Most of
us take for granted that the popular cosmetics, soaps, lotions and the
hair care products that we buy in our local salons, drug and department
stores are safe. Why, as consumers, would we be able to buy and use a
product on our skin, lips, eyes and hair every day if they were
harmful?
Over
90% of all ingredients in commercially available cosmetics are of
synthetic origin. Directly linked to serious health risks like cancer,
infertility, kidney and liver disease and severe skin issues.
Environmental Working Group report called, “Skin Deep” found that
almost 90 percent of the more than 10,000 ingredients used in personal
care products have not been evaluated by government regulators.
Of the
20,000 different off-the-shelf cosmetic products that are for sale in
the US, over 80 percent of the products surveyed contained one or more
ingredients that have caused documented adverse reactions in humans and
animals.
The real motivation behind the Cosmetic Industry's dis-concern is money and profit. Chemicals, dyes and fillers mentioned below are found in almost every cosmetic product because they can be manufactured incredibly inexpensively and have a very long shelf life. If they were to discontinue using these chemicals for more healthy alternatives they would be severely cutting their profit margins to give you chemical free beauty products. In this battle their profits supersede your health. As a consumer your only response should be to discontinue using their products.
Large corporations in the personal-care industry are only motivated to be interested in their profits because the United States Government and specifically the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not regulate or require any kind of federal, unbiased testing before a cosmetic or personal-care product hit the shelves. The FDA leaves it up to the cosmetics manufactures to test their own products. In essence, YOU the consumer are the Commercial Cosmetic Industry's guinea pig. No wonder virtually none of them need to test on animals anymore! The consumer is now the guinea pig of choice!
Currently, the cosmetic companies in North America alone generate over $30 billion in sales each year. Advertising through celebrities, slick magazine and TV ads, they give hope for a brighter, younger complexion, more beautiful hair and sexier features. What they don't mention is the long list of chemicals that go into that promise. Since the industry is not regulated, many cosmetic companies don't even bother to list the ingredients on their products
Read the label and decide whether that lovely shade of lipstick, blush or eye-shadow is worth the risk. Is having full volume hair or thick eyelashes worth compromising your health?
The following list is just a few of the chemicals found in basic personal care products. You can learn more and even do a search of your particular product with Skin Deep Safe Cosmetics Database, a campaign being run by the Environmental Working Group.
Phthatale family or di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP) and di(2-ehtylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP)
Lauryl sulfate(SLS), Sodium laureth sulfate(SLES)
Paraben preservatives or alkyl-p-hydroxybenzoates (methyl, propyl, butyl, and ethyl)
Formaldehyde family or Diazolidinyl urea, 3-diol Imidazolidinyl urea, DMDM Hydantoin , Quaternium-15, Nitropropane-1, Formalin , Methanal , Methyl aldehyde, Methylene oxide, Morbicid acid, Oxymethylene
Amine family Diethanolamine (DEA), triethanolamine (TEA), amonoethanolamine (MEA)
Propylene / Butylene Glycol (PG)
Companies offering alternatives
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