Many women use cosmetics daily to show the best of themselves, but in fact these products may not be as safe as they think! Experts question the health risks associated with some everyday makeup ingredients and other cosmetics. Explanations.
On average, a woman uses 10 cosmetics a day, which directly exposes her to 126 chemical ingredients that are often classified as carcinogens, mutagens, neurotoxins. Almost all the makeup currently sold commercially contains indeed paraben but also several other substances. What are the health hazards of these products and how can they be avoided?
What are our cosmetic products made of?
Unlike the guidelines on food, beverages and medicines put in place by health organizations around the world, the safety rules governing cosmetic products are not as strict. This means that it is up to the consumer to become a tag reader and to know the ingredients of makeup and other beauty products that pose significant potential health risks. Here are some of these chemicals that are the most common and the most controversial:
Phthalates
Phthalates are used to make products more flexible and are found in toys, foods and some cosmetics, such as nail polish and soap.
In the United States, a research published in Environmental Health Perspectives was intended to measure the rate of presence of this substance in the body of users of cosmetics, it turned out that women who had high levels of phthalates in their urine had a high risk of diabetes.
Phthalates can also pose other health risks, including low levels of hormones and small genital size in men whose mothers have been exposed to these chemicals during pregnancy.
The paraben
Parabens are preservatives used as ingredients in many cosmetic products, including deodorants, shampoos, makeup, lotions and oral hygiene products. But a recent study published in the Journal of Applied Toxicology revealed that this substance represents an increased risk of breast cancer. The researchers found that 99% of the tissue samples taken from women with breast cancer contained at least one paraben and that 60% of the samples contained at least five parabens. Researchers suspect that the estrogenic effects of parabens in the body may be partly responsible for the health risks they cause.
Synthetic perfumes
Synthetic fragrances are practically part of all our cosmetics. These are chemical agents, under the generic fragrance or fragrance, which expose users to endocrine disruptors and therefore affect reproduction, obesity and some cancers among others.
The lead
A heavy metal found in a large number of make-up products, especially those with more pigment, such as eye shadow, lipstick, and eyeliner. This ingredient is a powerful neurotoxin that, when it enters the bloodstream, causes neurological disorders, infertility and cancer.
Makeup collects fungal spores that float in the air
The fungal spore is the reproductive cell of fungi. When you use your makeup, you put these spores in your pores, your eyes and your mouth. This can lead to infections and serious illnesses. When you share makeup, you transfer a box of petrified sprouts. Your makeup brushes do not just spread dirty makeup on you, they also remove dirty oils and dead skin from your face and let makeup accumulate on your hair.
Tips and tricks to reduce the risk of makeup for health
- If you want to protect your health, read the labels carefully.
- Use organic makeup that does not contain phthalate, lead or other harmful compounds, there is currently more and more brand of natural makeup that respects the skin and general health of the woman. If you can not, reduce the amount of makeup used daily to minimize the risk of exposing yourself to all the harmful substances it contains.
- Respect the shelf life of the make-up, as the antibacterial agents found there often begin to decompose after about six months.
- Moisturize and follow a balanced diet in order to look good in a natural way and get rid of all these chemical correctors of imperfections.