Should you say yes to carrots

Paulaboub is perplexed…I recently came across a new ( to me) product line called Yes To Carrots. It lists mostly natural ingredients. I bought the moisturizing day cream and shower gel/body wash. Smells nice, the cream doesn’t bother my eyes as alot of creams do these days. Just wondering what you thought.

The Left Brain doesn’t care for carrots:

If you like Yes To Carrots because it smells nice and it doesn’t irritate your eyes, then then by all means you should buy it. But if you’re asking my professional opinion, I have to tell you that I’m not very impressed by this faux natural brand.

Yes To Carrots?

According to their website:

All of our Yes To products combine the fresh, unadulterated goodness of organic fruits and vegetables with the purifying and moisturizing properties of 26 minerals harvested from the ancient world’s most renowned spa- the Dead Sea.

Come on! While it’s true that their formulas contain lots of natural goodies, they don’t bother to mention that the functional ingredients in their products are the same tried and true chemicals used in other mass market beauty products. For example, their shower gel is based on sodium coceth sulfate (a cleanser) and cocamide DEA (a foam booster/thickener). While I have no problem with brands that like to convey a certain look, feel, and scent by using natural ingredients, I don’t like being mislead to by companies that claim to use the “unadulterated goodness of organic fruits and vegetables” but don’t tell you they include chemicals like propanediol and benzyl alcohol in their formulations.

Perilous Parabens?

Another issue I have with this brand is their stance on parabens. Their website also gives an explanation for why their products are paraben-free.

Parabens are a group of chemicals that have been widely used as preservatives in many cosmetics to ensure the products remain free of bacteria, fungus and other microbes. They also help extend the shelf life of cosmetic products. In 1998, the United States Environmental Protection Agency released a report stating that parabens – butyl, ethyl, methyl and propyl varieties – demonstrated “estrogenic activity.”

Sounds like a mouthful, but it means that these chemicals could possibly imitate hormones found in the human body and have an adverse effect on our endocrine system when absorbed by the skin or flushed into our drinking supply. Studies conducted in Europe found similar results and we’ve found better alternatives to ensure your products stay clean while ensuring your safety when using Yes To CarrotsTM products.

The problem is, this is only half truth because subsequent studies have shown that the methyl and propyl parabens have no cause for concern. (You can read the details about parabens here.)

The Beauty Brains bottom line

In my opinion, Yes To Carrots is just another brand trying to capitalize on the naturals/organics trend by hiding standard cosmetics ingredients behind an over-hyped soup of fruit and vegetable extracts. The products may work perfectly fine but, personally, that kind of hypocrisy turns me off.

For those of who to chose to disregard our advice, you can buy Yes To Carrots here.


Left Brain
February 24, 2009 at 7:00 pm

@Sarah Bellum and @Mid Brain: Could you two please knock it off. This is supposed to be a beauty science blog, not a forum for your gripes. (Besides, I thought the picture was funny…)


Christina
March 3, 2009 at 8:22 pm

Hi,

I would just like to say that I’ve been using Yes To Carrots products and I must say I absolutely LOVE their products. As for parabens, with everything I read on them I rather completly eliminate them from my beauty products. I do not think that Yes to Carrots is trying to capitalize on the naturals/organics trend but I do believe that they are offering great, affordable, paraben and cruelty free products which DOES include organic fruit and vegetables!

I do say Yes to Carrots!


pagooma
March 7, 2009 at 4:41 pm

This site could not be more a.) refreshing and b.) hilarious. Finally a real place where the ludicras hype about beauty products is wiped away and real science and chemistry is exposed…especially by you, Lefty. I never cease to be amazed by the fear of “chemicals”…aaaaahhhh so prevelent out there! What do they think everything is made of, anyway?!? Especially thanks for the humor!! Oh and, nice carrot.


Left Brain
March 8, 2009 at 12:56 am

Thanks, @pagooma! It’s comments from people like you that make working on this blog seem worthwhile. I really appreciate you taking the time to write back us.


Sandra
April 14, 2009 at 12:37 pm

Hi,

I totally agree with Christina regarding sayyestocarrots…I cant believe how good it works…I bought one product, then another, then another, then another…I am an ingredient reading fanatic so I appreciate when there are as little of the “bad” ingredients as possible. I totally love sayyestocarrots and i just bought yestocucumbers shampoo and conditioner…LOVE IT LOVE IT!!


Jenny
May 10, 2009 at 10:16 pm

I am sorry but your stand on parabens doesn’t make much sense. It has been proven that they are indeed toxic. Following any logic, you would want to use products that are as natural as possible. The nature didn’t intend for people to put parabens on the skin( as you may know skin absorbs a large portion of what you put on it).

