Do you know what’s In Your Cosmetics?

There is a major dependency problem in this country and it doesn’t have anything to do with alcohol, drugs, sex, or even food.  No, this problem, which plagues the women of this country has only to do with vanity.  Make-up wearers constitute a vast percentage of the female population over fifteen years old in America, and the more scientists and researchers learn about the beauty products that fill drawers, purses, medicine cabinets, and dresser tops, the more one has to stop and wonder what the dependency is worth.

Statistics Say While there is nothing truly wrong with wanting to wear a little make-up, psychologists do have concerns regarding recent studies, which suggest that many women have an unconscious tie between self-esteem and cosmetics.  For instance, one study suggested that forty-one percent of women willingly admit that they would be mortified to be seen in public without make-up.  As if that is not scary enough, seventy-one percent of the women surveyed for the study admitted that they do not feel beautiful without makeup.  Even if one is to assume that only one quarter of the population of this country are make-up wearers, that would mean that there are more than seventy-seven million women reaching for a compact, powder puff, or tube of mascara each day.  Imagine how much make-up that really is.

The Corrupt Chemicals The scariest part about these statistics is that the dependency on make-up may very well come at a high price.  The FDA does not have strict control over the beauty industry.  While it is required that cosmetic manufacturers test products before they go to market, long term effects of those products are rarely known.  There are many chemicals commonly found in makeup that are known dangers and up to sixty percent of what a person puts on his or her skin is absorbed into the blood stream, so many of those chemicals are making their way into the body on a regular basis.

Parabens, for instance, are commonly used in a wide variety of cosmetics as a preserving agent.  They prevent microbial growth.  However, the same substance has also been found in breast cancer tissue.  Similarly, a chemical called Phalates is found in nail polish and perfumes.  It is easily absorbed by the body and has been determined to have poor effects on the reproductive systems of animals.  Mercury is a commonly known substance.  It is known to be a toxin to the nervous system, but is used in small quantities in creams and make-ups for around the eye.  Coal tar, which is also used in hair dyes and dandruff shampoo is thought to be a carcinogen, as is formaldehyde, which is used to preserve eye make-up and nail polish.

Making Contact So, we know that it is likely bad for the wearer, but what about the environment.  Those chemicals are equally as dangerous to other plant and animal life.  Some would argue that such a small amount is used each day that it would be impossible for that to make it down the drain and into the water source, but it can.  Although it is only a small amount that each woman uses in each sitting, when one stops to consider how that small amount multiplies when considering the seventy-seven million women using each day, concern grows.  Yet, it is not only the chemicals found in the make-up, which is washed down the drain that is causing a problem for our environment.  How often does a woman wait until a container of makeup is entirely used up before she tosses it in exchange for a new one?  Rarely.  That excess makeup and its bulky plastic container are headed for a landfill, where the makeup and its chemicals will be washed away into the earth and the plastic will sit unchanged for years.  Plastics make up twenty-five percent of the space used for landfills in this country and makeup containers – bottles, compacts, the handles of old brushes, and even the packaging that all of that comes in – are a notable part of the problem.

Cosmetics Companies Making a Difference There are some make-up manufacturers who are doing their part to reduce their impact on the environment and to reduce the number of harmful chemicals absorbed by the wearer.  Four of the largest players in the eco-friendly cosmetics industry are Burt’s Bees, Ecco Bella, Korres, and Aveda.  Burt’s Bees specializes in creams, soaps, chapsticks, and lip tints.  They are the leading player in this market and have been going strong for more than ten years.  If you are looking for make-up, you might try Ecco Bella, which features a whole line of cosmetics made from minerals and flower wax.  Korres focuses more heavily on beauty through well being and feature a lot of products meant to reduce the effects of aging.  Finally, Aveda is another that likes plant-based products.  Their product line is extensive.