Hard to believe, but cosmetics manufacturers are not legally required to list any of the hundreds of chemicals used in cosmetics and fragrances. Research shows that many ingredients used in beauty products have links with cancer, congenital malformations, and reproductive problems. These toxic ingredients may also contain neurotoxins and are often recognised as allergens.
Your Skin
Cosmetics can easily penetrate the epidermis by carrying the active ingredients into the deeper layers of the skin. You’ve probably heard this, your skin is your largest organ. So it makes sense to think a little more about the products you apply to your body. A long list of ingredients often indicates the presence of objectionable chemicals which may be harmful to you and the environment.
Are Cosmetics Safe?
Surprisingly, the US Food and Drug Association (US Food and Drug Association) do not consider cosmetics as “completely safe”. They are listed as products “without substantial risks.” If we use only one product each day, we may not need to worry. However, the vast majority of women use 9 to 15 products every day.
According to the Environmental Working Group people apply an average of 126 different ingredients onto the skin every day, making the cumulative impact of these chemicals potentially dangerous.
The question is, are you willing to accept these risks in exchange for beauty?
What YOU can do
First and foremost, educate yourself about the products you use. The power of information can protect you and your family from exposure to unnecessary chemicals. Read the label and know what you are buying. If you are confused with the label, research online with groups such as Skin Deep. This cosmetic database creates online profiles for cosmetics and personal care products and their potential hazards and health concerns. They compare the ingredients on labels and websites to information in nearly 60 toxicity and regulatory databases, providing you with ratings for hazards, testing availability, and regulatory status. Secondly choose products with fewer ingredients. Last but not least choose organic!
Remember less is more when it comes to ingredients.
Use Your Purse Power
Use the power of your purse! Every time you buy a natural or organic product, you make a statement. And with global spending at US 382 billion dollars per year on cosmetics and personal care products, major brands take notice. By supporting companies that produce environmentally friendly products that protect the climate, forests, air, water and eliminate toxins, you can create a powerful incentive for major brands and companies to do the same and stimulating a demand for truly green products.
Buy Local & Support Small Businesses
By buying local products you keep the travel miles down and make it a carbon reduced purchase. Avoiding unnecessary air pollution. Also, by buying products from small businesses you are supporting a dream. For great gift ideas click here.
Go Plastic Free This Christmas
Choose products with less plastic packaging. Too much plastic in our oceans already!
If 10,000 people buy organic and natural cosmetics that are not harmful to the body or planet for a year, instead of synthetic and toxic cosmetics, we would be contributing approximately $19 million for cosmetic companies who care about the planet and not only profit!
Sustain your home, sustain the planet, sustain yourself. It’s a matter of making individual choices supported by collective efforts: a small step towards a greener and healthier life!
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