Deborah Tosline wrote and published “Skin Remodeling DIY: An Introduction to the Underground World of Do-It-Yourself Skincare” in 2015. Her approach to skin care is based on a scientific background, love of research and over 40 years of DIY skincare experience.

In 2015, the Environmental Working Group found that women apply “168 chemicals to their faces and bodies every day”. A 2023 study from the College of Charleston, found that “on average, young women use eight different personal care products each day that can contain endocrine-disrupting chemicals, but some report as many as 17.” To promote good health (Health = Beauty) it is vital to choose personal care products (PCPs) carefully. I make many of my PCPs including tinctures, serums, oil blends, lotions, creams, masks, and deodorant to name a few. Over the decades, I’ve made conscious decisions to avoid/minimize my exposure to synthetic chemicals making it difficult for me to find retail products that I would use. Every once in a while, I research skin care and this time I found Wholesale Natural Body Care (WNBC).

WNBC is an International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 22716: 2007 Conformance Certified company that provides a large variety of natural skin and hair care products. Their Organic Retinol Eye Cream (Creamy Yellow) ingredients list says it all - “NO: Phthalates, Parabens, GMO, Gluten, or Animal Cruelty. Freshly LOVE-MADE in the Good Ole’ USA”.

I am not affiliated with WNBC. I have purchased their products.

Valerie A. Rowan is Founder and CEO of WNBC products

WNBC provides the skin care logic that I’ve been looking for. A skin care brand that:

• uses high quality, safe ingredients

• provides products at a reasonable cost

• provides products in large quantities

• uses effective active ingredients

Why is it important to find a natural skin care brand? In the United States, PCPs are not regulated. Instead, consumer safety is the legal responsibility of the manufacturer. As a result, PCPs may contain “endocrine disruptors, carcinogens and neurotoxins”. Many of the ingredients used in standard PCPs have not been individually reviewed and worse, the impact of combinations of chemicals is unknown and may be “directly related to increased rates of reproductive issues and cancer among women.”

Stay with me for a bit, this is good information to know.

Products that we consume are regulated by the US Food and Drug Administration. PCPs are regulated by the Food, Drug and Cosmetics Act which was last updated in 1976.

This means that consumers are exposed to multitudes of untested chemicals.

The Environmental Protection Agency investigates consumer chemicals under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) but in the 30 years since TSCA passed, “the EPA has only tested about 200 of the 84,000 chemicals on the market and regulated five.”

This issue is the primary reason why I’ve chosen to make many of my PCPs over the decades and why before I learned to make lotions and creams, I only purchased hand crafted or low ingredient retail creams. Recently, while balancing a full-time career and personal responsibilities, I didn’t have time to make ALL of my PCPs and I decided to find a new retail skin care source. I do periodically buy an Environ product and wrote an article about that here.  

I was looking for a large volume of high-quality face cream that I could use on my body. In 2022, I found WNBC and super liked their Retinol Face Cream - 1% Retinol re-formulated 10/24/22 (Niacinamide and Hyaluronic) ingredients:

Organic Rose Absolute Floral Water, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf (Aloe Vera) Juice, Argania Spinosa (Argan) Kernel Oil, Emulsifying Wax NF, Stearic Acid, Glycerin, Beta-Glucan, Ascorbyl Palmitate (Vitamin C), Vitamin A (Retinol), Niacinamide (Vitamin B3), Botanical Hyaluronic Acid, Simmondsia chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Oil, D-Alpha Tocopherol (Pure Vitamin E) Oil, Organic Rose Absolute Essential Oil, Organic Rose Geranium Essential Oil, Daucus Carota Sativa (Carrot) Seed Oil, Rosa canina Fruit (Rosehip) Oil, Phenoxyethanol (1%, Eco-certified, gentle, paraben free preservative), Ethyhexylglycerin.

What a find! I understand the ingredient list which includes vitamins, florals, essential oils, carrier oils and more! The primary ingredient and essential oils are organic! The preservative scores low on the Environmental Working Group (EWG) website.

