• Good Good Hydration 🎶

    The Importance of Good Hydration for Anti-Aging Skin Good hydration is essential for maintaining healthy, youthful skin. It plays a crucial role in various aspects of skin health, including texture, appearance, and overall tone. This article will explore the importance of hydration for anti-aging skin and discuss how to maintain optimal hydration levels for a radiant complexion.  Benefits of Hydration for Skin Health Prevents wrinkles and aging skin: Well-hydrated skin is less prone to the premature appearance of wrinkles and acne. Adequate hydration helps maintain the outermost layer of the skin, which flushes away toxins…

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  • Luminos: A Revolution in Makeup, by Design

    How Does Luminos Work…A new generation of makeup by design. By Bob Root, Keys Technologist Authors note:  Everywhere I go, women and men  come up to me and say, “Show me that Luminos thing you do?”  They are talking about a little illusion I do with Luminos that is more than an illusion.  I turn my hands, palms down, show them the back of my hands, and then rub Luminos on the back of just one hand.  Two seconds, and I show them the back of both hands again, side-by-side.  The Luminos hand is clear,…

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  • New Luminos PLUS with Zinc Oxide for Problem Skin

    We are happy and super excited to announce a new product called Luminos PLUS with Zinc Oxide. It is a wide-range anti-aging product because it protects and restores across many fronts. Luminos PLUS Zinc Oxide is another tool in staving off aging caused by our environment. We are still 100% advocates of covering up with UPF clothing, a big UPF hat, UV protective sunglasses, and sunscreen on exposed areas. Luminos PLUS is a way to fight back time. luminos PLUS is genuinely a bit of a time machine that even makes this guy look better…

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  • The Mythical Origins and Evolution of Acidic Skin Treatments

    The Origins and Evolution of Acidic Skin Treatments: From Historical Curiosities to Modern Skincare The Origins of My Interest Recently I got into a squabble with the author of a paper published on NIH PubMed. The author quoted the basis of their paper on two dudes that I would have to categorize as snake oil salesmen from the 1890s as a basis for why people need to use acid treatments on their face to balance the skin. Basically, the two dudes were pitching apple cider as a toner for women to use for a more…

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  • Keys® Element 6 in Nextra: The Natural Alternative for Youthful Skin

    Element 6 is a patent-pending tocopherol triterpene compound comprised of six different Amazonian sustainable tree fruits and seeds processed using cyrogenisis extraction that has the skin anti-aging properties of Retinol, but without the traditional side effects. There are no reported reactions or allergens.  Nextra’s Element 6 has been in development for over five years and is a blend of six ingredients from five tree species found in the Amazon. All are abundant, sustainable, and very effective by themselves. Combined, they create a single compound that mirrors the benefits of Retin-A with none of the side…

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  • Dramatic Skin – Keys® Reflex Probiome® – Collagen Restoring

    Reflex ProBiome – The Back Story Reflex is one of the oldest new products we have.  I know that does not make sense.  It does to me because I developed Reflex almost five years ago and have been testing it since under a code name.  My problem was that the delay had nothing to do with developing the product, packaging or refinement.  My problem?  At least three of the ingredients I needed were not available in quantities greater than a few gallons.  If you keep in mind that I need thousands of liters or gallons…

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  • Ayurvedic Skin Care at Keys® – Neem & Karanja adaptogens

    Neem & Karanja Adaptogenic Skin Care Keys MetaCare MetaClean and RediCare use Neem and Karanja oil as the adaptogen basis of the ayurvedic skin care properties. We have eight (8) products that use Neem and Karanja for their adaptogenic ayurvedic skin care properties. Ten years of service to our has made both MetaCare and RediCare revered for their functionality and efficacy. MetaClean is a remarkable Castile Soap. Natural Therapies! Our dog products using Neem and Karanja are among our most popular. Urban Shield Gel is a go-to therapy product. Our ForceX insect repellant uses Neem…

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  • Eczema – It’s Probably the Chemicals in Your Life!

    Eczema is a catchall term for a lot of doctors. The cause is unknown, but some of us suspect chemicals in everyday products. Common culprits for chemically induced eczema are sulfates in laundry detergents, PEG (propylene glycol) in just about everything, and parabens (a biocide in most products). So, we have heard from our customers that finding the cause of skin irritation is much more important than giving it a name. Doc’s want to name it so they can prescribe steroids and topical antibiotics. This seems to make things worse, with usually a fast relief…

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  • Keys® Regimen for Dog Lick Granulomas and Hot Spots

    The Back Story Our mascot, a Bichon Frise named Jasper, is sometimes an ironclad mess of compulsive behavior in the form of a lick granuloma. Driven by allergies, neurosis, or the spring weather, he starts incessant liking that creates one or more lick granulomas. Sometimes it is on a leg and sometimes in a challenging area like on a hip. Then there are those ever-present hot spots that need to be looked after before becoming a granuloma. All dogs can be tricky hiding their licking, and Bichon, like Jasper, is extra crafty. First, What is…

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  • Buddy and Annie’s Story – A Dedication To Our Best Friends

    Why We Love Our Dogs We must take care of them as much as they take care of us. We celebrate this time of year as a symbol of spring and the joy our dog and this season bring. We focus on our dogs. A Short Story About Annie & Buddy.  Dedicated To All The Keys® Dogs. Once upon a time, in a quiet suburban neighborhood, lived a young girl named Annie and her loyal companion, a golden retriever named Buddy. From the moment Annie laid eyes on Buddy, their connection was instant. They were…

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  • Keys® Tortuga – Makeup Remover

    An Aquarian Man’s Perspective You can imagine that being in my business that I receive a lot of beauty and skincare publications, both online and some Luddite ones in paper. I am always a sucker for the ones that the headline starts with, “Learn About The Latest Trends In…..” The one in particular that inspired this article was one whose headline was “Latest Hollywood Trends in Makeup Removal.” It went on, “Using Cold Creams to Remove Makeup.” First is a funny story when I was about 6 years old, I walked in on my mother…

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  • Mendacious Trends or Just Plain Lies

    UnNatural Trend In The Natural Products Industry.  “Smiling Faces Sometime Tell Lies.” Mendacious and lying have similar meanings, but the two are not interchangeable.  Mendacious is more formal and literary, suggesting a deception harmless enough to be considered somewhat bland.  Lying is more blunt, accusatory, and often aggressive. You might yell, “You lying rat!” in an argument, but you would most likely stick to the more diplomatic, “Aren’t you being somewhat mendacious?” in a business meeting.  Mendacious can also imply habitual untruthfulness, whereas lying is more likely to be used to identify specific instances of dishonesty. It is hard to be funny about what appears to…

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  • Keys® Island Rx Foaming Wash – Try It for a fresher clean

    Island Rx Foaming Wash – Feel the Micellar difference. The Keys Island Rx Foaming Wash is a natural skincare product that cleans and nourishes the skin. The core Island Rx liquid soap was designed and made nearly twenty years ago for our CEO and founder, Wendy Steele. Her skin was so sensitive post Melanoma, and all the prescription products worsened it. Regular Castile soaps like Dr. Bronner helped, but they were still too harsh and alkaline. Island Rx was invented for her as a safer and milder alternative. Most Castile soaps have a micellar set…

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  • Keys® Product Formulations – A Formulators Perspective

    I receive a lot of very interesting questions every month that are escalated to me by our customer service. A question often enrobed in suggestions is in regard to Vitamins and the benefits of ingredients in our products. I am pleased and amazed at the complexity of the questions from our customers and the suggestions I receive. First, please remember that my team are engineers and not chemists. Every product starts with a clean slate based on the functionality we are trying to achieve. So, each ingredient may look like a single add, but each…

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  • Phthalates – Diabetes + Hair Loss

    So what are Phthalates?  The Everywhere Chemical Phthalates are perhaps the nastiest chemicals found in personal care products. The FDA banned them for food, but not personal care. Perhaps the FDA has forgotten that skin absorption is the same as ingesting chemical In my book, Chemical-Free Skin Health®, I spent much time explaining Phthalates. Here is a quick summary What are phthalates?  Phthalates are a family of artificial chemical compounds developed in the last century to be used to manufacture plastics, solvents, and personal care products. They are colorless, odorless, oily liquids that do not…

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  • Island Rx For Hair Growth

    Island Rx Liquid Soap/Shampoo has been a Key® staple product for nearly twenty-four years. It was the product that Pfizer scientists applauded for its efficacy and clean-green design. It was one of our first four products and was the first developed for Wendy’s fight with Melanoma. Over the years Island Rx has been around, we discovered some interesting properties of Island Rx liquid soap that were pretty amazing. One of many was hair growth in men and women with short thinning hair. Why? Island Rx’s base soap is Castile-like. We mixed oils to ensure that…

