| Choosing safe products can be a daunting task | | | | makeup. It is a carcinogen if it contains |
| without the proper knowledge and tools. Many | | | | asbestiform fibers. The quantity of asbestiform |
| product packages are deceptively designed to | | | | fibers in cosmetic-grade talc is unregulated in the |
| make you believe that the product inside the | | | | U.S. Some research suggests a link between talc |
| package is herbal, all natural, safe and gentle, | | | | and ovarian cancer.Be cautious about products |
| when in fact the product contains little or no | | | | that contain fragrance. |
| natural or herbal ingredients, is contaminated with | | | | Manufacturers are not required to disclose the |
| carcinogens and is irritating to the skin. This is the | | | | ingredients used in frgrances. A single fragrance |
| case because of the lack of regulation in the | | | | may contain hundreds of different chemicals. |
| cosmetic and personal care product industry. But | | | | Some of the chemicals used in fragrances are |
| armed with a little knowledge and some helpful | | | | hazardous, such as benzyl chloride, methyl ethyl |
| tools, there is much you can do to protect | | | | ketone, methylene chloride, toluene and phthalates. |
| yourself.Here are ten things you can do to make | | | | Fragrances may also contain chemicals that cause |
| safer and healthier choices when selecting your | | | | cancer. Even products listed as fragrance free |
| toiletries:Read the ingredients on the label. | | | | may have fragrance added to mask offensive |
| The packaging may say such things as natural, | | | | odors.Avoid D&C and FD&C Colors. |
| herbal or hypoallergenic. This has nothing to do | | | | Most D&C and FD&C colors are derived from |
| with what's really in the product or how safe it is. | | | | coal tar which is a carcinogen. Most coal tar colors |
| Manufacturers make a lot of claims on the | | | | are potential carcinogens, may contain |
| package to "sell" the product. They can do this | | | | carcinogenic contaminants and cause allergic |
| because some of the terms don't have official | | | | reactions. These colors must be certified by the |
| definitions and they can use them however they | | | | FDA to contain not more than 20 ppm of lead |
| want. To really find out what's in a product, you | | | | and arsenic, but the certification does not address |
| must read the ingredients in the small print, you | | | | any other harmful effects these colors may have |
| know, the ones that you sometimes need a | | | | on the body.Beware of products containing |
| magnifying glass to be able to see.Interpret and | | | | chemical preservatives. |
| understand the ingredients. | | | | Chemical preservatives can be irritating and are |
| Once you find the ingredients, you have to be | | | | the number one cause of contact dermatitis. |
| able to know what they are and if they are safe, | | | | Some preservatives you should watch out for |
| harmful, questionable or untested. A great many | | | | are benzethonium chloride, BHA, BHT, diazolidinyl |
| ingredients have chemical names that only a | | | | urea, imidazolidinyl urea, phenoxyethanol and |
| cosmetic chemist would understand. However, | | | | methylisothiazolinone.Watch out for "and other |
| you don't have to be a cosmetic chemist. The | | | | ingredients." |
| book, Dying To Look Good, makes it easy for | | | | This means there are one or more ingredients |
| you to choose products with safe and healthy | | | | that the manufacturer considers a trade secret |
| ingredients.Choose products without parabens. | | | | and does not want to list on the label. There is no |
| Parabens are xenoestrogens or endocrine | | | | way of knowing if these ingredients are safe or |
| disrupters. They disturb the hormone balance in | | | | not.Be wary of products with long lists of |
| your body. They are also skin sensitizers and | | | | ingredients. |
| have the potential to cause allergic reactions. They | | | | Many of the chemicals used in cosmetics and |
| have been found in breast cancer tumors, but it is | | | | personal care products have not been tested or |
| not known if they cause breast cancer.Stay away | | | | have not been adequately tested. Even those |
| from products containing amines. | | | | that have been tested have only been tested |
| Chemicals that fall into the category of amines | | | | individually, not in combination with other |
| can combine with nitrosating agents to form | | | | ingredients. Nobody knows the effects of the |
| nitrosamines, which cause cancer. Nitrosamines | | | | many different ingredients used in thousands of |
| are formed during the manufacturing process | | | | different combinations, the effects of using |
| when an amine combines with a | | | | numerous different products, one on top of the |
| formaldehyde-releasing preservative. Some of the | | | | other, or the effects of repeated use of |
| amines commonly used in cosmetics and personal | | | | ingredients or products over time.Become a label |
| care products are Cocamide MEA, Cocamide DEA, | | | | reader and learn how to decipher the ingredients |
| TEA, sodium lauroyal sarcosinate and amino | | | | for safety. It's easy with the help of Dying To |
| methyl propanol. Several of the | | | | Look Good.Dr. Christine H. Farlow, D.C. is "The |
| formaldehyde-releasing preservatives include | | | | Ingredients Investigator." She has been |
| sodium hydroxymethylglycinate, quaternium-15, | | | | researching ingredient safety since 1991. She is |
| DMDM hydantoin and diazonlidnyl urea.Steer clear | | | | the author of three books, including the new, |
| of products containing talc. | | | | second edition of DYING TO LOOK GOOD. |
| Talc is found in talcum powder, baby powder and | | | | |