Are Your Cosmetics Toxic?

Did you know that the average American woman uses around 12 personal care products per day? If you clicked on this article, it's very likely that you too use cosmetics on a daily basis, or at least frequently. While you may own many beauty products yourself, you probably don't even know what is in them. Yes, in fact, there are many chemicals contained in cosmetic products, like alcohol and zinc as an example!

The beauty business is a $50 billion industry with very little safety nets and seriously inadequate labeling requirements. Just think about this: since 1938, the FDA has banned only 8 out of 12,000 ingredients that are used in cosmetic products. Before going shopping for your new beauty products, you may want to know what exactly is in them, and if these chemicals are even safe for you.

Let's take a look at what to look for when it comes to toxic chemicals you are putting on yourself, your baby, or your dog or cat.

 

Lipstick

The urban legend about lipstick having lead in it actually turns out to be true. Yes, really. This was first discovered in a 2009 study by the FDA. Lead is a proven neurotoxin and can lead to many problems for your health. This is especially true for pregnant women and young children who are especially vulnerable to lead exposure and it can seriously affect growing babies and children. Next time you're thinking about buying lipstick, maybe check the label and brand first.

Nail Polish

There is a ‘toxic trio’ in nail polish. It is dibutyl phthalate (DBP), formaldehyde, and toulene. There are many toxic-trio-free polishes out there, so check your labels.
 

Bath Products

Some of the bad stuff in these include sodium myreth sulfate, PEGs, quaternium-15, DMDM hydantoin, imidazolidinyl urea, and diazolidinyl urea.  Check the labels for these products and avoid use of any items that contain these.
 

Fragrances

There are around 200 chemicals that cosmetic companies do not have to list. Of these ‘coconut scented’ or ‘vanilla scented’ pofucts, the word “fragrance” is actually synthetic. This means that it may contain phtalates. Look for labels that read ‘no synthetic fragrances’ or ‘natural essential oil fragrance only.’
 

Hair Dyes

These products are really hard on your body and hair. They have been linked to lymphomas and myeloma. One Yale University study found that women who used black, brown, or red dyes are eight times more likely to get cancer than those who don’t.
 

Antiperspirants

A lot of people have reactions to antiperspirants to begin with. It has been found that those that contain aluminum may cause breast cancer. Check labels for those that are ‘aluminum free’.
 

Face Makeup

If it is made from ‘minerals’ it may be toxic. The tiny particles in this type of cosmetic come from pulverizing minerals and can be dangerous if applied to broken skin or inhaled during application. Some of these contain titanium dioxide, a chemical nightmare that infiltrates the lungs and leads to abnormal cell formation of the intestines.