Leo Dimilo
Tonya Lachey
Dianna GThe Ugly Side of Beauty
November 15th 2007 02:06
Did you know that you are absorbing more than 200 chemical toxins into your body, even before leaving your house? The lotions, creams, sprays, the shiny glittery things – products that are designed to make us feel and look good on the outside - can potentially lead to cancer, infertility, birth defects and chronic disease?
Stacy Malkan, a self-confessed former make-up diva, is a staunch advocate of eliminating harmful chemicals from personal care and cosmetic products, launching the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics and writing Not Just a Pretty Face : The Ugly Side of the Beauty Industry. Here, she exposes how the US Food & Drug Administration seems to be protecting the $35 billion beauty industry by letting their products hit the shelves without prior approval from the FDA and why only 10 harmful products had been banned from the US shelves while the EU has banned more than 1100. Pretty worrying considering that 70% of the products available for purchase contain phthalates which are connected to infertility and birth defects and that baby soaps contain 1,4 dioxane, a cancer causing chemical. So it’s not just the beauty junkies at risk, it’s everyone who has ever picked up a personal care product – from men liberally spraying deodorant to newborn babes via breast milk laden with pollutants from mothers who have used these products.
The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics has also shed light on the fact that 61% of lipsticks tested contained lead, with Loreal as the top offender with 6 of their lipsticks in the top 11 most lead-contaminated. However, unlike Mattel who recalled all their lead-paint toys, Loreal only reiterates that there are other items that contain more lead than theirs and that they remain staunchly proud of their lead-laced products.
While Malkan and the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics have experienced resistance from mostly large beauty conglomerates like Loreal, they have made some headway and remain hopeful. Recently, they have convinced more than 600 companies (albeit mainly smaller ones) to sign an agreement, binding these companies to meet and/or exceed the EU standard for safety of personal care products and even persuaded nail polish giant OPI to remove the toxic chemicals from their nail polishes.
To find out more information about the book and Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, click this LINK. And if you’re curious to find out what exactly what toxic chemicals your favourite beauty product is carrying and to look for safer, alternative products, check this out.
Makes you think twice before buying that ultra-shine lipstick, huh?
The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics has also shed light on the fact that 61% of lipsticks tested contained lead, with Loreal as the top offender with 6 of their lipsticks in the top 11 most lead-contaminated. However, unlike Mattel who recalled all their lead-paint toys, Loreal only reiterates that there are other items that contain more lead than theirs and that they remain staunchly proud of their lead-laced products.
While Malkan and the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics have experienced resistance from mostly large beauty conglomerates like Loreal, they have made some headway and remain hopeful. Recently, they have convinced more than 600 companies (albeit mainly smaller ones) to sign an agreement, binding these companies to meet and/or exceed the EU standard for safety of personal care products and even persuaded nail polish giant OPI to remove the toxic chemicals from their nail polishes.
To find out more information about the book and Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, click this LINK. And if you’re curious to find out what exactly what toxic chemicals your favourite beauty product is carrying and to look for safer, alternative products, check this out.
Makes you think twice before buying that ultra-shine lipstick, huh?
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