The beauty industry earns its billions by keeping on top of the trends. Colors, styles and formulas for hair care, skin care and makeup change with the seasons, with products found in virtually every household in America. But in terms of the demand for products that will be truly healthy and safe for the environment, the perfume, personal care and beauty industries are years behind the trend.
Chemicals in Skin Care Products
Facts and figures:
- At least 6.5 million distinct chemicals have been formulated since 1965.
- Over 500 of these chemicals "can be found under the kitchen sinks or in the laundry rooms of American homes."
- 400 of these have been detected in human tissue.
- Over 800 known neurotoxic chemicals are used in the cosmetic and perfume industries.
What does this mean? Hundreds of chemicals – some safe and some known to be hazardous - are present in personal care products, where most consumers would never think to look for them. And because there are millions of different compounds and more are developed each year, even the most savvy of consumers can't be knowledgeable about every chemical name on product labels that may be toxic to health – and to the environment.
What About "Natural" Products?
Although an increasing number of skin care lines are marketed as "natural" or contain "natural ingredients" or "natural essences," consumers should be skeptical of this kind of advertising. Most of these products still contain one or more of the common synthetic ingredients – or newer, less well-known replacements for these chemicals.
The Environmental Impact
The worst of these chemicals are found in most soaps, shampoo, skin care products, perfume, mouthwash, toothpaste, as well as the detergents and cleansers used to clean most American homes and laundry. As a result, thousands of gallons of these kinds of products are washed down the drain... where they end up in global waterways. This may:
- disrupt aquatic ecosystems, killing fish, other animal and plant life;
- leach into the soil, contaminating farmland and human food sources
- contribute to cancer, illness, and infertility among populations of fish, whales and other wildlife
Which Chemicals in Particular Should I Watch Out For?
Some of the worst offenders are known or suspected carcinogens, such as SLS (Sodium Laurel Sulfate), Toluene, Propyl Alcohol and DEA (Diethanolamine), while others, including talc and phthalates, have been shown to cause reproductive problems.
For more information on potentially toxic ingredients in personal care and other products, see Toxic Skin Care Ingredients.
Reference:
Network News and Publications, "Rub A Dub, Dub… Is Cancer in Your Tub?" Atlanta, Georgia, USA, 1999.
Victoria Anisman-Reiner - Victoria Anisman-Reiner is a freelance writer with extensive experience in holistic health care and animal training.
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