Pretty Poison: An Insight into Cosmetic Safety
by Allyson Drosten-Brooks
This past week I headed home to spend time with my family for the holidays. Upon settling in, my mom handed me a book Not Just a Pretty Face: The Ugly Side of the Beauty Industry by Stacy Malkan. A year ago I would have thanked my mom and tossed the book aside. My mom has constantly been on my rear about the amount of makeup and personal care products I use. I didn’t think it was a big deal. They sell the stuff in stores, there’s no warning label on them like there is on alcohol or tobacco. Could they really be that bad?
After meeting Sean and becoming a part of the Underground Wellness Team, I’ve learned to think twice about everything I put in or on my body. I feel like I’m going to live twice as long with all the knowledge I’ve gained! That’s what made me take a second look at the book. I skimmed the back and thought to myself, this book is SO Sean!
I started reading. The book mentioned that phthalates, a common ingredient found in personal care products, were toxic. I jumped up and ran to the bathroom to read the labels on my products. None of them listed phthalates as an ingredient. Phew! Then I kept reading. A study was done in 2002 where 72 popular beauty products were tested for the toxin and nearly 75% had phthalates. I couldn’t help but wonder whether I had been dousing myself in toxic chemicals for the past 25 years.
According to the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics website, research suggests that phthalates disrupt hormonal systems, which can cause harm during critical periods of development. One of the ways that phthalates interfere with reproductive functioning is by reducing the levels of sex hormones, which are critical for development and functioning of the sex organs. Additional research suggests that these same mechanisms may link phthalates to breast cancer.