Let me put this in layman’s terms: most cosmetics, body care products, nail polishes and removers, deodorant, hair dye, hair products etc etc are made with harmful , sometimes toxic, ingredients. You will find things like lead, which is bad bad bad, in your everyday lipstick. Your body absorbs 60% of whatever you put ON it.
This is what I knew before I began reading No More Dirty Looks which was a scary, if very enlightening read.
It all started when I heard the Brazilian Blowout contained formaldehyde (which it does not, thanks to several hair dressers who quickly proved me wrong). Prompted by curiousity, I lauched a full on investigation of ingredients. My head is still spinning with the fancy chemical terms I learned to avoid.
I just had to read No More Dirty Looks and tore through the book in record time. I have several pages earmarked to read again.
I’ve been schooled! Authors Siobhan O’Connor (think she’s Irish?) and Alexandra Spunt wrote an excellent book about the harmful ingredients in our beloved beauty essentials. They outline all kinds of beauty products and the chemicals used to make them. Thank goodness they do give us other alternatives and suggested brands to try out.
Their website is packed with information and I urge you to check it out here.
Basically, if you see a long list of chemicals in a product and don’t understand what they are, how to pronounce the word or why its in there, you might want to avoid using it. On the other hand, if you pick up a lotion and see essential oils, natural fragrance, sweet Almond oil and shea butter, you know its okay. I’ve been using coconut oil in my hair and RoseHip Seed Oil on my face with Sweet Almond Oil on my body and so far, they work as well as the chemical packed products I used before without any weird side effects.
I could sit here all day and write about what we should avoid. However nervous I am about the lovely cancer causing, endocrine system interrupting, rash inducing ingredients in my favorite beauty products, I can’t stop cold turkey. Its going to take time to find out what works and what I’m willing to sacrifice for health- and beauty.
I most likely will not stop coloring my hair and I probably will not give up my favorite mascara or eye shadow. I might cut down on how much I use a product and subsitute natural hair dye for the regular kind, use a more natural lip gloss and find a good all natural deodorant. Start small…day by day.
Take a look at these sites for more information: Best in Beauty * Skin Deep Cosmetics Database * The Beauty Brains