You pay a lot of attention on the brand’s image and portraying, etc. I would try and review products based on their effectiveness and their ingredients; not what pisses you off and what doesn’t about the company image.


Jenny
May 10, 2009 at 10:19 pm

Pagooma, do high levels of cancer in our society amaze you? If they do, you should seriously stop being amazed at the “fear of chemicals”. Critical thinking never hurts.


Audrey
June 3, 2009 at 10:27 pm

MY turn: I have cork-screw red hair, the kind that gets easily tangled and looks usually dry. Also, I’m 38 years-old, fair skin (yet I grew in the tropics) plus all factors that consume the beauty such as bad nutrition, pollution, etc. The thing is: these products DO change my hair and skin’s aspect. The skin feels soooo smooth as you just wash your face in the morning! And for some reason the day creams give you so much hydration that you feel great even without make-up. My curls got more definition but bouncier, framing my face the way I like it to be. Even my husband have noticed (?!) so I suggest you all a try : ) I am buying it for my daughter and best friends.

All products on the market try to hook you by selling some cool concept. Even if the chemicals in the formula reveal that they are not as green as they want me to believe… Yes To Carrots works. I only hope they don’t change it.


De Marie
June 10, 2009 at 8:31 pm

I bought the Yes To Carrots face moisturizer and I think it smells like strong old-style (old lady) perfume – not what I want on my face. It almost gagged me. I’m going to try to return it to the store. Coconut oil is the only way!


Jess
August 2, 2009 at 8:56 am

I bought the ‘Yes to Carrots’ Shampoo & Conditioner and loved the products.It was inexpensive, worked well and most importantly did not test on animals (those three things combined are very hard to find in haircare)

Personally I don’t see how advertising that the product contains fruit/vege extracts is leading people to believe it is an organic/all natural product. Consumers are more educated these days.


Becky
August 2, 2009 at 5:07 pm

Yes to Carrots Body Butter is amazing. I have not tried anything of their other products but this stuff makes your skin beautiful!!


Jess
September 28, 2009 at 6:30 pm

Thank you for opening my eyes to this company! And thanks for doing the hard work I neglected to do. Cheers for you.


Spicey
November 2, 2009 at 6:59 pm

oh my gawh, that pix of duh carrot luks lyk my gram-mawh wen she wears hr bikini!


chickablue
November 11, 2009 at 3:56 pm

Their hand and elbow cream rocks!! I like their shower gel but it does suck that it has the sodium lauryl sulfate since that irritates my skin a bit. I think they try their best to use some of God’s natural stuff. Hopefully they will strive to go higher without compromising their reasonable prices. I will keep purchasing their hand cream.


joann clark
November 28, 2009 at 11:20 am

i recentley tried the hand and elbow lotion at a friends house and loved the feel and the fragrance is beautiful so i bought some right away. within 24 hrs my hands feel so much better . they were extremley dry and splitting. although its really a higher price than what i usually spend on lotion as i am on a limited income,i dont mind if im really going to see improvement with it. i will use this tube and then decide but i have a feeling im going top permentley use it. again –it smells beautiful. sincerely , joann clark


jw
January 1, 2010 at 2:12 pm

Love the hand and elbow cream too! I have had this this layer of dryer skin on my face where the lower layer has had a hard time getting to the surface. It now has remolded the skin and fine lines are gone. Since carrots are retin A, this formula takes the place of made retin A w/o ANY burning concern. What a formula!!!!! My face is really smooth and am also now watching my 11′s getting shorter and flatter. I am at home and keep it gooped all over my face and it is healing very well. All wrinkles are only a layer of damaged skin. Work w/that and you will see. No other creams do this like the expensive ones. This is an amazing find, I’m sure I’ll use it for life. The body wash made my ankles itch really bad though. I also started taking gota cola and siberian ginsing. I know this and w/o the help of this cream would I be getting my skin back. Hooray!


jw
January 1, 2010 at 2:14 pm

Just a note that I am talking about the hand and elbow cream as my face cream.


LeAnna
January 21, 2010 at 6:30 pm

Found this on google while looking up reviews on more yestocarrots product reviews. I have naturally dry skin (thumbs and fingertips almost get calluses regularly from just every day mundane stuff) and tried out their hand and elbow one figuring, nothing to lose- I’ve tried tons of stuff with no success so still looking for my “holy grail”. My hands have gotten so much softer- the rough skin is diminishing after 2 weeks of use. For the price (about $10) I’m willing to invest that regularly to have something that makes my hands feel human!

