The Paul Penders e-Newsletter: January 2008
Paul Penders is an active environmentalist and avid animal rights activist who incorporates these beliefs into his products. His philosophy of “no chemicals” and “no animal testing” started with shampoos and later on evolved into a bounty of new skincare products for people of all ages.

We provide unique, high quality products combined with personal customer service, in order to achieve exceptional consumer satisfaction.

 


In This Issue:
160 Medical Plants Rescued
Yoga Exercises Tone the Face
Paul Penders Expands R&D
Nanoparticles Banned

160 Medical Plants Rescued From Destruction

On December 21, herbalist Dr. Abdul Ghani Hussain and representatives from Paul Penders coordinated the salvage of 160 plants of medicinal value from an area designated for quarry development.

In early November, Kumpulan Perangsang Selangor announced a joint venture to quarry dolomite in three areas in the Langkawi Archipelago: Bukit Batu Puteh, North of Pasir Tulang Hantu and Pulau Dayang Bunting. The new venture would generate a sum of some 600 million Ringgit Malaysia and generate many new jobs along with economic growth, but it would also destroy much of the plant life in these areas.

This land has not been fully explored for its plant biodiversity, but experts believe that many unique species exist there. For example, during his research trips into the rainforest of the Setul Formation, Dr. Ghani found a yet undocumented Curcuma species and many other plants of medicinal value that are unique to the Setul Formation and not found anywhere else.

The salvaged plants were rescued from an area marked as Dolomite Quarry in the Bukit Batu Puteh Area of Pulau Langkawi. They were identified by Dr. Ghani and transplanted into poly bags by 160 school children from Yayasan Anak Warisan Alam (YAWA). Dr. Ghani will care for the plants for the next twelve months. Next year, the YAWA students will return to replant these 160 plants into the rainforest.

Dr. Abdul Ghani Hussain is a practitioner of conservation and preservation of medicinal plants and has been actively collecting medicinal plants from various parts of the Langkawi Archipelago and other parts of Malaysia including Sabah. To read his blog describing various species of plants indigenous to Langkawi, please click here.

Simple Yoga Exercises Help Tone the Face

Dermatologists, skincare therapists & yoga teachers all agree that unreleased tension moves into the face and contributes to the formation of wrinkles. This can cause premature aging, making even young faces appear older than they actually are.

Simply stretching facial muscles just twice a day can tighten sagging skin and reduce wrinkles on the forehead, cheeks, jaw and around the eyes.

Paul Penders has recently updated its website to include a series of easy exercises that will help release pent-up energy in the face for a more natural and healthy looking appearance. The nine exercises can be performed in just 5 to 10 minutes each day, and require no special equipment or products. The Paul Penders website provides complete instructions, along with photographs that demonstrate how to perform each. To see the exercises, please click here.

Paul Penders Expands R&D Department

Paul Penders is excited to announce the addition of a new employee to the company. Last month, Iriene Yusof joined the Paul Penders Research & Development Department as a Specialty Cosmetic Chemist. Iriene was previously an organic chemistry Research Assistant in the Research & Quality Department of the University of Kebangsaan in Malaysia. She comes highly recommended by both Professor Ikram Mohd Said and Dr. Abdul Ghani Hussain.

Outside the lab, Iriene has competed in chess tournaments and is a Reserve Officer of the Army Force of Malaysia. She has also served as vice-president of the yearly festival for the King when it was awarded Best Program of the Year.

Nanoparticles Banned by UK Trade Association

This month, the UK Soil Association (UKSA) has issued a ban on the usage of manmade nanomaterials in all Soil Association-certified organic products. This applies particularly to health and beauty products, and echos the warnings Paul Penders has issued about nanomaterials for many years.

The UKSA notes that there is little scientific understanding about how nanomaterials affect living organisms. Although the government has reportedly acknowledged the risks, no action has been taken to impose controls or require disclosure of the substances on product labels. At the same time, however, many of the largest beauty products makers including L'Oréal, Unilever, Boots and Lancôme are already developing and introducing these super fine particles into their products.

Gundula Azeez, Soil Association policy manager, said in a press announcement: “The Soil Association is the first organization in the world to ban nanoparticles. There should be no place for nanoparticles in health and beauty products or food. We are deeply concerned at the government’s failure to follow scientific advice and regulate products. There should be an immediate freeze on the commercial release of nanomaterials until there is a sound body of scientific research into all the health impacts...."

A nanoparticle is a very small particle less than 100 nm in size. Because of this, they have a high surface to volume ratio, which makes them very reactive and able to pass through cell membranes easily.According to the San Francisco Chronicle, "Animal studies have shown that some nanoparticles can penetrate cells and tissues, move through the body and brain and cause biochemical damage. But whether cosmetics and sunscreens containing nanomaterials pose health risks remains largely unknown, pending completion of long-range studies recently begun by the FDA and other agencies."