Tom's of Maine Naturally Dry Antiperspirant, Powder
The first product I reviewed on the Safe Cosmetic Database was my deodorant. This is actually one of the first products I switched to when I first learned in-depth about environmental exposures in undergrad. On the EWG Skin Deep database, the product received a score of a 3 which has a low overall hazard. I try to choose products with zero concerns under "Cancer" and "Developmental and reproductive toxicity". Fragrance seems to be the highest concern with this product, with a score of 8. I find it extremely difficult to find good products with minimal to no fragrance, so I do my best to weigh the odds and choose products based on multiple factors. I tend to constantly refer to the EWG Skin Deep database to make sure that I at least avoid products with ingredient concerns under the "Cancer" and "Developmental and reproductive toxicity", mostly because I would love to have a family someday and I would like to lower the likelihood that my reproductive system be compromised.
Herbal Essence Totally Twisted Curl Boosting Mousse
The second product I decided to review is a product that I constantly use in my hair routine. I have wavy/curly hair that easily frizzes when I don't apply product. To prevent that from happening, I use copious amounts of mousse to tame my hair. This product received a score of a 5 which has a overall moderate hazard. However, I'm happy to say that there was zero concern under the "Developmental and reproductive toxicity" category, which is the one I'm mostly worried about and low concern under the "Cancer" category. Because I know this product isn't the best, I've been working on identifying a product that is less hazardous while still maintaining a similar hair routine. Unfortunately, most of the products I have identified usually come in smaller containers and cost double or triple what I pay for this product. Regardless, I will continue on my hunt to identify a healthier product, especially because I use this in my daily routine.
There are multiple products that expose us to hazards in our daily beauty routines. Unfortunately, there is a lot of ignorance on this topic, because as consumers we are sold beauty standards vs. the health outcomes of using these products. To address this, I believe there needs to be increased education and transparency about the way these toxins are affecting our bodies and I'm happy to see that consumers are becoming more aware as time passes and in turn, there is increased demand for healthier products. In addition, manufacturers should be held to higher standards and as consumers we need to demand these standards for them to take place. We are our best advocates. If we do not demand change, no one will demand it for us.
Video Reactions
Videos: Safe Cosmetics 101 & Ken Cook "10 Americans"
I'm sure I'm not the only one to say how alarming it is to learn about the toxins we expose ourselves to in the use of our everyday personal care products. I found multiple similarities that allowed me to compare the content from these two videos to the food and agriculture industry, mostly because the hazards associated with one are very similar to the hazards associated with the other. Yet, we only witness stricter regulations targeting the food and agriculture sector, even though toxins find their way into our bodies through more than ingestion.
Just as in food products, regulation is limited, giving manufacturers the ability to advertise using misleading information on packaging. It really hit home to read that personal care products are generally targeted to attract communities of color, another similarity to the food industry. We tend to see cheaper and more harmful products flowing into these communities with limited transparency. It's these communities that experience higher exposures and in this case result in increased toxins in mothers and their fetus during pregnancy.
As a public health provider, I find it really empowering to not only share this information with the community, but also give them an opportunity to advocate for themselves and their wellbeing. It was quite interesting to know that many acts aimed to protect us are extremely dated and in many cases protect the manufacturer more than the consumer, such as the fragrance "trade mark" example mentioned in the Safe Cosmetics 101 video. However, I feel like there has recently been a shift in the community demanding for safer alternatives and I agree that we cant "shop our way out of it". Through pressuring our representatives and community providers/markets, we can take a step towards making sure we have access to safer alternatives in our communities.
Video Reactions
Videos: Safe Cosmetics 101 & Ken Cook "10 Americans"
I'm sure I'm not the only one to say how alarming it is to learn about the toxins we expose ourselves to in the use of our everyday personal care products. I found multiple similarities that allowed me to compare the content from these two videos to the food and agriculture industry, mostly because the hazards associated with one are very similar to the hazards associated with the other. Yet, we only witness stricter regulations targeting the food and agriculture sector, even though toxins find their way into our bodies through more than ingestion.
Just as in food products, regulation is limited, giving manufacturers the ability to advertise using misleading information on packaging. It really hit home to read that personal care products are generally targeted to attract communities of color, another similarity to the food industry. We tend to see cheaper and more harmful products flowing into these communities with limited transparency. It's these communities that experience higher exposures and in this case result in increased toxins in mothers and their fetus during pregnancy.
As a public health provider, I find it really empowering to not only share this information with the community, but also give them an opportunity to advocate for themselves and their wellbeing. It was quite interesting to know that many acts aimed to protect us are extremely dated and in many cases protect the manufacturer more than the consumer, such as the fragrance "trade mark" example mentioned in the Safe Cosmetics 101 video. However, I feel like there has recently been a shift in the community demanding for safer alternatives and I agree that we cant "shop our way out of it". Through pressuring our representatives and community providers/markets, we can take a step towards making sure we have access to safer alternatives in our communities.
Hi Nalleli,
ReplyDeleteIt's wonderful that you use EWG to verify the safety of the products you choose to use. It's great that you know the specific toxicities that you're trying to avoid because of the health outcome goals that are important to you.