Most women feel strongly about their cosmetics. In fact, a Harris Poll found that 44 percent of women feel more homely when they don’t wear makeup. Given that 25 percent of the nearly 1,300 women surveyed said they had been wearing cosmetics since they were 13 years old or even younger, it’s not difficult to understand the relationship women have with their makeup.
But are your cosmetics harming you? Unless you are using makeup and other beauty products that are free of chemicals and heavy metals, chances are you are jeopardizing your health every time you use moisturizer, lipstick, eye shadow, eye liner, mascara, blush, toner, foundation, mousse, hair spray, concealer, lip gloss, or nail polish.
Did you know, for example, that you can find the following toxic heavy metals in cosmetics?
- Arsenic in eyeliner. Arsenic is associated with cancer, neurological disorders, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease
- Lead in lipstick. Lead exposure is associated with high blood pressure and kidney damage, as well as miscarriage and low birth weight in pregnant women.
- Cadmium in mascara, eyeliner and concealer. This heavy metal is a human carcinogen and can lead to kidney and respiratory damage.
- Mercury in skin lightening creams and soaps. Mercury can have toxic effects on the immune, digestive, and nervous systems as well as the skin, eyes, and kidneys.
And this is just the beginning.
