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Cosmetics: An Environmental Hazard
By Daphne D'Gama
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India is fast becoming the choice destination for adventures with nature. GO! | | According to a cosmetic industry report
by market research firm Mintel International Group, 90% of 14 year
old girls use make-up on a regular
basis. The survey also reveals that
63% of 7 to 10 year olds now wear
lipstick, more than 2 in 5 girls in the
same age group wear eye shadow
or eyeliner and almost 1 in 4 uses mascara. | | .Feedback! |
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| Cosmetics are a huge industry and only one out of five women today use no cosmetics whatsoever.
“I apply make-up regularly, especially lipstick and eyeliner” said Devika De, student of Loreto College, Kolkata, when asked if she uses cosmetic products. Tween Josie Chu, an 8 year old, excited exclaimed “I love make-up! I use nail polish, lipstick and blush-on when I go out!” The wide variety of cosmetics available in the markets include skin-care creams, lotions, powders, perfumes, lipsticks, nail polish, hair colours, hair sprays and gels, deodorants, baby products, bath oils, bubble baths, bath salts, mascara, rouge, eyeliner, eye-shadow…the list is endless. But do we ever stop to think if these millions of products adversely affect our planet?
POLLUTION: Not only are most of the ingredients used in cosmetics injurious to health and add to toxicity in the environment but all the discarded make-up has to go somewhere – into landfills on tissues or down the drain. That’s not all…there all many millions of plastic jars, tubes and other containers along with packaging piling up each day.
ANIMAL TORTURE: Although studies show that because of vast physiological variations between species, human reactions to illnesses and drugs are completely different from those of other animals, animals are routinely cut open, poisoned and forced to live in barren cages for years. Today’s non-animal research methods are more humane, accurate, less expensive and less time consuming than animal testing. Yet change comes slowly and many researchers are unwilling to switch to superior technological development. As many as 115 million animals are experimented on and killed in laboratories in the U.S. every year. Much of the experimentation includes pumping chemicals into mice or rats’ stomachs, tearing muscle tissue from dog’s thighs and keeping baby monkeys in isolation chambers. Also the chemicals and toxic substances present in cosmetics affect several species of plants and animals. Some brands of nail polish contain dibutyl phthalate, or DBP, a chemical linked to cancer in animals.
TOXICITY: Other chemicals commonly found in cosmetics include acrylamide, formaldehyde and ethylene oxide - all listed by US Environmental Protection Act as carcinogens. It doesn't stop there - more toxins include mercury, lead acetate, ethyllacrylate, toluene, coal tar and petroleum distillates. Even lipstick is cause for concern as it contains man-made oils, synthetic colors and petroleum based waxes. According to the Environmental Working Group, a nonprofit environmental research organisation, which conducted an assessment of more than 1000 cosmetic brands, less than 1% are made from ingredients that have all been evaluated for safety. According to the survey some products contain carcinogens, reproductive toxins and other chemicals that may pose health risks. HUMAN HEALTH: Make-up and body care products have been linked to allergic reactions, birth defects, and even cancer. It is a medically recognised fact that our body absorbs significant amounts of what we put on our skin. According to the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, a program of the Marin Cancer Project that helps raise awareness about cancer-causing chemicals in cosmetics, the average consumer (including teenagers) uses 15 to 25 cosmetic and personal-care products per day. These products contain about 200 chemicals that have been added to preserve, dye and emulsify the products. Some are the same chemicals used in industrial manufacturing to soften plastics, clean equipment and stabilize pesticides.
WHAT SOULD YOU LOOK FOR IN A COSMETIC PRODUCT TO ENSURE THAT’S ITS ENVIRONMENTALY FRINEDLY?
Eco-friendly products, especially eco-friendly make-up are hitting the store shelves. It really pays to take note of the chemicals used in your cosmetics and researching the effect of those chemicals. Wherever possible, make the switch to earth-friendly brands.
Here are a few tips you could follow:
1. First and foremost, the product should not be animal tested. Animals are, after all, an important part of our environment. Look for the PETA cruelty-free logo on labels and familiarise yourself with their list of companies that do and don’t test on animals at www.caringcostomer.com.
2. Even products that are labeled as not having been tested on animals might contain animal parts. Slaughterhouse byproducts are often important ingredients in cosmetics. If it contains gelatine, collagen or animal based emulsifiers you would be smearing dead animals on yourself. A commonly used ingredient called spermataceti cetaceum comes from sperm whales!
3. Avoid products containing petroleum byproducts. Some ingredients to avoid include paraffin oil or mineral oil, propylene dlycol and ethylene. Not only do these come from unsustainable and non-renewable resources but also block pores or stop the skin from functioning properly by creating a barrier on the surface of the skin. An alternative eco-friendly product is coconut butter.
4. Make sure that your cosmetic’s ingredients don’t pollute the environment while they are being manufactured. Ensure that the packaging of your cosmetic product is recyclable and doesn’t contribute to landfills. Avoid PVC containers as they are the most environmentally damaging. Greenpeace recommends using glass containers as much as possible.
5. Do your own research. Just because a cosmetic is on the shelf it doesn’t mean it has been assessed for safety. Federal laws allow cosmetic companies the authority to make and label a product as they desire.
6. Eliminate excess as much as possible. Cut down on products that you don’t really need and try to use a multipurpose product like a general skin cream which can be applied all over. You could also visit the following links for more information on companies that produce eco-friendly cosmetics:
www.biggreenpurse.com
eco-local.org
It’s true that most girls love make-up, but does this mean that they can’t love the Earth too? A small conscious act of buying an eco-friendly brand of a cosmetic product goes a long way in protecting you and our environment - and you! |