I bought their eye cream because the skin above my eye lid was getting flaky and coarse. It burnt at first when I put it on (my other eye creams had too though, the skin was so dry) It’s been 2 nights and a noticeable difference- my lids don’t feel tight at the end of the day. I want to try their face cream next and see how it goes.

I like the idea they’re trying to use mostly natural ingredients, I like being able to know exactly what an ingredient is (though it’s not a requirement in my products, just a nice feature). I think I’ll start reading this blog more as it seems to have a lot of beauty answers you can’t find anywhere else!!


Janice Beno.
February 27, 2010 at 10:08 am

I am disappointed to read fragance listed on ing. list before carrot seed oil.


A
March 7, 2010 at 5:52 pm

What’s this “natural is always best” crap? You know what else is natural? Botulism, cyanide, arsenic, anthrax…just to name a few.


Sarah
March 26, 2010 at 2:03 pm

Gotta say I’m a huge fan of Y2C. I bought their shampoo because it was paraben free and it’s the best shampoo I’ve ever used. My hair feels light and clean and doesn’t feel like it’s filled with heavy synthetic moisturizer. I noticed a difference right away.

Other than eliminating shampoo completely, I’d say this is the next best thing.


perspex
April 7, 2010 at 9:16 am

Just curious if Audrey, Jenny and Becky are the same people? All had distinctly similar grammatical mistakes.

It’s a poor argument that nature doesn’t want us to put parabens on our skin. Guess what nature ‘wants’ us to put on our skin? Nothing. There is nothing natural about any skincare. We are not ‘meant’ to put anything on our skin. But like a lot of ‘unnatural’ interventions, skincare brings improvement.

Foolishly, in my younger years, I was a purist about ‘all natural’ products. However, I never spouted such outlandish stuff as the defenders of natural/organic products do in their comments here. Once, I was naive enough to believe the information from the natural cosmetic companies (before I realised how much of the information is simply made up and has no source at all), but I still questioned some of what they said if it didn’t gel with my common sense. It was a questioning mind that led me to believe and a questioning mind that led me out. That’s what I wish some people would understand who think we just haven’t ‘woken up’ if we don’t think parabens or mineral oil are evil. I’ve actually been a true believer in natural/organic but kept questioning and came to a much more moderate point of view.

The dogma surrounding ‘natural’ in cosmetics and other products is extremely rigid. I don’t think subscribing to it and regurgitating the exact same points as every other follower makes you a critical thinker.

I still believe in a lot of plant-based ingredients and their benefits, and tend to find, for whatever reason, they work best for my skin. But I find most natural cosmetics companies formulate really poorly, which is why I often make my own. Just today, I was trying to see if I could find a basic jojoba moisturizer with nothing comedogenic in it, and was amazed to find a natural brand telling me how great jojoba was because it wasn’t technically an oil and therefore won’t clog pores or feel greasy – while their formula contained 3 other plant oils as major ingredients, at least one that is majorly comedogenic. Another organic blemish treatment I came across has coconut oil in it, one of the most comedogenic ingredients around. So no, I will not use things that are ‘natural’ when those formulating have no idea what they are doing and don’t care to learn, because to them it is enough benefit for something to be ‘natural’.

My point is, while I still love a lot of plant-based ingredients and love formulating my own things with them, I feel incredibly relieved to no longer be afraid of synthetic ingredients and therefore not having some very effective, helpful products off limits. My Paula’s Choice cleanser and toner keep my skin clearer and softer than it’s ever been and I haven’t had to stop using them after a few uses due to irritation like most products, including most ‘natural’ products (and even other Paula products). And it’s just GOOD to have removed an unnecessary stress from my life: fearing things based on misinformation claiming harmless things are actually harmful. I just think that sort of thing is bad psychologically, and it is partly reflection on this effect on my psychological well-being that made me reconsider the purist approach.

Another thing I never understand is why the natural ingredient devotees say of things like parabens that “they may not definitely be harmful, but isn’t it better to be safe and avoid them?” even after the original work showing potential harm has been discredited or potential links to cancer etc disproven. So on what basis should we avoid them? The only reason to believe that is because of the bias that it’s likely to be harmful because it’s synthetic. Never mind that this logic of avoiding until proven safe could apply to a lot of natural ingredients that don’t have any safety studies done,. Why not avoid them till we have conclusive safety studies? And don’t give me “because time has proven them safe”, whilst ignoring that could also apply to parabens and mineral oil.