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  • Keys® VaporJel & Eye Butter for Chapped Lips

    Why Invent Something New When It Already Exists Over the years, we have received hundreds of requests for lip balm for chapped and cracked lips. I have resisted because we already have two great products that do the job better than any waxy lip balm I could design. Keys® Eye Butter and VaporJel are those two solutions. They both work wonderfully in two distinct ways. Eye Butter is a Shea butter and cucumber extract-based balm/cream with effective oils to soothe soft tissue around the eyes. It also works so well for the lips that we…

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  • Keys Now Featured on YouTube and Apple Podcasts

    Friends of ours at our parent company, Orion, remind us that communicating meaning is a very precise thing.  As humans, we communicate meaning best when we are fully present together.  They tell us that 7% of meaning is communicated with words, 38% tone of voice and 55% body language.  This is why we have formalized our video and podcast communication paths.   We will strive to add new content weekly to both channels and ask you to subscribe to receive these notifications from YouTube and Apple Connect. These videos and podcasts are a new series…

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  • Keys New YouTube Channel

    First Look Keys is happy to announce a new up-to-date YouTube Channel. Over the years, we have broadcast videos on a periodic as-needed basis. Now we have a dedicated channel that will bring relevant content in a consistent format. Videos will range from product documentaries to open issues about skincare and chapter reviews from Bob’s book, “Chemical-Free Skin Health®. The nice thing about YouTube is that you can subscribe and get notifications of new content. Below is the first episode of this new series. We plan that Bob & Wendy will bring you a new…

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  • Inflation? Recession? – Time To Buy Quality

    Inflation or Recession or Both? I recently listened in on a financial advisory call from our bank Wells Fargo.  It was equally interesting and confusing.  I came away from the call with some very specific thoughts that I want to share from a Keys® perspective. Depending on who you talk to, we are experiencing unwarranted inflation with recession hiding in plain sight.  So, naturally these are times to be thrifty, but thrifty does not mean cheap. Unfortunately, cheap is the go-to option for some when trying to save money. Out of pocket is out of…

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  • KODA Dog Products Explained

    Bob Root, Keys Scientist explains uses and functions of Keys KODA products. KODA helps to extend your dogs life by providing supplements that are functional and topical therapies to protect them from the environment!

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  • Psoriasis Decoded

    Psoriasis Has A Community NIAMS is a research community of the US National Institutes of Health. The NIH is one of the most elite US government institutions dedicated to human health research. It honors both pharmaceutical and natural solutions to disease. The mission of the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases is to support research into the causes, treatment, and prevention of arthritis and musculoskeletal and skin diseases; the training of basic and clinical scientists to carry out this research; and the dissemination of information on research progress in these diseases.   The…

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  • Luminos, The Original “No Makeup Clean Look.”

    Luminos, The Original “No Makeup Clean Look.” By Bob Root, Keys Chief Technologist  Are you trying to get the No Makeup Clean Look? Look to Luminos for beyond the clean look to healthy. You may think that you already know everything there is to know, but I might surprise you or, at least, remind you of what you know. I intend to give you an insight into a new way of thinking, not about makeup, but how you prepare your skin for makeup. First, I want you to understand how makeup works, how it is…

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  • Nextra® NeoRetinol for Psoriasis & Eczema

    Nextra® Help with Psoriasis & Eczema Your skin is your largest organ. 80% of people have skin problems. At KEYS®, we create clean, safe, natural products without chemicals that solve these problems. KEYS products make you feel and look better. Articles like this are meant to help you in your journey for clean clear skin, Naturally. Factoids: Since the introduction of Keys Nextra® NeoRetinol last summer, our customers have reported extra fast relief of symptoms from Psoriasis and Eczema. National Institutes of Health studies have outlined a combination of oral vitamin D supplementation and Retinol…

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  • Keys Made in America

    Are Keys Products Made in America? YES! A few years back, a disabled American soldier wrote the book “Buy American.” Alex Nelson said it was our duty to buy American to preserve our manufacturing place in the world. Today more than ever it is even more prescient and meaningful to buy American because all those toys, electronics, and skincare made in China are just not going to be available. Do Your Holiday Shopping Now Freight Waves News reports, “Amazon announced it has started its Black Friday deals on October 4th this year in an attempt…

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  • Remembering Steve Jobs 🍎

    You might ask yourself, what does Steve Jobs have to do with Keys. It is a fair question. The answer is a lot! It is important to us to remember the anniversary of his death ten years ago October 5. Bob Root, Keys Scientist, was heavily involved with the launch of the Macintosh computer both at Apple and through Chiat Day. Bob credits Steve with much of the philosophy and design behind all the Keys products. Seventeen years ago, the natural skincare industry was in disarray and clogged with useless products with brown paper labels…

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  • The Quest for the Fountain of Youth. Tamanu Oil?

    Skin Health & Anti-Aging   When we started Keys, it was for my sweetie’s battle against Melanoma. As the story goes, her surgery was successful, but her battle against the prescription skincare seemed futile. I had to find ingredients in the natural world to help her skin recover and flourish in a hostile environment. Besides finding ingredients and combining them into products that work for all sorts of skin issues, it started a quest for unique natural ingredients that became a part of our DNA. Also, a part of our DNA is your well-being in…

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  • Nextra Laugh-In 🤣

    Nextra Laugh - Amy is a very famous entertainer who works in Las Vegas and the Comedy Store scene in LA. Her whit is disarming and rarely serious - actually never. So you can imagine when I received an email that sounded very concerned. It turns out it was a new side of her comedy that I was not used to.

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  • Shingles – On The Rise?

    Problem: Stress Triggering Shingles Solution: Lessen the Effects with Natural & Ayurvedic Lotions   Shingles are a very real side effect of the realities of Covid-19 relates to the stress we are all under. Lore has it that weak areas of our body have disorders triggered by stressful situations. So, it makes sense that we have seen a significant number of customer service requests about shingles rash and scabbing. First, here is an excellent simple overview article from Healthline.  https://www.healthline.com/health/shingles-natural-treatment   For solutions from Keys, we have had customers tell us over the years that both our Tortuga…

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  • Lights! Camera! Action! – Megan and the Teleconference Crisis

    "Urgent"- Respond Immediately! She is an executive with a mega-company, and I worried that something was very wrong. So, I popped open the email and began to laugh out loud. Here was the first line. "Bob, holy shit, I need your help now. I am working from home and have to teleconference every day next week, and I look like shit on camera." "What should I do?"

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  • “Blue Babies” Therapy May Help!

    Using a regulatory pathway that allows patients with life-threatening conditions to use unapproved therapies, the FDA has granted “emergency expanded access” to Bellerophon Therapeutics’ inhaled nitric oxide delivery system for treating the novel coronavirus. Also known as compassionate use, the agency’s policy is typically administered on a per-patient basis—at times when clinical trials are infeasible, the benefits are seen to outweigh the risks, and there are no available alternatives. According to Bellerophon, the FDA’s decision now opens up its INOpulse system for use at high-doses in ventilated COVID-19 patients, immediately.

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  • Our New Hand Sanitizer – And A Few Heroes

    Keys has a new interim product and it is a maximum strength hand sanitizer. Our Extra Strength Hand Sanitizer took just 20 minutes to develop and seven days to manufacture, market, and start delivering. Seven days total from concept to delivery with lots of heroes to thank along the way.

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  • Bre Video Protect Your Skin – Solar Rx

    Bre’s Short Film Protect Your Skin from Sun Damage For nearly 20 years, I have written hundreds of thousands of words, created cards of what to do and wear, and have been an advocate of sunscreen every day.  All said Bre in her creative wave translated that message into a thousand languages with this short video.  Just look at her Keys skin and you have to be convinced.   Wendy  ☺️😉

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  • Branch Basics – Truly Natural

    Branch Basics is a company that is on purpose and walks their talk. They have developed a natural concentrated cleaner that reduces biomass without harming the microbiome of your home or your family. To be clean without harming the good bacteria we live with is of paramount importance to me. It would also seem that it is crucial to Branch Basics.

