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.
You can save a lot of money by choosing natural beauty products or even making your own! Remember that 60 billion dollar people spent on makeup last year? Well, you can cut your own costs by making at home beauty products. You can find a ton of great recipes for DIY masks and scrubs. Rather than spending a bunch of money on something new, you can use the ingredients you already have in your house.
Totally! It’s cheaper and more effective to make your own. I do! 🙂
I’m not sure I agree that it’s so bad, since our skin only absorbs some of what gets put on it. How much actually gets absorbed is up for debate, some say it is up to 60%, others say very little will make it to our bloodstream. Either way, I don’t want to put chemicals on my skin. We also ingest products through the mouth …like lipsticks. Sprays and powders can be inhaled though, which could be dangerous, I suppose. Hand creams can be ingested when we eat with our hands. Sticking to plant-based, natural products will reduce my toxic chemical load.
Thayers Witch Hazel is a little drying and I most certainly hate the smell but it works just fine. I don’t think I’d swtich to another product soon.?
Probably one of the best toners I’ve tried too.
Think it’ll be hard to replace that perfect shade of red, red (but toxic) lipstick? Nope, there are lead-free natural lipsticks in every shade of scarlet. You just really have to find the right natural product!
I love Acure Organics. I never thought it would perform well but it’s one of the best I’ve ever tried.
Although the post may sound alarming, I guess I’d just like to think that no one really has died from using cosmetics. Even a friend of mine who has had breast cancer and survived it didn’t stop her from sporting her favorite fuschia pink lipstick and well-groomed brows. It’s not always the cosmetics fault… Although it can be a contributing factor.
Let’s face it. With all the dangers that come along with cosmetics, we can’t really avoid using it, ever. So, if you are going to put yourself through the pain of using it every day, at least you should make the switch to natural cosmetics. It has less chemicals and less likely to give you all the side effects that conventional cosmetics does.
I agree with you. I just really hope the companies would step up their game.
Did you know that every time you take a shower, brush your teeth, or even rinse your face to remove your make-up that you are harming your local wildlife? So if you’re thinking that it’s just you that’s getting harmed, it’s more than just that.
Not only are organic beauty products good for you, but also for the planet. There are many organic beauty options out there that are accredited cruelty-free and vegan, including our own brands. Companies that make these products are often also eco-conscious and have committed to sustainable and ethical manufacturing practices. Top notch products usually feature extremely rare and expensive ingredients (it takes around 60 roses to get one drop of rose oil!) that are sourced on fair trade terms supporting local communities.
I couldn’t believe the amount of potentially harmful ingredients that were in both high-end and drugstore beauty products. As my ingredient research continued, it was even more alarming when I found out that these products contained some ingredients that had been banned from our food.