If I ever sell the products I make, though there would be many ‘natural’ ingredients, I would certainly preserve them with parabens because I think it’s the responsible thing to do – to protect against the known threat of a potentially very serious infection, and to use the most safe preservatives to do so. I have used GSE in my home formulations but I would be uncomfortable selling something with that in it. Though there was that one study that showed it was only effective when contaminated with other preservatives, I admit I think it’s possible the manufacturer’s side is true, that the effective compound is very similar and thus triggers a false positive. BUT the facts remain: its safety has not been studied, and it can not reasonably be considered a natural product anyway. So why do natural companies shun one artificial preservative, with no proven safety, for another with proven safety? It’s baffling. I suppose it is the power of semantics, one being called the natural-sounding ‘grapefruit seed extract’.

I feel that those who bash this blog have a poor understanding of and appreciation for science. Their view of it is far too conspiratorial, and even anti-intellectual. I think it is fine to apply critical thinking to bodies of knowledge and be aware of the politics that often governs information. But dismissing science altogether OR showing little interest in understanding how it works or its findings is … well, too willfully ignorant at best, and hateful at worst. I think we have to have an appreciation for experts in any field, be it cosmetic chemists, art historians, or electricians.

It takes a lot of work to really get a grip on all the ins and outs of a particular, specialised area of knowledge. The hard part is that if it is not our own area of knowledge, we have to trust those whose it is, and I think some people really struggle with that. I don’t think we should have blind trust, but the amount of distrust many science bashers display is unreasonable and a huge overreaction.

I think many people want to believe they can become instant experts, and they read a few articles and believe they are. The articles appeal not only because of confirmation bias, but because they push a lot of emotional buttons and therefore are far more interesting to the average reader than the dull, dry stuff real experts have to pore over! Not only this, but misinformation is often simplistic and conceptual, and therefore more accessible than real information. Many times, I’ve heard/read someone say ‘oh that makes sense!’ to a pseudo-scientific explanation simply because it gels with a certain metaphoric sense they have of how/why things should work. For example, I recently read someone claim poor digestion makes you fat because it stays in your stomach and turns to fat. It’s as if they only had a childish sense of filling the body up like a vessel, and weighing it down and not even a rudimentary sense of what a digestive system does.

I have a great respect for those who do the plodding work that leads to an accurate, improved body of knowledge. The bashers are not interested in understanding that’s what it takes for someone to truly have expert knowledge on a subject and I find their lack of respect for the good individuals making a difference every day, appalling.


FriendofFoliage
April 15, 2010 at 2:56 pm

I just bought the Y2C shampoo and am glad to get some varied perspective on the company. I’ve become pretty desensitized to the “natural” label, mostly because I work in agriculture so I know exactly what to look for when I want something w/ no GMOs and whatnot. I actually wanted the Y2Cucumbers, but my bff is very allergic and I was worried my dandruff might send her into a coma. A big selling point to me w/ this company is their seed bank project to help start community gardens, presence of some organic compounds, and no animal testing. Their site shows they have 501c3 status which means they are a legit non-profit in that part of the company.

I find Y2C is very good for my hair care because I switch off between salon products like Redkin-which make your hair gorgeous but do have chemicals that can bioremediate in your cells-and various organic products which I feel give my hair a bit of a break from intensive moisture.

Left Brain, have you ever heard of Boscia? I haven’t found any reviews on this site but would like to hear your opinion. They’re another natural company from Japan. I’ve tried 4 products (daily moisturizer, night creme, “chapstick,” and facial cleanser) and all but the chapstick have blown my epidermal perspective.

Also, if you like that carrot pic, you’ll love some penis peppers! I lol’d so much the first time I saw them–a vendor sells them at our farmers’ market.


Sarah
April 26, 2010 at 10:02 pm

Has anyone noticed if the Y2C Daily Moisturizer has changed in texture and fragrance? I bought two jars from two different stores and they had both changed. It was a little more grainy and the smell wasn’t as fresh. I can’t find it anywhere if they changed the recipe.


poop
May 15, 2010 at 6:08 am

Lefty… You are a loser! Get a life. Go get a girlfriend or something. Just stop hanging out here! And Perspex… is your life that dull that you have time in your day to write a book here? I read the first 2 sentences of your manifesto and thought… LOSER!!! Do yourselves all a favor and go find hobbies… its not too late. You can un loser yourselves… just stop hanging around waiting to hear what Lefty is gonna say next! You all have issues!


poop
May 15, 2010 at 6:13 am

oh yeah… and Lefty.. could you please tell me if the YesTo line is biodegradable?


