Toxins in Cosmetics!!! by YourEnchantedGardener Blog entry

Blog: Plant Your Dream!
by YourEnchantedGardener

Toxins in Cosmetics!!!

Liora Leah,
Home Health Environmental Advocate
gave permission for her very thoughtful
E-Zine called "In Our Own Homes"
to be reprinted here.

Any Comments?
Leave a Note Below.
What kind of Chemicals
is your skin Subjected to?

Your Enchanted Gardener,
Leslie

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More from Liora Leah:

What to DO about this Cosmetic Crisis:
http://curezone.com/blogs/m.asp?f=92&i=259

Boycott Kleenex and Save Trees!
http://curezone.com/blogs/m.asp?f=92&i=253

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HARMFUL CHEMICALS IN OUR COSMETICS & PERSONAL CARE PRODUCTS

What do chemicals like diethanolamine and triethanolamine, propylene glycol, sodium laureth sulfate, polyquatemium-10, methyl paraben, and disodium EDTA have in common?

They are all ingredients that may be harmful to our health, found in our every day cosmetic and personal care products such as shampoo and conditioner, deodorant, body and hand lotion, and shaving cream, to name just a few.

Products that are labeled "natural" are not necessarily free from these ingredients and also require close scrutiny by the consumer. For example, all seven of the above ingredients were found in so-called "natural" personal care products that my family and I use.

Doing a little research, I found out the following about these seven chemicals:

Propylene glycol, disodium EDTA , and sodium laureth sulfate „alter skin structure, allowing other chemicals to penetrate deeper into the skin, increasing the amount of other chemicals that reach the blood stream‰ (1).

Propylene glycol „causes a significant number of reactions and was a primary irritant to the skin even in low levels of concentrations‰ (The American Academy of Dermatologists, Inc., January 1991)(2) and „has been known to cause allergic and toxic reactions‰ (3).

Propylene glycol is found in shampoo, deodorants, cosmetics, lotions, and toothpastes.

Polyquaternium-10 „may be contaminated with impurities (acrylamide) linked to cancer or other significant health problems.‰ (1) This chemical is found in shampoo, conditioners, mascara, and facial cleansers.

Triethanolamine (AKA TEA) is used in cosmetics to adjust the pH; it „is thought to possibly cause cancer in humans‰ (1), and „causes allergic reactions including eye problems, dryness of hair and skin, and could be toxic if absorbed into the body‰ (3)

Diethanolamine (AKA cocamide DEA, lauramide DEA) „may be contaminated with impurities (ethanolamines and nitrosamines) linked to cancer or other significant health problems‰ (1).DEA is found in shampoo,conditioners, bubble bath, lotions, cosmetics, soaps, laundry and dish washing detergents.(2)

Methyl, propyl , butyl, and ethyl paraben are used as inhibitors of microbial growth and to extend shelf life of products.(3) They „may alter hormone levels, possibly increasing risks for certain types of cancer, impaired fertility, or alteration of the development of a fetus or a young child‰ (1).

Additionally, „methyl and propyl paraben (are) widely used even though they are known to be toxic. (They) have caused many allergic reactions and skin rashes. Methyl paraben combines benzoic acid with the methyl group of chemicals (and is) highly toxic‰ (3)

The ingredients I have listed are just the tip of the iceberg; these and other chemicals known or suspected of causing cancer, birth defects, allergic reaction, and other health effects are found in thousands of cosmetic and personal care products. The Environmental Working Group (EWG), in a study published in June, 2004, titled "Skin Deep", details 7,500 common, name-brand personal-care products and their chemical ingredients. One third of these 7,500 products contain chemicals that are possible human carcinogens. Nearly 70 percent of these products contain ingredients that can be contaminated with impurities linked to cancer and other health problems. (5)

Of 10,500 ingredients documented in the course of the EWG study, 89% had not been tested or evaluated in any way by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or the industry's own watchdog committee, the Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) panel. Fifty-four (54) chemicals were discovered that violate the CIR's own safe-use recommendations. (4)

"Most of the products you use have chemicals that haven't been tested for safety at all...Most people assume that if you see something on the shelf, it's safe for you. The findings of our study really contradict that" states Dr. Tim Kropp, a toxicologist with EWG.(4)

