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Are Your Beauty Products Safe? Quiz
By Cait Johnson, inspired by the work of Annie B. Bond.
There has been a lot in the news lately about the lack of adequate health testing and warning information on beauty products. Many chemicals used in common soaps, shampoos, perfumes, cleansers, makeup, lipsticks, and more may be hazardous to our health.
Take this quiz to find out if you may be using products that could adversely affect your health and well-being.
Take a look at the ingredients of the beauty products you use. Then answer the following questions True or False:
1. Sodium lauryl sulfate appears as an ingredient in my shampoo or other hair products.
2. I notice a combination of sodium lauryl sulfate and TEA (triethanolamine, DEA (diethanolamine), or MEA (monoethanolamine) in one or more of the hair products I use.
3. The word “methylparaben” appears on a label.
4. My product lists “fragrance” on the label.
5. I see the words “dibutyl phthalate, or DBP,” or “diethylhexyl phthalate, or DEHP” on a label.
If you answered “True” to any of the questions, you may want to reconsider using those products. Here’s why:
1. Sodium lauryl sulfate is a suspected liver or gastrointestinal toxiocant and sometimes causes eye and skin irritation, hair loss, and allergic reactions.
2. When sodium lauryl sulfate is combined with TEA, DEA, or MEA, it can cause the formation of nitrosamines, which are carcinogenic. You can prevent this by adding 1 teaspoon vitamin C powder and 1/4 teaspoon vitamin A powder for every 8 ounces of shampoo.
3. Methylparaben is a commonly-used disinfectant in many products. But recent research has shown that, when exposed to the ultraviolet rays of the sun, it actually causes wrinkles and liver spots.
4. Artificial fragrances have been linked to a wide variety of health problems. Artificial musk, for example, has been shown to weaken the immune system. See Artificial Musks Weaken Immune System. And check out this story about a lawsuit won by a woman who claimed that the perfume worn by her co-worker made her too sick to work: Can Perfumes Make You Sick?
5. Phthalates—plasticizers found in numerous cosmetics and other products—have been shown to be hormone disruptors that can cause birth defects and other harm. For more information, see One Plastic to Be Sure to Avoid and Where Phthalates Lurk.
Find out more about the toxic chemicals hiding in your beauty products at The Environmental Working Group.
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14 comments
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- Rosalia B. says
- Apr 24, 2008 12:49 PM
Dear Annie,
I just want to say that I live in a country where you can't find organic and eco-friendly products.What can I do? Can you help me,Please?. Many thanks.
- Anne L. says
- Mar 13, 2008 1:30 PM
I have been trying to go organic as much as I can. I have converted my household products to Shaklee Get Clean (even recommended by Dr. Oz) - www.wellnessisez.com and have been using Origins organic skin care.
Every little bit helps!
- Shana Mcguyer-moberg says
- Mar 13, 2008 11:37 AM
I recently went totally organic. For me it started with realizing what all those chemicals were doing to my children. Natures Gate and Juice Beauty have great products. And let us not forget the old standby Dr. Bronners.
- Jeanie Johnson says
- Mar 13, 2008 11:09 AM
A very good company for shampoos, hair spray, gels and styling waxes is Giovanni. This company's organic shampoo suds up wonderfully without the lauryl sulfate and that's what that terrible stuff is for, simply sudsing. The shampoo I use is called 50:50 Balanced Shampoo. There are different types for different hair. I worked for years in a naturopathic clinic and our clients loved these products in the health store we also had. Another company is Aubrey Organics....their products are lovely however in terms of haircare, the items tend to be a bit heavy. Here's where Giovanni shines. If your healthfood store does not carry either of these, ask them to remedy that. Tell your friends and put the pressure on. Our local regular market is now carrying Aubrey products and Burt's Bees. Amazing what pressure will do!
- Michelle Shellabarger says
- Mar 13, 2008 10:47 AM
I like DHC products. The skincare products are olive oil based and haven't bothered my skin at all (first skincare that I can say that about!)
- L. L. says
- Jan 24, 2008 6:42 AM
I have recently found a wonderful company, woman founded www.mychelleusa.com the products are all Natural from Nature and included in the sample packet is a booklet that tells EACH ingredient and where it is from. There is NOTHING bad in any of their products. The founder was recently featured in Vegetarian Times explaining the horrible truth about Botox and the sufering animals go through, it's so very sick and sad. Mychelle products are VERY reasonable and they work!
- Elizabeth Kilchoer says
- Jan 23, 2008 3:43 PM
I personally stick to ALL Melaleuca products. They are safer healthier and much more cost effective than the toxic products on the market today!
I TRUST Melaleuca to provide me with product that are safe for me,my family and my precious children!!
- carol a. says
- Jan 23, 2008 2:22 PM
I developed strange hard red lumps in my armpit area and it took awhile fo figure out that I am now allergic to chemicals in most all underarm deodorants. I started using a natural mineral stone, called "Thai", found in a health food store. It is effective and lasts a long time. I am now very careful to read labels of products containing deodorants, including soaps and powders.
- Barbara Paolini says
- Jan 23, 2008 2:13 PM
It's hard to get away from parabens, whether it be methylparaben or any of the many others. Even cosmetics and many other products claiming to be natural have parabens. The best you can do is read the label and see what it contains and try to minimize how many chemicals are in your product. Just try buying the most natural products possible.
Sodium lauryl suphate is found in most commercial grade products that want to suds up, like hand soaps, face cleansers, shampoos, dish soap etc...natural substitutes are available and work well. Trying to find one you like is the hardest part. Synthetic fragrances are easy to avoid and there are so many natural ones, that actually have benefits.
- Cloudy S. says
- Jan 1, 2008 7:10 PM
I stay with the Shaklee product line. This company is 51years old and was way ahead of the natural, organic, nontoxic movement. I can trust this company. With 89,000 laboratory tests per year on all their products, I really can TRUST Shaklee.
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