Harmful Ingredients In Makeup

Unfolded

How Safe Are Your Beauty Products?

Today I am featuring Bridget from ConsumerSafety.org on my blog. Bridget has contacted me a while ago and told me about her research on dangerous chemicals in cosmetics. As you might remember, we have looked into the dangers of parabens in body care products and also into the health issues that toxic chemicals in cosmetics can cause, in my previous write-ups. 

Let’s have a look at some more current insights now,  you will find a safety guide on beauty products at the end of this post. Please, feel free to print it!

Who is Bridget?  Before joining ConsumerSafety.org, Bridget had two years experience of working with national brands in the digital marketing space. With a background in marketing, social media, and journalism, Bridget brings a diverse skill set and a passion for connecting with others to the ConsumerSafety.org team.

Thank you for this insightful article, Bridget!

Did you know that the FDA’s regulatory authority for cosmetics has not been updated since 1938? Our skin is our largest organ and yet, while Canada and the European Union have banned upwards of 1,300 ingredients from use in cosmetics, the United States has banned only 11.

Every morning, millions of women around the world put on makeup that could potentially harm them. Beauty products can enhance eyelashes and sculpt cheekbones, but many powders, moisturizers, shampoos, and shaving creams are filled with toxins that our bodies cannot absorb.

Some of the most common beauty products can include dangerous chemicals such as formaldehyde (what is used for preservation of bodies), petroleum (fill up your car recently? Petroleum is a common ingredient in gasoline), and hydroquinone (outlawed in Europe and Asia, yet still used in the United States). These shocking ingredients may be found in your best facial skin care products, nail polish, and eyelash glue.

Not all beauty products contain harmful ingredients, and there are alternatives to those that do. For example, some baby powders, eye shadows, bronzers, blush, and lip balms contain talcum powder, which is a linked to a higher risk of ovarian cancer and lung disease. There are talc-free products such as Crabtree & Evelyn Body Powder and Burt’s Bees Dusting Powder, but it is important to read labels and know what ingredients are in your favorite products.

Another red flag ingredient is lead. This product is oftentimes not listed on ingredient labels, but 61% of lipsticks contain pigment from lead. Lead can lead to developmental and reproductive issues, as well as kidney, blood, & respiratory toxicity. Some of name-brand lipsticks are lead-free products.

To limit the risk that some beauty products pose, know what to look for. Look for shampoos that do not include DEA, TEA, and MEA and sunscreen that don’t contain retinol, vitamin A, retinyl acetate, retinyl palmitate, or all-trans retinoic acid. These chemicals can sound scary, but it is important to remember that these pose a threat being known carcinogens.

If it is not in your budget to chuck all your makeup and replace it, research what products are healthy for you and toxin-free, so next time it is time for a refill, you can buy products that don’t pose a threat to your health. ConsumerSafety.org created a make-up safety guide sharing what ingredients are in common beauty products to make shopping for safe beauty products easier.

Harmful Ingredients In Makeup 

Thanks a lot for reading, please feel free to make use (print it, pin it, share it.. all fine, as long as we create awareness!) of the infographic above!

Klaudia

Bridget, thank you so much again for collaborating and sharing your findings with us. You have done an amazing job, it was a pleasure working with you!  Kudos x

Related articles across the web

• FDA suggests limit on lead in lipstick and other cosmetics
• Limit Lead Levels in Lipsticks-FDA