Acting on a petition filed June, 2004 by the EWG, the FDA issued an unprecedented warning to the cosmetics industry stating that the Agency is serious about enforcing the law requiring companies to inform consumers that personal care products have not been safety tested. Such an enforcement action could ultimately require companies to issue consumer warnings for the more than 99 percent of all personal care products on the market that have not been publicly assessed for safety.(6)

What can we do about the safety of the ingredients we use daily in our cosmetics and personal care products? We can

Take Action:

1) Join The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics

The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics is a coalition of public health, educational, faith, labor, women's, environmental and consumer groups. The mission of the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics is to protect the health of consumers and workers by requiring the cosmetics industry to phase out the use of chemicals that are known or suspected to cause cancer, genetic mutation or reproductive harm.

Founding organizational members of the Campaign include: Alliance for a Healthy Tomorrow, The Breast Cancer Fund, Commonweal, Environmental Working Group, Friends of the Earth, Health Care Without Harm, National Black Environmental Justice Network, National Environmental Trust and Women's Voices for the Earth.

Visit the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics website at: http://www.safecosmetics.org

2) Sign a Petition

At the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics website, a petition is available for consumers to sign, addressed to companies that make cosmetics and personal care products, demanding that these industries stop using chemicals known or suspected of causing cancer, birth defects, allergic reactions, and other health effects. View the petition at: http://action.safecosmetics.org/petition/

3) Environmental Working Group Report, "Skin Deep"

Read the Executive Summary of EWG's report of cosmetics and personal care products and their ingredients at http://www.ewg.org/reports/skindeep/report/executive_summary.php

Do a "home survey" of your own cosmetic and personal care products. Look up the ingredients at the Environmental Working Group's on-line study http://www.safecosmetics.org/facts/skindeep.cfm .
The website has listings of "unsafe" products and safer product alternatives.

4)Letter Writing Campaign

Over 90 companies have signed the "Compact for America", agreeing to formulate the products they manufacture domestically and/or globally to use only ingredients that are not known or suspected of causing cancer, mutation, or birth defects.

Look up the names of the companies whose products you buy on the website: http://www.safecosmetics.org/companies/signers.cfm.

If a name of a company is on the list, write that company thanking them for their pledge and letting them know you will continue to buy their products.

If the company is NOT on the list, or if you find an ingredient that is potentially harmful to human health in one of the products you use, write that company and ask them why that ingredient is in their product and/or why they have not signed the pledge.

You may want to put the following information in your letter, and ask the company to sign the Compact for America pledge:

The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics website is: http://www.SafeCosmetics.org
The website for Compact for America is: http://www.safecosmetics.org/companies/

5) Support Avon shareholder resolutions for Safe Cosmetics and transparency at Avon's Annual Meeting in May and write CEO Andrea Jung

L'Oreal, Revlon, and Unilver, three of the largest cosmetics companies in the world, have agreed to stop using chemicals known or highly suspected of causing cancer, impaired fertility, or birth defects, including two phthalates, DEHP and DBP. These chemicals are banned from cosmetics in the European Union and the Campaign has pressured top cosmetics companies to say they will remove the chemicals from products in the US and around the world. Avon is refusing to make the same important commitment. The second resolution shareholders will be voting on is a proposal about the need for transparency in the company's breast cancer fundraising and charitable giving programs. Click here to take action: http://www.safecosmetics.org//actioncenter/avonsh.cfm

Shareholders: If you own Avon Shares or think that your mutual fund might hold shares, click here to take action: http://www.safecosmetics.org/docUploads/Sample%20Avon%20Shareholder%20Letter%...

Tell Avon CEO Andrea Jung to get toxic chemicals out of Avon products: Even if you don't own Avon shares, your voice makes a difference. Click here to take action: http://action.safecosmetics.org/action/index.asp?step=2&item+13271 Then click on the sentence "Copy of Tell Avon to Clean Up Its Act!" to go to action letter.

6) California Residents

In response to weak federal regulation of the cosmetics industry, women‚s health and environmental health advocates are working to pass legislation in California to improve the safety practices of cosmetics companies. Working with groups like Breast Cancer Fund and National Environmental Trust, Senator Carole Migden authored Senate Bill 484, which would require cosmetics manufacturers to disclose ingredients linked to cancer and reproductive harm, give the State the authority to immediately require a review of ingredients and ingredient combinations; and allow the State to promulgate health and safety standards ˆ in occupational settings -- based on their investigations.

