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.
I never really knew the importance of sunscreen just recently. I have been going out every day without putting a sunscreen on face and was told that it can severely damage my skin. I do not really see the visible damage but upon further research, it was proven to be a damage not visible to our bare eyes. The truth is, I am not a fan of any cream to put on the face because I believe it is all made with pure chemicals. But when I found his Lavanila Healthy Sunscreen, I was surprised that it is made with 100%natural products. I was skeptical at first to try it but still, I gave it a go. And I hope I made the right decision, so far it is good for skin and there is no sticky feeling when you apply it.
You made the best decision girl. This Lavanila Healthy Sunscreen is one of the best I have tried so far. And you are right, it is not sticky to touch and I love that it protects y skin from sun damage. Such a good buy!
This Rose Petal Witch Hazel Toner from Thayer’s is my holy grail. Since I have discovered it, I never used any other toner anymore. It is alcohol-free and very mild on my skin. I recommended it to my sister too and she has acne-prone skin and she loved it. She said her pimples were dried up faster compared to all other toners she has used before.
I have oily skin and I read that this toner is for normal-dry skin. Would you recommend it to me too even if my skin-type is different? I am thinking that since it worked for your sister and she has sensitive skin, maybe this will work for me too. Anyway, I will try it. Thanks!
I find that Korean products are so good and very gentle on skin. Since I started using them I noticed a good result in my skin. And I was told that most of their ingredients are natural. I have been using face sheet masks too and it’s all good. #korenskincare
I like Korean products too, I have been trying their 10 step skincare routine with all the serum and oils but sometimes when I am too busy I just skip most of the parts, but I also cleanse my face before going to bed and put on a sheet mask
I have been loving anything organic now. From my food I get from the grocery to the cleaning products I use in my household and most especially anything that I use on my face and body. I became so conscious when I had a skin redness all over my face because I think the cleanser I got is too strong. And then I just asked and research for some organic cleanser and I that’s when I found Acure Organics and Badger. All the products I got from them are perfectly working with my skin.
L’Oreal is my favorite drugstore brand. I can find in my vanity area almost 80% of what is on the list. Luckily, I do not feel anything weird. I still hope that they just made some mistakes in this information. I do not want to put my money in the trash.
Now that natural beauty is no longer the norm, we were feed by the media with all these chemicals we put in our face telling us that the more we pile up these cosmetics, the prettier we can be. And some of the bestseller products are mentioned containing high lead, good thing I do not like putting on lipsticks.
Well, honestly not many of us would have the time to even research about these products because we can just rely on the ads being shown on TV, thinking that they are all true. It is just disturbing that these products supposed to make us more beautiful on the outside but slowly killing us from the inside. I guess #knowledgeispower after all.
From all the good products mentions hee, my personal favorites are the Badger face and body soap and the Devita all in one moisturizer and sunblock. Using all-natural products give my skin more glow and I feel good since I know that I am not putting chemicals on my skin that can be harmful. I am interested to try the toner, I will look at it.
It makes me anxious every time I read an article like this. I always believe in the saying that “what you do not know won’t hurt you”. So knowing about these chemicals that are found in some of the cosmetics I had and still have, I cannot help but feel unhappy. I spent money to make me look and feel better but in the end, it might cause more harm than good. Sad!
My daughter is so into cosmetics, oils, masks, and anything that you can put on your face. Aside from it is just a waste of money, I think she doesn’t really need those because she is still young and she looks perfectly fine. She is beautiful. It is extreme how much media influences people especially kids.