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  • DIY Hand Sanitizers – That Really Work

    Time for Hand Sanitizers. It is important to be effective and know what you are putting on your hands.   There are a number of natural commercially available products that work.  Right now, they are hard to find in the stores.  So, it is time to make your own.  It is simple and done right, just as effective as the store-bought sanitizing products. DIY Sanitizers Formulas So here is a formula for creating the world’s best hand sanitizers. Use 98% of 99% Isopropyl alcohol and 1% spearmint essential oil. Can’t find Isopropyl Alcohol? Turn to…

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  • Just Wash Hands

    Yes, it is flu season, and traveling is getting to be a more significant concern. It is the time of year to write about not only how to wash your hands, but why doing it the wrong way can hurt. Many years ago, we researched the University of California Irvine on proper handwashing as a means to stay healthy during flu and virus outbreaks. The study formed our opinion, which I will share here. The primary purpose of washing your hands is not to spread viruses to your face. The average person touches their face…

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  • Debunking Hand Sanitizers

    Hand Sanitizers, The Right Way, and the Wrong Way. Where to begin? My article, “Just Wash Hands,” has brought a lot of comments. Lots of thank you’s, a few questions and some opinion. Cool, that is what is supposed to happen. Most comments address a short paragraph I wrote about “Hand Sanitizers.” There is a wrong way and a right way. Most of us do it the wrong way. So, I cruised into a Wal-Mart to buy a pair of new windshield wiper blades. I noticed two sanitizer stations at the entrance. One was the right kind,…

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  • Chemical-Free Skin Health® by Bob Root. Get Your Free Copy Today

    When You Know Better, You Do Better Chemical-Free Skin Health® is a powerful book written about destructive chemicals in everyday skincare and cosmetics. Maria Shriver invited Bob to launch his book at the last California Women’s Conference she hosted. It is a must-read, and now you can download it for free Here for a limited time.  A $19.95 Value What It’s About Chemical-Free Skin Health® is a book written by Bob Root that is a compilation of all his experiences being on the road with Keys customers. Bob features information about the Human Microbiome Project…

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  • Keys Nextra Line Featuring NeoRetinol – Coming Soon!

    "Retinol is a vitamin A ester developed many years ago with side effects as legendary as it effects.  We have developed NeoRetinol that does all the same things as Retinol, but with none of the side effects."   Wendy Steele Keys CEO Retinol is the staple of everyone's skin regimen that wants to turn back the clock. Retinol is a vitamin A ester developed many years ago, primarily for acute acne sufferers. The effects are legendary, as are the side effects. Retinol claims to erase wrinkles and fine lines, but the drying, redness, and peeling flaking…

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  • Keys® Story – About You and Us

    I have never told my story. Most of everything we have written is about Wendy's fight with Cancer and stupidity in the skincare market intermixed with how I created our products. So, since it is 15 years in business this year, I just felt like writing down my perspective of who we are. In 1994, I met the woman of my dreams. In 1997, I nearly lost her to Melanoma cancer. Dr. Hugh Greenway at Scripps in LaJolla, CA saved her life. The prescriptions so severely hurt her that the experience became the basis for…

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  • Keto Diet and Skincare!

    There are two ways you can save half of your skincare products price. Either you get 50% off the price, or you only have to use half as much. We have always said that a 100ml 4-ounce bottle of Luminos or Tortuga lotion is like getting a 600ml bottle of lotion. It is because there is almost no water in the formulation. All of the oils are concentrated and in therapeutic proportions. Avocado oil is our dominant oil, and the blend provides the highest possible concentration of emollients without chemicals. True, but what if you…

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  • Micellar Water – FAD or Innovation

    Keys Island Rx Foaming wash is a patriarch of our line. With the popularity of micellar water cleansers, we thought it would be essential to point out that Island Rx has always been micelle-based. It has been that way since its introduction in 2004. Our society, especially beauty, is fad and fan based. Keys has always been a "Fan" based product line, but we have started a few "Fads" in our 15 years. More often than not, we have not been credited with some interesting trends. There is a difference between fads and fan-based products.…

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  • Keys Island RX Soap – Micellar

    The secret to clean vibrant skin is a natural oil-based soap that is full of Micelle.  They are magical in almost every way imaginable. When I first developed Island Rx soap, it was because I could not find a Castile soap that was lower in alkalinity. As I formulated and saponified oils like Avocado, Jojoba, Coconut and Olive oil, I not only noticed that they were not as alkaline, but that there was some different reaction on the skin. Researching my ingredients and processes, I realized I was releasing something called a Micelle. Click To…

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  • For Short Hair – Keys Mangrove Shampoo & Conditioner

    You love all your children equally, but sometimes those older more independent ones move to the corner of your eye. Mangrove Shampoo & Conditioner are among my oldest children and have matured into quite the adults. In product years, they are in their thirties and quite resourceful. Dynamic Duo Click To Buy When Mangrove Shampoo and Conditioner were born, I had a vision for them which was entirely different. They were going to be a one-stop go-to duo for men. Early on, our marketing people convinced me to focus more on people with short hair…

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  • The American Organic Hustle – Understanding The Misunderstood

    A customer contacted Keys Customer Service with three fundamental questions. The questions are mostly about being organic and safety as well as functionality. I have the answers, and they might not be what you think. They Asked: I am thinking of getting Keys MetaClean Healing Soap & Shampoo, it says there is >85% organic content, what is the rest that is not organic in this shampoo? 2. When you list on the right the vitamins/actions, are you indicating that the actual ingredient is providing those vitamins, for example, Avocado Oil gives Retinol vitamin or is…

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  • Parabens – They Are Everywhere & A Concern

    When I started writing my book, Chemical-Free Skin Health, I thought I would mention Parabens as a side comment in the chapter on the Dirty Dozen Chemicals in most skincare products. Yes, about 95% of every skincare product produced has a bacteriacide that goes by many names. Most are listed on product labels as Methyl-Paraben or something with paraben in the name. I was speaking at a conference and was attacked by a person in the audience because they claimed that parabens were not harmful in the small amount used in a product. True that…

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  • Mangrove Hair & Skin Conditioner for Men

    I was at a classic style barber shop in Mesilla New Mexico. Sort of a man cave with traditional services. After the cut and shampoo, my barber laid a hot towel on my face. Then to my surprise, he conditioned my hair and then moved to my face. Yes, he used the same conditioner on my face and hair. It felt good, and I asked him to see the conditioner bottle to look at the ingredient. Full of junk, but the core ingredient caused me to think about our Mangrove conditioner. In keeping with the…

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  • Calluses a Gluten Connection?

    I was attending a panel discussion at an industry event. A researcher from Finland showed a study connection calluses on feet, knees, hands, and elbows to people having gluten intolerance. The speaker did not offer any solutions other than avoiding gluten. What was particularly interesting is that she did point out that it was a manifestation that covered those people with mild gluten intolerances as well as those with full-blown celiac disease. I asked her if there was a Psoriasis connection and she said there was, but not enough detail was available. We have noted…

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  • Eczema – It’s Probably the Chemicals in Your Life!

    Eczema seems to be a catchall term for a lot of doctors. The cause is unknown, but some of us suspect chemicals in everyday products. Bob Root - Keys Founder Common culprits for chemically induced eczema are sulfates in laundry detergents, PEG (propylene glycol) in just about everything and parabens (a biocide in most products). So, what we have heard from our customers is that finding the cause of the skin irritation is much more important than giving it a name. Doc's seem to want to name it so they can prescribe steroids and topical…

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  • Bandage Test for Skin Disorder Causes

    I am constantly asked how can you tell if a skin disorder is caused internally or from exterior attacks.  Here is how I do it and why my trick works. Bob Root - Keys Technologist & Founder The bandage test really works to help find the cause of skin disorders quickly. In our 15 years of research and development, we always keep focused on our mission to solve skin problems using natural remedies. Over the same period, we have seen time and again that most skin disorders are from exposure to chemicals in the environment or…

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  • Asymmetrical Dermatitis – Fact or Fiction

    Asymmetrical Dermatitis is a common diagnosis for a skin disorder that appears on one side of a person or animal.  Fact, Fiction or catchall diagnosis? A couple of years back I was attending an event at Capitol Drug Store in West Hollywood (WeHo) California. A mom stopped by because she heard I was going to be there as a part of my book tour. She showed me her little boy's face. His left cheek was inflamed. She said she had waited weeks to see the dermatologist and he said it was asymmetrical dermatitis. He was…

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  • Dog Groomers – Show and Tell

    Groomers, show me your hands! We travel all over the US with our dog Jasper. He is a snow-white Bichon Frise. Jasper's coat care requires grooming every six weeks. I google to find a master certified groomer in the area. My initial visit with the new groomer starts the same. I ask the groomer to show me their hands. I want to see the condition of their hands! Inflamed, irritated, dry or cracking hands are red flags. Their hands are evidence about what they are using to bathe the dogs. Ugly groomer hands mean irritating…

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  • Why Daily SPF and Moisturizing?

    One of the markets top moisturizers is Solar RX Moisturizer SPF due to its UVA-UVB protection minimizing the chemical burden on the skin.  This article was written by Ashley Parker about Keys Solar Rx

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  • Keys, Thievery Corporation and CafeCody.com – An Unlikely Group.

