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Loading...6 Weird Ingredients in Your Makeup
- Samantha, selected from DivineCaroline
- May 6, 2012
- 4:03 pm
- 58 comments
By Allison Ford, Divine Caroline
Although most ingredients are harmless, some substances in cosmetics do raise an eyebrow or two. Like formaldehyde, for example. Recently, California’s Department of Toxic Substances Control found that even nail polishes that claimed to be free of the “toxic three”—formaldehyde, dibutyl phthalate, and toluene—contained the substances. (For the record, most major polish manufacturers have come out and said that surely their polishes were fine and they never lied. Ahem.)
But harmful carcinogens and unidentifiable chemicals aside, there’s still weird stuff lurking in cosmetics. Stuff that’s not necessarily toxic, but definitely strange. Stuff like this:
Crushed-Up Bugs
Carmine is a natural red dye. Natural equals good, right? Well good in the sense that’s been around for a long, long time, but bad in the sense that it’s made from crushed beetle shells. Yes, carmine (sometimes called crimson lake or cochineal) is derived from the crushed exoskeletons of tiny female beetles. Some people are mildly allergic to it, but if you’re trying to avoid it, don’t stop at cosmetics—avoid yogurt, juice, candy, and other dyed-red food products, which often contain it as well.
Samantha, selected from DivineCaroline
At DivineCaroline.com, women come together to learn from experts in the fields, of health, sustainability, and culture; to reflect on shared experiences; and to express themselves by writing and publishing stories about anything that matters to them. Here, real women publish like real pros. Together, with our staff writers, they’re discussing all facets of women’s lives from relationships and careers, to travel and healthy living. So come discover, read, learn, laugh and connect at DivineCaroline.com.
Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may
not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.
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Thank you so much, Maria.
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interesting approach.
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58 comments
+ add your ownOh wow! Thanks!
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I'm not seeing how any of these are weird or gross...? Nice article!
That's just gross.
All of those are gross expect for the hot pepper oil :/ I guess we should be looking at the ingredients more carefully.
Okay the Carmine has started grossing me out, and here's why, I ordered a Passion Fruit Tea from Starbucks the other day and had an adverse effect. I thought I was going to get sick about 20 minutes after I drank it.. I would rather not ingest or place these dead bugs on my face.. There has to be better alternatives to these and many other ingredients...
Interesting,,,,
Thanks
Oh, and you want yuck factor? Research what women used to do for birth control a la Greco-Roman era. (I'm glad I'm a woman now, I'm so so glad I am a woman in this day and age!) And also what they did for libido enhancers!
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