Nasty chemicals like DBP (dibutyl phthalate), toluene, and formaldehyde are in almost every nail polish on the market. From CareFair.com; Here are a few facts about these common toxic nail polish ingredients:

Toluene is a human reproductive and developmental toxin. It affects the nervous system with symptoms like tiredness, confusion, weakness, drunken-type actions, and memory loss. It is thought to cause liver damage and skin irritation. In high levels it may affect the kidneys. Toluene has been linked to birth defects.

Formaldehyde is a carcinogen and a common indoor air pollutant because its resins are used in many construction materials. Formaldehyde has caused cancer in the nose and throats of lab animals. Inhaling the fumes can result in watery eyes, headache, burning in the throat, and labored breathing.

Dibutyl Phthalates are used to soften plastic, and are known to affect hormone function. Studies have linked phthalates to early puberty in girls and low sperm counts in men. Environmental groups claim phthalate exposure may contribute to the rising number of uterine problems in women and testicular cancer in men. It could also be one of the contributing factors to a rise in infertility in both sexes. Repeated and heavy exposure to dibutyl phthalate may cause nausea and/or vomiting, tearing of the eyes, dizziness, and headache. Long-term exposures may cause damage to kidneys and the liver. Pregnant women must consider that dibutyl phthalate may harm the developing fetus and the male testes.

Any Girlie with half a brain cell can tell that the stuff is a carcinogenic from the smell alone, and the girls in this posse have sworn off commercial polishes entirely.  Up until recently, that left us polish free and rocking a short and clean look… til the newest crop of totally eco friendly and safe polishes crept onto the scene!  It’s really not that big a deal, just do your own nails (and save a bundle in mani/ pedi bills) or bring your own polish to your local spot and ask that they don’t use their remover.  We get nauseous from even stepping foot in the average mani/ pedi spot these days, but there are alternatives like Green Manicures now available all across the USA.   Try Recess or GreenBliss Eco Spa in LA, Valley in NYC, or search the Green Spa Network online for other States.

Sula Nail Polish ($10) is a  vegan, scentless, water-based line of nail polish that peels off  when you’re ready to remove it. No more headache inducing polish removers, no more brittle nails.  There are currently only four colors in this line, but they are as perfect and vibrant as can be! See the line here.

Zoya Nail Polishes ($6) are free of toxic Toluene, Formaldehyde, and DBP and are the brainchild of Zoya Reyzis who, as a pregnant aesthetician and salon owner in 1984, realized the need for a healthier and more durable solution.  Zoya polishes definitely offer the most incredible selection of colors are far as the more natural polishes are concerned.  See them all here.

Peacekeeper Causemetics offers a non toxic polish which is incredibly well rated by the Environmental Working Group’s “skin deep” rating system.  The polishes aren’t vegan because they contain carmine - a pigment derived from carminic acid from the scales of certain insects such as the cochineal - so vegan readers take note.  They do, however, offer a natural and vegan polish remover which will make you sing hallelujah.  We love this company because they are the first cosmetics line to give all of its after-tax distributable profits to women’s health advocacy and urgent human rights issues.  Peacekeeper “builds a bridge between extraordinary women in the land-of-plenty with extraordinary women who just by chance of birth don’t have our resources or opportunities.” Check out their lovely eco range here.

Peacekeeper Nail Polish Remover, $12.

This, like anything new, may take some time to get used to, but your innards will thank you for it.  We promise.

Just because are in love with Clare Bare, a Brooklyn based lingerie company that designs and produces one- of-a-kind and limited edition lingerie from vintage and eco-friendly and organic materials, doesn’t mean we don’t still love you more than peach pie!  Every piece designed by Clare is dainty, comfortable, and sweeter than agave.

And just in time for Valentine’s Day, the lovely lass is offering a very special EXCLUSIVE to GirlieGirl Army readers: Buy the Organic Cotton Side Tie Bralette ($30, below) and receive the matching Organic Sherpa Heart Bottoms (worth $26) free!!

Simply include the code “GIRLIEGIRLARMY” in an email to Clare, along with your sizes once you’ve purchased the bralette online here. Be still our beating boobs!  This is the anti-Victoria’s Secret; totally made by hand and with love by one sweet activist-minded Glamazon.  Who says a romantic partner needs to buy you lingerie for V day? With a deal like this, buy one for your sweetass self AND a few for all the worthy single sisters in your midst.

Buy this sweet treat, and get the panties free!

