Rachel Belle
Tune in to KIRO Radio on Saturdays at 5pm and Sundays at 3pm for Ring my Belle with Rachel Belle.
Rachel Belle's "Ring My Belle" segment airs Monday-Friday on The Ron & Don Show at 4:37pm and 6:37pm. You can hear "Ring My Belle Weekends" Saturdays at 5:00pm Sundays at 3:00pm. Rachel is a northern California native who loves anything and everything culinary, playing Scrabble, petting cats and performing improv.
Please send Rachel your story ideas, weekend events and taco truck tips!
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Dr. Lipstick: A Local Biochemist Says Your Cosmetics Are Toxic (but she's here to help!)
on March 7, 2013 @ 3:42 pm (Updated: 9:17 am - 3/8/13 )
"I have a PHD in biochemistry and biophysics. So I spent many, many years slaving away in a lab."
That is, until she had an epiphany in her bathroom. Dr. Jen accidentally stumbled upon the Environmental Working Group's website, Skin Deep, and learned that the FDA does not regulate skin and hair products.
"They have a database where you can look up your products. When I looked [mine] up, they got a seven and an eight out of 10 on the hazard scale. So I had a little nervous breakdown and I threw everything in my bathroom away. Then I was standing in my bathroom going, 'What do I do now? I have nothing.' I was like, well, this is just emulsion chemistry. Let's go do this."
So she decided to make her own toxic free skin care products. She started formulating her own anti-aging creams.
"I wasn't going to do makeup until I looked up my favorite color of purple eyeshadow and it got a nine out of 10 and I was like, alright, I'm making makeup now!"
Now she sells her Atomic cosmetics and Xerion Skin Science products from a sunny, rhinestone encrusted boutique in Capitol Hill while wearing a pink lab coat. She offers everyone a handy card with a list of the 12 most toxic ingredients present in most cosmetics.
"Parabens, for instance, they're a preservative. They have been linked to everything from endocrine disputation to increased UV sensitivity. It's staggering how bad these things are. Because there is no law to prevent them from being used, we put them on our bodies all the time. If you go in your bathroom right now, and start looking at your products, you will see the the word paraben on 90% of things in your bathroom."
What about the expensive cosmetics we buy at department stores? Are these toxic ingredients in those products?
"Yes, absolutely. In fact, the other day I was sitting next to a counter that was selling Creme de la Mer. So just for fun I pulled out one of the $300 jars of Creme de la Mer and just read down the ingredient list and five of these are on there. People think if they pay more it's better, and that's really not the truth."
Some of Dr. Jen's best clients are local drag queens, like Robbie Turner, who has given up the products his mother was raised on for Jen's bright colored palettes and non toxic lotions.
"What is this actually doing to you? You smell heavenly for how long, and then the scent wears off. What do you have left? Cancer."
If you don't want to leave your favorite brand of lipstick behind, don't worry. Dr. Jen can replicate the color perfectly, and make you a custom, toxic free tube of lipstick while you wait. She made me an exact replica of the expensive, toxic lipstick I use and it even comes with a customized label. My custom color is called Belle.
Jen continues to do other scientific research.
"I'm working on information processing in the brain. Like an Alzheimer diagnostic essay."
But creating healthy cosmetics for her customers is very fulfilling.
"No one ever comes up to me and is like, 'Hey, thanks for building that single molecule flow cytometer. That was so awesome! I love it!' But, you know, when I make them a good skin care product, it's an instant gratification for me."
Rachel Belle is a feature contributor and personality on The Ron & Don Show on KIRO Radio (weekdays 3-7pm), and host of Ring My Belle Weekends (Saturdays at 5pm and Sundays at 3pm).
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mnpat wrote...You can save yourselves a lot of money/time/heartacheMarch 8, 2013 8:16 am{ "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }- Reply
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CH wrote...put me in a cageMarch 9, 2013 4:45 am{ "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }- Reply
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HPD 5-0 wrote...Like you know what to do with ANY woman.March 9, 2013 11:39 am{ "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
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SickofSeattleite wrote...i can tell you the secrets to chemicl free and it wont cost you 1 centMarch 9, 2013 7:14 am{ "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
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FormerMarineSgt wrote...Gee - someone with an extreme position who's trying toMarch 9, 2013 7:14 am{ "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
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gomariners wrote...Oh brotherMarch 9, 2013 10:21 am{ "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }- Reply
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William Lawn wrote...So she surfs while pooping? I think the little fat guy, Dori said he does it.March 9, 2013 12:17 pm{ "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }- Reply
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WAmovesRight wrote...Nothing good about cosmetics...March 9, 2013 2:49 pm{ "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
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roomtemp wrote..."Women, you're beautiful the way God made you..."March 11, 2013 1:17 pm{ "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }- Reply
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CH wrote...Now flounder lets not jump on doriMarch 9, 2013 8:00 pm{ "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
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CH wrote...Like you know what to do with ANY woman.March 9, 2013 8:02 pm{ "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
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William Lawn wrote...CH, you and I need a you are, i.e. you're, vs a your discussionMarch 10, 2013 10:49 pm{ "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
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ToldYa wrote...what does this meanMarch 11, 2013 7:56 am{ "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
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