Would you assume that the cosmetics, or perhaps the cosmetics that your daughter uses, would be safe to use. It would seem reasonable to make that assumption. We should all be able to assume that the government would protect us from dangerous products like dangerous cosmetics. Sadly it doesn’t, and you need to source safe cosmetics so you’re not taking a risk with your health. Are you using safe cosmetics?

Sadly no. Neither the government or the major cosmetics companies take steps to ensure that our cosmetics are safe, and as a result there is a whole range of dangerous cosmetics and skin care products on the market which contain dangerous ingredients including lead, 1,4-dioxane and paraben.

Surely the FDA stops this? Unfortunately no it doesn’t. The FDA doesn’t test to establish the safety of cosmetics ingredients, and it says this on the FDA website. The government doesn’t make any attempt to ensure that the ingredients of the cosmetics that you use now are safe for people to use on their bodies. As a result the cosmetics that are found on the shelves of stores all around the US pose a threat to the health of American women.

This is now such a problem that there are whole organizations set up to raise public awareness about the risks of dangerous cosmetics, and the need to find a source of safe cosmetics.

But the government isn’t listening to the Campaign For Safe Cosmetics, and the cosmetics companies aren’t either. And so there is nothing being done to raise the safety of those blushes, mascaras, eye shadows, lipsticks, bronzers and more that US women use daily, not realizing that they may be damaging their health.

Here’s a couple of examples of unsafe cosmetics for you, though there are many.

The Campaign For Safe Cosmetics initiated laboratory testing of major brand name lipsticks in 2007. The report was astonishing. More than 50% of big brand name lipsticks, including some of the biggest names that you may well use now, contained lead. And you’re not even immune if you buy the most expensive brands, they were represented amongst the lipsticks that contained lead as well.

In 2002 laboratory testing found Phthalates, a family of industrial chemicals linked to birth defects and abnormalities in male genitals and feminization of males, in the majority of 72 common brand name personal care products, beauty products and cosmetics that we all use day to day. These included products by some of the biggest names in the industry, including Revlon, Christian Dior, Calvin Klein and Proctor and Gamble.

And this includes such common and everyday products like shampoos and toothpastes.

There were 72 products tested. Phthalates were found in 52 of them and Phthalates weren’t listed on the labels.

Now is that scary or what?

Is it possible to buy safe cosmetics? Yes it is, in fact the Campaign For Safe Cosmetics runs a register of companies that are prepared to sign a compact pledging the company to make products using only known safe ingredients. And there are some excellent safe cosmetics to be found, but you won’t find them on the shelves of your local store.

But it’s unlikely you’ve ever heard of these small niche cosmetics companies, because they don’t advertise on TV. But their products are top quality, and safe.

Find out more about safe cosmetics at my website.