New research from the Dr. Marianne Kraugerud of the Norwegian School of Veterinary Science suggests that perfluorinated compounds (PFCs), chemicals found in water resistant clothes and non-stick pans, might impact steroid hormones such as oestrogen, testosterone and cortisol, reports The Ecologist. The study conducted on sheep and cells grown in a lab echoes similar results of prior studies on polychlorinated biphenyls, which have been banned for about three decades.

Dr. Kraugerud said limiting use of products with PFCs is advisable and possibly switching back to cast iron pans. Still, she added that the risks are small, so people shouldn’t toss these types of pans, but rather use them less often and ultimately save up for alternatives.

Courtesy of DuPont

The news comes after the Environmental Working Group has voiced concerns about the chemicals. “Scientists have known for a while that these pollutants can act as endocrine disruptors, so our position does not change with this research as we continue to call for the phasing out of PFCs from various consumer products,’ said EWG Senior Scientist Olga Naidenko.

Meanwhile, Teflon maker The DuPont Corporation said that while “some associations have been reported, no human effects are known to be cause by PFOA [the PFC chemical in Teflon products].” Meanwhile the company noted that it plans to pull PFOA chemicals from its products by 2015 because it has created “a new processing aid with” a better “toxicological profile.”

Click here for the complete article from The Ecologist

Click here for the Dupont announcement from 2007 about the Department of Justice investigation of PFOA.

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A new study published in the Tobacco Control journal suggests that the major tobacco companies are getting around the rules barring advertising to kids on television by tapping YouTube.

Cigarette manufacturing at the Philip Morris USA Manufacturing Center in Richmond, VA

Though the five major cigarette makers deny it, some suggest there are videos on YouTube with product placement-style promotions of certain brands, according to The Los Angeles Times. The companies deny this allegation but some say many videos appear professionally made and even use songs and images the companies own the rights to.

Click here for the complete article from The Los Angeles Times

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Friday morning was pretty eventful since I learned that even gang members like Starbucks. In the East Village and Alphabet City, even in a post-Rudy Giuliani New York, one expects their fair share of shady folks, grifters and junkies. But in Gramercy Park, one expects a bit of suburbia in the city.

So imagine this, I’m on Third and 15th in the Starbucks getting what has become the usual–grande iced coffee unsweetened. I approach the milk bar and see a man standing next to me. He’s sporting a grifter kind of dress–baggy jeans, flip flops, shapeless shirt, ungroomed facial hair–you get the drill. But he’s in Starbucks. Bums usually save their pennies for Pabst.

So I’m pouring the skim milk and tossing the ice when I see three dots on his hand. Like a nice, apparently naive woman, I ask what they are. I know they are suspect but it does not occur to me that they might be something I should not ask about directly. However, without hesitation sir launches into a religious spiel about some religion and book that says we are descendants of a combination between aliens and humans. It’s at this moment I see the hospital bracelet on his left wrist. Recent Bellevue alum??

Image courtesy of http://www.njgangfree.org/

Now, I’m trying to get the right flavor coffee and find a way to exit, when likely because he saw my profile, (I do not have a cute Irish nose) he goes–you’re Jewish right? Given my paranoid parents and the fact that a Muslim cabbie just got sliced simply for being Muslim I hesitate. Why I ask him a few times until I acquiesce. Yes, I’m Jewish. To which he replies, So am I. I respond, well then happy new year soon. Bye.

The rest of the walk to work, I am looking over my shoulder. Once at the office a few minutes later, I commence Googling. I figure I should know what this is because after all, GASP shock horror-I’m moving to Jersey City. Much as people tell me I’m in the best area and it’s totally safe, I know the history and truth about JC’s reputation. There are some parts I will never visit or get close to. I’m old enough to know it’s not exploration-it’s unnecessary exposure.

So, ultimately I realize that the dots, in the shape of a triangle on the top of the hand between the index finger and thumb, are likely a gang sign. While Urban Dictionary naively labels it as a sign worn by some Latinos, the New Jersey Attorney General’s Juvenile Justice Commission office has kindly put together this Gang Awareness Guide. Turns out my fellow Starbucks customer is or was a Blood. The three dots are a dog paw sign.

