January, 2014 | Nine Naturals Blog

Archive for January, 2014

The Tribeca Citizen’s “Your Neighbor, the Entrepreneur: Grace Lee”

Who’s answering these questions?

Grace Lee, CEO and Founder of Nine Naturals.

Elevator pitch?

Nine Naturals creates safe, 100% plant-based, high-performing haircare and skincare products for women during pregnancy and beyond. We want to help women look beautiful while ensuring a safe, healthy start for their children.

Intriguing! Tell us more.

The average woman uses 12 beauty products a day—a routine that exposes her to as many as 168 different ingredients! Some of these commonly found ingredients, like parabens and phthalates, can be absorbed into the bloodstream and have been associated with diseases and health concerns such as cancer, endocrine disruption and behavioral disorders. Pregnancy is the stage when babies are most vulnerable to environmental toxin exposure. Women should still be able to use luxurious beauty products without risking their health or the health of their new baby.

When was it founded? Where did the idea come from?

I started Nine Naturals in business school at the University of Chicago where I won the school’s business competition. I was originally inspired by my pregnant friends searching for safe beauty products to use. Many of the products that claimed to be natural still contained harmful ingredients, and many natural products simply didn’t perform well. The shampoos didn’t lather well and the body products didn’t do much for their skin. When I developed the line, I focused on using natural, pure ingredients but also maintaining a high standard for beauty and performance.

Why “Nine Naturals” (as a name)?

“Nine” for the nine months of pregnancy! And “Naturals” because we only use plant-based ingredients in our formulations.

Who else was involved?

I have an amazing team of people, including my business partner, Amanda, as well as a seasoned chemist and manufacturer in California, a Harvard-educated dermatologist, and a highly talented New York packaging designer. And of course, my family has been very involved—my husband and my 21-month-old daughter, Charlotte, help test all of the products before they go to market.

How big is Nine Naturals now?
We are a fast-growing beauty start-up with a direct-to-consumer distribution through our company’s e-commerce site. We have a beauty product lineup of six different products (shampoo, conditioner, deep conditioner, body wash, belly butter and body cream), with more to come soon—including a sunblock and lip balm! Thanks to strong celebrity referrals, great PR and high customer re-order rates, we’re barely able to keep up our production to meet demand for our products. (#humblebrag)

Where is it headquartered?
Our office and showroom are at 189 Franklin. Come stop by! We love having people over to sample and buy products.

Does living in Tribeca inspire the company in any way?
I am inspired every day by all the fabulous pregnant women and moms in Tribeca. I want every woman to feel confident and beautiful during her pregnancy.

Any company hangouts around here?
Naturally, I am quite particular about the beauty spots I frequent. I love Hale Organic Salon. It’s the one salon where you can avoid the nauseating smell of chemicals! Joe, the owner and my stylist, and I have become close friends and work together on a number of projects between our two businesses. (And Hale sells Nine Naturals products!) Beyond beauty, my team can normally be found at Kaffe 1668 on Beach for business meetings or picking up late afternoon cookies at Locanda Verde —their chocolate chip peanut butter cookie is unreal.

Any testimonials from locals?
“I used the Nine Naturals shampoo and conditioner throughout my pregnancy and—as a blonde with a little help—plan to keep using it post-baby since it has all the nourishing ingredients I need for healthy hair, with none of the sulfates or nasty stuff that strips it.” —Carolyn Pressly-Ryan

“I have been using the Belly Butter since the start of my second pregnancy. After trying several other brands during my first pregnancy, this is the only product I’ll use from now on! My belly always feels moisturized and the smell is just right—not too strong and a really pleasant scent.” —Holly Stein

Avoiding Mercury in Seafood During Pregnancy

Pregnant women might be listening to the wrong advice about safe seafood consumption. The recommendations of the most recent “Dietary Guidelines for Americans” white paper (created in 2011 by the USDA and Dept. of Health and Human Services) are flawed and out of synch with current mercury levels and even Omega-3 levels in seafood.

In short, these guidelines recommend weekly portions of seafood that put pregnant women and children at risk of mercury toxic exposure.

The Environmental Working Group recently released report that is a must-read for women in their child-bearing years.

