Dr Barbara Olioso's Blog

The Gin Lady shares her views on parabens

The Gin Lady is a green, independent and natural place to gather information, products reviews and to buy ethical products. We would like to share with you her latest article on the most controversial topic at the moment: parabens. The article is worth reading as it gives the views of the pro and against parabens parties..

Have you ever dreamed of getting rid of Health and Safety? Somebody has put it into practise!

A friend told me about a recent article on the Independent about New Hampshire in the US. It is a tiny state in the North East (as big as Wales) where the motto is "Live free and die", meaning the ban of health and safety rules! People can ride bikes with no helmets and drive cars with no seat belts on and also there are no taxes. I do not want to express a judgement about it but I would love to visit this place and see how it feels to be health, safety and taxes free. Click here for the full article

Science and bad press on synthetic chemicals

What is truth? and where does it come from? A few centuries ago the answer would have come from religion. Since the doors were open onto the power of rationality with Descartes, Cogito ergo sum, scientists have become the ones to answer these kind of questions replacing faith with science. For the last 300 years science has given us discoveries that have improved our quality of living and extended our life span, then why is it so easy for the general public to believe bad press about synthetic chemicals? Is science loosing credibility? The truth is that we are not only made of a rational brain but also of emotions, and emotions can be so strong that they can override the rational brain. The fact is that people do not trust scientists as much as they used to, despite irrational it might look. Science is a powerful tool but it is not omniscient and infallible: does science know how much it does not know? I give a very simple example: in November I attended a presentation by a BASF scientist promoting nano titanium and showing how safe it was. A few days later I read on Chemistry World the article talking about DNA and lipids damage caused by nano Titanium (page 37, November issue). The good news is that the researchers found the solution to the problem, the bad news is that there are probably products on the market containing nano Titanium causing damage to the consumers. We live in a very complicated world!

Nano Titanium causing DNA damage

Research performed in the States at Brook University by Miriam Rafailovich has provided clear evidence that titanium nano particles catalyse DNA damage. The researchers found also the solution to the problem by coating the nano Titanium with a mixture of antioxidants that would absorb the photoelectron generated by Titanium, therefore preventing the formation of free radicals.
For the consumers it is going to be impossible to spot the presence of nano Titanium from the ingredients list as the normal and the nano versions share the same INCI name.

Forest Secrets Skincare Launch

Finally, my own brand, to be launched on the 29th of November at the Guildhall Bath Christmas Market which will be open until the 9th of December. I shall be in Orange Grove, behind the Bath Abbey.
There is nothing like it on the market, get prepared for something really outstanding and amazing