    Some Keys History Keys, Thievery Corporation and Cafe Cody - The Beginning Every company has many stories of how it started and defining moments that changed the course of its history.  For us, Thievery Corporation and Cafe Cody were defining moments. Every entrepreneur has good days, average days and some really bad experiences that teach, scar and modify you.  Creating defining moments mark course changes for everyone.  It is how we respond that separates us all. Keys is no different, but with the caveat that we chase defining moments rather than avoiding them.  Change is…

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  • SmallFlower Interviews Bob Root, Keys Scientist & Founder About Probiome

    SmallFlower Interviews Bob Root About Probiome. Keys Natural Skincare & Beauty was born after co-founder Wendy Steele was diagnosed with and beat melanoma. The cancer was gone, but she was still dealing with some nasty side effects on her skin – itchy, irritated patches that were just made worse by sticky sunscreens. Read this interview here.

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  • Cold, Flu Bronchitis? Keys VaporJel To The Rescue!

    Cold, Flu Bronchitis? Keys Vapor Jel To The Rescue! In the not so long ago past if you wanted some fast relief from congestion you took the vapors from Smelling Salts. The problem was that you would have been killing your lungs and smell nerve receptors.

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  • Super Lice – RediCare Works!

    There are reports all over the US of a resistant strain of super lice that are not controlled by convention lice treatments. I have been aware of this for a couple of years, but without someone raising the warning flag, my words have fallen short. Our customers have reported that our RediCare is not only highly effective at repelling initial lice infestation, but also kills the lice.

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  • Safe Cosmetics Campaign & Keys – Red Lists

    Safe Cosmetics has recently done a great job of updating their website and social media efforts. What we are especially pleased with is that they have come up with a great visual reference of what chemicals to avoid based on product function.

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  • Balding? Hair Re-growth? – Keys Island Rx!

    Years of customer testimonials point to hair regrowth by using Keys Island Rx liquid soap as a shampoo. This article breaks down what might be the reason Island Rx works and explains some of the reasons Island Rx has a lot of fans. We are offering a discount code to try Island Rx....

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  • Keys KODA Products Help with ACL/Joint Issues in Small Dogs

    Keys KODA LifeTrace, Proflexoil and Omega life supplement joint and ACL issues in small young dogs. Add a Paleo diet and long walks extends their lives. This is our story of how applying known human natural medicine help both our older Bichon live longer and helped our young Bishon, Jasper, recover.

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  • Keys Tortuga Lotion Case Price Sale – Save 10%

    Our very popular Tortuga lotion is now available at a discount if you buy 6 or more at a time. Just add 6 or more Tortuga lotion to online store basket and the normal $16.95 price will be reduced to $15.25 each automatically. This is a $10.20 savings on 6 and even more savings if you buy more than 6. Tortuga is the perfect winter solution for dry itchy skin as well as chapped lips, dry cracking skin and tough calluses. It is a clean, pure natural lotion that is gluten-free, vegan and chemical-free.

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  • Keys Cross RediCare – The Many Uses

    Every Keys product has many uses, purposes and are cross functional natural remedies. We have created a new category called Keys Cross where our customers have told us how they use our products. Here are the many uses of Keys RediCare. Share how you use it.

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  • Shipping Sale – Domestic US Retail Customers

    In cooperation with the USPS, we have created a shipping discount of 25% off for domestic shipments over $50. The USPS has offered us a special discount to increase our volume and we are matching the amount. As always, domestic shipments over $75 are free.

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  • Foot Calluses? Go Gluten-Free!

    From Bob Root, Keys Founder. We may have found a direct correlation to calluses on the feet and toes and gluten in peoples diets. A revelation to some is just another reason to get off gluten for others.

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  • History Made – Exoskelaton’s and the Technology of People®

    A motorized exoskeleton, designed to help paralyzed people walk again, just earned U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval. It is the first such device to do so...From Bob Root: This article has nothing to do with Keys or our products. I am a scientist first and when I see something that revolutionizes the world, I have to say something.

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  • Polluted Pets – What we are doing to our pets!

    I am raising a red flag when it comes to our pets and the environment. In my book, Chemical-Free Skin Health® I pointed out that about 50 years ago just about everything we put on our skin or came in contact with was naturally derived. Now nearly 95% is synthetic.

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  • iWellness? – An Open Letter to Tim Cook, Apple CEO

    The rumors are pretty strong that Apple will introduce Healthkit technology in it next IOS 8 operating system for iPhones and iPad’s..and maybe iWatch this October. iWellness or iHealth – There is a difference. Can Apple change healthcare forever? Yes! Will they? by Bob Root, Keys Founder and Technologist. Check it out http://www.cleangreencafe.com/CGC/?p=2814

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  • Clean Green Café Goes Mobile

    We have modified the software serving our Clean Green Café Blog and News Forum to detect smartphones and tablet users and switch to an easier to read format.

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  • Tortuga Turns 100 Years Old.

    Tortuga was born in my grandmothers kitchen 100 years ago I grew up with this ancient remedy as a cure-all that saved me from cuts, bruises, dog bites, scrapes and even being jilted by a girlfriend or two.

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  • FDA Taking Closer Look at ‘Antibacterial’ Soap

    "New data suggest that the risks associated with long-term, daily use of antibacterial soaps may outweigh the benefits," Rogers says. There are indications that certain ingredients in these soaps may contribute to bacterial resistance to antibiotics, and may have unanticipated hormonal effects that are of concern to FDA.

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  • Keys Testimonials

    We have installed a new testimonial system to help other discover what our Keys products have done for others. Please submit anything that you feel will help people achieve relief for their conditions and disorders. Thanks!

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  • Keys Overview Video with Wendy Steele

    This is the first in a new series of online videos from Keys. New technology will permit us to create small and effective videos for you to help understand us, our products and our mission. This is also available on the new Keys YouTube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6WlkrnWIb2zoj0VhcSVqyQ/feed

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  • Keys KPRO Cosmetic Products – Now Available!

    Keys New KPRO professional line is now available for review and for sale. Nominated for Best New Product of the year at the Natural Products Expo East coming this week, I believe these are the most revolutionary products we have ever designed. Read more! Wendy.

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  • Keys Product Pictures

    Below are Keys and Koda product images that can be clicked and saved to your computer for use in publication, websites and stores.  To save in highest resolution, click on each image and open to larger size.  Then right click to save to your computer Keys Beauty Products [Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”5″ gal_title=”Keys Beauty Products”] Keys Therapy Products [Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”6″ gal_title=”Keys Therapeutic Products”] Keys KPRO Products [Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”7″ gal_title=”Keys KPRO Products”] KODA for Dogs Products [Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”8″ gal_title=”KODA for Dogs Products”] High Resolution Files JPG [Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”9″ gal_title=”Keys High Resolution Products Images”]

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  • Vegan Dog Food and Pet Nutrition: J-Wro Lo-Lo Vegan Vlog

    KODA is definetly gaining steam with a few big announcements coming soon! We thought you would like to see the video Jason Wrobel created featuring KODA products. Jason is a well known vegan and actor in the LA area and his pup, Gordon Pete is a KODA Dog! Enjoy Jason humor and talent.

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  • Announcing KODA – Keys for Dogs

    Keys is pleased to announce a new company with both internal and external products for dogs. KODA, which is Lakota Sioux for "friend" has ten new products for dogs. KODA is Keys for dogs!

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  • KODA SpotClean – Paw & Face Quick Cleanser

    SpotClean Paw & Face Foaming Cleanser is a brewed wash with botanicals and herbs for quick cleaning of the paws and face or any spot area as an interim cleanser between baths. Removes road dirt and allergens as well many chemicals used on public parks and lawns.

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  • KODA ProShine – Shampoo & Conditioner

    ProShine is a foaming shampoo-conditioner that is made using a 500 year old Welsh recipe that is saponified in a brewing. The shampoo deep cleans and has a slightly acidic pH. To that, we add essential oils to condition the skin and hair. It has anti-allergy properties to reduce skin itching and hot spots.

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  • KODA OmniClean – Therapeutic Shampoo & Soap

    OmniClean is a natural Castile like therapeutic foaming shampoo and soap used for dogs with skin irritations, insect problems and to heal disorders. We add Neem and Karanja oil to the soap for their ayurvedic medicine healing and insect repellant properties.

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  • KODA OmniShield – Natural Insect Repellent Spray

    OmniShield is an intense therapeutic naturopathic insect repellent spray that uses OmniCare as its base adding high levels of Neem and Karanja oil, peppermint, red thyme and lemongrass to repel over 200 flying and crawling insects including fleas, ticks, flies, mosquitoes and lice.

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  • KODA OmniCare – Topical Therapy Spray

    OmniCare is a naturopathic therapeutic spray designed to heal skin irritations, insect bites, cuts, scrapes and hot spots. It is a combination of botanical, herb and spice extract that are brewed and then distilled.

