Le blog de erikajahn

Why are babies in the U.S., Canada, Australia, China and Indonesia being exposed to carcinogens in Johnson's Baby Shampoo when safer alternatives are available in other countries?

After finding chemicals linked to cancer in popular kids' bath products – including Johnson's Baby Shampoo – in 2009, we asked Johnson & Johnson to reformulate its iconic baby shampoo and specifically to remove the formaldehyde-releasing chemical quaternium-15.

FemmeToxic is a campaign focusing on the toxins in the environment, particularly those found in cosmetic and personal care products, which are detrimental to human health and can increase the risk of cancer and other health-related disorders.  

Maybe you have read my numerous posts and beefs about pink, pinkification, pink ribboning, and pink marketing. My distaste is quite apparent.

Today I read a piece in the Globe and Mail that wasn't really about pink ribbon marketing specifically, but about the "pinkification of womanly consumption" more generally. That is the phrase I have been looking for: "the pinkification of womanly consumption".

 Sexy Children?

The biggest news and controversy this week in the beauty world is surely that to do with 10 year old French Vogue model, Thylane Lena-Rose Blondeau. You might recognize her from the highly offensive Vogue Christmas gift issue:

 So I recently moved and accidentally have free illegal cable. woops!  I also work from home. On my couch. In my living room. In front of the teevee. This means unlimited access to TLC and the horrendously addictive and awfully disturbing Toddlers in Tiaras.

Summer’s Eve, a company that produces douches, wipes and deoderizing sprays to combat that ‘not-so-fresh-feeling’, ie – smelly vagina, has launched an innovative new advertising campaign and Kristi from the Travelling Tickle Blog had something to say about that! 

"Though piggy-backing on girl-power-style feminism with a bridle of dehumanizing objectification is nothing new for Summer’s Eve; remember last year when their magazine ad suggested that the first step for asking for a promotion is deodorizing your vag (if you’re a chick)?

The company Harvey Prince has launched a new perfume "Eau Flirt" clinically "proven to make men flirt with women". I'm calling their bluff. 

So is Dr. Johan Lundstrom who says it is just a placebo effect. Women feel sexier wearing the perfume and therefore its their confidence and mood that get men to flirt with them. Duh. 

So we are often going on and on about pinkwashing this and pinkwashing that. I have written some pretty angry things about pinkwashing, like this, and FemmeToxic has taken a stand against some of the bigger offenders in our email campaigns.

We don't really think that it makes sense that companies whose products may contain chemicals that are even possibly maybe kinda potentially related to breast cancer use pink ribbon marketing to endear themselves to consumers. It's a bit disingenuous we think. Right?

Concordia University professor Gad Saad has  just published a book calledThe Consuming Instinct: What Juicy Burgers, Ferraris, Pornography, and Gift Giving Reveal about Human Nature and it looks like a fascinating read, particularly in terms of what instincts or evolutionary needs drive us to consume, desire, and use cosmetics. According to Saad, there is an evolutionary basis.