RSS
Twitter
Facebook
Pinterest
YouTube
In a recent search to uncover exactly what i’ve been putting on my skin/hair, I came across the cosmetic safety database, a great website created by the researchers at the environmental working group. On this site, thousands of products have been tested and you can type in any of your products and check to see the degree of toxicity that it contains.
The results of a search will tell you if ingredients in that product are linked to: cancer; developmental/reproductive toxicity; violations, restrictions & warnings; allergies/immunotoxicity; and other concerns for ingredients used in the product. It will also let you know if the manufacturer has signed the Compact for Safe Cosmetics or conducts animal testing.
Frankly, I was shocked to look up some of the products currently living in my medicine cabinet. For example, I typed in Aveda Botanical Exfoliant. I had assumed that a company like Aveda would be using fairly ok ingredients, right? Well ingredients in it are linked to: cancer; developmental/reproductive toxicity; violations, restrictions & warnings; allergies/immunotoxicity; organ system toxicity and contamination concerns just to name a few! Not to mention that Aveda (now owned by Este Lauder) hasn’t signed the Compact for Safe Cosmetics. This product scored a 6 out of 10 (10 being the worst) hazard rating.
Although I’m not necessarily going to throw out all of my products and rush to buy new ones (that seems like a huge waste and financial commitment), finding better alternatives to my current products and replacing them when I’ve finished is the new plan. When the database brings up a rating of a product, there is a link that tells you which other products have less toxicity.
I’ve found that most of burt’s beese products are very safe. There are some out there that are safer, but they are usually hard to find and very expensive. I like that I can get Burt’s Bees just about anywhere. The few products of theirs that I have been dissappointed in are the raspberry conditioner (it was too runny and didn’t cling to my hair) and the carrot day cream (left me too oily) but everything else so far I have loved.
I LOVE Burt’s Bees…their lip tints are the best I’ve ever used and have very flattering colors- lots of my friends use them and they’re great on different skin tones.
Something about Burt’s Bees is kind of funky to me. Sometimes their scents are so heavy and make me dizzy.
Isn’t that awful about Aveda?! What are they thinking???? I found this out a few months ago when I was researching skin products. It is so antithetical to their branding to use parabens etc… I just don’t get it.
Stella McCartney has a new line of eco-certified organic products. I tried the line. I found some of it very alcohol based and was not very impressed with what it did for my skin.
Dr. Hauschka and Jurlique are still two primary lines of skin care I use. I don’t spend much money on things anymore, now that I am a mom, but decent skin care products are worth it to me.
Thanks for this, as I am researching this topic for a friend starting her own make-up line… While many fashion designers have embraced sustainability in their work, this sadly cannot be said for professional make-up artists, entrenched using combat ready cosmetics which all models complain about… something needs to change. Jackie Chan threw his hat into the ring, as actors are also fed up turning their skin over to kamikaze make-up artists insistant on using hazardous chemicals! Here are a few links I’ve gathered:
http://www.safecosmetics.org
http://cemagazines.com/portal/2005/02/uglypretty.html
http://shop.jackiechan.com/store/category?cid=43
http://www.hvhealthyliving.com/article/57
http://books.mcgraw-hill.com/cgi-bin/pbg/searchresult.html?q=0658017934&x=15&y=10
Such an important topic – Women need to be aware of what’s, in our cosmetics and personal care products. That’s why my friend (who had breast cancer at 42) and I started Pure Know How – to educate and give solutions to the growing issues of toxins.
And don’t forget to watch out for greenwashing.
There are safe alternatives for healthy and effective products without harmful chemicals or carcinogens. Read all about the problem and the solutions at http://www.healthy-communications.com
I am so angry with this site!
you really have to just look up the information, do a little reading yourself to find out that this all so very confusing…
‘exfoliant’ doesn’t contain parabens as someone suggested. even if it would (cosmetic safety database states parabens as an not approved ingredient, which is WRONG), aveda has been replacing parabens with other preservatives over the last few years. they HAVE to use some preservatives by law!
if you actually take the time to inquire why ‘exfoliant’ has such a bad rating (as I did just now), it’s because of the ingredient ‘fragrance’. now, aveda doesn’t use fragrance in any of its products, they use essential oils. so ‘fragrance’ is the way they have to declare their natural aromas.
another example of why you have to be careful: aveda all sensitive moisturizer is classified as ‘bad for you’ because it contains silica. silica used in aveda products is made from sand and used mostly to help with the ‘feel’ and consistency of the product. according to the ‘cosmetics safety database’ this ingredient causes all sorts of problems. the all sensitive line was developed to help with most sensitive skin using ayurvedic herbs to calm and soothe.
what about mentioning the break through ingredients in some lines rather focusing on the apparent ‘baddies’. or maybe ‘cosmetics safety database’ is sponsored by burt’s bees and they campaign against aveda? who knows…
I am sorry, I just don’t get it. just be careful whom to believe, my friends.
oh, and dear remyC:
your friend will struggle to formulate make up without using some ‘non natural’ ingredients. you will not get the consistency of your products right, plus they won’t last a minute on the skin (that is if you get the colours you would like) and will be a health hazard because of contamination (bacteria, fungi, etc.). not that I am being negative or anything. your friend should consult aveda or dr hauschka, they will tell you how difficult this is.
Consumers have to understand that the ewg and cosmetic data base base their findings on one study of full strength usage of the chemicals. No manufacturer uses full strength, so this information is very unbalanced and unfortunately confusing to consumers. I asked ewg to put a disclaimer this is what they put:
The chart below indicates that research studies have found that exposure to one or more ingredients used by this company — not the products — caused the indicated health effect(s) in the studies reviewed by Skin Deep researchers. Actual health risks, if any, will vary based on the level of exposure to the ingredient and individual susceptibility — information not available in Skin Deep.
There are plenty of products available for consumers without the harmful chemicals with a minimal amount of preservatives,(which have to be in products to protest against mold and bacteria from forming). EWG even red flags organic and natural product companies, when no chemicals are used at all. So beware and be careful what you pick. I use products from Neways Int., a 24 year old manufacturer of products without harmful chemicals. positivehealthyliving.ineways.com