It’s not as though I was totally naive. I’d like to think I knew more than most Americans. I’m familiar with MS-13, Bloods, Crips and Latin Kings, and their respective colors and tattoos like teardrops and spider webs. But, apparently there’s a lot to learn and with a shit job market, we better all be prepared for a decent amount of crime. More money may mean more problems, but it’s better than no money at all.

Click here for the Gang Awareness Guide. In addition to detailing tattoos, signs and phrases, it also details how parents can keep kids out the gang scene.

Click here for another resource for parents.

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Timbaland is one of the most talented hip hop and pop producers. This track with Nelly Furtado and SoShy of the U.K. is addictive and could be a great dance beat.

Eminem and Rihanna know a thing or two about toxic relationships. They teamed up for a single from the Detroit native’s latest album.

The it dance label Ultra Records released this track in July. Legendary dance DJ Kaskade teamed up with Martina of the band Dragonette for another catchy track. It’s more electro-pop than dance, but we all know Kaskade can turn most anything into a club hit.

If you excuse the cliche videos and the sub-par lyrics, you can see that Nicki Minaj has real potential. If you don’t know her work, be warned that she’s a name to know.

Sweden’s Robyn is back with a new album that even earned her a positive review in The New Yorker. It’s her ability to blend a number of different genres that lures the listener. Give it a listen.

Email us your playlist at culture (at) trendcetera (dot) com OR @Trendcetera on Twitter. Or, simply comment here!

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Of late I’ve pondered if the “pregnancy glow” might have something to do not just with hormones, but the fact that most pregnant women are more hydrated, consume less caffeine and alcohol, and eat a bit healthier than the average individual. But, most of us are not committed to that long-term and for a solution to pasty skin, self tanners and bronzers are an easy go-to. There are plenty of products on the market, including long-time industry favorites such as products from L’Oreal, Jergens and Lancome, but a few new lesser known brands are offering more subtle solutions. Still, for those that want a deep tan fast, a new celebrity self tanner is the way to go.

Before you apply self-tanner, exfoliating is a must to ensure an even application. There are plenty of options and one can even make their own scrub with olive oil and sugar, or kosher salt, assuming there are no open cuts. But, if DIY is too time intensive, the drug store and beauty counters alike offer options from about $5 to $30. Caudalie products are always luxurious and their placement in the newly renovated Plaza means the upper crust trust them. Inspired by the fruit of the vine, the Merlot Friction Scrub ($29) has a citrus note that accompanies a gentle thick grain comprised of brown sugar and essential oils to shed dead skin cells.

Another option comes from Britain-based Liz Earle, which is known for its essential oil-rich formulations, from scrubs and lotions to amazing masks. Using a similar model, Energising Body Scrub ($24) blends different oils with olive stones and rose water to smooth skin. Following exfoliation, the next step is the self-tanner. Veteran self-tanners know to allow enough time for the product to dry before getting dressed, and to wash hands frequently to prevent staining the palms of the hands. Also, some recommend using a bit lotion on rough areas after scrubbing, such as on knees and elbows.

Elemental Herbology, a boutique brand from the U.K., was a pleasant surprise of a product. At first, the efficacy of Sun Kiss ($39) is questionable but with a little time, it proved the perfect product for naturalists. The consistency is that of a very thin lotion, pale yellow in color. In addition to a number of nature-based ingredients, including aloe, fig extract, macadamia and watermelon seed oils, and lavender, the product features a sugar beet-derived natural self-tanning agent that over time takes skin from pasty and pale to healthy and glowing, with a hint of a tint. Plus, the line does not use mineral oil, fake fragrances or colors, sulphates or parabens.

For those consumers seeking a multi-tasking product, Tarte’s CelluFIGHT ($40) is the answer. The combo gel contains caffeine from green tea extract, among other ingredients, to make skin appear more tight and firm. But, slowly, if used often, the gel also tints the skin to serve as both a mild firming gel and self tanner. Packed with algae extract and a plant-based self tanner, like all of this trendsetting line, it is free of the chemical nasties some buyers try to avoid, from talc and dyes to sulfates, phthalates, parabens, and GMO.

