Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

REVISION OF ORIGINAL REVIEW FROM 2013, AS OF 3/25/16: There are several, main problems with this product: When I first wrote this review in 2013, this product contained methylparaben and propylparaben as preservatives. These are considered "xenoestrogens," chemicals which have an estrogenic effect on the body. In the recent past, the company wisely decided to revise the formulation for this product, eliminating the parabens. They substituted, unfortunately, another preservative (see below), which is questionable as well, and there really wasn't a need for it because this product also contains caprylic/capric triglyceride, glycerin, and benzyl alcohol, all of which are safe preservatives. In addition, if the "rosemary oil" used in this product is actually an essential oil, that is a natural antimicrobial as well. I also see no good reason for including wild yam extract in this product. Many so-called progesterone creams contain nothing but this extract, and it is a myth that it will convert in the body into progesterone. In fact, it is far more likely, as unprocessed soy does, to have an estrogenic effect. Since this product claims to contain Natural Progesterone USP, there is simply no compelling reason to include yam extract. In addition, this product has far more ingredients than it needs to contain. It is never a good thing when a so-called "natural" product has a long string of ingredients with incomprehensible chemical names (more on that below). The update of the formulation eliminating parabens does not address this issue. The dosage issues on the label from three years ago have been clarified, at least on the Source Naturals website. They state there, on the product information page, that 1/4 teaspoon contains 22 mg. "natural progesterone." The goal is to take between 15-25 mg. per dose, depending on the recommendation one is following. Most women and/or their doctors follow the protocols of either Dr. John Lee or Dr. Joseph Mercola. I have personally used transdermal bioidentical progesterone for about 13 years now with no ill effects and many positive ones following the protocol that Dr. John Lee recommends: Apply an amount of progesterone cream containing between 21-25 mg. of progesterone (an amount similar to the 25-30 mg. that young, healthy ovaries produce) for 14-21 consecutive days each month. To make it easy to remember the timing of this, he recommends starting it the 1st of every month. If you want a different and much simpler formulation of over-the-counter bioidentical progesterone, a good choice is Progestelle. These are the only ingredients: "800 mg/oz USP pharmaceutical grade natural progesterone from yams and coconut oil." Another alternative is to get a prescription for bioidentical progesterone and have it filled at a compounding pharmacy. Some health insurance policies will pay for this, and it can be a real cost savings as OTC progesterone creams are very expensive. My OB-GYN, whom I see annually during a free, well-woman exam mandated to be paid 100% by insurance, prescribes for me a year's supply of 25 mg. capsules of compounded bioidentical progesterone, with 21 capsules per month. Obtaining it this way gives me the assurance that I am getting pure, pharmaceutical-grade progesterone for a low cost. I use those capsules to make my own cream in this manner: I break open a capsule and dump the progesterone powder inside it into a small, glass bowl. Then I add about 1 tbsp. of organic jojoba oil or organic coconut oil as a "carrier oil." I have seen various oils used as a carrier oil in commercial progesterone creams, including Vitamin E oil, coconut oil, and other more questionable oils (this brand uses as carriers glycerine, jojoba oil, caprylic/capric triglyceride, squalene and vitamin E). I like jojoba oil because it is a natural oil most similar to human skin oil and therefore, in my experience, most easily absorbed, but the past year or so I've begun to use coconut oil instead because I find it is less likely to cause skin breakouts if I put the oil on my face and neck. I shake the bowl gently side to side so that the oil completely covers the progesterone powder and let it set and "percolate," so to speak, while I shower. Then I use my clean index finger to finish completely mixing the powder into the oil and immediately apply it. The best places to apply progesterone cream/oil, per Dr. John Lee, are to the body's most thin, permeable skin, such as the face, neck, chest, breasts, stomach, inner thighs, and the vaginal tissue. Dr. Joseph Mercola, who studied with Dr. Lee (who passed away some years ago), recommends only applying the progesterone cream to the vaginal tissue for those doing long-term use. He states that, over time it accumulates in subcutaneous fat, causing those tissues to get overloaded with it, interfering with bodily absorption of the progesterone. In contrast, this problem does not occur with the vaginal tissue (presumably because there is less subcutaneous fat in those tissues). Not only is absorption of the progesterone more complete than through the skin, but there is the added benefit of the hormone entering the body