Since 2013, I have been utilizing the website (now also a handy app) EWG.Org to find how toxic my everyday products are. Now, why would one want to do that? Well, I am no healthcare professional – but, believe that the products we use can directly impact our health without us knowing it. Especially since, a lot of our everyday products are filled with chemicals like formaldehyde…yes, the fluid used to embalm dead bodies.
I believe that our bodies are constantly communicating with us…it can speak with a rash or an allergic reaction and if we don’t see that as a reaction, we try to remedy that ailment with an over the counter cure – not realizing that it may be our body saying “this isn’t working for us”. Again, my belief is that these little rashes or reactions become bigger issues and then can result in something more serious like Cancer, Infertility, etc.
Our familiarity with household named products and celebrity driven beauty items often lead us to believe they are safe, when in fact…some of them are the most toxic you can buy. Take for example the case of a famous branded Baby Powder that has been sold for 100 years, now being revealed that (according to CNN.Com) “tens of thousands of lawsuits filed by women who have developed ovarian cancer after regular talcum powder use.”
Just think about all the beauty products we use, how often we use them and how long we use them for. I’ve searched some of the products I use or have used and found mascara, lipstick and others to be full of toxins and these things are on our faces. I haven’t seen it yet, but there is a new documentary: “Toxic Beauty” which discusses this in full, available on AmazonPrime
It’s not just beauty or skincare, it’s also food products, cleaning agents, even furniture…yes furniture. Sofas and mattresses are often treated with chemicals like like things to make them flame-retardant, but those chemicals can linger for years and years.
Do I think these brands are adding in toxins on purpose…no. I can see that it comes from a positive place. If the consumer demands affordable products that last a long time, the company might add stabilizers and preservatives to make that happen. But, that can’t be the solution if it puts our health is at risk. I believe we don’t have to compromise our health to get the results we want. I do believe that these brands aren’t as forthcoming about their product ingredients and that our government does a poor job regulating them.
According to SafeCosmetics.Org, “The EU law bans 1,328 chemicals from cosmetics that are known or suspected to cause cancer, genetic mutation, reproductive harm or birth defects. In comparison, the U.S. FDA has only banned or restricted 11 chemicals from cosmetics.
Again, I am no healthcare professional and no expert on any of this – just providing my beliefs and insight, in hopes that you may learn something new and decide for yourself. Check out EWG.Com or ThinkDirty.Com (available on web and app) to check your products. You might be shocked or even relieved.
