Cosmetics and Carcinogens.

In the 1920’s there was a huge boom of consumption of cigarettes: mom smoked them, dad smoked them, even your doctor smoked them and recommended that you did too. If you look up “cigarette ads 1920” on Google you will find that about half of the ads feature a doctor endorsing the cigarette brand for health benefits, or just say that most doctors smoke them so you should too. 

Nowadays the idea that a doctor would recommend that you use something so harmful for your body is insane and any doctor would agree that you should stop smoking if you are.

At the time, however, even the healthcare professionals didn’t know any better. They didn’t see the correlation between smoking cigarettes and the ailments that accompanied smoking. Today we are at a crossroads where people are beginning to notice the correlation between the cosmetic products we use and the health issues they impose. From deodorants, shampoo and make-up, there has been an influx of awareness that some of these products can cause serious health issues. Conventional cosmetics in particular are loaded with harmful chemicals that can wreak havoc on the human body. The issue now, is the larger cosmetic companies are advertising the benefits of their products while these same products are literally poisoning their consumers.

            Much like the cigarette ads of the 1920’s, any face wash or make-up ad today will exclaim how the product is supported by a skin doctor or that it has amazing benefits. How can we know what is harmful to us if even dermatologists are saying they are beneficial?

We have to know what to avoid, and disregard what the big companies are saying about their own products. Awareness of these chemicals is key to avoiding them, and thus avoiding their side effects. A friend of a friend recently recovered from breast cancer; in the interim of her recovery and her next check-up she decided to do some research into what is inside of tumors so she could avoid whatever it may be. What she found?

One family of chemicals was in every case she researched. Those chemicals were parabens.  In fact, the most common chemicals found in most cosmetics are parabens, which are a class of preservatives used in make-up and other toiletries to prevent bacteria growth. (If you are curious for more info, try this recent article from the UK Huffington Post)

Often accompanied by other chemicals, but present in over ninety nine percent of cancer tissue, parabens are the ‘kingpin’ of all cancer-causing agents, better known as carcinogens. (breastcancerfund.org) Other members of the carcinogen gang include: oxybenzone (linked to low birth weight, cellular damage and hormone disruption), phthalates (plastics linked to endocrine disruption and liver/kidney/lung damage and cancer), talc (similar to esbestos in composition and linked to ovarian cancer and respiratory problems), as well as formaldehyde releasing agents which come in over 5 different varieties (like DMDM hydantoin, diazolidinyl and imidazolidinyl urea, methenamine, and others). (greenamerican.org) Like wolves dressed in sheep’s clothing, mass-producing cosmetic companies preach they are on the consumers side by giving them confidence, flaunting their best assets and even providing health benefits.

This is all a ploy to get the average consumer to purchase their products, and these companies don’t really care for their customers’ well being. If they did, they would care about the cancer causing, hormone disrupting and overall toxic agents they put in their products. At the end of the day, cancer and ailments associated with hormonal imbalance (like polycystic ovarian syndrome and endometriosis) are not worth the boost of confidence that can come with applying their products. 

Why would these companies poison us with harmful chemicals, and say they are trying to help us?

            What they care about is money. Parabens are used so that the product has a longer shelf life. When products have a longer shelf life these major companies can sell more product, since no one wants to buy a face wash that has ‘gone bad’. If they sell most or all of what they make, they can make much more money. The same goes for many of the other chemicals: synthetic materials simply last longer on a shelf while their natural and more holistic counter parts do not.

It is also much cheaper in the process of making these products to create synthetic materials for cosmetics than it is to harvest, manufacture and transport minerals, oils, herbs and natural fragrances like essential oils. Simply put: carcinogenic synthetic materials, loaded up with equally carcinogenic parabens and a dash of a chemical that provides fast results for a certain frustration (like getting rid of acne or wrinkles) is much more lucrative than using the natural products that will actually help your body to heal from its ailments.

            It is evident that these major cosmetic companies are not really on our side. Luckily there are healthier and safer alternatives to the average chemically loaded cosmetic product. An app that has been recently developed called ThinkDirty allows you to scan your cosmetics and toiletries at home and will break down for you which chemicals are hiding in your bathroom. This is how I discovered that the average toxicity levels of the products I use and have for years were about a 9, which is highly toxic.

Using that app I also discovered that my foundation contained mutagenic compounds, which literally mutate your DNA, leading to cancer. I found too, that my polycystic ovarian syndrome (caused by hormonal imbalance in the body) was triggered by the hormone disruptors (like butylparaben, isobutylparaben and octinoxate) in my foundation as well as my make-up remover.  (ThinkDirty App) Through the app I also was recommended products made by Lavera and Well People, which I now use and decided to make my own deodorant to avoid parabens.

Recipes for this, you can find online and it is very simple to do and relatively cheaper than conventional deodorants. I use this one by Wellness Mama. (It works like a dream. I use it once in the morning, and never have a problem with BO when I use it!)

Avoiding these chemicals can be easier than you think, and natural alternatives even work better than some of the major products advertised today.

We need to shift our trust from the major cosmetic companies and turn it towards the more natural companies if we want a healthier future.

WORKS CITED

-Cigarette Ad Google Search- https://www.google.com/search?q=cigarette+ads+1920&espv=2&biw=1739&bih=974&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0CAYQ_AUoAWoVChMIvqem3NiryAIVyco-Ch22EwrD

-“Parabens” – Breast Cancer Fund-  http://www.breastcancerfund.org/clear-science/radiation-chemicals-and-breast-cancer/parabens.html

- “Chemicals in Costmetics” – Breast Cancer Fund - https://www.google.com/search?q=cigarette+ads+1920&espv=2&biw=1739&bih=974&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0CAYQ_AUoAWoVChMIvqem3NiryAIVyco-Ch22EwrD

-“9 Toxins to Avoid in Personal Care Products” – Green American-
https://www.google.com/search?q=cigarette+ads+1920&espv=2&biw=1739&bih=974&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0CAYQ_AUoAWoVChMIvqem3NiryAIVyco-Ch22EwrD

- ThinkDirty App- Ingredients Section of common cosmetics.