Cosmetic chemicals
In the world of cosmetics,
there is a vast number
of products to solve any
of your beauty needs; to
make you glow, shimmer,
shine, etc. all these
products are supposed to
make you beautiful, but
have you ever taken a
closer look to see exactly
what it is that is making
you more beautiful?
you may be shocked to
discover that some of the
ingredients being used
are not that beautiful at all.
according to david suzuki's
website (davidsuzuki.org),
one in eight of the 82,000
ingredients used in beauty
products are hazardous
industry chemicals.
People will try to avoid these chemicals by sticking to "all natural" or "organic" cosmetics, but the truth is, some of those "organic" companies aren't any safer than any other cosmetic company, and their products still contain things like synthetic chemicals and artificial preservatives. After researching Certech Registration's certification process for organic products, most of it is just a marketing scheme; for example, a certifi ed organic cosmetic can contain as little as 10 per cent organic ingredients by weight and volume.
Is there any way you can make sure your cosmetics are safe? The answer is a blurry one, as cosmetic companies are able to leave off certain ingredients that are considered to be trade secrets, such as those that are nanomaterials and any components of a fragrance. That being said, there is a list called the "Dirty Dozen" that compiles the top 12 ingredients to avoid when purchasing any beauty product. Here are a few major ones that should be avoided when purchasing cosmetics:
BHA (butylated hydroxyanisole): a preservative that is an endocrine disruptor which can lead to cancer (usually found in moisturizers and makeup).
p-Phenylenediamine: a coal tar dye found in hair dyes that may be contaminated with materials toxic to the brain.
DEA (diethanolamine): an ingredient used in foaming products that can cause precancerous changes to the skin and liver.
Formaldehydereleasing preservatives: continuously release small amounts of formaldehyde, which could cause you to inhale this carcinogenetic ingredient.
Dibutyl Phthalate: an ingredient in nail polishes that is considered a reproductive toxin that can cause cancer.
Petrolatum: a petroleum ingredient that can be contaminated to cause cancer; this may be found in lipsticks, hair care products and lip gloss.
Propylene glycol: an ingredient used to make creams penetrate deeper into the skin. Suspected to be a respiratory toxin, immunotoxicity and neurotoxicity hazard.
There are, of course, more ingredients that can potentially have hazardous effects, but these are the most common ones found in beauty products. Now this isn't to say that all cosmetic companies are using toxins and harmful ingredients in their products, because a lot of beauty products are extremely helpful, especially when solving a skin/hair/nail condition. This is just supposed to educate you on the fact that not all beauty products contain beautiful ingredients and that you should always do your research before purchasing a new product.
For more information about Certech Registration's certification process for organic products, check out tinyurl.com/certech-organic.
People will try to avoid these chemicals by sticking to "all natural" or "organic" cosmetics, but the truth is, some of those "organic" companies aren't any safer than any other cosmetic company, and their products still contain things like synthetic chemicals and artificial preservatives. After researching Certech Registration's certification process for organic products, most of it is just a marketing scheme; for example, a certifi ed organic cosmetic can contain as little as 10 per cent organic ingredients by weight and volume.
Is there any way you can make sure your cosmetics are safe? The answer is a blurry one, as cosmetic companies are able to leave off certain ingredients that are considered to be trade secrets, such as those that are nanomaterials and any components of a fragrance. That being said, there is a list called the "Dirty Dozen" that compiles the top 12 ingredients to avoid when purchasing any beauty product. Here are a few major ones that should be avoided when purchasing cosmetics:
BHA (butylated hydroxyanisole): a preservative that is an endocrine disruptor which can lead to cancer (usually found in moisturizers and makeup).
p-Phenylenediamine: a coal tar dye found in hair dyes that may be contaminated with materials toxic to the brain.
DEA (diethanolamine): an ingredient used in foaming products that can cause precancerous changes to the skin and liver.
Formaldehydereleasing preservatives: continuously release small amounts of formaldehyde, which could cause you to inhale this carcinogenetic ingredient.
Dibutyl Phthalate: an ingredient in nail polishes that is considered a reproductive toxin that can cause cancer.
Petrolatum: a petroleum ingredient that can be contaminated to cause cancer; this may be found in lipsticks, hair care products and lip gloss.
Propylene glycol: an ingredient used to make creams penetrate deeper into the skin. Suspected to be a respiratory toxin, immunotoxicity and neurotoxicity hazard.
There are, of course, more ingredients that can potentially have hazardous effects, but these are the most common ones found in beauty products. Now this isn't to say that all cosmetic companies are using toxins and harmful ingredients in their products, because a lot of beauty products are extremely helpful, especially when solving a skin/hair/nail condition. This is just supposed to educate you on the fact that not all beauty products contain beautiful ingredients and that you should always do your research before purchasing a new product.
For more information about Certech Registration's certification process for organic products, check out tinyurl.com/certech-organic.
