October is Breast Cancer Awareness month and Philosophy has made a wonderful effort to support it by donating all the net profits from its Graceful Journey Shampoo, Bath, & Shower Gel ($25, philosophy.com) to Look Good Feel Better. This program helps those affected by cancer with the appearance-related side effects that can often be detrimental to people’s self-esteem. There’s about a week left in October, which still gives everyone plenty of time to support cancer-related efforts. Also, I believe Philosophy will keep selling the shower gel and donating the net profits.

And remember, no matter what day, week, or month it is, it’s always a good time (and good for the soul!) to support worthwhile causes and do what you can to help out others.

What is Look Good Feel Better?

Look Good Feel Better helps instruct women on how to deal with the appearance-related side effects of cancer treatment.

The history is quite touching. In 1987, a physician had a patient who was so devastated by the physical side effects of her cancer treatment that she refused to leave her hospital room. Her doctor asked Personal Care Products Council President Ed Kavanaugh whether he could help with a makeover and Kavanaugh was able to provide products and a cosmetologist. For the first time in weeks, the woman was happy enough to laugh.

Look Good Feel Better is a program that’s dedicated to helping women with cancer feel better about their appearance by teaching them how to deal with the side effects of cancer. To date, the program has worked with more than 700,000 women. It has 14,500 group workshops across the country in 3000 locations.

After the success of this, three organizations — the Personal Care Products Council, The American Cancer Society, and the Professional Beauty Association | National Cosmetology Association — joined together to start the program Look Good Feel Better.

For more information, please visit the Look Good Feel Better website: lookgoodfeelbetter.org

Sodium LAURETH Sulfate is NOT Sodium LAURYL Sulfate!

Don’t let the name similarity fool you, sodium laureth sulfate is not as harsh as sodium lauryl sulfate.

The second ingredient in Graceful Journey Shampoo, Bath, & Shower Gel is sodium laureth sulfate, which shouldn’t be confused with sodium lauryl sulfate.

Don’t let the name similarity fool you, sodium laureth sulfate is different and gentler than sodium lauryl sulfate — the notoriously harsh surfactant (Safe Cosmetics). It’s still a surfactant that causes the foaming we all associate with soap, but it’s known for having lower incidences of irritation than sodium lauryl sulfate (EPA).

There are some concerns online about toxicity, but NO study has shown sodium laureth sulfate to be toxic, to have adverse effects on the reproductive system, or to be mutagenic. Overall, studies have found sodium laureth sulfate to be safe (EPA). And while there is still the potential for irritation, it’s generally seen as being low (International Journal of Toxicology).

Generally speaking, while sodium laureth sulfate can be irritating, it is to a much lesser extent, as found in studies comparing sodium lauryl sulfate and sodium laureth sulfate and is, subsequently, more recommendable (Contact Dermatitis).

Personal Use and Opinions

Graceful Journey Shampoo, Bath, & Shower Gel is a creamy and sudsy gel that has a sharp, smart floral aroma, with notes of daisies or sunflowers. The first several ingredients are surfactants and while I didn’t find it super drying, I also didn’t feel it was moisturizing. Overall, it’s a pleasant shower gel and it goes towards a good cause, but it’s not the best shower gel I’ve used.

Bottom Line

Philosophy, like many other companies, is using their products to support good causes. The month is coming to an end, but there’s still a week to participate in Breast Cancer Awareness month and support causes like Look Good Feel Better, which helps teach women how to work with the appearance-related side effects of cancer treatment.

The Graceful Journey Shampoo, Bath, & Shower Gel is pretty average as far as bath and shower gels go. It has a pleasant smell, creamy consistency, and isn’t too irritating, but also doesn’t moisturize well.

Product Rating:  7/9

• High or optimized concentration of key ingredients: 2/3
• Unique formulation or new technology:  2/3
• Value:  3/3

Ingredients

water (aqua), sodium c14-16 olefin sulfonate, ppg-2 hydroxyethyl cocamide, cocamidopropyl betaine, glycerin, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, disodium laureth sulfosuccinate, fragrance (parfum), hydrolyzed silk, panthenol, tocopheryl acetate, helianthus annuus (sunflower) seed extract, steareth-4, hydrolyzed rice protein, glycol distearate, polyquaternium-10, cetyl alcohol, butylene glycol, methyl gluceth-20, sodium benzotriazolyl butylphenol sulfonate, buteth-3, tributyl citrate, sodium chloride, citric acid, tetrasodium edta, methylchloroisothiazolinone, methylisothiazolinone