I’m sure you’ve seen the new ad campaigns, where the guy says something like; “Shucks honey, I can’t eat that popcicle, it has high fructose corn syrup in it” and the gal slaps her knee and says “Baby, it’s made from corn.  It’s NATURAL!”  We weren’t the only ones confused by big business marketing rearing it’s manipulatory head again!  Our trainer and nutritionist Kendra Coppey from Barefoot Tiger has been answering this question all Month!  Here she puts the spin to rest, once and for all!

Dear Kendra, I have been meaning to email you about that new commercial running on TV regarding high fructose corn syrup being good for you. Have you seen it yet?  I was curious as to your thoughts. What a disgrace that these companies rely so heavily on it that they would create a campaign to tell us that is not harmful!  Kisses xo Daniela

Dear Daniela,

We are ticked off!  This subject is highly debated - wiki it and you’ll notice the section on health effects is “neutrality disputed.” But it’s clear to us - it is really sad that advertisers are stooping this low to promote something that is very clearly not good for us. A lot of research has been done on high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) and to say that it has the same qualities as regular table sugar, while in some ways is true, is extremely misleading. In its chemical form it may look like sucrose and fructose, but the body digests it much differently. Studies have shown that the chemical breakdown of HFCS puts strain on the liver and can lead to leptin resistance, which keeps the body from feeling full. Once a person is leptin-resistant, give them a fatty diet and they’ll put on a lot of weight and also start showing signs of fatty liver disease. Not a positive result in our book.

What they conveniently leave out of these commercials is the process that is used to actually make HFCS. HFCS is liquid sugar made from corn - it’s a complicated process of splitting, boiling, slurrying and rebuilding corn into a sweet liquid, and is nowhere near a natural process. I don’t know about you but I don’t want anything that’s been in a slurry state in my bod. What’s more, corn is a subsidized crop by the US government, so HFCS it is very cheap to make. Our government is encouraging food makers to use this slurry of a liquid because it’s cheap and supports their own financial agendas…not cool. And if you needed one more reason why HFCS sucks, corn is one of the most genetically modified crops in the US, so it can usually be assumed then that HFCS is a highly genetically modified food. Blech.

If we as humans work best on a natural, clean, whole-foods diet, then how does a product that must become a ’slurry’ before being turned into what we know as HFCS, act as a natural sweetner? It just doesn’t make sense. Sure the ‘numbers’ add up to make it look just like table sugar, but it’s kind of like saying that if petroleum oil that we put in our car has the same fat content as olive oil, it must be healthy right? Hmm…we think not.

Want to look up some information on your own? Here are a few great websites to reference:

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_fructose_corn_syrup
• http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/QAA400442/High-Fructose-Corn-Syrup-Too-Sweet-to-Eat.html
• http://westonaprice.org/motherlinda/hfcs.html

It’s also interesting to look at the “pro-HFCS” website, which gives true information, just not ALL of it…very misleading here.

We’ve just inaugurated a new President into office, and our hope is that the food that fortifies our country will be made a higher priority and financial gain for the USDA a lesser one.  We encourage you to get involved. Work with your local school to get HFCS products out of the cafeteria and vending machines, send a letter to your local congresswoman, teach your kids about healthy eating and make your voice heard with your dollars. We’re in this together and can make our voices heard one dollar at a time.

Barefoot Tiger Recommended Reading

Food Politics How the Industry Influences Nutrition and Health by Marion Nestle, Ph.D., M.P.H.

We love this book. It exposes the down-and-dirty truth of the food marketing industry, and makes us want to turn our living rooms into a self-sustaining garden.  In this engrossing exposé, Marion Nestle goes behind the scenes to reveal how the competition really works and how it affects our health. Marion Nestle vividly illustrates food politics in action: watered-down government dietary advice, schools pushing soft drinks, diet supplements promoted as if they were First Amendment rights. When it comes to the mass production and consumption of food, strategic decisions are driven by economics-not science, not common sense, and certainly not health.

Kendra Coppey is the Founder of Barefoot Tiger (www.barefoottiger.com), an in-home personal training, yoga, nutrition and massage therapy company in New York, New Jersey and coming soon to Philadelphia. She is a certified yoga teacher, personal trainer and nutrition coach, and is infatuated with all things sweet…including her two rescued kitties Emma and Sabrina!

