The methods of the skin care industry have long been kept secret and in this case, what you don’t know can kill you. Most of us don’t think too much about it. We believe that if a lotion is being sold in a store, it must be ok, right? People rely on government organizations and human rights groups to oversee the laws that control the use of harmful ingredients.
But there’s a vast difference of opinion between law makers and scientists, between law and science, and between the ways each of these groups sees the end result.

Synthetic fragrances and the basic synthetic chemical ingredients that constitute much of a lotion’s composition can cause allergic reactions, central nervous system disorders, hyperactivity, skin irritation, fatigue, reproductive disorders, sterility, auto-immune dysfunction, liver and kidney failure, dizziness, and much more.

According to research done by the Environmental Working Group (EWG), more than 500 products sold in the U.S. contain ingredients banned in cosmetics in Japan, Canada, or the European Union, and 35 percent of children’s products researched that were marketed as “natural” contained artificial preservatives. And this is just the tip of the iceberg.

The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR), an international watchdog organization, has assessed fewer than 20 percent of cosmetics ingredients. Eleven ingredients or chemical groups out of that 20% were found to be unsafe, according to the EWGs investigation. But the CIR has no legal authority over companies.

You may be shocked to learn just how many of your lotions and personal products contain not just one, but as many as 100 potentially harmful synthetic ingredients. If you’re using a lot of products, including shampoos, lotions, creams, conditioners, deodorant, nail polish, polish remover, body butters, lip balms, heel creams, sunscreens, insect repellants, and even laundry detergents and toothpaste, it’s best to go natural and organic.

If you feel trapped in a world of chemicals, you can create exactly what you want for your skin as easily as following a kitchen recipe

Cosmetics have been used for the enhancement of beauty for ages,
and there is no dearth in their demands. Modern men and women use
cosmetics on a regular basis but why do they face skin and/or health
problems? To the best of our knowledge, it was never a part of the lives
of people who lived during ancient times. After centuries of cosmetic
use, it is most interesting that only in recent times have the toxic
ingredients in cosmetic products come under scrutiny. And, the more we
learn about the damages that these toxic ingredients might cause, the
more careful we should be in the type of cosmetic products we purchase
and use on a daily basis.

Now I know you all may think that you
use the best cosmetics available, and you even have chosen the natural
path i.e., your cosmetics contain the necessary vitamins and oils for
your skin and for your general health. Think again, as you may have been
sold a cosmetic product that neither contains natural ingredients nor
does it have the proper organic cosmetic certifications that would
guarantee the products are safe to use daily!

Though a startling
revelation, the truth is that most of the organic cosmetics that are
being sold in the market today are not actually organic. The only way to
judge whether a cosmetic is organic or not is to verify the
certification of the product you are using. Do not be blindfolded while
purchasing cosmetics; as you may be handed a product that is filled with
harsh, toxic chemicals and acids. You are more likely to suffer from
skin ailments with the use of toxic cosmetics than you would be if you
used a pure organic cosmetic. The reason is very simple – there are a
lot of toxic chemicals like mercury, aluminum, coal tar, and lead in the
synthetically produced cosmetics. In packaging and labeling many
companies use type that is so small, you would need a magnifying glass
to read the ingredients and words that are so foreign you would have to
be a scientist to decipher them. For example, what is a Paraben
(preservative) or a Pthalate (fragrance)? You get the idea.

There
is every reason as to check the organic cosmetic certification of the
products that you are purchasing – after all it becomes a question of
your health, general well being, and the condition of your skin that is
at risk. Certification is proof that the products being manufactured are
in strict compliance with the ingredients and processes that have been
accredited, not by the US government because the US government allows
the cosmetic companies to govern themselves, but by the certification
agencies that companies must submit their products to for certification.
The certification standards may vary from one agency to another, but
the standards that are followed by that specific agency are uniform
standards for all countries. The standards that have been set for
providing organic certification are pretty high, and this is the reason
why one can be certain of the quality of the products that come with
certification.

Although the US does provide certification through
the USDA, most US companies are not interested in getting certified, as
using organic products in the manufacturing process is more expensive,
thereby reducing profits. Also, because the Cosmetic Industry is
self-regulated, the cosmetic companies can make organic and/or natural
claims, without certification, and no one will challenge them.
Therefore, companies are more likely to go offshore to Europe, Asia or
Oceania for certification. Agencies like the UK Soil Association, or
Ecocert (France), or BDIH (Germany), are more likely to be used, simply
because these countries demand their products be free of toxic material.
In fact, the European Union has banned well over 1000 chemicals in the
cosmetic manufacturing process, while the good old US of A has banned a
mere 10 chemicals. Again, you get the point.

Manufacturers in the US actually lobby against the
removal of toxic ingredients in the manufacturing process claiming that
these products are safe to use. However, recent clinical studies have
shown that many of these toxins are carcinogens, and linked to cancer.
Many lipsticks still contain lead, a highly toxic ingredient with the
highest hazard risk of 10,. provided by the Cosmetic Database, the
largest cosmetic ingredient database in the world. All the products that
are manufactured in the US do not have to pass any pre-market quality
tests to enter the marketplace. Again, the Cosmetic Industry is
self-regulated and what that means is simply this. If a cosmetic company
deems their products to be safe, they can be marketed. It is that
simple and it should be that scary to all consumers!