If you live in California: To help secure passage of this groundbreaking legislation, please tell your State Assembly member and Senator that companies should not hide cancer causing chemicals and reproductive toxins from the State or their consumers.

Support the California Safe Cosmetics Legislation: http://www.breastcancerfund.org/siteapps/advocacy/index.aspx?c=kwKXLdPaE&b=48...

7) Massachusetts Residents

A new study that analyzed dust samples collected from homes in 7 different states across the U.S. was released in March, revealing broad-based contamination from hazardous industrial chemicals that leach from cosmetics and other everyday household products. Thirty-five chemicals were detected in the household dust samples, including:

* Alkyphenols: common ingredients in personal care products such as hair dyes. Alkyphenols are widely recognized to mimic natural estrogen hormones leading to altered sexua| development in some organisms.

* Phthalates: found in personal care products such as perfume, nail polish, and hairspray. These chemicals disrupt reproductive systems in animals, particularly in male offspring, and can contribute to male infertility. They have been linked to asthma and respiratory problems in children.

Ten Massachusetts homes were included in this study, prompting calls for Governor Romney to require safer ingredients in cosmetics and personal care products.

If you are a Massachusetts resident: Urge Governor Romney to safeguard our health from toxic chemicals in cosmetics and other common household goods. For more information, visit: http://www.healthytomorrow.org/safer_ma.htm

8) Teens Taking Action

A project of the Marin Cancer Project, "Safe Cosmetic Campaign: Marin" was launched in January 2005 as a coalition of Marin County high school-aged teens supporting the national Campaign for Safe Cosmetics working toward safer, cleaner personal care and beauty products and smarter laws that protect our health and our families from toxic chemicals. The Campaign‚s hope is that young women and men ˆ perhaps one of the biggest groups who buy and wear makeup and are prime consumer targets ˆ will be inspired to educate their community and spread awareness about their rights to health. Their final Campaign action was their May 4, 2005 presentation of the Safe Cosmetics Bill of Rights. Signed by Campaign members, community leaders and partners, the document will demand their right to health and right to safe cosmetics and better standards and practices within the beauty industry such as voluntary self-enforcement of existing laws regarding labeling and safety testing. The teens will speak about their initial involvement, interest and all the actions in which they participated advocating for safe cosmetics. For more information about Safe Cosmetics Campaign: Marin, visit http://www.marincancerproject.org

Teens in Montana Educate Peers About Safe Cosmetics: GUTS! Girls Using Their Strengths, a teen leadership program of Women‚s Voices for the Earth organized a „Make Your Own Safe Cosmetics‰ fair in April in Montana to teach their peers about the problem of toxic chemicals in health and beauty products. The girls also created artists boxes, now located in stores around western Montana, to gather cosmetic packaging so the girls can collect information about the products people are using. The packaging will also be used in a community art project. For more information on GUTS, visit http://www.womenandenvironment.org/issuesguts.htm

9) More From the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics website

The issue of toxic chemicals in cosmetics has received widespread press coverage in more than 600 television, radio and print stories in major outlets across the country, including the Wall Street Journal, CNN and San Francisco Chronicle. Read more at http://www.safecosmetics.org/news/

For future updates, alerts, and information on how you can take action in your community: http://www.safecosmetics.org/action/index.cfm

To send information to friends and associates: http://action.safecosmetics.org/tellafriend/

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Resources used for this article:

(1) http://www.ewg.org/reports/skindeep/browse_products.php
(2) "Rub A Dub, Dub...Is CANCER in Your Tub?" Network News and Publications, 2003
(3) Hampton, Aubrey, „Synthetic Cosmetic Ingredients to Avoid‰, Our Toxic Times, January 2005, issue no. 173, vol.16, no. 1, pg 30.
(4) Ethier, Marc, "Under Our Skin" Friends of the Earth, Fall 2004, Volume 34, No.3.
(5) http://www.ewg.org/reports/skindeep/report/executive_summary.php
(6) http://www.safecosmetics.org/news/onnotice.cfm

--Liora Leah

#30,12:58 PM, 5/11/ RESET
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#55,. 11:02 AM links added to two other of her articles.
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