Dusty S. Image Courtesty of Fashion-Era.com

How do you think our Grandmothers kept those ‘hives alive for DAYS?  My Grandmother (a shockingly bright redhead who still sports “pieces” and huge faux flower clips on her pompadour) went for a once weekly “shampoo and set” where her “girl” teased her borderline-fuchsia locks into oblivion.   Her hair always looked sexy and fantastic.  She may as well have been Gina Lollobrigida even on her most casual of days, gallivanting around her over the top apartment (leopard print everywhere) on the 42nd floor in a gold caftan, more diamonds than anyone ever needs, and flaming orange lipstick.  I loved how she looked more than anything, and knew then that this display of camp, over-the-top femininity was where I hoped my look would one day evolve. No wonder I ended up running with Drag Queens throughout my teens.

Chloé Jo says "Hot curlers and dry shampoo give me good hair."

Unfortunately my real life hair, unless I have an event or am going somewhere special, is either too dry, too oily, or too long - with crazed tangles of blonde, brown, and black that my cats claw at.   After a recent trip to my beloved hairstylist (Alicia Trani at Mudhoney in NYC) when I came out feeling like myself again, I made a commitment to myself that I’d start fixing myself up more, even when nobody was going to see me.  And hot curlers saved the day.  They are SO underrated.  Hot curlers give me Farrah-sexy hair in 10 minutes or less, and I can save the look for a few days before it gets to what I call (lovingly) stripper hair.  But there is always the instance when it’s day 3 of my curled or blown out hair, and I have to hit the gym for a session with my trainer and be at a dinner by 8pm, and I just don’t have the time to redo my ‘do!  What to do?

DRY SHAMPOO TO THE RESCUE!!!!

The toxic kind Grandma used to use. We don't recommend this propane fueled version!

My Grandma, Mother, Aunt (and yours) LIVED by this stuff to prolong their hairstyles.  Basically, you spray or sprinkle a powder on your head/ hair and it absorbs the oil on your scalp and head and makes your hair smell pretty.  Dry Shampoo also adds tons of volume to thin or fine hair. This is the perfect fix in a pinch and everybody (men and women) should always have a bottle handy!  It’s also great for those of us who color our hair, because the less you wash your hair - the less color comes out and the less dry your hair gets.  In fact, most hairstylists will straight up tell you that you shouldn’t wash your hair more than 3 times a week.  Pulling all those natural oils out of your head only to try to put them back in with a conditioner is nonsensical.  Dry shampoo allows you to freshen up your head without drying out your scalp and lock-age.

Our fave = HAIR FIX.  This 100% natural, vegan, and affordable dry shampoo is so easy to use.  Hair Fix is available in Brown, White, and Black and is fragranced with a luscious blend of 100% organic essential oils.

Hair Fix, $19.95.

How to use? Simply shake the bottle, dispense a small amount of the powder close to your scalp and work through your hair with fingers or blend it in beautifully with an applicator brush.  Your hair will be left smelling fresh and clean, excess oil is absorbed, and your hair is full of volume and bounce.  Lot’s of people also like the Bumble & Bumble dry shampoos because they are available in spray bottles, but these are neither a smart eco choice, nor organic, nor certified vegan, and they are much more expensive than Hair Fix.   Best of all, Hair Fix is owned by an eco/ animal activist cutie, so you know your money is going somewhere great.  Learn more about dry shampoo on their FAQ page here.

Curl on!

Dirty Dolls Lingerie just launched its to-die-for pretty inaugural collection! Designed by two ethical Glamazons (and GirlieGirl Army readers) - Erica Paul and Courtney Newman - this dreamy line offers hard to find bra sizes that most retailers do not carry. The bra size range starts at 30C and goes up to 44DDD (can you say KNOCKERS?!), guaranteeing that voluptuous women from coast to coast will be able to enjoy gorgeous, figure-enhancing brassieres.  This may mean nothing to us average sized boobs (read about our last bra shopping experience here), but those in our posse who have been naturally blessed by the goddess in the mammary arena know how unbelievably hard it is to find attractive bras in larger sizes.  You don’t have to have big melons to rock Dirty Dolls lingerie, their body shapers may make you forget Spanks, and their panties are comfy and foxy.  Formerly only available at legendary Patricia Field’s (of “Sex in the City” fame) shop, you can now make like a native NYC gal and get your pasties on the online store!

Dirty Dolls Lingerie is a “socially conscious company” (they offer all their panties in an organic cotton version!) that also host very popular at-home lingerie parties which feature specialized bra fittings in the comfort of your own casa!  In keeping with the burlesque spirit,  you’ll get the chance to decorate your own pasties and learn how how to twirl your tassels!  Add a few bottles of chamapgne, and it sounds perfect for a girls night in or bachelorette party.  Their new site also offers a lingerie fit school, so that you can be sure that you are buying a bra in your correct size.

Visit the saucy minx’s online here: www.dirtydollslingerie.com