Make up and synthetic chemicals
How can PTFE (non-stick coating) be allowed in a mineral make up?
Why is a 'tumor promoter'[1] and endocrine disruptor allowed in a deodorant?
It might be due to, relatively, few tests being conducted on personal care products, and often in isolation rather than the finished product?
Thus, a company making a deodorant, for example, can buy ingredients 'X', 'Y' and 'Z' from the manufacturer, get the safety testing from the manufacturer and assume these ingredients are 'safe'.
However it has been known that ingredients can combine in the bottle (and likelihood of contamination can increase over time)[5] to form a by-product, which is carcinogenic (cancer causing). This can happen as products are rarely tested in their finished state.
A shampoo is not tested, only its isolated ingredients are, thus we are, quite literally, personal care product guinea pigs.
The personal care industry is remarkably unregulated. National regulatory bodies have little authority over what the cosmetic manufacturing companies use in personal care products, despite many folks thinking that products do not hit the shelves unless they have been tested for safety, and approved!
Another myth is that the dose is too small to matter. This video produced by the Environmental
Working Group talks more about dosage.
What did I find?
I found ingredients in mineral powders, shampoos, foundation, and deodorants that I am surprised at being applied to womens' bodies, daily. The ingredients present, in remarkable frequency, were:
PFTE: Polytetrafluoroethylene. Which is used non-stick frying pans, so WHY is it in make up? because it can be! Make sure it is not in your make up, check with a safe cosmetics guide. [1]
Dimethicone: Classified as expected to be toxic or harmful by Environmental Canada Domestic Substance List. Recent studies have indicated that prolonged exposure of the skin to sweat, by occlusion, causes skin irritation.[3] Some synthetic emollients are known tumour promoters and accumulate in the liver and lymph nodes. They are also non-biodegradable, causing negative environmental impact.
Cyclopentasiloxane: Persistent, bioaccumulative in wildlife. One or more animal studies show tumor formation at moderate doses by Down Corning Corporation, 2005.[1]
Diethanolamine: The National Toxicology Program completed a study in 1998 that found an association between the topical application of diethanolamine (DEA) and certain DEA-related ingredients and cancer in laboratory animals.[2]
Propylene Glycol: according to the Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) it is implicated with skin irritation and dermatitis.[3]
What do these names mean?
These long names and elaborate codes may appear daunting but essentially, I could have bought over a hundred products in the chemist; including shampoos, conditioners, moisturiser, mascaras, mineral powders, hair sprays and nail polishes which contain some nasty ingredients.
What alarms me is that children are using nail polish, glitter creams and perfumes, from as young as three and a half years old. Children are being exposed to synthetic chemicals too!
Surely 'they' test ingredients we use on our body?
These ingredients have been tested, in some cases, in isolation but not in combinations that many women on a daily basis! Therefore if I use a deodorant and a moisturizer, of which I will absorb a certain amount, no tests have been done on the "cocktail effect" of these synthetic chemicals.
A recent report stated that women 'host' some 515 synthetic chemicals a DAY by using shampoo, conditioner, mascara, perfume, nail polish and other make up and personal care products. [4]
Do we know the long-term effects?
There are those that feel using organic skin care is wise. Reading labels is crucial as products can claim to be 'organic', 'natural' or 'pure' but may not actually contain ingredients backing up these inviting claims.
I have used certified organic skincare for three years now. I started to use Miessence in 2007, I liked them so much I now sell the products. I realise just how many synthetic chemicals I was exposing myself to daily. No more conventional products, only certified organic for me!
References:
[1] Skin Deep by Environmental Working Group
[2] Diethanolamine(DEA): A Carcinogenic Ingredient in Cosmetics & Personal Products. PreventCancer.com Samuel S. Epstein
[3] ONEgroup, toxic ingredient directory.
[4] Daily Mail. "Revealed; the 515 chemicals women put on their bodies each day." 21st November 2009
[5] Department of Trade & Industry 1998, quoted on Campaign for Safe Cosmetics
©ActualOrganics 2010
Tags: synthetic chemicals, PTFE, toxins, dimethicone, Miessence,