How to Find Safe Cosmetics?

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By USAutor


Tips for Safer Cosmetics Shopping

Believe it or not, cosmetics companies are not required to do safety testing of their products. They can use almost any chemical they want, regardless of risks for shoppers. We are bombarded of commercials promoting new "safe" cosmetic products. Our favorite movie and sport stars are "telling " us from the TV screen "how good these products are". All these stars are getting paid huge commissions to convince us to buy. Do we have to participate in the cosmetics scam? It is every one's personal decision. Environmental Working Group provides tips for smart shoppers:

1. Read Labels!

Don't trust claims like 'dermatologist tested", "dermatologist recommended', "natural" or "organic". Read the ingredient label instead. Take label warnings seriously. They indicate hazardous chemicals. Ingredients to avoid:

  • DMDM hydantoin and Imidazolidinyl urea - these are toxic contaminants!
  • Fragrance and dyes - can cause allergies, cancer and are harmful to nervous system.
  • Methylchloroisothiazolinone and Methylisothiazolinone - causing allergies, harmful to nervous system.
  • Parabens or "-paraben" - have hormone effects!
  • "PEG" and "-eth" - toxic contaminants!
  • Sodium lauryl and or laureth sulfate - toxic contaminants, causing skin damage!
  • Triclosan and triclocarban - affect normal thyroid function! Environmental concerns!
  • Triethanolamine (TEA) - toxic contaminant, causing allergies!

2. Avoid These Products:

According to EWG the following cosmetic products should be avoided:

  • Anti-aging creams with lactic, glycolic, AHA, and BHA acids
  • Hair dyes with ammonia, peroxide, p-phenylenediamine, diaminobenzene; all dark permanent hair dyes
  • Liquid hand soaps with triclosan
  • Nail polish and removers with formaldehyde
  • Skin lighteners with hydroquinone

3. Be Very Careful With Children's Products!

Special attention must be paid when buying cosmetic products for children:

  • Avoid boric acid and sodium borate in diaper cream
  • Avoid 2-bromo-2- nitropropane-1,3-diol in baby wipes
  • Avoid tothpaste with fluoride for children under 2Avoid play makeup like lipstick, perfume, and nail polish
  • Avoid play makeup like lipstick, perfume, and nail polish

4. Read More Tips And Product Reviews At EWG Websites!

Learn more about cosmetic safety at cosmeticsdatabase.com. EWG provides the best information on the Web. Check the safety of the cosmetics you use. Share this information with your family, relatives and friends. Become an educated and smart cosmetics shopper!


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kirstenblog profile image

kirstenblog  says:
5 months ago

This quite a good page! I hardly ever wear makeup as my skin is sensitive to makeup and has a hard time breathing so that it will break out over a few days of wear. I prefer something made organically and will look in organic shops whenever I do want something that I can wear somewhat regularly as it shouldn't be a problem for me. I do wonder if skin cancers have more to do with the stuff we slather ourselves with then sun exposure? I expect that the highly chemical sun protectors and moisturizers and fake tans and the like are probably a bigger contributer to skin cancers then UV from the sun.

USAutor profile image

USAutor  says:
5 months ago

Kirstenblog,

Thanks for the good grade!

Certified Organic Cosmetics are the healthiest.

Many people don't realize how important the skin is as an organ of the human body. We damage our skin with cosmetic products containing chemicals, and load our bodies with these chemicals because they are being absorbed into the blood stream through the skin's blood vessels. The harmful consequences are unpredictable and cancer is one of them.

activity  says:
5 months ago

I love it.Finaly something specific to know and look for!

Thank you!

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