About two-and-a-half years ago, when I began working at an environmental health organization, I discovered something that has changed the way I look at everything around me, especially those that go in or on my body. What I realized is something that I think I had always known but never taken seriously or really considered before. I found out that most of the things I put on my body, eat, and use contain lots of chemicals, many of which are extremely hazardous to my health and the health of the planet.
I learned through the work of the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics (my organization is a founding member) that the FDA's testing standards for personal care products are limited. Basically, if a subject uses some hand soap and doesn't break out in hives and their hands don't fall off, it's called safe. This testing doesn't account for long-term health effects, timing of exposures (are you a baby? post-menopausal?), or the fact that low-dose exposures to certain chemicals can sometimes be just as harmful as swimming in a vat of them all day. So many of the mainstream products you find at the pharmacy, grocery store or beauty supply contain toxic chemicals that, over time, can contribute to cancer, birth defects and many other serious health concerns.
I had a bit of a freak-out at first: like I was in some cheesy 50s horror film where the woman suddenly realizes that everyone around her is a zombie and the walls start to close in. I felt betrayed and fooled. I wanted to throw out everything I owned: my toothpaste, shampoo, dish soap, even my damn favorite lip balm came into question. I was mad that I had ignored this for so long, mad that these huge corporations are willing to pump their products with toxins just to save a buck and make my hair shinier, and mostly mad that my government isn't trying to protect me and my fellow citizens from this onslaught. I felt so powerless to do anything...if I went my whole life without realizing this, how difficult would be to inform an entire population of women? It seemed impossible.
However, after a while I was able to take a step back and rationally take some actions toward a healthier life with less chemicals and more awareness of what is going into my body. I had been eating organic when possible for a while, so now I just make it a priority to get as much as I can organic, hormone-free and fair-trade. I replaced many of my products at home with safer ones using the safety rating system at the Skin Deep cosmetics safety database through the Environmental Working Group. Instead of replacing everything at once, I took it one step at a time and found the safer products that work best for me. I realized that I don't really care about the brands of many of the things I use. For me those were hand and body soap, shampoo, toothpaste, dish soap, and lotion. I switched those out right away, and then went on the hunt for safe versions of more important products to me like lip balm, conditioner and mascara. Eventually I found my favorites and now (mostly) everything I use is much safer for me than it was before.
I encourage everyone I know to try to make some healthy changes like this in their own lives. You can visit the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics site for information on how you can get involved in encouraging politicians, corporations and others in charge of things to better regulate what gets into the products we use and for tips on how to create a healthier future for yourself and your family.
It is also important not to adopt the defeatist "well, everything gives you cancer these days" attitude, because it doesn't have to. The reason we are surrounded by toxic chemicals is because it's cheaper and easier for manufacturers to use them than to find safe and natural alternatives. It is possible for change to happen. Look at the European Union. They were able to pass two huge regulatory directives which together banned over 31,000 chemicals from use in products for personal use (the EU Cosmetics Directive and R.E.A.CH.). How many chemicals have been banned in the U.S.? Nine. This means that cosmetics manufacturers actually use different formulations for their products in the EU than they do in America; and ours aren't the safer ones. This tells me that we can do something about this and maybe ensure that our children and grandchildren have a chance of avoiding the pain and devastation of cancer or other illnesses. Here's to a healthier generation of women.
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I love Skin Deep, the cosmetic safety database too.
Thank you! I don't know why my links didn't work...
Here's the link to the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics site, too.
Awesome. I've pondered doing an entry like this but you covered it well. I just used Head and Shoulders for the last time. Jason shampoo sounds much better. I got tea tree oil shampoo for my partner's dandruff. Once I started exploring downtown more, I saw how many places have different kinds of natural soaps. I've been using aveeno for lip balm and skin lotion which I think is okay stuff but I want to start buying from the Farmer's Market when I run out.
What kind of toothpaste do you use?
I use Tom's of Maine Spearmint or Apricot. They both got scores of 1 on Skin Deep, and anything that's 2 or below (out of 10) is considered safe.
Be careful with Aveeno. Some of their products rank around 2-3, but a good number of them come in as high as 7-9, including many of their sunblocks, moisturizers and lip balms. Check out Skin Deep and search the specific products you use to see how they score. You can also learn about which specific ingredients to avoid so that you can shop better without needing to carry around your laptop.
Re: toothpaste, it all depends on what problems you are trying to avoid. I have a sensitivity to the ingredient SLS (sodium lauryl sulfate). For years I got huge, painful canker sores (ulcers inside the mouth) all the time and I didn't know why. Then I discovered that this ingredient, while not the cause, can be one of the factors in people who are sensitive to this chemical. So, while Tom's of Maine toothpaste may have safer ingredients *in general* I can't use their toothpastes because of the SLS.
I look for toothpastes that don't have SLS (due to the canker sores) and don't have saccharin (can't stand the taste). Usually I get Biotene but maybe I'll find something even better by looking at the list on the web site.
Anyway, thanks for bringing up this topic!
I looooove Skindeep. I even did beta-testing of their new website because I live somewhat near the EWG building and my mom's into environmental stuff like that. Ever since I got wind of it, I check all my stuff with them. It's also useful because it lists whether the product is tested on animals or not (which is something I really care about).
I read in "Not just a pretty face" (A book that's about all the crap in our personal care products) a testimonial that was really interesting to me. One woman mentioned that the first personal care product she switched to a more organic, non toxic, version was her deodorant because you put it right next to your breasts (this was in the chapter about how a lot of companies endorse finding the cure but make products that may contribute to the cause!). It seems so obvious and yet makes so much sense. Speaking of which, I've been tying to find one that actually works and is safe to use. I've tried the crystal kind but it didn't feel right. Does anyone have any good brands (preferably that you know don't test on animals)?
As for the toothpaste I use, "Kiss my face triple action" toothpaste has a good health rating and I like it because it doesn't make me gag :P. I'd been looking for a minty-tasting alternative to toxic toothpaste stuffs and I liked it a lot better than Tom's, which to me had a weird taste.
Kiss My Face, Weleda and Nature's Gate all have good deodorants that score low on Skin Deep and work well (from my own experience). I use Weleda most regularly. I am not sure about animal testing, but those three companies are all signers of the Compact for Safe Cosmetics and one of the requirements is no cruelty, so it is likely that they do not test on animals.
I lurrrve my aniseed toothpaste. You have to REALLY like liquorice though!
I do appreciate this post, but it's not as easy to go chemical free as you make it sound. Most of the chemical free products I've seen are significantly more expensive than the "regular" ones. As a college student who lives off of financial aid and the $300 or so I make a month from my part time job, money is an issue. I'll take a look at the website, but are there any brands anyone can think of right off hand that are more inexpensive?
I'm also a student, and I have the same problem. The heath food shop in my home town sells natural shampoo and conditioner that did wonders for my scalp when I had skin problems, but they cost £10 each for a smaller bottle than most high street brands! Even the less expensive brands still cost nearly twice what the regular stuff does.
I was able to switch to Crystal deodorant because it works for me and lasts ages, but I just can't afford to replace anything else with chemical-free alternatives.
It seems so obvious and yet makes so much sense. Speaking of which, I've been tying to find one that actually works and is safe to use. I've tried the crystal kind but it didn't feel right. Does anyone have any good brands (preferably that you know don't test on animals ed hardy Tiffany Jewellery