Chemicals in Cosmetics

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In 2008, a committee presented the results of a study analyzing hundreds of personal care products. 1 in 5 was found to contain cancer causing chemicals, 80 percent were found to contain hazardous chemicals and 56% were found to contain chemicals which deliver the cosmetics deeper into the skin.

In 2011, a study found that once opened, many cosmetics can become a breeding ground for staph and other bacteria.  One doctor, told MSNBC, she is treating 1-2 women a month for "cosmetic related infections".  The safe cosmetics site stated that only a handful of chemicals routinely used in cosmetics, have been cleared for safety.  Of the rest, the repercussions of use of most of the chemicals are unknown and a few have been found to be cancer causing in animal studies.

As of 2011, there are no regulations which require those companies producing cosmetics to make them safe.

Now we know that the skin is like a sponge and absorbs what you put on it well.  The skin is used as a delivery system for several medications (like the nicotine "patch", the birth control "patch", pain medication and more).

The CDC has identified many chemicals which you may be absorbing into your body every time you put makeup on or use one of thousands of products available. According to one website, the average woman uses 11 or more beauty care products daily.

There are some cosmetics which claim to be safe and not contain these chemicals.

There is a group which is working to educate the public and make cosmetics safer:

Campaign for Safe Cosmetics  This website contains many scientific resources on the toxins in cosmetics.

If you look up "cosmetics" on the CDC site, you get several reports of toxins...

Here's just one of them  http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxguides/toxguide-187.pdf