through the same pelvic veins that the ovaries empty into. Personally, I would not feel safe using this particular cream on sensitive vaginal tissue due to all the extra ingredients in it beyond progesterone and jojoba oil. Many of them are not safe, and they could irritate the delicate vaginal tissues. In addition, it is vital to not apply antimicrobials to the vaginal area. It can kill off vital, healthy bacteria in the vaginal tissue, leading to an imbalance that can produce painful inflammation AKA "vaginitis." This would not be a problem with Progestelle. For those who are interested, I've included below a list of the ingredients in this product and an analysis of each. Ingredients on Label in 2013: Deionized Water, Aloe Vera Gel, Cetearyl Glucoside, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Natural Progesterone USP From Soy (500 Mg) Per Ounce), Wild Yam Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate (Natural Vitamin E), Lecithin Phospholipid, Glyceryl Stearate & Peg-100 Stearate, Jojoba Oil, Squalene, Benzyl Alcohol, Stearic Acid, Grapefruit Seed Extract, Ginseng Root Extract, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Sorbic Acid, Xanthan Gum, and Rosemary Oil. Ingredients on Label in 2016: Deionized Water, Aloe Vera Leaf Gel, Cetearyl Glucoside, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Natural Progesterone USP from soy (500 mg per ounce), Wild Yam Root Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate (Natural Vitamin E), Lecithin Phospholipid, Glyceryl Stearate and PEG-100 Stearate, Jojoba Seed Oil, Squalene, Benzyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Stearic Acid, Grapefruit Seed Extract, Ginseng Seed Extract, Ginseng Root Extract, Sorbic Acid, Xanthan Gum, and Rosemary Oil. Note that they have eliminated the parabens and added phenoxyethanol and ginseng root extract as a substitute. Ginseng root extract: This substance is an antioxidant and, thus, a natural preservative. It has thousands of years of safe usage behind it and is deemed not only safe, but good for the health. Phenoxyethanol: This is an organic glycol ether frequently used in cosmetics, vaccines and pharmaceuticals as a preservative. It is also used as a topical antiseptic, as an insect repellent, and as a solvent for dyes, inks, and resins. When information about the dangers of parabens became widely accepted, quite a few cosmetic companies switched to this preservative which initially seemed safe. Unfortunately, research has begun to reveal that it also may be toxic. Many people develop dermatitis from prolonged exposure to it. It can worsen skin conditions like eczema, and there is growing evidence that it may be a xenoestrogen like the parabens. Deionized Water: An ion is an atom or molecule with an electrical charge. Scientists use deionized water so that there will be no ions to switch places with other ions the scientist is interested in experimenting on. Just because water is deionized does not mean it is pure. Contaminants may remain. Aloe vera gel: This is the gelatinous substance taken from inside of the leaves of the aloe vera plant, which grows in temperate and tropical regions around the world. It has been used for centuries as an herbal remedy for ailments of the skin, the stomach, the kidneys, and even as an eye wash. Cetearyl glucoside: This is an emulsifier which helps prevent the ingredients in a mixture from separating. It is formed in a laboratory by combining the fatty acid, cetearyl alcohol, with glucose. It may be derived naturally from coconut or corn oil or synthesized chemically. Caprylic/Capric triglyceride: This is a substance produced from fatty acids of coconut or palm kernel oil via esterification, a chemical reaction between alcohol and the fatty acid. This process gives the oil a silky feel on the skin. This ester has antioxidant properties, making it a natural preservative, and it is considered safe for sensitive skin. It is often used as a neutral carrier oil for an active ingredient, for example, bioidentical progesterone. Cetyl alcohol: A fairly natural oil which is produced by hydrogenation of vegetable oils such as palm oil and coconut oil. It is used in cosmetics as an emollient, emulsifier or thickening agent in skin creams and lotions. In rare cases people with eczema find it a skin irritant, but that may be due to impurities in the cetyl alcohol rather than the cetyl alcohol itself. Glycerin/glycerine: Also known as glycerol, it is used in commercial foods and beverages to impart moisture, provide sweetness, and emulsify and preserve food. It is used in cosmetics as an emulsifier and preservative. Glycerine can be made from food-grade fats and oils or petroleum products. Neither food, cosmetic nor pharmaceutical companies in the U.S. are required to reveal the source of the glycerine they use. Natural progesterone USP from soy: Since the 1940's scientists have extracted a substance called diosgenin from wild yams and soy beans and used it to create United States Pharmacopeia (USP) grade progesterone which is bioidentical to the progesterone created by human ovaries. People who are allergic to soy need not worry about progesterone made from soy. It is so highly