The concept of using cosmetics to cover ones flaws is not new, in fact it is a long standing tradition. Ancient Egyptian and Asian women used kohl to darken their eyelids and to protect against eye ailments – which often ended up leading to serious health complications. Also, Ancient Greek women used toxic lead carbonate to give themselves a pale complexion, resulting in serious illness and sometimes death – nothing gives you a nice white complexion like dying of lead poisoning.
Although the jury is still out on the full extent of what adverse effects the ingredients in today’s products can cause – one thing is known for sure – each year approximately one million Canadians suffer from harmful reactions to cosmetics. Bet that pimple you are trying to cover up doesn’t seem so life threatening anymore.
A document from Health Canada reports that consumers frequently suffer bad reactions, minor and severe, because they are unaware exactly what is in their products. And up to 60 per cent of what is applied to the skin soaks through to the blood vessels where it has to be processed by the liver.
Cosmetic testing in Canada and U.S. goes largely unregulated – with only 11 per cent of the 10,500 documented ingredients in cosmetic products being assessed for safety by a review panel. Manufacturers are charged with the responsibility of guaranteeing that their products meet Canadian regulatory requirements.
But, thankfully there is an emerging trend towards enviro-friendly cosmetics that are safe for you and the world around you. Companies are going “au naturel” to not only make you look good, but also make you feel better about what you slather on your body.
Companies are popping up all over Canada to meet the demand of consumers who don’t want to put Dioxane (a common ingredient in cosmetics – US EPA studies have shown that repeat exposure can cause liver and kidney damage in animals when applied on the skin!) on their face.
The trend is making it easier (and cheaper!) to get all-natural cosmetics and skin-care products – that aren’t hazardous to your health or the environment. And it’s not only about the ingredients in the cosmetics – it’s about paying attention to the environment – when the products are manufactured and packaged.
So, next time you buy make-up – read the label, understand what’s in it and consider the amount of packaging waste your one little tiny container of eye shadow creates.
If you are not convinced that the switch to natural, organic, enviro-friendly make-up is worth looking in to, check out the Environmental Working Group (EWG) cosmetic rating system, Skin Deep. This comprehensive database includes ratings, ingredients, and other useful information about most major cosmetic brands – beware though – some of it is pretty ugly.
Tags: all-natural, beauty, environmentally friendly cosmetics, industry
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