It seems like every time we turn around, there is another article telling us how we are poisoning ourselves. This time, it’s with toxic beauty products. And to an extent, it’s true. It’s no secret that while the EU has banned chemicals from their cosmetics that are still being used in the US.
Even if you have no other knowledge of any of these chemicals, the sheer difference in numbers between continents should alarm us. And then comes the next terrifying thought- so then what am I putting on my face & body?
Are my cosmetics poisoning me? I’m going to let you in on what your beauty products aren’t telling you, but be warned… it’s not pretty.
As women, we tend to frequent the salon a lot more often than men do. We go in for manicures & pedicures, hair coloring, facials & peels, massages, false eyelashes, waxing, botox, and on top of that, we layer on the makeup.
The general consensus in our Western society is that we should all look young, wrinkle free, and flawless. But that’s just not normal. It’s no wonder that with all this pressure, women are far more likely to develop autoimmune thyroid conditions than men.
We put many more chemicals directly on our faces and necks, and we can’t forget that our skin is our largest organ.
Anything we put on will be absorbed directly into our bloodstream.
Are you using toxic beauty products?
So what are the top offenders that we should be avoiding?
- Talc: Found in items such as baby powder, facial powder, eyeshadow, foundation, lipstick, & deodorants. It is linked to ovarian cancer and lung disease, due to it’s naturally occurring asbestos.
- Parabens: Found in shampoos, conditioners, lotions, and more. Parabens are known for endocrine disruption, cancer, and reproductive toxicity.
- Lead: Found in lip products, whitening toothpaste, eyeliner, nail color, foundations, sunscreens, eye shadows, blush & more. Even though it doesn’t show up on the label, it’s in over 60% of lipsticks. Lead and other heavy metals can cause cancer, reproductive toxicity, & organ toxicity because our bodies can’t naturally detox metals.
- Phthalates: Found in color cosmetics, fragranced lotions, body washes and hair care products, nail polish & more. Can cause endocrine disruption, developmental problems, reproductive toxicity, & cancer.
- Formaldehyde: Found in nail polish, nail glue, eyelash glue, hair gel, hair-smoothing products, baby shampoo, body soap, and more. Can cause cancer and skin irritation.
So how do these dangerous ingredients get into our cosmetics? That’s the easiest part. Cosmetics don’t need to be tested or proven to be safe by the FDA prior to being sold. Thankfully there are some laws in the works to change this, but you really need to be your own advocate.
Don’t trust the labels. You need to do your own research on the ingredients and brands. But mostly- vote with your dollars!
If you find a makeup that you like, but it contains toxic ingredients, don’t buy it. I buy my makeup from 100% Pure– their makeup is fruit dyed. I make my own makeup remover too. Don’t put anything on your skin that you wouldn’t put directly into your mouth.
What’s the easiest way to do this? Download the app “Think Dirty” onto your phone. You can use it to scan your beauty products and make sure that you’re not buying anything bad. Also, take advantage of the Environmental Working Group’s database.
No More Toxic Beauty Products: DIY Dry Shampoo Recipe
No More Toxic Beauty Products: DIY Dry Shampoo Recipe
DIY Dry Shampoo Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup arrowroot powder (or cornstarch)
- 1-3 tsp cacao powder (or more if you need a darker color)
- 10 drops lavender essential oil
Instructions
- Put the arrowroot powder in a bowl, and add the essential oil.
- Stir until blended.
- Begin adding the cacao powder a little at a time until you reach the desired color to match your roots.
- Make sure it's stirred well.
- Use an old makeup brush to brush the dry shampoo onto your roots.
Do you use natural makeups? What is your favorite kind?
Update Notes
This post was originally written in February 2017. It was updated in March 2019 with more information and photos.
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