Organic
cosmetic certification is the best way available for the consumer to
judge the quality of the cosmetics they use, and it is advisable that
one checks this every time one purchases a cosmetic product. The
certification logos will be prominently placed on each product alongside
other logos like recyclable, or biodegradable, or no animal testing,
etc. You must, however, visually see the logo and not take the
manufacturer’s word that the product is natural or organic. They can and
will put anything they want on the product because no one is watching,
and their ultimate goal is to make the sale. They have no interest in
your health. Therefore, in the end, it is buyer beware! Read the labels
and do the research if you want to be assured of buying safe, healthy,
toxic-free cosmetic products.

Though there are many companies that
want to dupe their customers for revenue and profit purposes, it is
also true that there are many other companies that believe in providing
the best, safest, healthiest personal care products. Most of the
companies that want to provide the best products were all natural from
their inception, and most of the companies that want to dupe their
customers are the large manufacturers that place profits before people
and never have any intention of creating all organic and/or natural
personal care products. This is exactly where organic cosmetic
certification comes into play and should be seriously considered before
purchasing any cosmetic product.

Are cosmetics a natural, healthful and safe beauty product as we’re being told and made to believe, that they are? Many people are looking for methods to improve their physical appearances with whatever goes, from cosmetic surgery to Botox injections. Or is it still better being aware of all the culprits and unhealthy possibilities lurking in the bottles of beauty as described so convincingly by the manufacturers? According to research our body is absorbing over two hundred synthetic chemicals every day without us knowing it.

The things in cosmetics most of us don’t know!

What does make us look so beautiful, and the cosmetics obviously working so well, these are mostly the very ingredients that are toxic and cancerous to human beings. There is no difference for the make-up industries when it comes to government regulations as in the food products where loopholes are left open for manufacturers to allow banned toxins and chemicals into cosmetic products.

Cosmetic is a product used daily and often several times a day, just like brushing your teeth.

None of the products are chemical free; some can have lesser chemicals than others. Nevertheless, the smallest amount will accumulate over time. Brushing the teeth or putting on lipstick two times a day will expose you, just by using one of the products, 730 times in twelve months! Stop, and think how many of these products you are using per day. Unless these products are organic or totally natural, the risk of becoming ill is a forgone conclusion. Let’s look at toothpaste: Most of us brush their teeth 2-3 times per day, using any of the major brand names of the shelf. You will rub into your gums a small cocktail of chemicals, including Sodium Lauryl Sulfate and Propylene Glycol, just to name some. Laurel Sulfate is in every cosmetics and personal care product; it poses a general health risk including skin, eyes and hair.

Titanium doxide is also found in mascara, eye shadow and lipstick. It is unlikely that lipstick and toothpaste for that matter isn’t swallowed, especially by children.

For an average person at the age of 40 to 60, using cosmetics for many years, the body becomes poisoned with many hundreds of synthetic chemicals including heavy metals like lead, mercury and Arsenic. Tests have revealed that chemicals get into the blood stream which is unavoidable. This happens in different ways, for instance taken in through the skin, lipstick and toothpaste would be swallowed, and eye- makeup absorbed by sensitive mucus membranes. Perfumes and powders being inhaled, hair sprays and dyes absorbed through the skull; in extreme cases hair dyes can even affect bone marrow.

Such chemicals and toxins like Coal tar, colours, Benzene, Phenylenediamine and even Formaldehyde are found in skin creams, shampoos and blusher. Studies also found that people working in the cosmetic industries were four times as likely to develop multiple myeloma and malignant bone tumour.

There are no regulations to protect your health!

In cosmetics are many synthetic inexpensive ingredients that are stable and having a long shelf life; therefore, manufacturers love them, but using them over a long time will be dangerous.

What are Parabens? They are a mixture of various chemicals and acids containing antibacterial and antifungal properties which give Parabens their preservative quality. They are also highly valued by manufacturers for maintaining freshness in foods and cosmetics. There is no ability with those dangerous chemicals to regulate any of the ingredients in cosmetics.

These are secrets cosmetic and fragrance industries would rather not you to find out about. The people using those products will never know what they really contain. The exact ingredients in cosmetics and synthetic fragrances are not required to show up on product labels because they are classified as trade secrets.

For your safety avoid any products with Parabens or any similar word ending in Parabens. If there wouldn’t be any health risk in all of this, why is the European Union restricting the use of Parabens in cosmetics?

There are natural products available to replace the chemical ones without any side effects or health risks. Just as an example: Coconut oil is a great facial cleanser, make up remover, skin moisturizer for face and body, insect repellent, for dandruff and dry scalp, even treatment of head lice, all natural with no chemicals or toxins.

There are very few reputable companies producing totally organic, chemical and toxin free products you can trust. Therefore, we must only choose pure quality, effective and safe to use for any age group, especially for the most vulnerable ones: Babies and children.