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  • KODA Proflexoil – Joint Health & Pain Relief

    ProFlexoil is a multifaceted vegan joint compound for dogs of all ages whose joint stress comes from both external and internal forces. It is a Cox-2 enzyme inhibitor with ingredients including Glucosamine HCL (not sulfate) and Collagen.

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  • KODA LifeTrace – Ionic Mineral Water Supplement

    LifeTrace76 is an ionic mineral supplement to be added to the dog's water. Filtered, RO (reverse osmosis) and distilled water strip needed minerals along with the harmful pathogens. LifeTrace76 adds back in all 76 minerals needed for healthy bodily functions and is very low in sodium and potassium

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  • Koda Products Sneak Peek!

    A sneak peek of the products that we will be introducing at the international pet trade show this September in Las Vegas. These are the first ten products in the line that will be available soon

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  • Itchy Dog? Ditch the Perfume

    As for that nagging feeling about the itching and scratching after your dog’s bath or after a grooming session? The most likely reason your dog is scratching and itching is directly related to the perfumes, artificial fragrance and harsh ingredients in dog shampoos!

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  • Probiotics & Probiome – Feeding Your Skin!

    The skin needs probiotics like we need for improved digestion. The problem is that the skin is a lot more susceptible to chemicals, allergens and pollution. Worse, the products we use are killing the skin's probiome and the results are misdiagnosed skin disorders. Learn what to do and what not to do.

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  • Polluted Pets – What are we doing?

    I am raising a red flag when it comes to our pets and the environment.  In my book, Chemical-Free Skin Health® I pointed out that about 50 years ago just about everything we put on our skin or came in contact with was naturally derived.  Now nearly 95% is synthetic.  There are now tens of thousands of chemicals that are in use that have never been tested for safety.  Worse, our pets are exposed in direct contact to hundreds of more chemicals for the shear reason that they typically where no shoes, clothing and dogs…

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  • Parabens – Just another Dirty Dozen Chemical?

    Parabens…Good Guys or Bad Guys? As a part of my ongoing series of looking at the Dirty Dozen Chemicals shown to provide elevated cancer rates in people and animals, in this article, I outline why we do not use parabens leaving the judgmental diagnosis to the NGO’s attacking them.  The Dirty Dozen Chemicals are a list of 12 developed originally by the Marin County Cancer Project which at the time, had the highest Cancer Rates in the US.  Followed by Search For The Cause and Teens Turning Green the list is now designated the Dirty…

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  • Groomers, The Good, Bad and the Ugly

    We travel all over North America for our businesses.  We choose to travel in a motor coach for a number of reasons.  Probably the most important are named Jasper and Isabel.  Jasper is our two year old Bichon pup and Isabel our Abyssinian-Tabby cat.  Besides, airports and hotels are no fun.  BTW, That is Japer on the masthead running on the Oregon coast with his favor pink ball. One of the toughest things is to find a groomer we can trust.  Not just to give Jasper a good cut, but to find a groomer that…

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  • California to License Groomers?

    From Cal Watchdog Even Dogs Have A Nanny In CA Katy Grimes: A California state Senator has authored a bill which would regulate pet grooming and require dog groomers to pay a whopping $350 for a state-issued license. As if the state Legislature’s attempt to require helmuts for skiers and snowboarders, licensing hair braiders, and and imposing child-car seats restrictions just isn’t enough – California now wants to monitor and regulate the bathing and clipping of Bowser and Fluffy. Will legislators be creating a new state agency to do this?

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  • Public Enemy #1 – Sodium Laureth Sulfate, It’s in everything!

    Dirty Dozen Chemicals: SLS Many people that I meet ask me to describe why I do not use certain chemicals.  I tell them that my reasons are practical not political.  I generally explain in three to five stepped reason why I do not use certain ingredients.  Most encourage me to offer my simplified reason, so I am beginning to undertake why we do not use certain ingredients.  In this series of article, I will start with the Dirty Dozen. For pets, we have to realize that perhaps the worst chemical that they come in contact…

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  • Dogs and the Dirty Dozen – No Mix!

    Killer Chemicals? The “Dirty Dozen” Chemicals in Everyday Pet Products I was pretty irritated when I found out that many contract manufacturers that make pet shampoos, conditioners and skin products follow no strict guidelines for the chemicals they use or the amounts of these chemicals.  Worse, I found manufacturers using ingredients that were band for people.  Rather then dumping the product, they relabel it for pets. You would think with the Melamine in pet food scare killing pets a few years back that we would learn.  I do not know about you, but I treat my dog…

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  • Disney’s Story – How Keys Pet Care Products Began

    Great products solve problems and make you feel good.  Most products are born out of a need to solve a problem.  This is true of the original Keys line of pet care products. Keys began as an all-natural therapeutic skin health product line about 8 years ago.  While on tour test marketing their products, an almost tragedy was the beginnings of the Keys Pet Care line of products.  Keys Pet Care has now morphed in to KODA Pet Care Products On our way back from the Florida Keys, I took our Bichon Frise, Disney, to…

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  • Sun Damage – Before and After on the Same Face?

    As a geek, I must admit a certain amount of frustration with many people espousing opinion when it comes to the skin. Choosing to blinder themselves from the obvious or ignoring simple realities to make a point. Jay Chiat, the advertising guru that was responsible for much of the Apple Macintosh marketing, once told me that, “Controversy is the #1 tool of marketing.  With the spread of blogs, articles and chat rooms created by the internet, his words are more true that ever.  Couple that concept with the Chinese proverb, “one dog hears something and barks. Then 500 dogs bark because they…

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  • Koda Story

    KODA is the dog therapy product line established by Keys.  Products include chemical-free natural supplements and topical therapies for dogs.  We use ancient remedies and modern technology to make natural products that makes dogs feel good and solve both internal and skin problems.  We use pharmaceutical grade ingredients in therapeutic proportions to solve problems that account for the top 10 reasons for vet visits.  KODA is a combination of wellness products and natural solutions. Koda is Lakota Sioux for “Friend.”  The word perfectly describe the intention for our products and their recipients.  Today’s dogs are…

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  • Dramatic Skin – Keys Reflex ProBiome – New Revolution

    Reflex ProBiome – The Back Story Reflex is one of the oldest new products we have.  I know that does not make sense.  It does to me because I developed Reflex almost five years ago and have been testing it since under the code name of Silken.  My problem was that the delay had nothing to do with developing the product, packaging or refinement.  My problem?  At least three of the ingredients I needed were not available in quantities greater than a few gallons.  If you keep in mind that I need thousands of liters…

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  • Travel Tips from Dr. Amy

    Tips to Stay UltraHealthy While Traveling Whether you are traveling for business or pleasure, with family, friends or solo here are some tips to stay UltraHealthy while away from home

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  • Keys Cross – The Many Uses of Omni Spray Elixir

    This post features the Functions and Uses of Keys Omni. It is a new category for Keys products on Clean Green Cafe. We have constructed a table along with a description to give people an idea of what they can use our products to solve their skin problems.

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  • A Close Shave

    Close Shave? I am often asked why we do not make a shave cream or shaving soap. My answer? We already do!

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  • Skin ‘Sees’ UV Light, Starts Producing Pigment

    In a new study, biologists report that melanocyte skin cells detect ultraviolet light using a photosensitive receptor previously thought to exist only in the eye. This eye-like ability of skin to sense light triggers the production of melanin within hours, more quickly than previously thought, in an apparent rush to protect against damage to DNA.

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  • SK!N What’s Normal pH?

      by Bob Root, Keys CTO There is another book on the horizon for us.   The working title is simple, “SK!N”.   After Chemical-Free Skin Health was published, I started to get so many questions that focused more on “what to do” than what is wrong.  Yes, there will be a chapter about the negative effects of chemicals in products.  The majority of the book are things that we should be doing to improve skin health which has a direct connection to youthful appearance and beauty. These articles are snippets from the book which are…

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  • Safe Cosmetics Bestows Champion Status On Keys Care

    Market Shift: Keys Care Receives “Champion” Status – Fulfills Safe Products Pledge Consumer demand for safer products drives fastest-growing market segment The  Campaign for Safe Cosmetics announced today that Keys has achieved the highest recognition earning “Champion” status by meeting the goals of the Compact for Safe Cosmetics, the Campaign’s voluntary pledge to avoid chemicals banned by health agencies outside the U.S. and to fully disclose product ingredients – a pioneering practice in the cosmetics industry. “Congratulations to Keys for being a ‘Champion’ and for demonstrating that it’s possible to make personal care products that…

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  • The News Is Not All Bad!

