How Safe Are Your Cosmetics?

Do you Know What is In Them?

For many of us to go out without our make up correctly applied and our morale boosted by looking lovely is just not possible. How often have you seen a girl in the car next to yours at the traffic lights finishing her “touch up” in the rear view mirror? How we look and how others see us is often very important. But for those of us who wear “maquillage”  to add that extra “shine” to our appearance, as well as ladies who do not actually use daytime makeup but instead use skin cleansers, hair sprays or night creams, it all adds to the multi billion market of the cosmetics industry. But have you ever stopped to look at the label, the list of ingredients; what the products you use might be made from? Or more importantly, found anything on the package that says the product is free from nasty things?

I often get asked to advise ladies – and the odd man – who have found strange things happening to their face or other areas where they have applied a product bought from a shop. It is not unknown that after a first application or ever more likely, many years of use of the same product, that the skin fights back. It does so by telling you that it does not like what is happening to it in the form of a rash, discolouration or other

But what is the body fighting against? Toxic ingredients, that’s what! Thanks to the very easily found loopholes in labeling laws and regulations concerning ingredients, manufacturers are increasingly using products that are, if the rules are followed properly, simply not allowed. In a list of toxic ingredients, broadly described under the headings of carcinogens, endocrines or hormonal disrupters, skin penetration enhancers and allergens can be found colours made from coal products, formaldehyde or hormonal disrupting phthalates and synthetic “ aroma boosters” which are used to intensify the synthetic fragrances.  Eye make up has been singled out in one report as being a significant risk. All of these, and many more besides, are readily absorbed by our not so thick and highly absorbent skin.  So why are they are there?  Because they reduce the cost of production and sharply boost the profit margin of the producer.

And it is not just the person who uses that cosmetic that is at risk; it is the child she might bear. Phthalates are hormone disrupters. In men they are known to reduce or even eliminate the effectiveness of sperm. In women phthalates  have been shown to reduce fertility and can cause early breast development in youngsters. They can affect the foetal development of the unborn child; baby boys of high dosage phthalate mothers may suffer altered testosterone level or genital malformations. The research into the not so nice side effects of these toxins is far from complete, but is clearly pointing towards serious dangers for the users of commercial makeup.

So can we still use cosmetics and avoid any of the risks of being damaged by them? Yes, it is possible. Firstly, see if there is a notice on the packaging giving a clear indication of the product being chemical free.  But above all else look for a range of cosmetics that sets out be either pure or organic.

John Osborne is a self-trained Naturopath with over 35 years of experience. Of an engineering formation, he looks at the root causes of people’s problems to discover the “why” rather than the “visible”. Using all forms of a natural approach, John includes phototherapy, homeopathy and aromatherapy among the means of aiding people to find a solution to their problems. John is not a doctor, so cannot diagnose, but works with the leading authorities in the world on the natural ways to cure serious illness.. His advice is given free and he is readily contactable via his website Remede Naturel.