Pregnant women and young children face the greatest mercury risks. Even small exposures to mercury in the womb have been shown to inflict subtle but measurable deficits on children’s intelligence and nervous system. While frequent fish eating during pregnancy boosted children’s IQ measurements by about two to six points, high mercury exposure during pregnancy dropped IQ scores by two to six points.

Dietary recommendations are inconsistent with the medical risk associated with seafood toxicity. The FDA/EPA recommended amounts of some foods, like canned tuna, expose children and pregnant women to dangerous amounts of mercury. “Not all seafood is equally rich in Omega-3′s,” the EWG states against the government Guidelines’ indiscriminate support for almost all fish and shellfish as great Omega-3 sources.

Women who are choosing seafood as a means of enriching their family’s nutrition as well as their own might choosing risky, toxic seafood options without the upside of the omega-3s.

Of the 10 most popular seafoods, 8 have very low Omega-3 fatty acid levels (requiring from 20-100 ounces to meet adults’ Omega-3 recommended levels). These included Shrimp, Cod, Canned light tuna, Tilapia and Catfish.

Seafood is not a sustainable source of Omega-3s. The aquamarine ecosystem simply cannot support the recommended amount of seafood. There are options for seafood that contain omega-3s and low levels of mercury. The EWG lists anchovies, herring, mussels, salmon, sardines, shad and trout.

The EWG provides a very helpful list of seafood classified by levels of mercury as well as availability of Omega-3s.

The EWG’s report & recommendations, released last week, come as health organizations prepare to meet next month to plan the 2015 guidelines (these guidelines are released every 5 years). For the 2015 update, the EWG is strongly recommending that the USDA & HHS Guidelines be completely redrawn in order “to help [American] consumers avoid excessive mercury and consume enough omega-3 fatty acids.” In addition, the government should also “investigate non-seafood sources of omega-3′s”, as per EWG’s counsel, since “the oceans do not produce enough seafood to accommodate the planet’s growing population and need for healthy fats.”

The Bump: 10 Safe Skincare Products to Use During Pregnancy

Many thanks to The Bump for featuring Nine Naturals on its list of 10 Safe Skincare Products to Use During Pregnancy! We couldn’t be happier that our Citrus + Mint Nourishing Shampoo was rated “Best For Your Hair” and The Bump-approved for pregnancy and beyond. The Bump, from The Knot, is an online community that provides a wide array of information for moms and moms to be, from pregnancy, baby, nursery, and more.

Best for Your Hair

This Citrus + Mint Nourishing Pregnancy Shampoo from Nine Natural is sulfate-free, Paraben-free, Phthalate-free, BPA-free, Triclosan-free, DEA-free, Petrochemical-free and, if that wasn’t enough, it’s also made without artificial dyes and chemicals. So your locks will feel (and look!) silky and luxurious. $20, NineNaturals.com

Serious Support! Find Your Fit: 5 Essential Nursing Bras

Article & Photo Courtesy of Well Rounded NY.

When the new baby comes along, your days of dressing in Agent Provocateur are pretty much… on hiatus. And if you’re planning to nurse you’re going to want to be prepared. As much as you don’t want to think of your bras as functional gear, they will be charged with handling the important task of hourly feedings, leakage and daily wear-and-tear not often asked of “lingerie.”

At Park Slope’s pregnancy and baby shop Boing Boing, owner Karen Paperno has been outfitting new moms with tools for the task for nearly two decades. “Now when a woman is talking to me, I’m looking at her boobs, and guessing her size before she even asks,” Paperno concedes. “And I get it right most of the time!”

A self-described “free-cycler,” Paperno nevertheless insists that hand-me-down nursing bras are a no-no, since “different bra styles work better for different body shapes.” New mamas should expect to invest upwards of $40-50 on a quality nursing bra, and she urges you to pick at least three.

With one of the best nursing bra selections in New York City, Paperno tells us about some of Boing Boing’s current faves for women of every size. And guess what? They don’t look like “gear.”

