We have been learning about health concerns with personal products, toys, and plastics and protecting our children, but have you stopped to think about your own cosmetics? I watched a video clip on the Environmental Working Group’s (EWG) web site that prompted me to check my own skin care line. If you are like me and attempt to read the ingredient lists of my personal products, I just wind up confused (and convinced that I need to take an English course because I can’t sound our most of the ingredients). Plus, as one of the scientific analysts for EWG stated, that reading the ingredients list if pointless unless you know what to look for. And they go on to say that half of our cosmetics contain an ingredient that is linked to reproductive problems or cancer.
Especially interesting from the video, was the scientist mentioning the chemical paraben. I’ve seen it mentioned in various places, but didn’t know what the problem was. Even at the Farmers Market last Sunday, I noticed a vendor selling non-toxic products and she was marketing them as ‘paraben free’. The simplest way I can explain the problems these two chemicals (phthalates and parabens) cause is that phthalates attack a boy/man’s reproductive system and cause an assortment of cancers and parabans attack a girl/woman’s reproductive system and cause female cancers. I thought that I only needed to worry about my boys with the problems that phthalates cause, but after watching this news video, I started checking my own personal product line and noticed many of them contain ingredients ending in ‘paraben’…isopropyl-paraben, isobutyl-paraben, butylparaben to name a few in my Paul Mitchell smoothing hair conditioner. Yikes! I am also glad that I’ve replaced all personal care products for my girls with the non-toxic Trukid brand. Especially after reading that parabens are reported to be carcinogens found in breast cancer tissue as well as the problems they cause with reproductive hormones.
More breast cancers in women? More testicular cancer in men? Are the chemicals the cause? This is the million dollar question. I’ll put in my two-bits to this debate. From the second I wrapped my mind around the issue with BPA, I knew there was something to the debate about this chemical. Why are so many young people we know battling infertility, MS, cancers, etc.? I think everyone agrees it’s environmental and I would add that the chemicals like BPA, Phthalates, and Parabens contribute to the many health issues that effect the child-bearing public. So, as mother’s especially, we are so diligent about protecting our children from harmful chemicals…maybe it’s time to look at our own personal products. You can check your products on the EWG’s cosmetic database by clicking this link. We need to make sure that we are keeping ourselves healthy as well as our children. If you are like me, the more you learn, the more aware you are about these issues and it perpetuates around you. I’m sure my family and friends are tired of hearing about these environmental concerns - but it’s getting us talking about it! Spread the message of better health through your group of friends.
