Beauty is only skin deep, or is it?

I learned of an extremely informative website while watching a documentary about breast cancer research last weekend.

Did you know?

• More than 500 products sold in the U.S. contain ingredients banned in cosmetics in Japan, Canada or the European Union (EWG 2007b).
• Nearly 100 products contain ingredients considered unsafe by the International Fragrance Association (EWG 2007c).
• 22% of all personal care products may be contaminated with the cancer-causing impurity 1,4-dioxane, including many children’s products (EWG 2007d, CDC 2009).
• 60% of sunscreens contain the potential hormone disruptor oxybenzone that readily penetrates the skin and contaminates the bodies of 97% of Americans (EWG 2010, Calafat et al 2008).
• 61% of tested lipstick brands contain residues of lead (CSC 2007).

Scary stuff, huh? The reason I'm posting this information is because it's so similar to our fight with food. We assume someone is watching out for us (one of our government agencies), but after a brief peek into the facts, it doesn't appear that way.

The EWG's Skin Deep Cosmetic Database is very informative and lists out the potentially harmful ingredients in countless cosmetics/health and beauty aids so you can be an informed consumer.  What a fantastic tool!

HERE'S THE RATING SYSTEM THAT THE EWG USES:

The ingredient hazard score, from 1-10 reflects known and suspected hazards of ingredients.

Low hazard	Moderate hazard	High hazard

Call me crazy, but I'm planning to check all my products and ditch any products with more than a low hazard rating. We cannot be too careful.  I went ahead and checked a few products that I use daily and I was surprised by what I found. 

My Chapstick - Level 6

 

My deodorant - Level 5

 

My daily biosilk hair treatment - Level 6

 My Maybelline Great Lash Mascara - Level 4

  My favorite Ocean Potion Sunscreen - Level 8

I challenge you to go to the Skin Deep website and check some of your everyday products.  Post what you find!