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Choosing safe products can be a
daunting task without the proper knowledge and tools. Many product
packages are deceptively designed to make you believe that the
product inside the package is herbal, all natural, safe and gentle,
when in fact the product contains little or no natural or herbal
ingredients, is contaminated with carcinogens and is irritating
to the skin. This is the case because of the lack of regulation
in the cosmetic and personal care product industry. But armed
with a little knowledge and some helpful tools, there is much
you can do to protect yourself.
Here are 10 things you can do to
make safer and healthier choices when selecting your toiletries
and skin care products.
Read the ingredients on the label.
The packaging may say such things
as natural, herbal or hypoallergenic. This has nothing to do
with what's really in the product or how safe it is. Manufacturers
make a lot of claims on the package to "sell" the product.
They can do this because some of the terms don't have official
definitions and they can use them however they want. To really
find out what's in a product, you must read the ingredients in
the small print, you know, the ones that you sometimes need a
magnifying glass to be able to see.
Interpret and understand the ingredients.
Once you find the ingredients, you
have to be able to know what they are and if they are safe, harmful,
questionable or untested. A great many ingredients have chemical
names that only a cosmetic chemist would understand. However,
you don't have to be a cosmetic chemist. The book, Dying To Look
Good, makes it easy for you to choose products with safe and
healthy ingredients.
Choose products without parabens.
Parabens are xenoestrogens or endocrine
disrupters. They disturb the hormone balance in your body. They
are also skin sensitizers and have the potential to cause allergic
reactions. They have been found in breast cancer tumors, but
it is not known if they cause breast cancer.
Stay away from products containing
amines.
Chemicals that fall into the category
of amines can combine with nitrosating agents to form nitrosamines,
which cause cancer. Nitrosamines are formed during the manufacturing
process when an amine combines with a formaldehyde- releasing
preservative. Some of the amines commonly used in cosmetics and
personal care products are Cocamide MEA, Cocamide DEA, TEA, sodium
lauroyal sarcosinate and amino methyl propanol. Several of the
formaldehyde-releasing preservatives include sodium hydroxymethylglycinate,
quaternium-15, DMDM hydantoin and diazonlidnyl urea.
Steer clear of products containing
talc.
Talc is found in talcum powder,
baby powder and makeup. It is a carcinogen if it contains asbestiform
fibers. The quantity of asbestiform fibers in cosmetic-grade
talc is unregulated in the U.S. Some research suggests a link
between talc and ovarian cancer.
Be cautious about products that
contain fragrance.
Manufacturers are not required to
disclose the ingredients used in fragrances. A single fragrance
may contain hundreds of different chemicals. Some of the chemicals
used in fragrances are hazardous, such as benzyl chloride, methyl
ethyl ketone, methylene chloride, toluene and phthalates. Fragrances
may also contain chemicals that cause cancer. Even products listed
as fragrance free may have fragrance added to mask offensive
odors.
Avoid D&C and FD&C Colors.
Most D&C and FD&C colors
are derived from coal tar which is a carcinogen. Most coal tar
colors are potential carcinogens, may contain carcinogenic contaminants
and cause allergic reactions. These colors must be certified
by the FDA to contain not more than 20 ppm of lead and arsenic,
but the certification does not address any other harmful effects
these colors may have on the body.
Beware of products containing chemical
preservatives.
Chemical preservatives can be irritating and are the number one
cause of contact dermatitis. Some preservatives you should watch
out for are benzethonium chloride, BHA, BHT, diazolidinyl urea,
imidazolidinyl urea, phenoxyethanol and methylisothiazolinone.
Watch out for "and other ingredients."
This means there are one or more
ingredients that the manufacturer considers a trade secret and
does not want to list on the label.
Be wary of products with long lists
of ingredients.
Many of the chemicals used in cosmetics
and personal care products have not been tested or have not been
adequately tested. Even those that have been tested have only
been tested individually, not in combination with other ingredients.
Nobody knows the effects of the many different ingredients used
in thousands of different combinations, the effects of using
numerous different products, one on top of the other, or the
effects of repeated use of ingredients or products over time.
Protect yourself and your loved
ones. Become a label reader and learn how to decipher the ingredients
for safety.
Dr. Christine H. Farlow, D.C. has been researching ingredient
safety since 1991. She is the author of three books, including
the new, second edition of DYING TO LOOK GOOD. To learn more
about the safety of ingredients in your cosmetics and personal
care products, visit http://www.dyingtolookgood.com
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