What's in Your Makeup? :

Knowing what you put in your body helps you live a healthier life . We have become more conscious of what we eat by checking labels and ingredients, so wouldn’t you think that it would also be important to check what makes up the products we put on our faces and spray onto our skin?

Well, it’s easier said than done. When we buy make-up, lotion, perfume and other beauty products, it is difficult to find a list of ingredients. I just looked at my eye shadow, lip glosses and mascara and there is not a single ingredient listed anywhere. Go check that lipstick you can’t live without… see anything? Chances are you're a blind consumer, buying and applying products without knowing what goes into them. And believe it or not, cosmetic manufacturers are allowed to use practically any chemical ingredient without government approval.Decoding the Labels
If ingredients aren’t listed on your product, you will have to contact the manufacturer for the information. Once you have it, you may need help decoding what those things are. Odds are your favorite products have phathalates, which are industrial chemicals used as plastic softeners and solvents. Phathalates are found a variety of things from plastic bottles and children’s toys to make-up, and have been linked to birth defects.

You will also see the letters F, D or C. These are color components. Parabens are preservatives which make for longer shelf lives; magnesium silicate, dimethicone and mica allow powders and blushes to glide smoothly over the skin; and benzene is a petroleum derivative found in nail polish and blush.

Parabens have been detected in breast cancer tissue and benzene has caused hormonal imbalances. Phathalates are the most common ingredient found in the products mentioned, as well as in deodorants and perfumes. For a comprehensive list of which brands contain this toxic component, click here .

What’s a Girl to Do?
There are certain companies which have banned the use of such terrible ingredients. Burt’s Bees, Kiss My Face and Avalon Organics are some of the ones that have signed the “Compact for Safe Cosmetics.” For a list of 300 others, click here . You may never have heard of many of these companies, but it is worth looking to see if your local health food store carries them. Sadly, however, it’s the most well-known companies -- such as Estee Lauder, L'Oreal and Revlon -- that have refused to the sign the pledge for safe cosmetics.

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