking me about half an hour to read. With nine stories, we get plenty of content. I was smiling through most of them, even laughing some. And the stories kept me engaged from start to finish.

Whether you read this book now or open it in a different season of the year, you’ll enjoy these stories.
  
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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2440 KP) rated Puzzled to Death (Puzzle Lady #3) in Books

Mar 9, 2018  
PT
Puzzled to Death (Puzzle Lady #3)
Parnell Hall | 2002
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
When Cora gets tricked into hosting a charity crossword puzzle competition, she worries her secret might come out. However, she has other concerns when a body drops. Another fun book, although the rushed ending wasn't as strong as it could have been.

Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2013/02/book-review-puzzled-to-death-by-parnell.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
  
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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2440 KP) rated A Royal Pain (Her Royal Spyness Mysteries, #2) in Books

Mar 9, 2018  
AR
A Royal Pain (Her Royal Spyness Mysteries, #2)
Rhys Bowen | 2008
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Lady Georgiana has been ask to host a visiting princess. But trouble seems to follow them wherever they go. And that's before the body shows up. This book is part comedy and part mystery and I thought they were mixed together perfectly.

Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2013/04/book-review-royal-pain-by-rhys-bowen.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.