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.
So are natural products better? Some people wary of ‘chemicals’ are drawn to natural cosmetics, assuming they’re safer and better for you. But natural cosmetics may not always be a better choice. For example, many natural ingredients can cause skin reactions and allergies, including lavender, tea tree oil, lanolin, cinnamon (and derivatives), citrus oils and various essential oils. Some, such as lavender and tea tree oils have been linked to hormone disruption in boys. People can even develop potentially harmful food allergies after being sensitized to ingredients found in cosmetics. There have been reports of people who’ve developed food allergies to goat milk and cheese after using goat milk soap or moisturizer on their skin. Other reports have linked food allergies to skin-care products containing almond oil, peanut, wheat, and oats.
It really depends on the person. It’s true that some people are really allergic even to natural products.
Devita is an awesome product. Would repurchase that again and again.
Thanks to so many of us finding out about the sneaky toxins in our beauty products and demanding better solutions, there has been a boom in organic, natural beauty companies on the market offering organic, natural beauty products that are actually really damn good at what they do.
There also are people who believe that any evidence that a substance may be linked to cancer, regardless of the dose or route of exposure, should cause it to be banned from use, if possible. Many chemicals used in personal care products are dangerous in high concentrations, high dose, and industrial quantities. Some people may also suffer an allergic reaction to the smaller quantities, such as you’d find in personal care products, and some endocrine disrupting chemicals have an effect at very low doses.
We don’t just “believe” it’s related to cancer. It really is.
Since my family started using organic products, we noticed that none of us ever had skin rashes and the diffuser I got is really a great thing to have at home. It cleansed the air and it has this calming effect at home.
My husband did not support me at first when I got our first diffuser because he said it is just a waste of money,but when our daughter got a cough and colds and I diffused lemon in her room, he was amazed that the next morning our daughter is already feeling well and no more clogged nose. You just gonna need to try it yourself to see the result.
Aside from the fact that cosmetics are expensive, it is also cruel to animals. Didn’t you know that cosmetics are being tested in animals like rats, mice and guinea pig for skin-reaction? So best to find cosmetics that were made from natural ingredients and with a tag that says “cruelty-free”. You do not only give your skin a favor but also the animals in the lab for experimentation.
It is good to know that there are quite a few discovered the power of essential oils. It can b used in so many ways. I use mine sometimes in my diffuser so my home will smell fresh with the calming effect of lavender.
My family is into essential oils now. Since my sister gave me the first small bottle of lavender EO, I got hooked and tried a lot of different oils. It is all natural and kids safe too. Different oils are for different uses. I researched about it and I am loving it even more. I have tried this Aura Cacia – Massage Cream and my husband loved it.
From a man of view, it is still best for women to wear the only natural to light makeup on a daily basis. Cosmetics should only enhance the beauty you all have and not to change the way you look. The more you pile on makeup, the harsher it is on your skin. My wife is so generous to share with me some of her skincare and I would ask her if we have been using these organic products mentioned here. Remember ladies #lessismore
Aside from all these natural products mentioned, I also include sheet masks in y weekly routine, not every day but maybe like 3-4x a week and it gave me skin glow that I really love. I choose the Korean products because I have read that they have one of the mildest products now.
Me too. I have like aloe vera masks, collagen, snail masks and some other masks I use on a weekly basis. It is good to know that there are products now on the market that are not too harsh on our skin. We deserve only the best since we are paying for it, right?