First Nursing Bra

Your eighth month of pregnancy is a great time to get fitted for your first nursing bra, which will be a must for your hospital bag. This “starter bra” should be stretchy and comfortable, and accommodate your quickly evolving size with ruching or numerous hook options. Picks: Bravado Original or Body Silk Seamless, Melinda G

Small Nursing Bra

With a smaller chest size, a new mom may have more options reminiscent of pre-baby life, from lower-cut styles to front-enclosures. Padded cups can reduce the lumps that come along with nursing pads, and a simple pull-aside bra is often enough support for those with small breasts. Picks: Melinda G with a front opening, Japanese Weekend

Medium Nursing Bra

There are a wide range of styles that appeal to new moms whose breast size falls in the middle of the road. For the heat of the summer, a light microfiber nursing bra is great, while those preferring a standard T-shirt bra might opt for Bravados’ Bliss style. A nursing tank is also convenient and functional, and fits a medium build well. Picks:Glamourmom Tank, AnitaAero Soft Microfiber, Bravado Bliss

Large Nursing Bra

If your girls have gotten large (or larger!) with the arrival of your baby, underwire might be the best bet. Clogged ducts are more myth than reality and you’ll rejoice in the added support. Soft cups are still an option, but color options may be limited. Picks: Anita, Madela

Indulgent Nursing Bra

Every nursing mama deserves a bra that’s as beautiful as it is functional, and Elle Macpherson Intimates has this market cornered. The supermodel’s bra line is as pretty on the inside as it is on the outside, and after several months of hospital-grade looking bras, this can be just what the doctor ordered to help you feel sexy again. Pick:Elle Macpherson Intimates

This article is by Jessica Pallay courtesy of Well Rounded NY. Conceived with love by former magazine editors Jessica Pallay and Kaity Velez, Well Rounded NY aims to be the singular pregnancy resource for city-savvy moms-to-be. Through reviews, profiles, expert Q&As, local guides and more, Well Rounded curates the New York City pregnancy and helps its readers come to terms – and term! – with pregnancy in the city.

WeeSpring says “Breathe Easy” with Unscented Body Cream

Many thanks to WeeSpring for showing some weeLove to Nine Naturals this weekend! Expecting parents use weeSpring to ask their friends about the things they couldn’t live without, and find out what they wish they’d never bought. New parents use weeSpring to pass along their own tried-and-true advice, while continuing to learn from their friends.

Nine Naturals Passes the Smell Test: SNIFFING OUT THE BEST BODY CREAM

Two pretty run-of-the-mill pregnancy problems: dry, itchy skin and a nose to rival a bloodhound’s. Even the loveliest smells can turn offensive to an expecting mom, but skipping the body lotion means scratching her belly all day. So we’ve been on the hunt for a high quality, chemical-free, and unscented body cream for ages.

We’re big fans of Nine Naturals hair care line (makes your shiny, happy pregnancy hair even shinier — and happier). Their new body cream is our dream come true: paraben-free, luxurious, and smells like… nothing. We put it to the test with the most discerning pregnant noses we know, and it passed with flying colors. Which means it’s also great for baby’s sensitive skin.

Go ahead, rub it in.

Wonderful Time-Lapse Pregnancy Video!

Congratulations to “Those Crazy Shermans” and to their new baby Zoey who is lucky to have such inspired and creative parents!

What We’ve Been Reading: Week of January 20th

8 Reasons Why I’m Choosing to Have a Home Birth (HuffPo Parents): Considering taking the home birth route? Here’s one woman’s logic.

Judge Orders Hospital to Remove Pregnant Woman From Life Support (NYTimes): A tragic but important case comes to a close. But the issues about how hospital policy meets the well-being of mom, baby and family remain wide open.

The ‘Big Lie’ in putting off pregnancy (CNN): More on a recent book regarding the mythology that celebrity pregnancy coverage propagates …

Can Mom’s Pregnancy Diet Rewire Baby’s Brain For Obesity? (NPR): Maternal metabolic homeostasis can have long-term effects on the offspring’s health outcomes.

10 (Surprising!) Prenatal Power Foods (FitPregnancy): The title speaks for itself. Checkout why figs, pinto beans and other foods are great for prenatal nutrition!

Daily Candy Loves Nine Naturals!

Nine Naturals was thrilled to be featured in Daily Candy this week:

“No Scotch, bloody steak, or goat cheese — at times, pregnancy feels like an epic cleanse.

Make it holistic with Nine Naturals, an all-natural beauty line for pregnant women.

