Avoiding
toxic cosmetics
September
5 , 2003
Dear
Marti,
Can you answer a question about toxins in beauty products? Do you
know what kinds of ingredients are important to avoid and which
are okay?
Signed,
Allie C.
Dear Allie,
While beauty isn't exactly my gig, I do know
a little about toxins and how to keep them off your face-and subsequently
out of your internal organs. Remember that the skin is the largest
single organ of the body. It's not just a pretty shell; it's essentially
a sponge suit that absorbs whatever you put on it and pulls it
inside your body. Many lotions, shampoos, hair dyes, and other
beauty products are loaded with potential irritants, carcinogens,
neurotoxins, and hormone disrupters. Toxins from cosmetics can
enter the body when we absorb, inhale and even ingest them during
daily use. Despite this, the FDA does not require safety testing
before beauty products hit the market. Although most cosmetic
companies test their products for common sensitivities (often
on animals), researchers from the National Research Council found
that "of the tens of thousands of commercially important
chemicals, only a few have been subjected to extensive toxicity
testing, and most have scarcely been tested at all."
Toxins in beauty products aren't just a health
issue, they're also an environmental issue. Millions of gallons
of synthetic chemicals from personal use are washed down the drain
and into sewer systems every day, contaminating waterways and
soil, and poisoning marine life and plants.
To appeal to the concerned consumer, many new
cosmetic products are labeled "natural," but buyer,
beware. There are no standards for what "natural" means.
Even in health food stores, the only way to know what you're buying
is by reading the fine print. So what are the chemicals to avoid?
Here are just a few:
- Formaldehyde - used as a preservative
and disinfectant, it is a suspected carcinogen often found in
shampoos, nail polish, nail hardeners, and hair growth products.
Look for wording like hydantoins and surfactants (such as sodium
lauryl sulfate), which may contain formaldehyde even when it's
not listed on the label. Other names: Formalin, MDM.
- Coal tar colors - listed as FD&C
and D&C colors, coal tar is a common ingredient in cosmetics,
hair dyes and dandruff shampoos. They have been found to cause
cancer as well as other health problems from asthma attacks
to headaches.
- Lead - found in some hair dyes, especially
those that work gradually. Lead is a known carcinogen and hormone
disruptor that can be readily absorbed through the skin and
can accumulate in the bones. A study by Xavier University of
Louisiana found a number of brands of hair dyes that contain
up to ten times the amount of lead allowed in household paint.
- DEA, TEA and MEA- diethanolamine and
triethanolamine, and monoethanolamine, three chemicals when
combined with nitrites produce nitrosamines-highly carcinogenic
compounds which are readily absorbed into the skin. They are
often found in shampoos, bubble baths, body washes and soaps.
The laundry list of toxins commonly found
in cosmetics goes on and on. According to the National Institute
of Occupational Safety and Health, of all the chemicals used in
cosmetics, nearly nine hundred are toxic. A person could really
use some wrinkle cream from worrying about how to look good and
stay safe at the same time. But it is possible to put a pretty
face on beauty products. Choose among the many great over-the-counter
products that contain truly natural ingredients you know and can
pronounce, or consider making your own shampoos, lotions, etc.
A good guide to toxins to avoid, shopping for healthy over-the-counter
products, and do-it-yourself recipes is Drop Dead Gorgeous,
Protecting Yourself from the Hidden Dangers of Cosmetics by
Kim Erickson. Two other good recipe books are Earthly Bodies
and Heavenly Hair by Dina Falconi, and Natural Beauty
by Janice Cox.
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