Wednesday, November 21, 2007

HOW TO CHOOSE COSMESTICS AND SKIN CARE PRODUCTS


HOW TO CHOOSE COSMESTICS AND SKIN CARE PRODUCTS

1. Look for products with minimal packaging. Be wary of over packaged items such as boxed gift sets.

2. Look for packaging that has been, and can be, recycled. Look for the recycle labels on the bottom of glass and plastic bottles. Also look for labels that indicate the recycled content of cardboard, plastic and glass.

3. Avoid products containing petrochemicals. This is difficult to do, but worth it as petrochemicals are a common cause of allergies.



4. Look for plant-derived products, but we careful if you have sensitive skin. Some plant-derived ingredients can be quite potent and can irritate sensitive skin. Do some research online before you buy.

5. Avoid trace chemicals and pesticides by looking for cosmetics that contain organic ingredients.

6. Beware of added fragrances! Inhaled artificial scents are a major problem for asthma sufferers. If you do like a bit of fragrance, look for products that are scented with plant-derived pure essential oils instead of synthetic fragrances.

7. Choose inorganic sunscreens when looking for sun protection. Basically, inorganic sunscreens that rely on zinc oxide or titanium dioxide reflect and scatter the UV radiation. Other organic sun screening agents work by absorbing the UV radiation and dissipating it as heat. These organic chemicals not only irritate skin but are a potential health risk due to their effects on your endocrine system!

Hit the jump for the full list, which also recommends avoiding GMO ingredients, coal tar, and a bunch of other stuff that'll have you plugging the aisles reading ingredients labels when buying your next concealerSome Information should be understand about Beauty products

The US Food and Drug Administration has given notice to major manufacturers that all untested beauty products have to carry a label reading "Warning - the safety of this product has not been determined." Yikes! Christian Dior must have soiled his Calvin Kleins when he got that letter in the mail!

This notice comes after the Environmental Working Group (EWG) investigated over 7,500 products and found that 99% of beauty products contained ingredients that have never been tested for public safety. These tests also determined that 1/3rd of all beauty products contained ingredients linked to cancer.

This isn't just about the pressed powder in your purse, this is big business. The United States represents the largest market for beauty products in the world with sales of over $40 billion last year alone. And you can bet that L’OrĂ©al, Unilevel, Procter & Gamble, Elizabeth Arden, Dove, Maybelline and Nivea aren't going to go down without a fight.

Of course, for these companies to test the 10,000 chemicals they put in their cosmetics they'll have to torture hundreds of thousands of innocent mice, rabbits, dogs and monkeys. That doesn't sound like much of a solution either.

Will this lead to a mass movement by these big mega-corps to natural, organic cosmetics? Only time will tell. In the meantime, dump your makeup kit and go on a mission to find natural alternatives to the cancer-causing stuff you're likely wearing right now.

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