If you have been keeping abreast of the latest updates about the cosmetics industry, you probably know by now that most of the mainstream makeup that we use daily, are full of extremely harmful chemicals. Yes – many of the products that we apply on our face can actually cause cancer and serious birth defects.
Before we pooh pooh these ideas (after all, how much can a bit of BB Cream or eyeliner hurt you?), we would do well to remember that skin is the largest organ in our body, and 1 in 5 Americans will get skin cancer this year. Would you voluntarily expose this organ to cancer causing chemicals each and every day? I hope the answer is no… Yet, that is what each of us is doing on a daily basis.
Much has been made of the fact that the EU has banned about 1,400 different chemicals from cosmetics and personal care products, while the U.S. has banned a paltry 11.
Yes, we all know that we should be careful about the ingredients that go into our cosmetics and personal care products, but with so many brands flooding the market, how do we decide which products are good for us? Usually, we go for the reputed brands, assuming that such big names will never make a product that will harm our health. And yet, most of the time, these big names are also the biggest offenders. They’re all about maximizing profit, and they have lobbyists and legal teams to cover up their misdeeds.
Most of the major drugstore and department store brands fall woefully short on safety and environmental standards, even though they may be very popular. As a typical example of mainstream cosmetics brands, The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics checked for the most dangerous chemicals that have already been proven to be highly toxic, and found that all of the drugstore and department store products (like Maybelline, Clinique, L’Oreal and similar brands) either openly contained these toxic ingredients, or contained them in secret (as an unlisted ‘contamination’).
The bottom line is that drugstore and department store brand makeup and cosmetics are simply not safe.
As consumers, it is both our right and duty to be mindful about the cosmetics that we use and to ensure that we shun any products which can pose a health hazard to us and our children. Once we start avoiding products that are harmful, we will hit the cosmetic giants where it hurts most –their revenues and bottom lines– forcing them to swap out the most dangerous ingredients for (hopefully) safer ones. It is up to each one of us to make that happen.
According to the Environmental Working Group (EWG), “Nearly 90% of the 10,500 ingredients the FDA has determined are used in personal care products have not been evaluated for safety by the CIR, the FDA or any other publicly accountable institution.”
Fortunately, there are several nonprofits that have taken it upon themselves to analyze and rate the various personal care products that are available in the market. Tools like GoodGuide and the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep Database provide critical health information about many consumer items including personal care products. And if you want to check how effective these products are, then sites like Beautypedia and the user reviews on Amazon provide useful information (keep in mind that there are a lot of fake consumer reviews out there!)
Here’s a great video that explains how so many toxins end up in our makeup:
So, the next time you buy any of your favorite makeup, visit a few websites like EWG Skin Deep and GoodGuide and see if they withstand the safety test… or simply purchase products from your health food store that have zero ingredients that sound like chemicals.
There are many harmful effects of using cosmetics, beauty products work well but they do have harmful effects along with it.
Okay!! but what am I supposed to do with all those expensive makeup that I already have??
Cosmetics have become the need for me. We all know that it is very difficult these days for them to just make a product beneficial for us, they ought to make a huge profit out of it. Quality is compromised most of the times and generally, a common man is unable to raise the voice or submit complain about which action would be taken. And many times it happens that the ingredients mentioned are not true and that effects us. So there is an ugly side to these beauty products as well.
Then what should I use to wash my face and I need to put sunscreen or else I get pigmentation all over my face. What ingredients should I look for?
I didn’t know using cosmetics could be so harmful.I think I will have to check all the Ingredients before buying new cosmetics.
I read this post and I instantly send the link to my wife I hope after reading this she will spend less on those expensive cosmetics
Cosmetics are supposed to help women look beautiful, but cosmetics nowadays are full of harmful synthetic chemicals which are really very harmful to women’s health.
I know that when I try a new product, I get scared. I start thinking ‘will this work? Will my skin get spotty? Am I going to have a reaction?’ You just don’t know. But when it comes to using vegan or nonvegan products, you never think that there’s much difference. It must’ve taken me years before I finally learned how to look after my own skin and then *BAM* my face completely cleared up. And guess what? All I did was switch to the most natural, vegan cosmetics I could find.?
Many vegan brands are against animal testing too aside from the safe ingredients ? We don’t believe in cruelty towards our pets, so they won’t support cruelty behind the scenes either! And what’s better than knowing no animals are getting hurt?
Another reason natural beauty is great is because it is better for your body. Your body naturally balances its ph and creates the right amount of oils to keep your skin and hair healthy. When we constantly use products like soap and shampoo we can distrust these natural processes.