Would you shampoos your hair with neurotoxins and put make-up on your face that contained hormone disrupters?

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not test cosmetics (which includes lotions, shampoos, body washes AND baby products) before they go on the market. Our skin is the largest single organ of our bodies. It's like a sponge that absorbs whatever is put on it and pulls these substances into our bodies. Many lotions, shampoos, and baby products are loaded with potential irritants, carcinogens, neurotoxins, and hormone disrupters. Toxins from cosmetics can enter the body when we absorb, inhale and even ingest them during daily use. Despite this, the FDA still does not require safety testing before beauty products hit the market.

Most cosmetic companies test their products for common sensitivities, which are often tested on animals. However, researchers from the National Research Council found that "of the tens of thousands of commercially important chemicals, only a few have been subjected to extensive toxicity testing, and most have scarcely been tested at all."

How do you figure out what’s safe in beauty and personal care products? The labels on beauty products can be very confusing and difficult to understand. Cosmetic manufacturers are required to list all ingredients on cosmetics, but do you understand what the chemical stand for? I know I didn't - at least not until I started researching them. When a product states it contains sodium laureth sulfate which is disguised as a "natural" ingredient because it "comes from coconuts" should you trust that it's healthy for you? You would think so, right? Unfortunately, you would be wrong if you thought so.

Terms like "natural" and even "hypoallergenic" have no real meaning since products are not subjected to federal regulations. Advertisers know if they claim their products are made from natural elements, consumers will believe they are healthier and be encouraged to buy them. The fact is that just because an ingredients is naturally derived, does not necessarily mean that this product is safer for you. A great example is Petrolatum, better known as Petroleum which is naturally created from the remains of ancient organic material over time. Truth be told, Petroleum promotes sun damage and can interfere with the body's natural moisturizing mechanism.

At this point you are probably asking yourself, how can I find out if the products am buying pose a risk to my health. A good place to start is to purchase beauty products that contain USDA certified organic labels. Products with the USDA certified organic label must comply with certain standards under that program. Do not confuse products that claim to be "organic" with USDA certified organic.

Furthermore, look for products from companies that have signed the pledge created by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, a coalition of public and environmental health groups that lobby companies to voluntarily eliminate chemicals linked to cancer, birth defects, and other health problems. The steps for compliance with the compact require global compliance with the European Union’s Cosmetic Directive, performance of an ingredient deck inventory, substantiation of ingredients and impurities for safety, development of a substitution plan and transparency and public reporting.

Lastly, always read the ingredients and know what the ingredients mean. The Organic Consumers Association created a list of the 10 synthetic cosmetic ingredients to avoid. It's a very informative list and certainly something to familiarize yourself with. The Environmental Working Group's Skin Deep cosmetic database of ingredients is a great tool to check products for their toxicity level and also to find products that are worth your money.

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