purified that there are no remnants of soy products that could affect them. Wild yam AKA, Discorea villosa: This is a tuberous vining plant which is native to North America. It contains naturally occurring estrogen. Lecithin phospholipid: Lecithins are prepared by extracting and purifying phospholipids from products such as eggs, soybeans, sunflower and canola seeds. In food products and cosmetics, lecithin is used as an emulsifier. At issue is how exactly it is derived. Lecithin is a fatty substance that is extracted either chemically or mechanically. Certainly some small businesses around the world exist which employ non-toxic, cold-press methods of extraction, but big factories do not. They create lecithin by means of highly toxic, carcinogenic chemicals such benzene and hexane. The food and cosmetic industry are not required to report on their labels how the lecithin they use is extracted, so we have no reliable way of knowing how safe it is. Glyceryl stearate: This ingredient is created in a lab by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (a fatty acid obtained from animal and vegetable fats and oils). It functions as a moisturizer, but it can be a skin irritant for people with sensitive skin. PEG-100 stearate: This is used as an emulsifying agent. It is a polyethylene glycol ether of glyceryl stearate which is generally considered safe. Jojoba oil: This is a natural plant oil created from the liquid wax of the seed of the jojoba plant, a shrub which is native to southern Arizona, southern California, and northwestern Mexico. Of all natural oils, jojoba is the most compatible with the skin because it is very similar in its properties to the skin's own sebum (the protective, oily secretion of the skin's sebaceous glands). This allows it to penetrate much deeper into the skin than other natural oils can and makes it less likely to clog pores and create blackheads and acne. Squalene: This is a lipid derived from shark liver oil and vegetable oils such as rice bran oil, wheat germ oil, amaranth seed oil, and olive oil. The human skin on its own produces squalene as a natural moisturizer. It is not considered to be a skin irritant. Benzyl alcohol: This substance is used as a preservative in IV medication solutions and in cosmetics because of its bacteriostatic and antipruritic properties. It is considered very low risk. It is produced naturally by many plants and commonly found in fruits and teas. It is found in many essential oils, such as jasmine, hyacinth, and ylang-ylang. Stearic acid: This is a fatty acid obtained from animal and vegetable fats and oils. Grapefruit seed extract: This is a thick liquid derived from the pulp, seeds and white membranes of grapefruit. There have been claims by alternative healers for some time that this extract has antimicrobial action. However, chemists have tested many of these extracts and claim that any such action is solely due to contamination with benzethonium chloride, a chemical compound extensively used for its antimicrobial action. Ginseng Root Extract: Most of the time this plant extract is taken internally. It is known as an "adaptogen" because it improves general well-being and health. The only reason I can think of that it is included in a progesterone cream is that it is claimed that it can help hot flashes due to menopause. If this cream is applied to the face and neck, ginseng, as well as the progesterone itself, it presumed to improve or prevent wrinkles. Methylparaben and propylparaben: Parabens are "xenoestrogens," chemicals that function in the body as estrogen. Estrogen is a female hormone that males should not be exposed to, and neither should females younger than puberty. Beyond that, it is never a good idea to expose anyone's body to xenoestrogens because they are "proliferative" hormones which cause unwanted growth of tissue, most dangerously, cancerous tissue. Savvy cosmetic companies who care about the health of their customers are beginning to phase out parabens and use safer preservatives instead. Inexplicably, though this product contains several other preservatives and could have therefore dispensed with parabens, its manufacturer chose not to. Sorbic Acid: This is an antimicrobial agent frequently used in food and drink to prevent the growth of mold, yeast, and fungi, which not only taste bad, but are toxic. Xanthan gum: This is a food and cosmetic additive used as a thickening agent and as a stabilizer that keeps ingredients from separating. It is produced by fermenting glucose, sucrose, or lactose with the Xanthomonas campestris bacterium, then processing the resulting polysaccharide with isopropyl alcohol, and drying and grinding the resulting product into a fine powder. Rosemary oil: It is not clear if this is essential oil. If it were, one would think it would be clearly stated. If it is merely a fragrance oil, then that is a definite negative. True rosemary essential oil has traditionally been prized as helping with a number of health problems. Most relevant to a skin cream is that it is healing to the skin. It has also been used as an antibacterial cleanser, and it is possible that it has been added to this formulation as a natural antimicrobial.