By Sharon Wilson
I grew with the kind of mother who wouldn’t leave the house without her “face on”! When you take the literal meaning of this it sounds really funny but actually what my mother meant is not without her makeup. It didn’t matter if it was simply to walk to the grocery, my mother was in full camouflage. She once told me after a visit to the doctor, he remarked she would never get wrinkles as she aged because her face was so well protected from the sun with her heavy foundation. So my sisters followed in my mother’s footsteps and were never seen without their war paint, as I called it.
This lasted for awhile and then their skin started reacting badly to some of the cosmetics they were using. I had learned early that I had either some of the most sensitive eyes in the world or the chemicals in some of the products were simply too irritating for my skin.
As I picked up compacts of powders, blush, mascara, lipsticks and bottles of foundations from the pharmacy shelves, I began to wonder what is really in these tubes with the indecipherable ingredients lists. I am pretty good at reading food labels, but I found I might need a degree in chemical engineering to translate cosmetic labels, which of course begs the question why am I putting this stuff on my face and lips?
I didn’t realise how much blind faith we put into the cosmetic industry, assuming what they are selling us is safe. I thought I could breathe a small sigh of relief when I remembered that we have the FDA watching our backs. But alas, I came to find out cosmetics don’t fall under FDA jurisdiction, hence the explosion of “cosmeceuticals.” There is the federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C), which allows the FDA to classify cosmetics without actually regulating them.
The makeup industry is a multi-billion dollar one, and we are all familiar with the names of the leaders: L’Oreal, Revlon, Elizabeth Arden and Estee Lauder who in turn owns Clinique, Prescriptives, Origins, MAC, Bobbie Brown and Aveda.
Makeup is now on the radar and is coming under some intense scrutiny; with everyone going “green”. Makeup lines are starting to feel the pressure. Sales of plant based makeup are starting to eat away at the profits of the chemical laden ones and believe me those CEOs are starting to take notice.
What was once a fad in the ’70’s has now become a trend. Look at the phenomenal success of Bare Escentuals mineral makeup. Major cosmetic companies are now following their lead. I know so many women who swear by this line. Even my friends who are Estee Lauder loyalists have switched over!
So what’s a consumer sans a chemistry background to do? Look for products with simpler labeling. Do not be scared into running out and grabbing the first bottle you see labeled “Natural” as many so-called natural products have few plant based ingredients that are partnered with synthetic preservatives and dyes...So please make sure and check the box explaining the ingredients and it purpose.
Remember the skin is an organ too, and what we put in our bodies is just as important as what we put in them. A recent report found women who are using makeup on a daily basis are absorbing five pounds of chemicals a year (Telegraphic co.uk) and we are using as many as 20 different beauty products a day without knowing the effects and how they interact with each other.
Now I doubt even knowing all this women are going to put down the lipstick and step away from the bronzer – I openly admit I haven’t, but what I have done is purchased my makeup from companies known for using pure ingredients such as Aubrey Organics and Dr Hauschka.
Like they say beauty is only skin deep.
Sharon Wilson is the manager/founder of Earth Scents handmade soaps and candles. Please send comments queries to earthscents@hotmail.com
I grew with the kind of mother who wouldn’t leave the house without her “face on”! When you take the literal meaning of this it sounds really funny but actually what my mother meant is not without her makeup. It didn’t matter if it was simply to walk to the grocery, my mother was in full camouflage. She once told me after a visit to the doctor, he remarked she would never get wrinkles as she aged because her face was so well protected from the sun with her heavy foundation. So my sisters followed in my mother’s footsteps and were never seen without their war paint, as I called it.
This lasted for awhile and then their skin started reacting badly to some of the cosmetics they were using. I had learned early that I had either some of the most sensitive eyes in the world or the chemicals in some of the products were simply too irritating for my skin.
As I picked up compacts of powders, blush, mascara, lipsticks and bottles of foundations from the pharmacy shelves, I began to wonder what is really in these tubes with the indecipherable ingredients lists. I am pretty good at reading food labels, but I found I might need a degree in chemical engineering to translate cosmetic labels, which of course begs the question why am I putting this stuff on my face and lips?
I didn’t realise how much blind faith we put into the cosmetic industry, assuming what they are selling us is safe. I thought I could breathe a small sigh of relief when I remembered that we have the FDA watching our backs. But alas, I came to find out cosmetics don’t fall under FDA jurisdiction, hence the explosion of “cosmeceuticals.” There is the federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C), which allows the FDA to classify cosmetics without actually regulating them.
The makeup industry is a multi-billion dollar one, and we are all familiar with the names of the leaders: L’Oreal, Revlon, Elizabeth Arden and Estee Lauder who in turn owns Clinique, Prescriptives, Origins, MAC, Bobbie Brown and Aveda.
Makeup is now on the radar and is coming under some intense scrutiny; with everyone going “green”. Makeup lines are starting to feel the pressure. Sales of plant based makeup are starting to eat away at the profits of the chemical laden ones and believe me those CEOs are starting to take notice.
What was once a fad in the ’70’s has now become a trend. Look at the phenomenal success of Bare Escentuals mineral makeup. Major cosmetic companies are now following their lead. I know so many women who swear by this line. Even my friends who are Estee Lauder loyalists have switched over!
So what’s a consumer sans a chemistry background to do? Look for products with simpler labeling. Do not be scared into running out and grabbing the first bottle you see labeled “Natural” as many so-called natural products have few plant based ingredients that are partnered with synthetic preservatives and dyes...So please make sure and check the box explaining the ingredients and it purpose.
Remember the skin is an organ too, and what we put in our bodies is just as important as what we put in them. A recent report found women who are using makeup on a daily basis are absorbing five pounds of chemicals a year (Telegraphic co.uk) and we are using as many as 20 different beauty products a day without knowing the effects and how they interact with each other.
Now I doubt even knowing all this women are going to put down the lipstick and step away from the bronzer – I openly admit I haven’t, but what I have done is purchased my makeup from companies known for using pure ingredients such as Aubrey Organics and Dr Hauschka.
Like they say beauty is only skin deep.
Sharon Wilson is the manager/founder of Earth Scents handmade soaps and candles. Please send comments queries to earthscents@hotmail.com
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