A few months ago HerBusyLife published a story about the effects that Brazilian Blowout hair straighteners were having on the health of clients and employees of salons across the country because of the use of formaldehyde in their product. Read the article here.
According to the New York Times, a class action settlement has been enforced and Brazilian Blowout will have to pay out about $4.5 million. Customers who claimed they were harmed will get $35 per hair-straightening session, a fraction of the $250 to $600 salons typically charge for the treatment. They will be compensated for up to three sessions, or a maximum of $105. Salon workers will get $75 for each bottle of the product they bought.
As a result of the settlement, Brazilian Blowout products now must display a “CAUTION” sticker. The company agreed to refrain from misleading consumers about the risks associated with its formaldehyde-releasing products and pay $600,000 in fines and litigation fees. “While the company now acknowledges that formaldehyde is in its product, that does not mean the product is safe to use.” said David Andrews, PhD, senior scientist with the Environmental Working Group (EWG).
EWG is still awaiting action from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in response to a citizen petition filed last April, asking the agency to investigate and review the safety of formaldehyde-laced hair straighteners. Under current law, the FDA has no authority to order a recall of products, even when they have been shown to harm people.
Brazilian Blowout is the best known hair straightener that contains formaldehyde, but an EWG investigation found 16 companies include formaldehyde in their hair smoothing products.
The American Booksellers Association announced on March 1 the finalists for the 2011 Indies Choice Book Awards, now including the E.B. White Read-Aloud Awards. The winners will be chosen by the owners and staff at ABA member stores in balloting throughout the month of March.
Now, looking and feeling younger is that much easier with FoodTrients: Age-Defying Recipes for a Sustainable Life, a new cookbook that foodies are raving about! With 66 beautifully illustrated recipes, chef, restaurateur, and senior living executive Grace O brings healthy aging out of the science lab and into the kitchen.
The number of obese American adults outweighs the number of those who are merely overweight, according to the latest statistics from the federal government, and nearly one in three children in America is overweight or obese. Adults have the freedom to choose to choose what they eat, but children’s meals are provided by adults. It clear that as a nation, we need to make better choices for ourselves and for our kids. 
Kathryn Schulz is a journalist, author, and public speaker with a credible (if not necessarily enviable) claim to being the world’s leading “wrongologist.” She is the author of 
Let’s face it: death is a difficult subject. Most of us like to put into the “let’s not think about” folder in our brains. But knowing the most likely causes of death may just help you avoid them and, therefore, live a longer, healthier life. Some enlightening new research has been done on the subject and the results are quite surprising.
For that special person (or persons) in your life who deserves an extra-special gift, we’ve got quite a list for you. Here are some fabulous gift ideas that are over $100. We can dream, can’t we?
If your budget allows for gifts over $50, we’ve got a few gift tricks up our sleeves. Today, our Holiday Gift Guide delivers ideas for under $75. Let the gift giving begin!
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