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.
Are you sure your cosmetics are 100% safe?
Be wary of the harmful ingredients in your cosmetics.
Our skin absorbs a huge percentage of the products we put. Be aware of toxins.
Time to check the label. #CarcinogensOnCosmetics
Your health might be at stake with your cosmetic products.
Can natural makeup give you the same results as traditional makeup? I think so. For a long time, chemical-free makeup wasn’t always able to match traditional formulations for impact and performance.
It’s not true that natural products aren’t as effective. Back in the days, no one really complained of getting extreme allergies with something natural. Unless of course they’re selectively allergic to it.
Most of us are well aware that we eat affects our health. But many of us are not aware that what we put onto our skin also affects our long-term well-being. Highly sensitive mucous membranes absorb eye makeup. While there is some controversy over the number of pounds of lipstick the average woman consumers in her lifetime, the fact is that lipstick, lip gloss, and lip balms are consumed. Many of the harmful ingredients found in cosmetics are synthesized and do not exist in nature, or are petroleum-based, with many dangerous contaminants. By going natural, these toxic synthetic preservatives, dyes, fragrances, surfactants and more are avoided in favor of safer, natural alternatives.
Tons of vegan products contain high vitamin, natural ingredients which mean you’re packing in extra benefits without even trying. Depending on what it is, they may be preventing signs of ageing, getting rid of eye bags, reducing acne scars or even making your skin glow!
Many so-called natural makeup products have ingredients that are refined, bleached, deodorised and heated to high temperatures. This strips them of their pure and natural qualities. Even natural makeup nowadays aren’t safe. Even the things we think are the safest still aren’t. I guess you just have to compensate your health with your entire lifestyle than just getting scared of using cosmetics that have carcinogens or other harmful things.
Consider that the average woman wears makeup every day, and you begin to understand how a little dab here a quick spray there begins to add up. The fact is, no one really knows how certain chemicals affect us over time, or how they react in our bodies in combination.?