This week I had a very interesting, but brief, dance with Marvin from Eqyss Company, California. I had emailed them about my discovery that they are now listing Cocamide DEA as an ingredient on the bottles of both the Eqyss Premier and the Microtek shampoos. Although there are some additional ingredient list changes, for me this change was an area of concern, since DEA related ingredients are amongst the most controversial, as DEA compounds are still under study for the possible release of cancer causing nitrosamines in personal care products. Although a clear connection to cancer in humans has not been established, and the FDA and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) have given DEA compounds a pass as safe for now, there is still a cloud over these ingredients based on some earlier animal studies. These are ingredients that some individuals may prefer to not use, and Eqyss has made a selling point out of NOT using DEA for years. Websites all over the globe are touting these products as "DEA-Free", including the main company website, www.eqyss.com. Being curious about this, I emailed them.
The Marvin Man called me personally because he thought it would be easier to talk about than write (according to his first voicemail message when he missed me.) Well, I hate to think about his writing ability if it is worse than his ability to talk about ingredients. When it comes to the "ingredient dance", this man can't dance. It was not fun, it was awkward and cumbersome, and I was actually embarrassed for him. He had to stumble around while he tried to read his printed "talking points" sheet and make sense out of the notes someone had provided him.
One part of the conversation went like this. Remember that I can pronounce these chemical names fairly well:
Him: Nitrosamines are present everywhere. Nitrosamines are in our saliva.
Me: Yes, but does our saliva contain Diethanolamine?
Him: Waaa?
Me: You know, dy-eth-an-all-AM-een?
Him: Oh, we wouldn't use any of that!
Me: Sir, diethanolamine IS DEA.
Him: Oh...let me look at my sheet...(awkward pause). Well, it says here that you couldn't put enough of that stuff in our shampoo to be toxic. It would take too much. Besides, Cocamide DEA makes for a better product.
Me: But your website and your marketing has made a selling point out of your products having NO DEA.
Him: Well, the website hasn't been changed yet. It's going to be changed. No one else has complained, you are the only one.
Me: (to myself) That, sir, could change.
My issue with this company is not that they are using Cocamide DEA, although this ingredient is something I prefer to stay away from. It is likely not as dangerous as all the broo-ha-ha has made it out to be. The issue is that they have gained market confidence in the fact that they are NOT using this controversial ingredient and are doing nothing to correct that picture. They have just sneaked behind our backs and started using it again. Sorry Eqyss, you can't have it both ways. You can NOT claim NO DEA and then use it. We need an explanation. Mr. Marvin said that they originally used it, stopped using it for awhile ( yea, while they established a market share) and now they have returned to using it. He claims that DEA makes for a better product. I don't know about "better", but I do know that Cocamide DEA can be mixed in a cold processed solution, while Cocamide MEA comes in waxy flakes that must be heated. So MEA is more difficult to work with during manufacture.
I have supported this company and their products for several years. They are one of the few manufacturers of pet grooming products that discloses ingredients on their labels. Their reason for this is not exactly brimming with integrity. Because they are cross-marketing for human use, they are REQUIRED BY LAW to list ingredients. Frankly this duality gripes my grits. This is a great example of why we need ingredient lists on pet grooming labels and why we need to read them. To voice your concern over this loss of integrity for Eqyss Company, write to: info@eqyss.com
REFERENCES:
Cocamide DEA and other DEA compounds are the source of considerable fear mongering on the Internet. For two articles from sources that I trust as being objective and science-based, go to Dr. Andrew Weils excellent summary here, or The Beauty Brains here.
Thank you for bring this into the light. I am one that uses eqyss and find this to be a tad bit disturbing. It's bad enough that most manufactures of pet products use cancer causing ingredients, but to change and or add them??? My question is "have they always been? and are now just lettings us know? Can't anyone just make safe decent products! China is trying to kill us and I hoped products made in the US were different,go figure.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I am furious with Eqyss for their lack of integrity in this matter, I think your statement that "...most manufacturers of pet products use cancer causing ingredients.." is over the top. There is way too much fear mongering going on about cosmetic ingredients. I know of NO ingredients where a definite direct link to cancer has been established as used in shampoos.
ReplyDeleteThe possibility that Cocamide DEA may form carcinogenic nitrosamines in shampoos is still that...a possibility, not a proven fact.
The formation of nitrosamines in shampoos requires two things to be present, the amines or amides and the nitrosating ingredients. While nitrogen is a part of nature, there are few ingredients that are so unstable as to release free nitrogen. Such "nitrosating ingredients" might be the preservatives Bronopol (2-Bromo-2-nitropane-1,3-diol) or Bronidox (5-bromo 5-nitro-1,3-dioxane). Fortunately, these are not often used in pet products, although it would sure help if we could KNOW just what is in the bottle of pet shampoo.
I've been a user and supporter of EQYSS because they disclose their ingredients, and it reasly hurts me to have to hammer them like this. But they validated the whole fear of DEA compounds in cosmetics by marketing "DEA-Free, No DEA!" for years and now they are saying nothing publicly, while privately they say Cocamide DEA is absolutely safe and makes for a better product. They need to offer a public explanation, in my opinion.
About China. I do not agree that China is "try to kill us", but I do think that they are terrible in their manufacturing practices. Although a product may be made in the USA, such as EQYSS, there is no telling where the ingredients come from. The surfactant market is very global.
I'll stop now, and post another article that outlines all of the changes in the Eqyss Premier shampoo. Stay tuned, and thanks for your interest.
Just published on my other blog, a full ingredient list c.2005 and a current list from a recently purchased bottle of Eqyss Premier, as well as a summary of the changes.
ReplyDeletehttp://askbbird.blogspot.com/2008/06/changes-in-eqyss-premier-shampoo.html
It seems strange that they would go back to DEA containing formulas. It is really not that difficult (or more expensive) to create DEA-free, good performing cleansing formulas. The cosmetic industry did it 10 years ago and no one noticed any performance problems. And if cold process is an issue, you can make a fine product using Cocamidopropyl Betaine (a liquid) as a substitute for Cocamide DEA.
ReplyDeleteIt is a case of lazy formulating if you ask me.
Great work with the blog. Keep it up. And thanks for the link.
This is a wonderful post and I love your blog. Very informative in all areas of dog grooming. Thanks for tips and the actually seeing with use of videos. Awesome.
ReplyDelete