EcoSuperior Environmental Programs

Personal Care Products

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An adult is exposed to an average of 126 different chemicals every day from personal care products such as shampoos, deodorants and cosmetics.  Our skin will absorb some of the ingredients in these products.

image Take a moment to think about all the personal care products you currently use—soaps and bodywashes, toothpaste and mouthwash,  deodorants, lotion and moisturizers, eye shadow, lip gloss, aftershave, perfume, sunscreen, hair colouring.  Now think about your skin—the body’s largest organ has the ability to absorb what we put on it.  Aerosol sprays are hard to avoid inhaling, and that flavourful lip balm is very easy to lick off.  Is it surprising that some of the stuff we put on the outside of our bodies ends up on the inside?

  image What can you do?

  1. Read the label and research the ingredients.
    Some ingredients are safer than others.  Use an internet search engine to find safer cosmetics.  Try looking up your favorite products at this cosmetics database. Download our 'Dirty Dozen' wallet card (pdf) to take shopping with you.
  2. Watch for terms like ‘natural’, ‘organic’, ‘hypo-allergenic’ and ‘fragrance-free’.
    When it comes to labeling, words don’t always mean what they should.  There is no legal definition for ‘natural’, ‘organic’ or ‘hypo-allergenic’ so they are just hype.  Look for the words “certified organic.” And even then, only 95% of the ingredients need to be organically grown for multi-ingredient products like cosmetics.  Fragrances can contain hundreds of unlisted ingredients, including a masking agent that has been applied to cover the smell of the product.
  3. Use fewer products in smaller amounts.
    Consider using fewer products, in smaller amounts and/or less often thereby reducing your chemical exposure. 
  4. Choose products with fewer ingredients.
    The ingredients in personal care product react with each other in all sorts of ways.  The fewer ingredients we put on our bodies, the better.
  5. Limit children’s use of cosmetics.
    Your children’s bodies are developing very quickly, so they are more likely to be affected by some of the ingredients in these products

Contact us  if you would like someone to present for your community group on this issue.

 

Page last updated on Wednesday, January 27, 2010