The fight against bad cosmetics

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.
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Minimizing Your Cosmetic Health Risks

You and I both are aware on how intricately woven these issues pertaining to cosmetic health risks are. If we take them at face value, it is easier to see warning signs but with the constant evolution of cosmetic products, it becomes harder to distinguish the good from the bad. For me, the best way to prevent cosmetic health risks from touching our lives is to avoid using them all together. Sadly, this is something that is easier said than done. So, we resort to the next best thing, minimizing. Here are some ways to somehow lessen harmful cosmetics’ impact to our health:

·    Always read labels. This is done for you to know what things were used in manufacturing the product. Labels are required by the law so more or less, they are dependable.
·    Hypoallergenic doesn’t mean it won’t harm you. It only lessens the chance of you having a reaction to the product when applied.
·    Always do a patch test when you’re about to use a new brand/ product even if it looks harmless.
·    Cosmetics expire too. Take note of their expiration date since most of the time, they are not indicated accordingly.
·    Avoid using spray cans whenever possible. Healthcare authorities are concerned about the risk of inhaling the chemical particles when they are used by the consumers. When this happens, it may trigger a reaction within the lungs.
·    Cosmetics can be very harmful for your children too. Place it somewhere that’s not within their reach.
·    Not everything that the manufacturer claims is true. Be very weary when you hear a good sales pitch. Instead, do your own research and use your own gut-feel.

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FD&C Color Pigments

Colorful things are surely attractive especially for kids. For women, we choose colorful makeup and other cosmetic products to enhance our general appearance while kids prefer to use bubble baths and soaps with bright colors. With men, they find it necessary to cover up gray strands of hair thus the need to use hair dyes.

FD&C color pigments are usually made from tar and they can also cause irritation to the skin. They are most commonly found in eye makeup, lipsticks, hair dyes, nail polish and even with your colored medicinal tablets. These color pigments are for enhancing natural color to create a visual effect tempting enough for consumers to buy them.

Hair dyes contain coal tar and phenylenediamine, both are known carcinogenic that also causes inflammation of the scalp and in some instances, blindness. With regular use of hair dye products, the risk of developing bladder cancer is much higher than those who don’t use them. Bright nail polishes contain toluene, together with color pigments, they are more than toxic causing headaches, confusion and memory loss. Daily exposure to toluene may induce hearing loss.

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Concerns about Inhalation of Titanium Dioxide, a common ingredient in mineral makeup.

Health concerns regarding the inhalation of Titanium Dioxide, a common ingredient in mineral make-up has patrons asking if it is safe.  Titanium dioxide is usually used as a UVA/UVB inhibitor and is usually found in face powder and sunscreen.

UK studies have shown that the inhalation of Titanium Dioxide (TiO2) may in fact pose health risks.  Cosmetic manufacturers use a TiO2 nano particle which may cause lung cancer when inhaled.  However, TiO2 found in creams are deemed safe as they are not airborne and stay in the upper layers of the skin when applied.

Consumers need to be wary about nano particles found in cosmetics, chemicals, detergent and other household implements.  Despite studies, nano particles are so small they may penetrate our skin and travel up our blood stream which may cause us more harm than good.

This piece of news has women and other cosmetic users shocked.  Most women have shifted to mineral brands thinking that they are safer alternatives to the traditional kind.  Mineral brands are thought to use crushed minerals, natural and organic ingredients, contain no perfume, talc, additives and other fillers which pose health risks to users.

Before trying out a mineral brand of make-up, consult their website if their products contain TiO2, lead and other toxic chemicals.  Always remember that mineral may not be natural and it always pays to be conscious in the end.

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Lead in Lipsticks

Lipsticks contain lead.  According to the cosmetic industry: false.  According to the FDA: true.  So which is it?

The FDA regulates the amount of chemicals which is found in our food, cosmetics, detergent, medicine and other details concerning the food we eat and the drugs we have to take.  This includes cosmetic companies submitting a test sample to the FDA for every batch of cosmetic—lipstick, mascara, etc—they make, before that batch is made.  The FDA has released in a statement that lipsticks do contain a certain amount of lead, however these doses are so small that they do not pose as a health risk.

It is impossible to tell if the lead in lipsticks and other cosmetics cause cancer, since cancer research has pointed out that there seems to be no one cause, but rather a combination of elements and factors that cause cells to become cancerous.

However, it is still best to be cautious.  During the FDA tests, some lipsticks contained more lead than the others.  Lipsticks which do not easily wipe off contain more lead than those that wipe off easily.

Lead builds up in the body over time, so limiting your exposure to lead might help improve your health in the long run.

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