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Toxic
Waste: It's On Your Face
The
Dangers of Chemical Cosmetic Agents
by Zita Lynn
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Most over-the-counter beauty products contain potential irritants and carcinogens. However, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) doesn’t require pre-market approval for cosmetics and is powerless to mandate safety testing.
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 The skin is the largest single organ of the body. It weighs an average of nine pounds and contains about 19 million cells per square inch. “It is more than just an outer suit for the body; it is a living sponge that serves as a gateway to the rest of the organs,” wrote Karyn Siegel-Maier in an article for Better Nutrition. Most over-the-counter beauty products contain potential irritants and carcinogens that are absorbed into the body when used. However, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) doesn’t require pre-market approval for cosmetics and is powerless to mandate safety testing. Although most cosmetic companies test their products for common sensitivities (often on animals), researchers from the National Research Council found that “of the tens of thousands of commercially important chemicals, only a few have been subjected to extensive toxicity testing and most have scarcely been tested at all.”
According to the American Journal of Public Health, women who dye their hair have a 50 percent higher risk of developing non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and men using commercial hair dyes have twice the risk of multiple
myeloma, a malignant tumor of the bone marrow. Women who frequently use talcum powder on their genital area significantly increase their risk of getting ovarian cancer, which kills about 14,000 American women each year. A tube of Crest toothpaste, with an active ingredient of .15% sodium fluoride, has the following warnings. “Do not swallow. Keep out of the reach of children under 6 years of age. If you accidentally swallow more than used for brushing, seek professional help or contact a poison control center immediately.
Many new cosmetic products are labeled “natural.” However, there are no standards for what “natural” means. John Bailey, Director of the FDA’s division of colors and cosmetics said, “They {the manufacturers} could wave a tube of plant extract over the bottle and declare it “natural.” The only way to know what you’re buying is by reading the fine print.
Safer Cosmetics
Even in health food stores, read the labels on beauty and skin care products to avoid potentially toxic chemicals. Another possibility is to minimize all the beauty care products that you use. Many lotions and creams can be avoided through proper hydration and consumption of nourishing foods with plenty of essential fatty acids. The glow of health comes from the inside out and nothing added to the skins can undo the problems associated with a poor diet, excessive stress, or lack of sleep.
Zita Lynn is an instructor at the Rocky Mountain Center for Botanical Studies and a former Eco-Cycle employee.
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Some Chemicals to Avoid in Your Personal Care Products
Formaldehyde—used as a preservative and disinfectant, it is a suspected carcinogen often found in shampoos. Not often found in cosmetics because of its overpowering odor. Can cause allergic reactions. Toxic. Other names: Formalin, MDM Hydantoin. Also used to preserve new clothes.
Synthetic Colors—Listed as FD&C or D&C colors, coal tar is a common ingredient in cosmetics, hair dyes and dandruff shampoos. Found to cause cancer, linked to frequent allergic reactions, asthma attacks, headaches, nausea, fatigue, nervousness and lack of concentration.
Benzene and Toluene—solvents used in nail polishes and removers. Highly toxic, can cause depression and convulsions, or induce coma or death.
Propylene glycol—most often a mineral oil derivative, humectant and solvent used for texture and stability in cosmetics and toothpaste. Also found in brake fluid and antifreeze. Can cause allergic reactions. (Propylene glycol can also be made from vegetable glycerin and grain alcohol.)
DEA and TEA—diethanolamine and triethanolamine, two detergents when combined with nitrites produce nitrosamines—highly carcinogenic compounds which are readily absorbed into the skin.
Methyl, Propyl, Butyl and Ethyl Paraben—used as inhibitors of microbial growth and to extend the shelf-life of products. Widely used even though they are known to be toxic. Have caused many allergic reactions and skin rashes.
Petrolatum—used in lip products, advertised to protect from sunburn and chapping. Made from mineral oil jelly. Can produce photosensitivity and interferes with the body’s own natural moisturizing mechanism. Creates the very conditions it claims to alleviate.
Mineral Oil—manufactured from crude oil. Used in moisturizing lotions and creams to give a feeling of added moisture because it provides a slick, oily base. Clogs pores and deprives skin cells of oxygen needed for normal metabolism and new cell growth. Other forms of mineral oil commonly used in cosmetics: petrolatum, paraffin, paraffin oil, propylene glycol. Toxic.
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate—used in shampoos for detergent and foam-building. Causes eye irritations, skin rashes, hair loss, scalp scurf similar to dandruff and allergic reactions. Frequently disguised in pseudo-natural cosmetics with the parenthetical phrase “comes from coconut.” Other names: sodium cetyl sulfate, sodium laureth sulfate, TEA-lauryl sulfate.
Steralkonium Chloride—used in hair conditioners and creams. Developed by the fabric industry as a fabric softener. Causes allergic reactions. Toxic.
PVP/VA Copolymers—used in hair spray, perms and other cosmetics. These chemicals are plastic films that coat your hair. Considered toxic because particles may contribute to foreign bodies in lungs of sensitive persons.
Imidazolidinyl Urea, Phenoxyethanol, Diazolidinyl Urea,
Parabens—preservatives which are a primary cause of contact dermatitis. Other names: Germall, Germall II, Germal 115.
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