    I must admit that I have been CNN Free for nearly tens years. Really!  I find myself working at looking at the world through positive lenses.  I have found that watching things out of my control affects my overall health.  This is not an “ignorance is bliss” approach to living as much as it is a focus on what I can effect, affect and control. For some time now, I have been afflicted with the belief that much of our health is not about doctors, prescription or even prevention.  As I have studied, for my own life,…

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  • What Some Sunscreens Are Hiding…(Republished)

    It is summer and it is sunscreen season.  Below is an article I recently wrote about the new welcomed changes from the FDA that will force manufacturers to reveal what is in their sunscreens.  Please read it and the links to the FDA.  This change has go a long way to help save lives through UVA and UVB dangers awareness.  Also, since this new regulation, I thought it would be good to reprint the blog article herein.  I encourage you to study to protect you and your family. My grandfather used to say to me,…

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  • New FDA Sunscreen Regulations

    by Bob Root It has been about three years of communication with the FDA before the new sunscreen regulations came out June 11, 2011.  The FDA requested input from many companies and organizations.  Keys and other presented facts, opinion and wishes.  For some the time and the angle of the new direction have been touted as too little and too late.  I for one am happy with the changes.

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  • Skin Cancer & “The Ugly Duckling” …Hold the Mayo! (Update May 21st)

    WISDOM FROM “UGLY DUCKLINGS” by Wendy Steele  (Original Post May 9, 2011…See updates below) My recent experience with several “ugly ducklings” has once again put a bright spotlight on my desire and responsibility to share my personal wisdom about skin health. So far in this month of May, I have had the pleasure to personally talk to and meet many of our mid-west customers during multiple special events.  At one event I was wearing several flesh-colored bandage strips on my upper chest and self-consciously made sure that I covered those strategically with clothing, as I…

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  • Gluten Sensitivity: Is something You Are Eating Making You Sick?

    Gluten Sensitivity: Is something You Are Eating Making You Sick? Are you eating something everyday that could be making you sick?  I was!  During my second year of medical school I was diagnosed with Graves Disease, an autoimmune disorder that caused my thyroid to be overactive.  Each night before going to bed I would eat two pieces of sprouted whole wheat toast so that I could make it through the night without losing weight.  Little did I know that each night I was poisoning myself.  At that time, I was not aware of the gluten…

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  • Understanding UVA & UVB

    By Bob Root It is a constant quest to understand and then explain the effects of UVA and UVB on our skin and our lives.  Our involvement with the Skin Cancer Foundation, Johns Hopkins, Mayo Clinic, Scripps and various universities expose me to all sorts of information.  I am always searching for the simplest and best explanations to help people understand UV radiation.  Clearly I feel that I stand on the shoulders of many scientists and advocates.  Below is by far the best I have seen as a simple elegant guide.  It comes from the…

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  • Keys Omni – New Revolutionary Skin Spray Elixir

    Omni – Skin Elixir Spray 60ml (2oz) Omni is a revolutionary product from every aspect.  Omni is a technology term derived from the Latin word Omnis meaning “all.” When we began to develop AquaVit, it became clear that our Ariane ingredient had wonderful properties. Omni was originally being developed with an ingredient we named Miras. Miras is a special ingredient that comes from the fruit of the Forsythia plant and has very high levels of Oleanolic which is known to have many healing and cleansing properties for the skin without harming the skins probiotic EcoSystem.…

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  • New AguaVit – Toner Tonic from Keys

    I am very happy to announce a new product long in development called AguaVit AguaVit is more than a toner. Take one sniff and the scent conjures deeply rooted emotions of times gone by. AguaVit means “Water of life.” It is made from a functional ingredient created by Keys called Arianne. To make Ariane we blend & distill whole organic orange, lime, cranberry, cucumber, juniper berry, star anise, cassia cinnamon, anise seed, ginger and clove.

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  • You are what you apply – to your skin!

    You are what you apply – to your skin! What’s in your body lotion? You’ve heard the old adage “you are what you eat.” Now I’d like to add another to that. “You are what you apply.” To your skin, that is!  Substances that affect your overall health and wellbeing don’t simply work their way through your system by travelling the gut alone.  An often-overlooked route – the transdermal (through the skin) route – allows substances ranging from the beneficial to the bad to enter your bloodstream and circulate throughout your body.  So, if you…

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  • AguaVit & Omni – Two New Functional Ingredient Products From Keys

    Keys Skip Generation Technology – Blended Whole Botanicals by Bob Root  Keys Technologist We are about to introduce two new products that represent a significant advancement for us and the industry.  AguaVit and Omni are two new products coming soon that employ a remarkable change for us in how we produce products that offer functionality, efficacy and performance. Traditionally, companies blend ingredients to create a new product.  These can be oils, essential oils, extracts and blends of ingredients that were separately processed.  Often these ingredients are estered or separated and refined for a specific function. …

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  • Bob Root Begins Book Tour! Asks! Are We Killing Our Skin’s Ecosystem?

    Chemical-Free Skin Health is the book written by Bob Root that is a compilation of all his experiences being on the road with Keys customers.  The book answers the most commonly asked questions as well as proposing some radical ideas about skin health.   Bob features information about the Human Microbiome Project and the National Institutes of health that is a spin-off of the human genome project. Of all the points Bob makes in the book, the one that drives his continued passion is his deep concern that the chemical bactericides used as preservative in…

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  • The Future of Medicine is NOW!

    The future of medicine is now. If I asked you to describe your ideal physician – what would he or she “look” like?  Would she be compassionate and empathic?  Would she meet with you for a hour or maybe even two? Would she listen attentively to every detail of your health history knowing it’s interconnected like a web and everything is a clue into your present state of health?  Would she be knowledgeable about nutrition, environmental toxins and stress reduction, and more importantly, spend time talking with you about these things?  Would she be concerned…

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  • UltraHealth…What A Concept! A Real BHAG!

    UltraHealth…What A Concept!  A Real BHAG! by Bob Root, Keys technologists & founder In tech, we had a phrase that we used to differentiate really big projects.  BHAG stands for a Big Hairy Audacious Goal.  When I helped to start Keys, we had some big hairy goals.  Universal Wellness was perhaps the biggest. Remember, I am from high tech engineering, a practicing quantum physicist and a dreamer.  Ergo a futurist who believes anything is possible.  The adage that anything new is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration simply means to me that usually one person or…

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  • Wendy’s #1 Life Rule: Simplify!

    Wendy’s #1 Life Rule:  Simplify! Keys Products Have Many Uses! We design products that can simplify your life.  At Keys we think differently! Over six years ago, when we started designing and manufacturing skin health products, we had a fundamental belief that we could invent products that would solve skin issues and make people feel good.  We were inspired by our imagination and explored the use of revered healing natural ingredients so that each of these products effectively would have more than one use.  We believed they should be simple, safe and make life less…

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  • Chemical-Free Skin Health Book Now For Sale!

    The new book by Bob Root is now available for sale.   The book is available on the Keys web site store as well as various book sellers like Amazon.com and Barnes & Nobel.  Below are the links to the book sale pages. Keys Online Store:  Click Here Amazon.com: Click Here Barnes & Nobel: Click Here

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  • New RediCare Locking Sprayer

    We are pleased to announce the next generation sprayer head for our RediCare product.  The innovations for this new design development are a finer mist spray, more even and less pressure required to operate and a new integrated locking mechanism. Most people quickly notice the new locking mechanism.  The prior sprayer used a “wishbone” clip that kept the pump from operating while in a bag, backpack or pocket.   The problem with the old design is that the small clip was easily lost.  In the process of developing the next generation sprayer, we sought all the…

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  • Triclosan Ban Could Be On The Way

    Bob Root in his new book Chemical-Free Skin Health outlined many of his concerns over the widespread use of Triclosan in foods, products and skin care.  The article below was dated today in the Natural Products Manufacturers newsletter. From Natural Foods Merchandiser The Environmental Protection Agency is considering whether to ban the antibacterial chemical triclosan in consumer products, in response to a petition submitted by 82 environmental and public health groups led by Beyond Pesticidesand Food & Water Watch.

