You have your favorite brands. You KNOW that they work. They’ve promised a younger, bolder, flawless look. Besides the price, what are you actually paying for beauty?
Makeup has developed a lot over the years. It is a fact that in Ancient Greece the women in Athens used to use white lead to lighten their complexion to conform to the beauty standards of the day. We laugh at that now. Everyone knows that lead is poisonous, right?
Apparently not.
According to the Montreal Gazette:
“None of the products tested contained mercury, but lead was detected in 96 percent of the products, arsenic in 20 percent and cadmium in 51 percent. Nickel was found in all the products tested, beryllium in 90 percent, thallium in 61 percent and selenium in 14 percent.”
On average, a woman’s daily routine exposes them to 168 different chemicals, and a man will encounter 85, according to the EWG. Shockingly, of the 13,000 chemicals used in cosmetics in the US, only 10 percent have been reviewed by the FDA (US Food and Drug Administration).
A whopping 60% of what we put on our bodies is being absorbed through our skin. For children, the percentage is even higher. And what is even more alarming is that products absorbed through the skin go straight into your blood stream to be distributed throughout your body. Also think about where on your body you are putting these toxins! Some of the most delicate and thin areas of your skin. If you were to use cosmetics every day for a year, your body would absorb more than 5 pounds of it!
This is even more hazardous than ingesting the toxins, because the digestive system at least has a chance to try to identify and eliminate them. And what is even worse? They are not delivering on their promises. These chemicals actually create a facade of smoothing and moisturizing your skin, while in fact they are irritating the lower layer and creating a film on top to give the appearance of smoothness, while breaking down your skin and aging you by 10+ years!
What are the top 10 toxins that your body is absorbing through your beauty products?
• Paraben, a sneaky chemical found in deodorants, lotions, hair products, and cosmetics. Parabens have been shown to mimic the female hormone estrogen, which can cause the growth of human breast tumors. A study published in 2012 suggested that parabens from antiperspirants and other cosmetics did indeed appear to increase your risk of breast cancer. The research looked at where breast tumors were appearing and determined that higher concentrations of parabens were found in the upper quadrants of the breast and axillary area, where antiperspirants are usually applied.
• Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, a surfactant, detergent, and emulsifier used in thousands of cosmetic products, as well as in industrial cleaners. It’s present in nearly all shampoos, scalp treatments, hair color and bleaching agents, toothpastes, body washes and cleansers, make-up foundations, liquid hand soaps, laundry detergents, and bath oils/bath salts. The real problem with SLES/SLS is that the manufacturing process (ethoxylation) results in SLES/SLS being contaminated with 1,4 dioxane, a carcinogenic by-product.
• Phthalates, are plasticizing ingredients that have been linked to birth defects in the reproductive system of boys and lower sperm-motility in adult men, among other problems. Be aware that phthalates are often hidden on shampoo labels under the generic term “fragrance.”
• Methylisothiazolinone (MIT), a chemical used in shampoo to prevent bacteria from developing, which may have detrimental effects on your nervous system.
• Toluene, made from petroleum or coal tar, and found in most synthetic fragrances and nail polish. Chronic exposure linked to anemia, lowered blood cell count, liver or kidney damage, and may affect a developing fetus.
• Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), it is an ingredient that helps product from clumping together. It has been associated with cancer and delayed menstruation and breast development. PTFE is most notably known as the ingredient used by Teflon for non-stick cookware. PTFE itself is created with perfluorooctonoic acid (PFOA) which has been shown to increase carcinogenicity of chemicals it is blended with. Found in: foundation, loose powder, bronzer, blush, eye shadow, mascara, lip balm, and others.
• Formaldehyde, used in cosmetics as a preservative. A known carcinogen that is also linked to asthma, neurotoxicity, and developmental toxicity. Present where quaternium-15, DMDM hydantoin, imidazolidinyl urea, diazolidinyl urea, sodium hydroxymethylglycinate, 2-bromo-2-nitropropane-1,3 diol (Bronopol), and several other preservatives are listed. Found in: shampoo, body wash, bubble bath.
• BHA & BHT, These are synthetic antioxidants that are used to extend shelf life and are likely carcinogens and hormone disruptors that may cause liver damage. Our liver is our bodies’ main form of detoxification and if that’s not functioning at its best, it’s likely that other organs are functioning at their best either.
• Lead, is a heavy metal and is a neurotoxin. It can cause serious behavioral and learning problems, like lowered IQ. It’s already been removed from things like paint and gasoline, but not the things we’re putting on skin. If you wear lipstick or lip gloss, think about how many times you reapply it during the day. Some of it will come off when you use a napkin, but plenty of it gets gets absorbed and ingested. Speaking of lipsticks, I also recommend avoiding products that include petrolatum as well.
• Fragrance, This one doesn’t seem like it should raise a red flag, but “fragrance” is a sneaky, ambiguous term considering that companies aren’t required to disclose what ingredients are inside. Often, the scent-filled cocktail includes tons of chemicals that can cause allergies, hormone disruption and lead to bigger health problems reproductive issues and infertility.
How to avoid toxins in your beauty products
I’m sure a few of you are feeling overwhelmed. Your favorite brands may be poisoning you… and you don’t know where to turn! It seems like there are so many options to comb through.
The easiest way to determine how “safe” your products might be is to use the Think Dirty App. You can download it on your phone, and then scan any barcode in store. If it is in their system, they will rate the product and break down the ingredients for you. Warning though, you will most likely be surprised and indignant to find out what your favorite brands are using!
Some of my favorite, clean brands at the moment are 100% Pure, The Innate Life, Red Apple Lipstick, and W3ll People. I also like DIY options, like using coconut oil for makeup removal. Also, shea butter, coconut oil, almond oil or avocado oil make wonderful moisturizers. Pair those with a drop or two of your favorite essential oil and you are set!
Was this helpful? For a comprehensive list of chemicals to avoid, check out my “no list”. Check back periodically for healthy body product reviews with a full breakdown of ingredients.
It is my passion to help bring the best info to you, so you can take care of your body, your gut, and your brain health! All of these are connected. Is there a topic that you would like me to cover? Leave a comment down below!!