ShanShan
August 16, 2010 at 2:55 pm

Thanks for the info. I actually agree with Perspex about all-natural vs science. I am by no means an expert but I used to stress-out over being all-natural and tried to not use synthetics. But that didn’t last long cause my skin and hair suffered due to bad formulations. I now personally stay away from pore-clogging ingredients in both hair and face/body products, and sulfates and silicones in hair products. I wouldn’t mind trying Y2C but their products contain pore-clogging ingredients like Isopropyl Myristate, Sweet Almond Oil, Isopropyl Palmitate, etc. And their shampoo and conditioner contains sulfates and silicones. So it’s a ‘no 2 carrots’ for me but only because of my refusal to use certain ingredients. And Poop it seems like you are the one with too much time on your hands.


jen
September 8, 2010 at 10:21 am

I’ve been using Y2C for a few months now. I’ve been looking for something a little more natural than proactiv which I had been using for a year, and ruined my skin. Y2C was a nice change. The smell was different but tolerable(almost like baby wash). It felt good to use something better. My intentions are to use this product temporarily until I find the ultimate product. At first I felt good about using ingredients from the earth, which have been used for centuries, and appherently worked quite well throughout the world. Times have changed though, and as much as I wanted to believe I was using something extraordinary, I knew that Y2C was no different than any other company in a capitalist society. I bought y2c the other day because I was running out. The Yes to Carrots company has now paid far less attention on their ingredients, and has heavily emphasized their marketing techniques. The product has gotten thinner(almost water-like), their name on the product itself has gotten a bigger font, and their ingredient label has gotten, well, less natural. I’m glad they quit lying. kuddos2lefty


sammy
September 24, 2010 at 2:33 pm

hi everyone i am currently useing say yes to cucombers facial cleanser and i follow that with the cucombers moisterizer and the eye cream and i love it love it the eye cream is amazin its made with green tea so it firms eyes and brightens too its like no other there skin line is wonderful i have very sensitive skin and i have try many things for my skin and alot of reactions from all those harsh things they put in some skin care products not good for us so bottom line i love say yes to cucombers skincare


sammy
October 11, 2010 at 12:07 pm

hello everyone i was wondering if anyone has tryed the say yes to carrots body wash iv heard many good things about it so im asking for any advice on this so feel free to answer back thanku


fawn
October 20, 2010 at 2:18 pm

I absolutely LOVE Y2C PRODUCTS. I started off using a travel carrot body butter,,I loved it so much I bought the full size jar and use it religiously. I have sensitive skin and almost always break out from products,,especially after “shaving”. The body butter has been a MIRACLE, , NO RASH,, JUST SILKY SMOOTH SKIN.. I recently bought the yes to tomato face wash and so far I am loving that also… The cucumber eye gel is FANTASTIC, , FEELS GREAT,,and brightens my eyes. I will be trying more products very soon.


yaaaaa
October 24, 2010 at 11:32 pm

the bottle actually says 99% natural or organic or whatever. They are telling the truth.

If it said 100% I’d be disappointed.

There are very very little chemicals compared to organic ingredients in the products.


Jenny
November 3, 2010 at 2:54 pm

perspex, no I am not Becky and not Audrey. I am not sure what grammatical errors you noticed in my earlier posts and how they are similar to other peoples’ errors, but this is not relevant to this discussion.

As for your super long post. Lady, parabens haven BEEN proven in a lab to mimic estrogen and cause cancer. In fact, doctors advise cancer patients NOT to use ANY products containing parabens. So your long post telling everyone how you realized that you don’t need to be afraid of synthetic ingredients anymore is misinformed at best. Nature may not have intended to put anything on your skin, but if it did, the lest intended would be petroleum derived, paraben laden concoction sold by majority of drug store and luxury brands.

Paula’s Choice is just another mass produced full of chemicals line containing SLS, petroleum based compounds, parabens, and other things no one should be putting on their skin. Paula’s so called research is biased simply because she has her own cosmetics line that she continuously rates higher than any other brands and products she reviews on her so called “unbiased” web site. Please! If she wants to be impartial, she needs to stop selling her own cosmetics.


Jenny
November 3, 2010 at 3:03 pm

persprex

“I feel that those who bash this blog have a poor understanding of and appreciation for science.”

——————————–

What you feel is also irrelevant. You mention also that people that have an opinion that natural is better lack critical thinking which is quite ironic because you are the one with extremely conventional views. For one thing,you seem to swallow the opinion that Paula feeds you. If you had any critical thinking, you would see that anyone who sells cosmetics for a living, can’t possibly be impartial in the matter.

You might want to also stop making assumptions about people and their backgrounds. In fact, I have a science degree so I am pretty sure that my understanding of science and how it works is pretty much on the money. Science is a business where what’s not profitable gets suppressed, the studies are financed by interested parties and truth is often not black and white. You seem to think that science in practice is some kind of impartial holy grail and while in theory it should be, the reality is quite different. In reality, it’s a business, like any other.


