Resources
Since the CIR is funded by the well known cosmetic manufacturers and the FDA allocates so little funding toward regulating the cosmetics industry, how can the consumer confidently make healthy choices when purchasing personal care products?
Since 2000 The Environmental Working Group (EWG), a team of scientists, engineers, policy experts and lawyers, have dedicated countless hours examining data, scientific studies, and performed their own laboratory tests to expose threats to your health and the environment, and to offer solutions. Their web site, www.ewg.org provides practical information you can use to protect yourself and your loved ones.
The EWG analyzed the health and safety reviews of 10,000 ingredients in personal care products. They discovered that there is very little research available to document the safety or health risks of low dose repeated exposures to the chemical mixtures in these products. According to the WEG, the absence of this data should not be mistaken for proof of safety. The more these low dose chemical exposures are studied, the more is understood that they can cause adverse effects.
Based on their findings, the WEG has developed Skin Deep www.ewg.org/reports/skindeep, a sophisticated online rating system that ranks brand name products on their potential health risks and the absence of basic safety evaluations.
Janet Nudelman, of The Safe Cosmetics Campaign, says she uses Skin Deep regularly to look up ingredients in personal care products to find the safety reading. Her decision to purchase a product is based on the results.
The health and safety of you and your loved ones is your responsibility. Read the labels of personal care products closely. If there are ingredients that you are not certain about, write them down and do a quick search to insure they are safe for use by you and your loved one.
References:
The Make-up Labyrinth, Shauna Dineen, E The Environment Magazine, November-December 2005
