19
2010
The fight against bad cosmetics
An article by 
After the disaster with the lead laden beauty products, consumers are now more careful as to what they put on their skin and face. It’s bad enough to have to breathe polluted air, but to pollute our bodies with the very same products that we use for hygiene seems ironic.
Sadly, while the FDA is in charge with the monitoring of all cosmetic products that have the potential to do more harm than good, the agency lacks the manpower to oversee the thousands of drugs and cosmetics that come to the market every year. As in most cases, the FDA only bans these products after numerous consumers complain of adverse side effects.
So it is a good thing then that people are beginning to notice and take action not only to the detrimental effects the environment suffers when these harmful chemicals are manufactured but also to the effects these products have on over all health.
Think about it, how many women use lipstick? So what happens when lipstick is tainted with lead? Lots of women also use nail polish. What about those nail polish brands that were found to have DBP, a known carcinogen? How about those shampoo that have the same chemicals used for battery acid? Some moms use these shampoos on their baby’s hair, what about them?
As the FDA closes its reigns on cosmetic companies that use harmful chemicals as binders or extenders, the fight is still far from over as these companies rationalize that even though their products contain carcinogens; their composition relative to the cosmetic is minute.
As consumers get smarter, we can only hope that cosmetic companies get smart too and offer safer, earth friendly and beauty friendly products to their loyal customers. This is a win-win situation for both company and consumer as they both get healthier and provide safe cosmetics at the same time.
–
