Not too long ago there was a TV news report about make-up causing cancer.
Having long relied on liquid foundation....and eye liner to be counted among the living, I googled the topic and the revelations are disturbing.
So is it worth your time to become familiar with complicated chemical terminology and strain to read the mice type ingredients lists on all your personal care products? Definitely.
While we all have appreciated the "better living through chemistry" life we've enjoyed the past century, as with most things, it seems the law of diminishing returns has reared its ugly head.
It is reasonable and intuitive to make a connection between harmful chemical substances in our air, water, food, cleaning and grooming products, and the increased incidence of various cancers, thyroid and hormonal imbalances, and autoimmune disorders, striking at increasingly younger ages.
Focusing here on personal care products, Useful links:
http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_10918.cfm
http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2002/apr/07/medicalscience.research
http://search.mercola.com/Results.aspx?q=makeup%20cosmetics%20cancer
http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/index.php?nothanks=1
http://www.safe2use.com/health/cosmetics.htm
So substances now deemed harmful to carcinogenic, have been flooding the world -- and your liver, for years. I went to see the "Bodies" exhibit, where, among the flayed, freeze-dried & polymered dead were real live doctors, present to answer questions. Realizing the plight of the overworked human liver, our 2nd largest and primary filtering organ for all these substances, 2 hung-over college guys inquired about the possible damage they'd incurred the night before. One Dr.'s reply was simply, "You bend it till it breaks". So it seems wise to back off the chemicals in stuff where possible and explore safer alternatives.
Since the 1st largest human organ is our very skin, which acts as a virtual sponge - we should perhaps think of our skin as "eating" whatever we put to it. Ideally then, skin care products should be as healthful as the cleanest, healthiest foods.
Using the top link above, (and a magnifying glass to read the labels) I checked 8 of my skin/hair care products against the Avoid list of chemical additives. I threw out 4 items: 3 lotions & 1 shampoo, each containing at least 2 of the suspected carcinogenic chemicals. The article explains the sheer number of chemicals out there and lack of regulation, as well as short term and possible long term use effects. We're also given resources for choosing better products.
So now I'm discovering this new market niche: truly natural and safer personal care products. These products tend to be pricey right now, so I've got an eye out for affordable ones and will share what I find. In that spirit ...
WHAT? ME WORRY?
In case this info isn't "Debbie Downer" enough, riddle me this silent scream moment I recently had in the personal care aisle of a grocery store. My search for safe and gentle shampoo lead me to the baby section. I have committed several of the offending toxic ingredients to memory, and guess what?!! At least 2 of them were listed in many of the most popular BABY products. Babies!! Hello!
So check those helpful links above, plus, for baby:
http://www.thegreenguide.com/issue.mhtml?i=for_parents_to_be