For the ultimate tan, though, one that walks the fine line between a natural medium Caribbean tan and overnight orange, the latest release from the Kardashian sisters is the way to go. No matter what people think of the family, one thing is for sure–those women know style and makeup. Glamour Tan is a clear gel made with a self-tanning agent, lactic acid, and vitamins C, D3, and E. The combination means regular use a few times a week will leave skin smooth, in addition to almost bronzing overnight. Beginners should note that because it is clear, careful application and hand washing is especially important to prevent an uneven application. But, once you are accustomed to using it, it’s natural enough to use to fake a beach holiday even if a staycation was the true vacation.

Finally, the last brand to note for tanning and bronzing purposes is Australia’s Napolean Perdis. Already known stateside for the Target collection, the main collection includes self-tanners, bronzers and shimmer cosmetics that are natural and instantly improve one’s complexion.

The liquid tint item, Liquid Veil, is a beige shimmery color that works well when mixed with a daily moisturizer with SPF. A 1: 4 ratio at most gives the user just enough shimmer to shift the eye away from any blemishes. Follow that with one of the NP’s Mosaic powders, shown below, and you’ve created the perfect base for your daily powder bronzer.

NP also makes a bronzing stick but we did not test it. For powder bronzers, the options are almost limitless. Rimmel makes a decent powder bronzer that sells at Walmart while the drugstore in your area most likely carries a dozen or more options. Milani carries bronzers for darker complexions, while Neutrogena offers a more neutral color palette, and Sally Hansen delivers combo pressed powder compacts, including hues to suit yellow-orange undertones. But, the drugstore brand with the most options is Physician’s Formula. Among their offerings is a line with SPF50, including titanium dioxide and zinc oxide; the Organic Wear line with eco-friendly packaging and no parabens; and the bamboo silk line, which is also free of chemicals such as parabens, a man-made preservative.

Caudalie products are available at Sephora, Nordstrom and Caudalie-usa.com. Liz Earle products are available at www.us.lizearle.com, STUDIO BEAUTYMIX at Fred Segal, Santa Monica and Brownes & Co. Apothecary in Miami. Elemental Herbology is available at SpaceNK stores and at SpaceNK.com Tarte products are available at Tarte.com and Sephora, among other stores. Glamour Tan is available at Sephoa stores. Napoleon Perdis products are available at Ulta stores and his concept stores in California. There is also a NP line for Target.

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A Wall Street Journal article delves into the debate surrounding New York Fashion Week and its move to Lincoln Center, where unions are fighting fashionistas. The fashion week folks want to choose workers for setup but the union for stagehands says their members usually get jobs for work on the premises. Fashion Week starts September 9.

Click here for the full report.

Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick passed a law that aims to help women with postpartum depression. According to the Associated Press article,the law will force health insurers in the New England state to submit yearly reports on their work to screen for postpartum depression. Passed on August 10, it also forces the Department of Public Health to create regulations and policies to deal with the form of depression, including the development of public and professional education programs and screening tools.

Target is under the microscope for supporting an anti-gay Minnesota-based gubernatorial candidate. Now, a trio of major shareholders is among those slamming the contribution, and asking the retailer to change its donation process to prevent similar issues in the future. Click here for the Los Angeles Times report.

New research suggests that doing yoga three times a week may help calm people, as it boosts the levels of the amino acid, GABA. When interviewed, the subjects that did yoga were less anxious and reported being in a better mood. The Telegraph of London reports.

Alternative energy is the subject of much debate, with more countries attempting to find reasonably priced alternatives to fossil fuels, but one university is looking to liquor for the answer. According to a report from New Energy World Network, Edinburgh Napier University has developed a way to use the byproducts of whisky to create biofuel, in a project funded by the Scottish Enterprise’s Proof of Concept program. The technology for developing biofuel from whisky was inspired by a process developed by Chaim Weizmann, a Jewish refugee chemist that helped create the state of Israel. The university plans to create a spinoff company to make the fuel and sell it at the pumps. According to Biofuel Research Centre Director Professor Martin Tangney, the European Union aims to have biofuels comprise 10% of all fuel by 2020.

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JCPenney has taken a cue from other big boxes, such as Target, with the launch of its line with Spanish retailer Mango. The MNG line for the mass retailer includes work appropriate clothes, casual wear, shoes and accessories.

While the collection currently available at JCPenney includes a range of options for casual and work environments, the prices are a bit steep for a retailer geared at the average middle class American family. If the styles available were all similar to these images, women might shell out about $50+ for a dress that is easy to style for work. But, shoes for $50  to $110, and jeans for $50 to $80 seem a bit pricey.

