Our bodies are under a constant barrage of chemicals everyday. By the time most women walk out the door in the morning, after slathering, spritzing or smearing themselves with toner, moisturizer, eye cream, foundation, blush, eye shadow, eyeliner, mascara, lipstick, gloss and perfume, they may have put enough chemicals onto their bodies to be hazardous to their health. Many of the chemicals in makeup have been linked to cancer, hormone imbalances and skin irritation.
According to the Environmental Working Group, a nonprofit environmental research organization, which conducted an assessment of more than 1,000 cosmetic brands, less than 1 percent are made from ingredients that have all been evaluated for safety. "Some products contain carcinogens, reproductive toxins and other chemicals that may pose health risks," notes the group's Web site.
The Food and Drug Administration does not review cosmetic ingredients for their safety before they come to market, nor does it have the authority to recall hazardous products.
The average consumer (including teens) uses 15 to 25 cosmetic and personal-care products a day. These products will contain about 200 chemicals that have been added to preserve, dye and emulsify the products. Some are the same chemicals used in industrial manufacturing to soften plastics, clean equipment and stabilize pesticides.
One widely used group of synthetic chemicals, parabens (alkyl-p-hydroxybenzoates), are used as antimicrobial preservatives in more than 13,000 cosmetic products. The Environmental Protection Agency states that all parabens -- methyl, propyl, butyl -- have been proved to interfere with the function of the endocrine system, and these endocrine disruptors are stored in our body's fatty tissues. The Center for Children's Health and the Environment at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York says endocrine disruptors have been suspected of contributing to reproductive and developmental disorders, learning problems and immune system dysfunction in children.
This is especially alarming considering that young girls are starting to use cosmetics earlier and more often. According to a 2004 cosmetic industry report by market research firm Mintel International Group, 90 percent of 14-year-old girls say they use makeup. The survey revealed that 63 percent of 7- to 10-year-olds now wear lipstick; more than 2 in 5 girls in that same age group wear eye shadow or eyeliner, and almost 1 in 4 uses mascara.
The best way to protect yourself is to read labels (use a magnifying glass if necessary) and be suspicious: Words like "natural" or "hypoallergenic" look reassuring, but with every day cosmetics they may seem meaningless.
The FDA has no control over these labels. Products called "natural," for instance, may include synthetic dyes and fragrances. "Hypoallergenic" just means that the most common irritants are left out, but other problematic chemicals might still be in the mix.
Still, reading the lables on everday cosmetics won't always help you avoid these chemicals because the beauty industry doesn't always disclose every ingredient in its products.
For example, phthalates (pronounced tha-lates) are rarely mentioned on labels, so there's no way to tell whether they've been used. Phthalates keep your mascara from running, stop your nail polish from chipping and help fragrances linger. There's evidence that exposure to phthalates can harm the development of fetuses and children.
Health Care Without Harm, an umbrella organization of dozens of environmental and health groups, lab-tested 72 cosmetics by major brands such as Revlon, Calvin Klein, Christian Dior and Procter & Gamble and found phthalates in 52 of their products.
"Fragrance-free" or "unscented" means a product has no odor, but synthetic ingredients are often added to mask odors. Products without the word "fragrance" on their label should be OK.
Cosmetics labeled "organic" must contain 70 percent or more organic ingredients (grown without the use of pesticides), but read the ingredient list carefully. It's important to choose products from trusted cosmetic and body care companies that use natural, certified organic, nontoxic and nonsynthetic ingredients.
According to the Environmental Working Group, a nonprofit environmental research organization, which conducted an assessment of more than 1,000 cosmetic brands, less than 1 percent are made from ingredients that have all been evaluated for safety. "Some products contain carcinogens, reproductive toxins and other chemicals that may pose health risks," notes the group's Web site.
The Food and Drug Administration does not review cosmetic ingredients for their safety before they come to market, nor does it have the authority to recall hazardous products.
The average consumer (including teens) uses 15 to 25 cosmetic and personal-care products a day. These products will contain about 200 chemicals that have been added to preserve, dye and emulsify the products. Some are the same chemicals used in industrial manufacturing to soften plastics, clean equipment and stabilize pesticides.
One widely used group of synthetic chemicals, parabens (alkyl-p-hydroxybenzoates), are used as antimicrobial preservatives in more than 13,000 cosmetic products. The Environmental Protection Agency states that all parabens -- methyl, propyl, butyl -- have been proved to interfere with the function of the endocrine system, and these endocrine disruptors are stored in our body's fatty tissues. The Center for Children's Health and the Environment at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York says endocrine disruptors have been suspected of contributing to reproductive and developmental disorders, learning problems and immune system dysfunction in children.
This is especially alarming considering that young girls are starting to use cosmetics earlier and more often. According to a 2004 cosmetic industry report by market research firm Mintel International Group, 90 percent of 14-year-old girls say they use makeup. The survey revealed that 63 percent of 7- to 10-year-olds now wear lipstick; more than 2 in 5 girls in that same age group wear eye shadow or eyeliner, and almost 1 in 4 uses mascara.
The best way to protect yourself is to read labels (use a magnifying glass if necessary) and be suspicious: Words like "natural" or "hypoallergenic" look reassuring, but with every day cosmetics they may seem meaningless.
The FDA has no control over these labels. Products called "natural," for instance, may include synthetic dyes and fragrances. "Hypoallergenic" just means that the most common irritants are left out, but other problematic chemicals might still be in the mix.
Still, reading the lables on everday cosmetics won't always help you avoid these chemicals because the beauty industry doesn't always disclose every ingredient in its products.
For example, phthalates (pronounced tha-lates) are rarely mentioned on labels, so there's no way to tell whether they've been used. Phthalates keep your mascara from running, stop your nail polish from chipping and help fragrances linger. There's evidence that exposure to phthalates can harm the development of fetuses and children.
Health Care Without Harm, an umbrella organization of dozens of environmental and health groups, lab-tested 72 cosmetics by major brands such as Revlon, Calvin Klein, Christian Dior and Procter & Gamble and found phthalates in 52 of their products.
"Fragrance-free" or "unscented" means a product has no odor, but synthetic ingredients are often added to mask odors. Products without the word "fragrance" on their label should be OK.
Cosmetics labeled "organic" must contain 70 percent or more organic ingredients (grown without the use of pesticides), but read the ingredient list carefully. It's important to choose products from trusted cosmetic and body care companies that use natural, certified organic, nontoxic and nonsynthetic ingredients.
posted by:
|
Los Angeles
|