Though many companies claim to be au naturel, Nine Naturals founder Grace Lee makes it transparent. She links every ingredient to a glossary on the site so you know why the shampoo delights your sensitive nose (delicate essential oils) and how the complementary conditioner combats dryness (omega-rich broccoli seed oil).

Along with hair care, the line includes citrus and geranium body wash, unscented moisturizer, and an especially lovely belly butter made with cupuacu and shea.

Just as notable as what’s included is what’s missing — sulfates, parabens, phthalates, petrochemicals, and artificial preservatives.

This might be one cleanse you stick with.

Available at ninenaturals.com, $5-$48.”

Click here to visit the post on Daily Candy…

Nine Naturals Founder Grace Lee featured on 9Bliss!

Nine Naturals Founder, Grace Lee, sat down with pregnancy website, 9Bliss, to share her thoughts on parabens, pregnancy and how to make changes to your beauty routine. Read the interview below!

With more and more research proving that harmful chemicals can cross the placenta during pregnancy, we are reminded how important it is to use natural beauty products when you’re expecting. And, with the polar vortex wreaking havoc on our hair again, we are also reminded how important it is that those products actually work. (No matter what they say, apple cider vinegar just isn’t a good substitute for conditioner.)

Thankfully, there is Nine Naturals, the paraben-free beauty line designed especially for expectant mothers that can tame flyaways, too.

We sat down with Nine Naturals founder, Grace Lee, to discuss her inspiration for the creation of a line of products that are proven safe for moms-to-be and their babies. Here’s what she had to say:

Many of our readers are concerned about harmful chemicals in their beauty products. We hear about damaging “parabens” and “sulfates” all the time…so, let’s start with this: what IS a paraben? Why are they scary for pregnant women?

Parabens are artificial, chemical preservatives used pervasively in cosmetic and some food products to inhibit the growth of bacteria, mold and yeast; as many as 75%-95% of cosmetic products contain parabens.

Women should be cautious about exposures to parabens as scientific studies have shown that parabens act as hormone disruptors. That means, they mimic estrogen in the body and can thus interfere with normal hormone functions. During pregnancy, there is the potential for a pregnant woman’s exposures to parabens, ingested through cosmetic products, to be passed on to her unborn baby and therefore affect a baby’s health and development at one of the most critical stages in the baby’s life.

This is why parabens and other artificial preservatives are among the many toxins that Nine Naturals wants to help all pregnant women remove from their beauty regimens. Nine Naturals products are completely free from parabens and other chemicals that can be potentially harmful to a baby and mother.

If you take out the harmful ingredients in beauty products, do you take out everything that usually does the “beauty” work? What can you substitute for them?

It is one of the fundamental tenets of Nine Naturals that our products meet a high standard for performance as well as health and purity. We use natural ingredients like broccoli seed oil as a replacement for silicone in our conditioners and organic cupuaçu butter – a butter rich in fatty acids and vitamins – as the base for our body cream, which moisturizes just as well as, if not better, than, synthetic lotions.

There are a few areas of beauty where a healthy change to natural products should be accompanied by a healthy change in expectations. For instance, women may need to embrace their naturally wavy or curly hair and minimize the chemical treatments that keep their hair straight for months on end. A good rule of thumb: if it goes against the natural, genetic code of your hair, it’s probably not good for you.

My recommendation is to start by looking for brands that have high standards of integrity for using the best and most natural ingredients possible. Once you find brands you trust, you can begin to test out the products and select the ones that you like the best.

The ACOG (American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists) just came out with an interesting report about toxins during pregnancy…how should this report change the way readers shop for beauty products while pregnant?

In September of last year, ACOG made a groundbreaking announcement, This organization, which represents 90% of U.S. Board-certified OBGYNs,publicly recognized the risks environmental toxins pose to pregnant women and their fetuses. ACOG made an official recommendation to OBGYNS to caution their patients to avoid these toxins during pregnancy.

Doctors are now acknowledging that there is sufficient scientific evidence that chemicals commonly found in products we use everyday have adverse effects on the health of our babies, particularly during pregnancy. We hope women and men will heed the advice of this respected organization and start educating themselves on chemicals, start learning to read labels and begin to shop smarter for products they use on themselves and their families.

