Thursday, April 12, 2007
What price beauty?
Dear Crabby:
I recently read something in the news about cosmetics being bad for you — can this be true? What’s the story on cancer-causing cosmetics?
Beauty Queen
Dear Beauty:
BoomerGirls, listen up—your makeup could be toxic. And if you don’t wear makeup, you have a daughter, friend, or daughter-in-law who does. And I bet you use other products that are considered “cosmetics,” like shampoo, deodorant and hand cream.
You read it right, Beauty—beyond emptying our wallets for the latest “pink-is-the-new-red” shade of lipstick, some of our cosmetics contain chemicals that may contribute to cancer and other diseases.
Since ancient times, people have brushed or painted substances on the skin to beautify, and in the process, some contaminated themselves with dangerous chemicals. Many early substances contained lead or mercury (“Nefertiti’s Heavy Metal Rock-Star Kohl Eyeliner: You’ll Look Like a Queen!”), which can cause neurological damage and cancer, so this is by no means a new problem. What is new, however, is that the industry now has information on specific chemicals that are known to be harmful, and yet they are still used in cosmetics today.
Why, you ask? Well, mainly because they can. The federal government lacks the power to review the safety of personal care products before they are sold to you. The cosmetics industry decides for itself what the acceptable levels of any chemical are, and it can label products as "safe" without any government authority approving the use of that word.
And we all know how words can be manipulated.
Like “Lowfat” or “Sensitive, attractive man seeks mature woman for long-term committed relationship,” words can be misleading or dishonest. So "safe," at present, means whatever the cosmetics company wants it to mean.
How does the cosmetics industry defend this practice? They say that while their products do contain phthalates (linked to birth defects), formaldehyde (known to cause cancer) and other dangerous chemicals, the amount of these chemicals in their products is too small to matter. Kind of like how the “allowable” level of insect-parts-per-cookie in the food industry doesn't matter — ick!
But the issue is this: most of us use multiple products. Take a moment to mentally count the number of products you use in your morning getting-ready-for-work ritual. Now imagine that each one has a little bit of carcinogen in it, and add them up. Yikes! Combine this with other exposures, in the air, water, food, and chemicals we encounter every day, and you can get some sense of the scope of the problem.
The first alerts to this accumulation problem occurred when young women who had no known chemical exposure tested positive for many chemical residuals in their bodies. This was wholly unexpected. You see, original chemical “safety” levels were based on whether or not a chemical would harm a typical (male) worker. No one really thought about how women would be affected, and in particular, women of childbearing age. Hmmm, imagine that — no one thought about the women. Science based solely on male studies ... sound familiar?
When testing uncovered phthalates in the blood samples of these young healthy women, the Sherlock Holmes work began, and eventually, some of the levels were traced back to that daily drag, our beauty regimen. Phthalates and a slew of other chemicals are added to most cosmetics to make them more alluring or longer-lasting on our bodies and our shelves. Just take a look at any label in your bathroom. Do you know what that stuff is? Me neither.
The good news is that industry watchdogs have got our back. Campaigns like “The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics;” groups like “Chemical Body Burden” and others are alerting consumers to these dangers. And we Boomergals may no longer be childbearing, but we’re still hip to what’s bad for us. And, most importantly, we’re activists. We know how to lobby, write letters, and boycott. And that is exactly what is bringing about change…the European Union has already banned the use of the worst offenders in their cosmetics, and the United States needs to act, as well. Makeup manufacturers are listening, and some are beginning to change their ingredient lineups. OPI, Sally Hansen, L’Oreal, and Revlon have all reformulated their nail polish to remove phthalates. More than 500 companies are doing even more, pledging to make their products really safe by signing “The Compact for Safe Cosmetics.”
I've listed several websites below that have search engines, so you can check out your faves and see if they’re safe. Remember to also check out your "organic" and “all natural” products. Traditionally, those companies have avoided these chemicals, but you can’t count on it. So get your big ol' basket of products, and check them out. Safe? Great! Slather 'em on. If not — take time to write that company and express your outrage. Ask them to commit to safe cosmetics. Tell them you won’t buy their products until they do.
Taking care of our health is all about advocating for ourselves and for others. So, read up on it, tell your friends, and make some changes, so that what you put on your face and body will wash off at the end of the day, rather than hanging around in your tissues, waiting for a chance to make you sick.
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