Behind beauty: the ugly truth

Well here’s a surprise! A product is listed as “Organic” means that 95% of the ingredients are organically grown, while the remaining 5% may be non-organically produced ingredients. “Made with Organic Ingredients” means the product must be made with at least 70% organic ingredients, the remaining 30% may be non-organically produced ingredients. These terms therefore sometimes end up being used merely as marketing gimmicks. It is becoming more clear, as independent researchers test beauty products, that they promote issues that go deep beneath the skin’s surface.

​While executing a beauty regime, steer clear of products listed with the following ingredients for your own health and preservation:

NAIL PRODUCTS

• ​Dibutyl phthalate - adds flexibility and a moisturizing sheen, and helps dissolve other cosmetic ingredients. Dibutyl Phthalate is a reproductive and developmental toxin
• Toluene - suspends the color and forms a smooth finish. It affects the central nervous system causing headaches, dizziness and fatigue. Toluene is suspected to affect reproductive and developmental health.
• Formaldehyde - found in nail hardener. A known carcinogen and an irritant to the eyes, nose and throat, responsible for skin irritation and allergic rashes called dermatitis.

LIPSTICKS 
Research suggests that a user can ingest approximately 4 pounds of lipstick in a lifetime. Synthetic dyes derived from aluminum (“Lakes colors”) and coal tar can be absorbed into our bodies and stored in our organs and fatty tissues.

Be on the lookout for these toxins on your lipstick labels:

• Carmine - Used to produce a red coloring. Can cause allergic reactions.
• FD & C colorings - believed to be carcinogenic.
• Lanolin - from the oil glands of sheep responsible for allergic reactions and harmful to ingest if full of pesticide.
• Petrolatum - from petroleum. It can cause allergic reactions and dry out lips, requiring the user to apply even more lipstick.

FOUNDATION
Conventional foundations are the third leading cause of contact dermatitis. Foundation made with synthetic ingredients can cause skin problems as it is usually worn on the skin for many hours.

​Conventional foundations include coal tar colors and synthetic fragrances. They too may also contain lanolin.

Common harmful ingredients are:

• Mineral oil - can block pores and promote cosmetic acne and black heads.
• Propylene Glycol - a neurotoxin and skin sensitizer, TEA and 2-bromo-2-nitropropane-1,3-diol - often found together and when combined may cause the formation of carcinogenic nitrosamines,
• Parabens - commonly used hormone disrupting preservatives that may accumulate in body fat
• Quaternium-15 - a germicide that may break down into formaldehyde a carcinogen and sensitizer

With all this information available, it is important that we read labels of our beauty products and stay clear of these toxic components. Multiple internet resources are available to check what you already have ensuring that it is in fact safe. People believe in beauty at all costs but we be informed about the real cost we pay when we “beautify”.