Mmmm
November 4, 2010 at 11:11 pm

Only says 99% organic on a few products. The only exception is their baby line which says 100% organic. Which all their product ingredients are listed online, and on the bottle. I’ve used 100% organic shampoos and conditioners in the past, none work as great as this product. As far as parabens, well, if they’re no real concern according to you who cares if it’s in the product or not.


Abby
November 12, 2010 at 7:50 pm

I haven’t yet tried Yes To Carrots, but I’m researching on whether or not I want to, and I’ve got to say that I’m coming to the conclusion that no matter what the company actually says, its all about personal preference. I think I’ll try a few things and if I like it, I like it, if not, well there are tons of other products out there. I think people are getting a little too heated about this. It’s just a brand. Yes, maybe they’re being a little free with words like ‘natural’ and ‘organic’ or whatever, but it’s not like a ton of other companies don’t do the same thing. Just my thoughts on the whole thing.


stepheny
November 30, 2010 at 2:16 pm

Yes to carrots products are okay, but their customer service is CRAP! I placed an order on their website and and after getting no response I emailed them asking about my order and they emailed and said it was on backorder. Now, over a month later and probably ten more emails of me asking how long my order will be on backorder.. NO RESPONSE! They won’t email me back and I can’t get through on their customer service line. I have tried emailing them from their website customer service and from my own email. Nothing works. They are CRAP CRAP CRAP! I will never buy another Yestocrap product again! Just had to get my two cents in…


KRUZINSUZAN
January 1, 2011 at 11:01 am

I LOVE THESE PRODUCTS. I JUST WENT TO WALGREENS AND I BOUGHT THE BLUEBERRIES SINCE I AM OVER 50. CANT WAIT TO SEE THE CHANGE. I LOVE THE CARROT SHAMPPOO AND CONDITIONER SO DOES MY HUSBAND. ALREADY HAVE 3 FRIENDS CHANGED OVER TO THESE PRODUCTS. OLAY BETTER WATCH OUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Puffy
January 23, 2011 at 2:36 pm

I ve only recently started using Yes To Carrots and I LOVE IT. The gentle exfoliating cleanser is great for everyday use and the daily moisteriser just soaks straight in and leaves your skin feeling so hydrated. People have commented on how my skin looks better. I have started using the night moisteriser too and it is lovely but dont think i actually need it as the day one does such a good job.

TRY IT, YOU WONT BE DISAPPOINTED.


cathy
February 3, 2011 at 10:01 pm

I am a new user of this product. I ran across it in Target and decided to give it a try. I bought the Body Moisturizing Lotion.

I have skin cancer and after a few outpatient ‘procedures’, I was looking for a good moisturizer while I was healing. This product caught my eye because several of the ingredients listed on the front, are exactly some of the things that are mentioned (medical research) to help ward off (not sure if that’s the right word) skin cancer.

After having Liquid Nitrogen blasted on my whole face and parts of my hands, I’m left with scabs that fall off, usually within 2 weeks. My doctor suggested I moisturize more. I’ve been using the YES TO CARROTS lotion and it makes my skin feel so good and I seem to be healing much faster that any previous lotion I was using. I love it!


cathy
February 3, 2011 at 10:13 pm

I would like to rephrase parts of my comment. When I read my own comment, it sounded pretty bad.

I didn’t mean to imply my whold face was covered in scabs! Yuk! I had forehead, cheeks, nose, temples and one hand sprayed with the liquid Nitrogen. The only thing that will develope a scab is the spots that have the sun damage. In my case, it was 4 spots on the nose and a couple on the cheek, 3 spots on the hand. Nevertheless, this lotion is great. My last liquid nitrogen ‘treatment’ was the 28th. Using the YES TO CARROTS lotion, the scabs are almost gone. That’s only 5 days compared to the usual 2 weeks!