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  • Fragrance – Keys Reports

    In an effort to bring relevant information to you, we occasionally find interesting reports.  This one tags onto the EWG Fragrance Report and includes concerns we have had for a long time regarding unlisted chemicals in fragrance found in household products. This is a FYI for you! ____________________________________________________________ Scented Consumer Products Shown to Emit Many Unlisted Chemicals

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  • Gathering Thyme, New Bay Area Keys Reseller Opens in Marin County

    Gathering Thyme is a new community herb shop and holistic health education center focused on providing Marin County and the Bay Area with exceptional natural healthcare products, education and support.  “Keys is very excited to add Gathering Thyme to our reseller list because they are true trusted advisors in their community,” said Wendy Steele, Keys CEO. In the retail shop you will find a wide selection of high-quality locally-sourced herbal products including the very best in bulk herbs, teas and spices; Western, Chinese, and Ayurvedic herbal formulas; practitioner-lines of dietary supplements; a terrific selection of…

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  • Keys Featured at the 2010 California Women’s Conference

    New book, “Chemical-Free Skin Health” premiered at the California Women’s Conference. Keys creates ECO Island. Keys product chosen by Maria Shriver for second year in a row for speakers’ gift bag. Long Beach California, October 25, 2010, California Women’s Conference. “Chemical-Free Skin Health” is a new book written by Keys founder and Chief Technology Officer, Bob Root.  The book is the first  written by a natural products industry formulator to help users make better buying choices for safer cosmetics and safer personal care products.  Bob Root offered, “I wrote my book because I realized that…

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  • On The Press! New Book by Keys Founder – Bob Root

    Chemical-Free Skin Health! Bob announced the beginning of a book focused on skin health over two years ago at the Natural Products Expo West. His book will be published in early October and Bob will officially launch the book at the 2010 California Women’s Conference. Maria Shriver chose Keys Luminos for last years Women’s Conference for the speakers gift bag. This year, she chose Keys Solar Rx for the speakers gift bag. The book, titled “Chemical-Free Skin Health” with a subtitle of “Stop • Challenge • Choose” will be published by Orion’s M42 publishing company…

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  • The Story of Cosmetics • Campaign for Safe Cosmetics

    Comments of the personal care industry, by Bob Root, Keys CTO “The world is a changen,” is an old southern phrase.   It generally means that new things continue to appear at a little to fast a pace.   The concept of safe cosmetics does not fit into that phrase.  I believe we are actually returning to the basics and our roots from not a too distant a past. Our first lotion was a refined version of one my grandmother created.  She taught me to make a very fine lotion that she used to simmer…

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  • Triclosan: The Biocide That Creates Super Bugs?

    Triclosan: The Biocide that Creates Super Bugs? By Bob Root, Keys Technologist   Chemical Warfare Chapter 12:  Biocides:  Indiscriminate killers that create super bugs? For almost two years, I have been working on a book draft titled, “Chemical Warfare.”  It is a book focused on simplifying information about personal care and household products uses and concerns for public safety.  As I studied, I realized how much hearsay there was in the industry.  Taking a scientific approach, I turned to the research community for insights and facts…as best as they are.  Part of my dedication was…

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  • Keys Now Blog Merges with Clean Green Cafe

    In a world of fast paced communications, we continue to try to simplify, condense and corral the information we present in a way that helps clarify not only our position, but that of the natural products industry.  Over the next few month, we will continue to simplify all that we present to be in one place.  Here! The Clean Green Cafe offers both a chat forum and a blog.  These are now condensed to this location and available on the tab bar above. The writing style will continue to be firm, frank and friendly bringing…

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  • Ele Keats Actor – Artist – Keys Fan

    Ele Keats   Actor Artist Keys Fan! When we started Keys, we began small with a few products and some real fans.  Our core belief is that products should solve problems and make people feel good about themselves and what they are using in and on their body. As we have grown, we feel it is time to honor some of those that we have helped, have been with us for a long time and those using our products in unique applications. Featured Keys Customer:  Ele Keats, Hometown:  Hollywood California

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  • About Us – A Defining Moment

    Keys was born from a need for natural skin care products the likes of which did not exist before we started. Our founder, Wendy Steele, survived Melanoma and her story of her road to recovery was littered with prescription products that almost worked.  The trauma showed her the clear vision need for products that really worked to solve skin problems.  Because they are natural, they also made her feel good with a new youthful appearance and the resulting contentment showed her the way in creating Keys In the simplest of messages, Keys is ancient remedies employing…

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  • EWG 2010 Sunscreen Report – Sunscreen For Dummies

    Bob Root, Keys CTO It is that time of year again when the various sunscreen reports come out. The Environmental Working Group 2010 Sunscreen Report is out a couple of months early. Once again, Keys Solar Rx receives great marks in the Moisturizer with SPF category. I offer the title above with a great deal of respect for this years EWG 2010 Sunscreen Report.  I use the colloquial title because for the first time I feel there is a report that we can all read and understand.  Good on ya EWG for making something that we can read and…

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  • Toxic America with Dr. Sanjay Gupta and EWG’s Ken Cook

    We always endeavor to report on things that we know based on facts or studies.  This small review is most definitely and opinion piece from us, so you should form you own opinion by reading the links and watching the various videos available at the links. Keys Review, Toxic America Well if you missed it, the CNN series with Sanjay Gupta titled Toxic America was quite good.

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  • Parabens Good Or Bad Guys

    Both? As a part of my ongoing series of looking at the Dirty Dozen Chemicals shown to provide elevated cancer rates in people and animals, in this article, I outline why we do not use parabens leaving the judgmental diagnosis to the NGO’s attacking them.  The Dirty Dozen Chemicals are a list of 12 developed originally by the Marin County Cancer Project which at the time, had the highest Cancer Rates in the US.  Followed by Search For The Cause and Teens Turning Green the list is now designated the Dirty Thirty. So, are parabens…

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  • Wax and Other Things That Threaten Mankind

    Ingredients, Skin Deep Report  and Everything Else… Musing from an interview with Bob Root, Keys Care CTO I recently took up Storm Chasing as a hobby… Just kidding although I feel like one of those guys chasing Tornado’s in the Midwest when it comes to the natural products industry. I was recently on a conference call with various members of the Natural Products Manufacturers Association enraged about a change that the EWG had made in the rating of Vegetable Emulsifying Wax from a 1 to a 4.  The tone was angry because as Compact Signers, we…

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  • Keys Product Labels

    We have always published our product labels on our website.  Admittedly they have been a little hard to find and took some work.  As a part of the evolution of our website and our dedication to simpler more informed content, we have created a page on our blog dedicated to our products from an informational standpoint.  The page on the main menu bars above and to the right show a new category called “Keys Products.”  As we add information, it will appear in this category and as a brief article like this one. So, now all…

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  • EWG Report on Fragrance – Not So Sexy!

    The EWG just released a report on Fragrances. Below is a part of the report and links to read the entire report. What is important to understand is that these same secret ingredients are used in personal care and household products. That familiar brand fragrance of Tide, Dreft and dryer sheets come from fragrance developed in the same process as the cologne’s and perfumes listed in the EWG Report. This report is not startling to us, but it will be to you. It is clear and concise as well as very easy to understand. Simply…

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  • UV “B” Chic and UV “A” Wise – How to avoid skin cancer!

    Wendy Steele, Keys CEO UV “B” Chic and UV “A” Wise  Video After the shock of being diagnosed with Melanoma Skin Cancer and the aftermath of dealing with all the chemical in my life that cause my skin disorders, the reality set home pretty quickly.   My skn could never again be exposed to prolonged UV events.  Growing up with a golden tan every summer, sailing the Chesapeak Bay and living in San Diego on a boat caused me to rethink my lifestyle.  Moreover, it caused me to become a advocate and spokesperson for UV…

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  • KEYS TV – About Keys

    KEYS TV About Keys Simple, Effective Pharmaceutical Grade Products for Skin Health Video Many people have asked how we started Keys and why. This short video overview will give you a sense of who we are, why we started and our purpose. As an overview, Wendy Steele, Keys CEO was diagnosed with Melanoma Skin Cancer a little over ten years ago. She survived the cancer, but was terribly afflicted with skin disorders that were diagnosed by doctors as adult acne, eczema, psoriasis,l contact dermatitis and a myriad of other incorrect bad guesses. What she found…

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  • Keys on the Road with the Stars..At the Oscar’s

    By Wendy Steele, Keys CEO A few years ago when I fell and sprained my ankle, I had to send Bob to Santa Monica CA to meet with 300 Hollywood makeup artists.  The trip was to introduce Eye Butter as a natural alternative to eye foundations and creams.  Our message then and now was that natural products no longer needed to be a compromise.  Our message was and is that Eye Butter, Luminos and Solar Rx actually make people look good on and off camera.  Not just for the Red Carpet. Most of you know…

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  • Our Green Piece…How It’s Made at Keys!

    by Bob Root Keys Technologist Clean, Caring, Concerned and Diligent! Everyone want to know these days what is in your products, what is not in your products and how does the making of your products effect the environment.  I thought it might be lighter to use the title Green Piece with an ‘i’ because that is what the PR people call the eco statement that a company offers.  Often these are full of $5 dollar words and platitudes.  So, I have attempted to inform here without using too many words or big words that have…

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  • Keys Banned Chemical Series – SLS (Sodium Laureth Sulfate)

    Dirty Dozen Chemicals: SLS By Bob Root Keys Technologist Many people that I meet ask me to describe why I do not use certain chemicals.  I tell them that my reasons are practical not political.  I generally explain in three to five pragmatic reasons why I do not use certain ingredients.  Most encourage me to offer my simplified reasons, so I am beginning to undertake why we do not use certain ingredients.  In this series of article, I will start with the Dirty Dozen.

