Consumers are becoming increasingly aware of and concerned with toxic chemicals in personal care products. We are in need of quality information to help us make informed decisions about our exposure to potentially harmful ingredients in our cosmetics and skincare products. We are entitled to avoid products that may be bad for our health and skin – but the cosmetics companies don’t always agree.
Recently we’ve heard a lot about parabens in body products. While it’s true that studies have documented parabens in cancerous breast tissue, a lot of other things are found in the tissue as well. We cannot yet make the leap that parabens actually cause cancer, but there is enough evidence to suggest that avoiding them might be wise until further studies can be done.
Unfortunately, cosmetic companies are smart. They realize people are avoiding parabens, so they have started advertising products that are “paraben-free”. And, for the most part, they are. But that’s only part of the story. Often parabens are replaced with other chemicals that are potentially equally bad or even worse for your health! So while it’s a good idea to look for products without parabens, a catchy tag line isn’t enough. You have to know what is in your products to make truly informed decisions.
Unless we educate ourselves, we are powerless against a billion dollar industry that will do anything to sell us the latest miracle cure. Of course everyone will have a different comfort zone in terms of the amount of chemicals they feel comfortable having in their beauty products. It’s just like food. Some people eat only organic, some a combination of conventional and organic and some only conventional. As long as consumers are informed, there is no right or wrong when it comes to choosing body products.
I believe that in an industry that is virtually unregulated, consumers should take the “guilty until proven innocent” stance. I believe we should leave all “questionable” ingredients out of our products and routines until manufacturers have the information needed to let the consumer make a choice they feel comfortable with. In order to make choices that fit within your personal criteria of safety, you need to be educated. Otherwise, you risk allowing chemicals and toxins into your bloodstream that could affect your health without your consent or knowledge.
I always suggest everyone make their own priority list of what they will or won’t use and be exposed to. To get started, take a look at the list of my top 10 to watch out for.
Here is the list of the top 10 ingredients to avoid from my book Look Great, Live Green:
We will share more about these and other ingredients to avoid, along with our recommendations for ingredients to seek out and use often in future blogs. Make sure to check back in often!