Janice
February 6, 2011 at 1:29 pm

I recently bought several Y2C products because of a BOGO 50% deal, and I was another couple of weeks away in the budget from ordering from my supplement/personal care vendor. I do not have a real problem with companies using preservatives–I was a devoted Erno Lazslo user for years–but post-menopause, I am very sensitive to both phenoxethenal and parabens and they make me either break out in hives or, if taken internally in products such as Maalox or other over-the-counter or prescription drugs, cause other reactions that are just not fun with which to deal. I seem to have a big problem with carriers, additives, and some preservatives, which drives my drs. nuts when something has to be prescribed. Anyway, I bought the body butter and hand cream and, while I’m not crazy about the smell, I like the action of both products. The skin on my hands crack, become infected, and actually bleed, the result of anything from handling raw meat to washing them too often (even in Dr. Bronner’s)…the hand and elbow lotion helped that in just a few applications. I’ve found that everyone has their own tolerance to substances, either natural or chemical. For me, it is important not to test on animals. And that none of the ingredients in the products I bought by Y2C had yet to cause a reaction. Of course, I usually have to rotate products, even the most pure, because my skin becomes desensitized. Aubrey broke me out something fierce, so did many of the other big names in “natural”. Even pure gold raw shea butter, black soap, and organic jojoba oil gave me problems after extended use. Products I have made from scratch and just from kitchen ingredients have also caused some problems. As for Y2C, some of their products have more “junk” than others…but, in effect, pretty much every company is on the natural bandwagon nowadays and uses the same ploys. Burt’s Bees is owned by Clorox, Tom’s of Maine is owned by, I think Colgate-Palmolive, etc.–correct me if I am wrong. For my face, I use nothing but Devita. I like the company, their policies, and their charities. But I do like Y2C body butter, hand & elbow cream, shampoo, and conditioner–the conditioner is great for henna glossing. And the lip butter. Plus, they are easy to obtain. I do wish they would do a couple of things, though, for the benifit of their desired customer base: disclose exactly what is in the fragrance and sign the compact for safe cosmetics. I don’t think disclosure of the fragrance should be a problem: Olivella responded quickly with an email about their source, which is not natural and in some of their products–some of which are “pure” and unadulterated (loosely speaking), and others which are not. I owned a natural food store for years, and I subscribe to several watchdog groups, such as EWG and Debra Lynn Dadd. But, I am also married to a scientist. And I look at science as a friend, not a foe. There are toxic natural substances, and toxic synthetic ones. Our bodies respond to both pretty much the same. I do feel there are natural alternatives to most chemical substances, but for the sake of safety, and oftentimes, cost, everything has to be taken into consideration. For example, Ecco Bella explains their use of parabens. I can’t use the product, but I appreciate their being forthcoming. The same with Zia, Logona/Sante, AMB, and so forth. Marketing is THE big thing. “Natural” is the big “key”. I don’t fault the companies for doing so. My responsibility is to research everything I buy based on certain criteria that is in line with my code of ethics and standards. I really think everyone should do the same. The tools are out there. The choice is individual. As far as Y2K goes, I do like what I bought, and will probably repurchase. As long as it works.

Interesting website, btw. I’ve never run across this one before.


Michelle
February 9, 2011 at 12:17 pm

I ordered products from the Y2C website 10 days ago, and heard nothing from the company after the initial e-mail acknowledging my order. I called Y2C for information about the status of my order. Only then did someone tell me that all of the products I had ordered were on back order, and that they had no idea when the products would be available to be shipped to me.

I canceled my order.

Every day for ten days, Y2C did not tell me what they knew; I had to come to them for information that they should have offered to me; and they should know when their products are scheduled to be delivered by their manufacturer, to their warehouse.


Ayana
February 10, 2011 at 6:20 pm

@ perspex – Oh my goodness thankyou!

I know how you feel. People are all too ready to jump on the most bias argument they read because it’s:

A: Dumbed down

B: Holds an extreme bias that agrees with theirs

I am a pharmacy student, and while looking for a night cream today I came across two options. One was the Say Yes to Carrots night cream, now the shelf was almost completely sold out with only two or so of the SY2C left. So interested, I picked it up to read the ingredients, I thought “Hey, if this stuff is almost sold out, and it’s not even on sale it must be good right?” No, no and more no.

Girls when you are looking to buy something, read the ingredients. First of all, the whole hype about the cream is the carrots. Carrots are awesome for your skin because of the retinol that your body derives from Vit. A. however, when you look in the ingredients where are carrots listed. Not anywhere near the top, in fact they were in the lower half of the middle. If you don’t know what that means, I’ll tell you. Ingredients that are in the greatest portions are listed near the top, and the ones that take up the least of the ingredients are listed near the bottom. This means that SY2C doesn’t even put a whole lot of carrots in their products, so what’s the point? When we’re talking about a naturally derived ingredient, the beneficial components of that ingredient aren’t in very high levels to begin with. That means with all this hype about carrots, there isn’t really all that many carrots in the product.

If you’re looking for the benefits of retinol, and for whatever reason you’re afraid of synthetics just make a carrot scrub out of 100% organic carrot juice. That way you’re actually getting more than a tiny pinch of carrot on your face. Also, when I asked the lady at the makeup counter why all of the SY2K stuff was gone, it turns out that it’s only because that Michelle Phan did a video on the benefits of carrot products for the skin, and most of the girls didn’t want to make a carrot mask themselves. Go figure.