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  • New iPhone Application to Track Cosmetic Ingredients

    A new iPhone application promises to inform the consumer of which products should be avoided using a database of INCI names and the ingredients allotted safety profile. Cosmetifique can be used with both the iPhone and iPod Touch and claims to have a searchable database of over 5,000 ingredients, in INCI format. Results for ingredients searches come back highlighted as either red, orange or green, to denote whether the ingredient is good, acceptable or should be avoided. According to application designer Alfredo Delli Bovi, this can inform the consumer whether the cosmetics they have bought or are…

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  • Acne Solutions…Cause and Effect!

    Acne Solutions.  Real or Unreal? By Bob Root, Keys Technologist There are many acne treatments on the market promising a quick result.  They work quickly and as quickly, the skin rebounds, for most with, with a vengeance. We receive a lot of emails from people wondering what we have for treating acne.  Ironically, Keys is in business because of acne treatment.  More about that later. The major quick fix for acne has been the same since the 1920’s.  The chemical is called Benzyol Peroxide.  Benzoyl peroxide is an compound in the organic peroxide family. It consists of two benzoyl groups…

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  • New Eye Butter – A Better Butter

    New Eye Butter Softer, smoother and more effective anti-aging properties By Bob Root, Keys Technologist Eye Butter is now better butter.  The ingredients are the same.  The amount of each ingredient has not changed.  Two of the processes in making Eye Butter have been changed to increase its efficacy and soften the consistency while also being smoother.

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  • Phthalates Linked To ADHD

    In keeping with our commitment to keep you informed about studies dealing with the Dirty Thirty chemicals, here is a synopsis and link to a recent article regarding phthalates in personal care products.  Please note that we have tracked the use of phthalates in room fresheners, scented candles, dryer sheets, laundry detergents, cologne/perfumes and a high percentage of personal care products.  The consumer simple rule that we suggest is that if a product has a strong fragrance that lasts for a long time, it is most likely synthetic and contains a form of phthalate.  When in…

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  • EWG Report Released Today…457 chemical Contaminants in Cleaning Products

    Research links school air quality to school cleaning supplies Keys Note:  Although we are a natural skin remedy and health company, we have long said that many skin disorders are misdiagnosed and caused by chemicals in household products.  Because this report is about schools, on the surface, do not dismiss this report when choosing your household cleaning products.  Especially your laundry detergents that come in direct contact with your skin.  At Keys, we believe that 95+% of all household cleaning products contain harmful chemicals to humans and pets and cause over 75% of diagnosed skin…

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  • The California Women’s Conference…One Guy and 22,000 Women

    Well, I am not the only guy.  There are a few of us. As the Keys formulator, I was asked to attend this year’s California Women’s Conference to answer questions and talk to the press and celebrities about our line of chemical-free skincare products. I arrived in LA last week.  It is always a homecoming for me.  This year was the same, but different.  After all, I was going to be hanging out with 22,000 women in one of my favorite towns, Long Beach. It is about four hours until the festivities begin and the…

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  • Blogging…Not So Innocent

    Blogging Debunking  –  Federal Style By Bob Root, Keys Technologist And it did not take a Michael Moore Film…. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), protects consumers from fraud or deceptive business practices, voted 4 to 0 to update its rules governing endorsements, and the new guidelines require bloggers and celebrities  to clearly disclose any “material connection” to  and including payments for an endorsement or free product. This is the first time since 1980 that the FTC has updated its rules on the use of endorsements and testimonials in advertising. In addition to covering bloggers, the…

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  • The Dirty Thirty. A Reprised Dirty Dozen… 30 Bad Boy Chemicals!

    At Keys, we have a core philosophy to not use any chemicals in our products that remotely have health concerns, known allergens or irritants.  Like many, we started our business based on a need and we try to minimize negative marketing.  If we were to list all the no’s, it would fill an entire web page.  We chose to use the term chemical-free although it outrages the chemists of the world.  All of our ingredients are on the labels and listed with the EWG Skin Deep Report. So the purpose of writing about the Dirty…

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  • Keys Chosen By California Women’s Conference

    One of the premier conferences every year for and about women is the California Women’s Conference hosted by Maria Shriver and the Governor of California.  This year, Keys was honored to be invited as one of the sponsors of the conference being asked to have our Luminos be included in the speakers’ gift bags.  Many conferences permit vendors to buy their way into participation.  For this conference it is an invitation only honor that delighted us to receive. There will be 118 speakers from the entire globe that includes Sir Richard Branson, Kelly Preston, Maria…

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  • Nano Zinc Oxide… Hundreds of Studies Show It’s Safe! Really!

    By Bob Root,  Keys Technologist One day when I was young, I was reading an issue of Popular Science Magazine with a story about a bold project to put man into space.  I was so excited.  Like many young people, I fantasized about flying in space.  I became an avid follower of early rocket pioneers and awaited the day when the first manned rocket would launch. A few months before the first test launch was to fire, my mother, in sheer terror, headed for church to join other devoted to pray for the salvation of…

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  • Keys To Make Appearence on Emmy Nominated Showtime Series Weeds!

    Congratulations to the Weeds team for all your Emmy Nominations!!! Special congrats to Mary Louise Parker, Elisabeth Perkins and the entire Weeds team. Keys on Weeds Well we think it is true. We heard from an informant that Keys will be featured on Episode 10 of the hit Showtime Series “Weeds.” We have been working with the team using Solar RX and Luminos along with some of our other products. Rumor has it that some of our products will be seen during the episode in a bathroom scene. Keys has been extremely popular in Hollywood…

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  • Why We Use Airless Pumps and Not Tubes

    Airless Pumps versus Tubes By Bob Root Keys Technologist I am often asked the question of why I chose airless pumps for our products over traditional tubes. Well, there is no simple answer, but a series of reasons that we chose this very advanced technology developed in the Netherlands along with our design team. The most important reasons are health, safety and cleanliness of the product. True, tubes are less expensive, easier to fill and more common. The problem with tubes is that they were never designed for natural products.

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  • RediCare – Healing Spray and Natural Insect Repellent for People and Their Pets!

    Miracle product? Could Be! RediCare is certainly, a product that has touched so many people and pets in a positive way that we just had to write this article. Keys RediCare offers solutions to skin disorders, internal disorders that cause the skin to react, itch and breakdown. For sunburns, burns and scrapes, RediCare performs equally as well. RediCare is a natural insect repellent and much more. It all begins with the story of how RediCare became such a universal product. It was born from inspiration, a natural disaster and the people and the animals that suffered…

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  • Keys Featured in Super Natural Home Book

          Beth Greer had been living what she considered a healthy lifestyle when a medical crisis prompted her to reevaluate everything—from the food she ate to the personal-care products she used and the environment she lived in. Now, in Super Natural Home,

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  • FACTS Versus FUD

    By Bob Root, Keys CTO I spend 300 days a year on the road, out and about with our customers, retailers and at industry events. I receive numerous questions every day. The majority are inspiring and educational for me. Almost daily, though, I receive questions that relate to opinions expressed by some people or companies that are not based in fact, and literally scare people. They strike fear in people and I wonder what motivates these fearmongers to use negative marketing to further themselves or to try to elevate themselves in other peoples’ eyes. We…

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  • Bob Root on Super Natural Mom Radio Show

    Bob Root, Keys Founder and Technologist was interviewed by Beth Greer, author of “The Super Natural Home” on her radio show, The Super Natural Mom, yesterday. The broadcast was live and can be heard by click the link below or the download link. (large file, so we do not recommend downloading). There were a number of subjects discussed including the meaning of the word “Natural” and “Organic” in the safe cosmetics market as well as misuse in the traditional over-the-counter skincare market. Also discussed are some of the chemicals commonly used by skin care companies…

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  • Sun Safe? Preventing skin cancer and premature aging.

    by Wendy Steele, Keys CEO As a melanoma survivor, people listen when I talk about how Keys Solar Rx sunblock when used daily, can help prevent skin cancer. They really listen when I tell them that it is the most effective anti-aging product available today. Yes, 90% of all visible skin aging comes from exposure to UVA and UVB. Most people now know that there is a difference between UVA and UVB and that SPF rated sunscreens only protect against the burning UVB (UV-Burning ) rays. They do nothing to protect from the deep penetrating…

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