I recent ran across this article: The Dirty Dozen Chemicals in Cosmetics.
In the article, Catherine Zandonella, lists 12 chemicals you should avoid in cosmetics:
- Antibacterials
- Coal Tar
- Diethanolamine (DEA)
- 1,4-Dioxane
- Formaldehyde
- Fragrance
- Lead and Mercury
- Nanoparticles
- Parabens
- Petroleum Distillates
- P-Phenylenediamine
- Hydroquinone
It’s scary to think that some of the items in the list are actually in our cosmetics. But, they are. And many of them will have a worse effect on growing babies and children. It pays to read your labels.
You’re right; it is very scary. Because of allergies and another autoimmune disease, I have to avoid other ingredients also, making it even more difficult to find safe products. My solution is to use as little of anything as possible. I just use a simple cream on my face after I bathe in the morning and that’s it. Once in awhile, for a special occassion, I will put on some light make-up, but with MCS, there are not too many special occassions. My family is used to seeing be bare-faced, and my husband thinks I’m beautiful anyway (which only verifies his poor eyesight).
Catherine – I quit wearing make up several years ago. Lipstick is the extent of it. Every thing I bought bothered me, so I just gave up trying.
I once worked w/ a lady who wouldn’t eat anything with more than 4 ingredients in it. I’ve just about taken that approach to everything I buy anymore. Sometimes it’s b/c I don’t feel like reading all those ingredients. But it also seems that the more ingredients there are, the worse the product is for you.