As for the perebens, no they have not been proven to be carcinogenic sorry. We were even joking about all that in my organic chemistry class last month, just like we were laughing at all the companies putting Q10 in their products. There are many studies out there that don’t have conclusive results, so they are repeated by other independent and accredited scientists who legally can hold no bias on the matter. The studies were rendered inconclusive. What is proven is that cheap coconut oil clogs your pores, and that is one of the biggest reasons why I put SY2C night cream right back on the shelf. Cold pressed coconut oil when used in proper amounts and mixed with other ingredients can be beneficial, but in my experience, products that are under $20 can’t feasibly make a profit buying high grade oils while shipping salts from half way across the globe.

I would suggest to anyone that if they want the benefits of carrots, to just make their own at home. Then you know you’re getting what you want, and you’re actually getting the benefits from carrots. I would also suggest to people that when doing research on any topic, including about perebens that you make sure that you are reading facts from recent accredited sources. Go to google scholar, search up perebens, and only read articles that have been published within the past 3 years by accredited sources such as universities. These articles are dry, uninteresting for the most part, and true.

As for synthetics, would someone kindly explain to me what’s so bad about me going into a lab and synthesizing the very same compounds you like to get from organics such as retinol? Your body can’t tell the difference, it’s the same molecular structure. What you need to look out for is when companies start adding chemicals that are in the products solely for the purpose of making them smell better, or feel more luxurious because they are only in there for those purposes, not to make your skin healthier. So I repeat, your skin can’t tell the difference between the small amounts of retinol it’s synth. from the Vit.A you’re getting from the lotion with carrot in it. Or the retinol I’ve derived in a lab in high concentrations. The only difference it will notice is that the synth version is in a higher amount, and the body doesn’t have to synth. it itself.

Just because it’s not organic doesn’t make it evil, in fact, I’m pretty sure that I would be able to improve the structure of many beneficial organic products in lab and make a synth product that A: Works better for your skin, and B: is cheaper than having to do all the processing for the organic. Just sayin’


Denise
February 24, 2011 at 11:52 pm

I recently went to get a Vitamin E facial from Massage Envy and I must say that it was a great experience. There, I was informed that products with Vitamin E are good for the skin and they fade blemishes. I have had problems with every product that I have used. Mostly I have problems with dark spots after the acne subsides.

For the past month I have been using a carrot soap to cleanse my face. I purchased it at a Caribbean store. I tried to use other products to fade the blemishes as the carrot soap fought the acne, but nothing seemed to work. I used Bio-oil and it worked, but it takes a while to see results.

I recently purchased the Say Yes to Carrots night creme and the day creme. I must say that I will NEVER purchase another product other than this. It was inexpensive and it works. My face is very soft and it looks healthy. I have received compliments on my skin; people see results and it’s only been 2 weeks. My blemishes have faded and my skin glows.

Some people have complained about the smell, but I personally love the smell. I have yet to get a break out. Every morning I wash my face with the carrot soap and I apply a small layer of the Say Yes To Carrots creme over my face. At night I do the same thing, but I apply the night creme.

Give it a try. It’s a natural product. My skin is very sensitive and it did not break me out. I also take Vitamin E pills and I drink more water.

I hope that you enjoy the product. I’m going to buy the hair products and the lip balm. I’m am very satisfied with the results.


Gai
March 7, 2011 at 2:52 pm

It only makes sense that a small portion of carrot is used in the products since a whole lot of it will turn your skin orange. Who wants orange skin? If you are going to use a face mask made with just carrot, try it on your hand first and see if it changes color. Anyways, I tried one of Yes to Carrots moisturizer with Aloe Vera and Cucumber and I love it. My skin has never been more moisturized. The only thing I worry about is that it does not have the SPF and not sure if the Aloe Vera can make up for that.


PoppieFresh
March 7, 2011 at 7:46 pm

Ayana is right; if you really want carrots on your skin you can make the facial at home. I’ve done it, and it really does work without turning your skin orange, but I’ve always done an oatmeal (straight from the box) scrub immediately after. If you’re feeling ambitious and want to try this at home, remember to cook carrots ’til mushy (microwave works) and smash into a puree. I’ve always added honey to my mix. Ideally, you need to place a cheesecloth over your before applying the facial, but I’ve never done that because it’s not something I keep around the house.

Sounds messy? You bet!! I became good at home facials because I was broke and desperate to keep my skin in good shape. I’m almost 43 now and I hardly have any wrinkles. Thankfully, now I can afford real skin care products.

The Beauty Brains