I love the ingredient list and I bought 32 ounces for $54! (price increase in 2023 to $58). What a luxury to use a 1% retinol natural cream rich in skin care actives, on my body!

I found the cream and then I found the WNBC hair care.

I gave up premium pricy mainstream culture shampoos and conditioners when I looked up their ingredients on the EWG website and saw how unhealthy they were. Ever since, I’ve searched for shampoo and conditioner ingredients that are safe. This is very difficult! Check your shampoo and other PCP ingredients on the EWG website to understand what I mean.

I made my own shampoo. I bought shampoo made of mud and herbs. I bought small batch baby shampoos and was constantly looking for natural safe haircare. I checked the ingredients of WNBCs Basic Hair Shampoo and except for one potential irritant ingredient, I found a clean, hair care product that I could buy in bulk. The potential irritant is Cocamidopropyl Betaine which was named "Allergen of the Year" in 2004 by the American Contact Dermatitis Society. EWG restricts this chemical as an irritant and allergen when not completely rinsed off.

Research by the Miami School of Medicine showed that Cocamidopropyl Betaine processing results in certain impurities suggesting that high-grade Cocamidopropyl Betaine does not contain impurities that would cause irritation.

I avoid irritants, they cause inflammation and it is well-known that inflammation is at the root of all disease. I don’t know the grade of Cocamidopropyl Betaine that WNBC uses in their products. I have used their Basic Hair Shampoo for two years and more recently some of their facial cleansers and have not experienced apparent irritation or allergy symptoms. I appreciate that the Basic Hair Shampoo Paraben Free – Unscented contains few ingredients:

Purified Water, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Decyl Glucoside, Sodium Lauryl Lactylate, Kosher Vegetable Glycerin, Polyquarternium 37,  dl-Panthenol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol (Eco-Certified, gentle preservative).

To date, I’ve purchased the following WNBC products:

2023

1 - Salicylic Hyaluronic & Vitamin E Facial Cleanser - 2 Ounce, $8.00

1 - Rose & Hyaluronic Lux Moisturizer - 2 Oz, $11.99

1 - Glycolic Acid Renewing Face Cream - 2 Oz, $11.99

1 - Retinol Face Cream - 1% Retinol - 32 OZ, $58.99

1 - Body Bright Papaya, Niacinamide & Turmeric Body Cream - 4 Oz, $16.99

1 - Retinol Facial Cleanser - 4 Oz, $9.99

1 - Salicylic Hyaluronic & Vitamin E Facial Cleanser - 64 Ounces, $46.79

1 - Organic Retinol Eye Cream (Creamy Yellow) - 32 Oz, $64.99

2022

1 - Miracle Healing CLEANSER - 2 oz, $10.00

1 - Basic Hair Conditioner -Paraben Free Unscented - 1/2 Gallon, $24.00

1 - Basic Hair Shampoo Paraben Free - Unscented - 1/2 Gallon, $24.00

2 - Retinol Face Cream - 1% Retinol - 32 OZ, $53.00

WNBC sells small product sizes as samples. These work great for personal use and allow you to try different products before committing to buying a larger volume. In addition, folks may create their own high-quality skin care lines using the WNBC products as a foundation. You can request batches adding your formulation ideas to create a private label brand. That’s cool. Whether you are interested in purchasing high-quality bulk skin care at a reasonable price or in starting your own skin care line check out Wholesale Natural Body Care.

If you need more information, check out the local library, search the Internet, or check out my past Blog articles. Of course, it would be an honor to me if you purchased my facial care book. Thank you!

Take good care of yourselves!

XO Deborah

This article is intended to be used as general information only and is in no way intended to replace medical advice, be used as a medical treatment program, diagnosis, or cure of any disease or medical condition. There are no warranties, expressed or implied, regarding the effectiveness of the practices described in this article. Products or substances discussed herein are for educational purposes only and are not intended as recommendations of the author.