While women want the designer-inspired goods, the price discount of these types of partnerships seems to be missing. Why would women pay $70 for jeans at JCPenney when they can get them at the real Mango store or another Spanish trendy retailer, Zara? In places like Los Angeles and New York City, they likely wouldn’t buy from this collection. However, perhaps JCPenney is betting that the name is big enough to lure shoppers in places where there is no stand alone Mango store.

As with everything , time will tell. Time and quarterly earnings reports.

Click here to view the collection.

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• What does heroin smell like? The remaining live members of the Sex Pistols have bottled their scent. Check out Hint’s review.

• The New York Times investigates the claims behind skin cream StriVectin and its Better Than Botox slogan. They also discuss the firm’s new products: a scrub and an eye product.  The company is now owned by private equity house Catterton Partners, which bought StriVectin from Klein-Becker last year.

The product is based on a combination of vitamin B3 and NIA-114, an ingredient developed by Myron and Elaine Jacobson at the University of Arizona. NIA-114 claims to be a gentler alternative to Tretinoin, which most people know as Retin-A, Renova or Atralin. Pop the top.

• Men are apparently as self conscious about their love handles as women are about their asses. The Washington Post has a hilarious trend piece on the many companies making shirts to tighten men’s chests and love handles.
• Google is apparently eying a shopping site that would improve its use of images, both as a search engine and an advertising company. While the WSJ and TechCrunch both posted reports, neither company has commented. Click here for the WSJ piece

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A trustee of Nelson Mandela’s nonprofit has relinquished his post amid a continued investigation surrounding model and anger management alum Naomi Campbell and some supposed blood diamonds. Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund Trustee Jeremy Ractliffe has chosen to the plead the fifth in a case that involves him, Campbell, Mandela and former Liberian leader Charles G. Taylor.

Photo By Daniele Venturelli/WireImage for Gucci

Taylor is in the middle of defending his supposed innocence amid allegations that he was involved with a number of killings, rapes, abductions and the forcing of children to become soldiers. He is also denying charges that he traded guns for diamonds, a move that would have contributed to the massive war in neighboring Sierre Leone that took hundreds of thousands of lives.

According to Campbell’s testimony, at a Mandela-hosted event that Taylor also attended, she received a baggie of “dirty-looking stones”  from two unidentified men and then passed the diamonds on to the now silent Ractliffe.

Ractliffe claims he did not declare the diamonds in connection with the nonprofit for fear of tainting its reputation, but did look after them for about 13 years before turning them over the police. If they were unlicensed, this is a crime in South Africa, though the police say he has not yet been charged with anything.

Now, two questions come to mind. 1) How does a jetsetting model not know what diamonds look like? And, when she figured out they were diamonds, why claim to think they’d help the nonprofit of a former South African president trying to maintain a clean reputation?

2) How do most Americans think their engagement rings are sourced? Through sustainable companies mining in Canada? Be real people, most diamonds are blood diamonds. That said, there is a need to get to the bottom or this. I’m sure when I send my unborn children to college, the UN and The court in The Hague will have figured this out.

Click here for the whole story from The New York Times

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Genetically engineered babies. A new hormonal treatment is said to be able to treat congenital adrenal hyperplasia, a genetic disorder that can interfere with the development of genitalia. The Los Angeles Times article writes:  “in severe cases, girls are born with male-like sexual organs although they usually have ovaries and a uterus.”
The treatment is extremely controversial because while it aims to cut the “ambiguity” in genital formation, a side effect is the possibility that it might cut the likelihood of a female baby becoming homosexual. Of course this then begs the big question: is there  “gay” gene and if so, is it right to alter it? The Los Angeles Times reports.

I’m Voting Tea Party tees. Hilarious slogans make a mockery of hyped issues. Click here.

If you live in Los Angeles, the rules for lawn watering–no we’re not making this up–have changed. This is due to concern over the aging pipes, not water conservation. Pop the top.

The latest scam online is a fake Facebook application called Dislike. Upon approving the application, the user then gives the scammers access to their profile information, among other info. The BBC reports.

Apparently there is now one more thing knocked up women cannot consume. What can they eat?

Finally, weekly beauty tips from London’s Telegraph.

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