On the Nine Naturals blog, we provide great tips for shopping smarter and provide educational articles about ingredients in beauty products. It’s a great starting point for any woman looking to become better informed.

Since the beginning of Nine Naturals, how has your relationship with beauty products changed? If you were pregnant today, how would your beauty regimen be different?

Developing Nine Naturals products has been as much a personal education as it has been a professional one. Once I learned how potentially harmful the chemicals from common beauty products are to the health of babies and moms, my switch to natural products during pregnancy became a permanent lifestyle change. It was impossible for me to imagine reverting back to my pre-pregnancy beauty products.

Though I am no longer pregnant or breastfeeding, my daughter is constantly in contact with me and the products I use on myself. If I give her a kiss on the cheek, I’m exposing her to the chemicals in my lipstick and if I hold her close to my chest, I’m exposing her to the fragrances I wear and the lotions on my skin.

For women who are coming to natural products during pregnancy for the first time, I recommend making small, simple changes to start. For maximum impact with the least amount of effort, begin by switching out the products you use most frequently. Imagine if you substituted the shampoo you use everyday for one without toxins. With no major effort, expense, or sacrifice, you’ve just eliminated one regular source of exposure.

I created Nine Naturals to facilitate these simple, impactful changes. Our haircare and bodycare products were developed to be natural, safe replacements for the products you use everyday – designed with performance, as well as purity, in mind.

Why Pregnancy Soap?

Few things relax you more during pregnancy than a nice warm bath, with great soap that smells as wonderfully as it cleans. But not all soaps are created equal, particularly with regard to pregnant women. Nine Naturals formulated a pregnancy soap specifically for pregnant women with product development and testing by pregnant women.

So what is the significance of a “pregnancy soap” when it comes to your beauty and cleaning routine?

Many soaps on the market are inadequate for the pregnancy experience — including increased hormones and stretching skin which can make your skin more sensitive and prone to irritation. Even more importantly, many soaps on the market can pose a risk to you and your baby during his most vulnerable stage of life. What you use to bathe can seep into your skin and bloodstream.

During your pregnancy, it’s critical to read the ingredients of soaps and body-washes. Choose all natural products formulated for pregnancy and lookout out for toxic chemicals like these.

Sodium Laureth Sulfate. This cheap and widespread cleaning agent is a popular ingredient for its foaming ability and simple production. SLS causes dryness and irritation in the skin. It is also absorbed very easily into the skin and can build up in organs like the brain and liver, causing long-term damage. Its harmful by-product, 1,4-dioxane, is classified as a carcinogen by the EPA.
Oxybenzone. Commonly found in sunscreen lotion as well as soap, this compound is used to help ingredients absorb more quickly into your skin. Its adverse effects include potential birth defects in male babies as well as cellular damage. Oxybenzone can also disrupt your body’s hormones, possibly leading to a greater risk of certain cancers.
Triclosan (Microban). Previously celebrated as an excellent antibacterial, this ingredient is now associated with several harmful impacts on health. Triclosan can hinder the proper production of estrogen in your body during pregnancy, which can reduce blood and oxygen flow to the fetus and cause brain damage. It is common in soaps, lotions and hand washes.
Phthalates. You can find this chemical in large and diverse selection of products: children’s toys, furniture, plastic toys, and soap (often listed as artificial fragrance). Scientific circles are currently debating the impact that phthalates can have on increasing the risk of asthma and obesity in children. A recent study published by JAMA confirms that phthalates exposure can increase preterm birth risk.
Artificial preservatives. This category includes chemicals like parabens, infamous for their hormone-disrupting qualities. Parabens have been used in cosmetic products (including pregnancy soaps) for decades, but not without controversy. There has been association of high paraben levels with breast cancer tumors, yet studies documenting this association have not proven it to be causal. Parabens may also wreak havoc on the endocrine system.

There are high performance alternatives to chemical-laden pregnancy soaps: Nine Naturals Citrus + Geranium Body Wash. Formulated for pregnant women, it’s all-natural, sulfate-free, and triclosan-free. It soothes itchy, dry, sensitive skin. It is a high performance soap that increases smoothness and suppleness in skin, combating stretch marks.

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