Beware of Toxic Chemicals in Your Cosmetics

by Dorothee Royal-Hedinger · 2009-03-22 16:35:00 UTC
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Yesterday I had the pleasure of attending "Not Just a Pretty Face: A Discussion on Cosmetics, Toxins and Your Health", which was organized at Truman College in Chicago by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics and Black Women for Reproductive Justice. It was an incredibly informative panel discussion that helped attendees learn how chemicals in our cosmetics might impact our health, and what we can do to make safer choices.

From lead in lipstick to toxic chemicals in products like Johnson's Baby Shampoo, it was scary to learn just how many beauty and personal care products on U.S. shelves contain ingredients that are proven to be harmful to our health. I learned that words like "natural" and "hypo-allergenic" don't mean much because cosmetics companies aren't regulated by the government and don't have to prove claims made on their labels. In fact, many name-brand products (I heard Avon, L'Oreal and Proctor&Gamble mentioned) contain ingredients that are known carcinogens and increase the risk of birth defects. Yikes!

Luckily, the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics has created the free online Cosmetics Safety Database which pairs ingredients in more than 42,000 products against 50 definitive toxicity and regulatory databases, making it the largest integrated data resource of its kind. After the event, I went straight home to look up CoverGirl Clean Pressed Powder, a product I've used every day since junior high.  Boy, was I in for a shock:

According to the database, CoverGirl Pressed Powder is ranked 8 out of 10 for risk and is considered a high-hazard product. This one little compact contains ingredients that are linked to cancer, reproductive toxicity, allergies, neurotoxicity and endocrine disruption, among other things.

Think about that for a moment, for over half my life I have been paying for daily exposure to chemicals that could significantly alter my health and the health of my children. Luckily, now that I'm informed, I can switch to a safer product. Stacy Malkan, the author of Not Just a Pretty Face recommends that simpler is better - the shorter the ingredient list on the package, the less likely dangerous substances have slipped into the recipe. And if you have any doubts, you can always look up the product on the Cosmetics Safety Database.

Also, if you want to get involved in educating your peers about this issue and pushing for regulation of the beauty industry, you can take action with the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics here.

Image via elfanterosado.

Dorothee Royal-Hedinger
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