Dangerous chemicals are found in makeup

Clowns and women alike — beware! There may be toxic chemicals hiding in makeup. Most cosmetics sold in the United States have never been checked for safety in regards to the chemicals these products contain.

The Environmental Working Group (EWG) released a study of 7,500 brand name beauty products publicizing the chemicals found in each item including soap, shampoo and toothpaste.

Their Web site, www.ewg.org also provides the health hazards that are linked to each ingredient. Some of these ingredients are linked to cancer or reproductive problems. Makeup wearers everywhere should be informed of the possible hazards in their beauty cabinet.

Currently, the EWG is petitioning for the Food and Drug Administration to assess the possible health hazards of these products and subsequently holds makeup companies responsible for misbranding. The cosmetics industry does not have to approve their products before marketing and selling and feels that the actions of the Europeans towards these chemicals are unnecessary.

The European Union has banned phthalates, a compound found in cosmetics, because it is linked to cancer and fetal deformities. This compound also helps keep the products from smearing and cosmetics companies in the United States do not have to list it on their labels so consumers may never know exactly what they are rubbing into their skin.

There are only five companies that have taken the deadly chemical from all of their products: Body Shop International, Urban Decay Cosmetics, and Aveda Corp.

Estee Lauder Companies, Inc, and Proctor and Gamble have followed this example with their nail polish only. The polishes free of the chemical are MAC, Clinique, Max Factor and Cover Girl, though their facial and skin products still contain the potentially toxic chemicals.

The small amount of carcinogen you may absorb from applying lipstick one or two days may have no side effects but when you wear the same thing day after day for a lifetime, the potential health hazard becomes important. Women wear approximately nine beauty products daily (this includes shampoo, soap, and toothpaste).

The toxins from makeup may not cause cancer alone but combined with a city lifestyle and the other air and water toxins, it is one piece of the cancer puzzle that can be eliminated. The EWG study found that using just those nine products, users expose themselves to 126 chemicals each day and a mere 11 percent have been tested for toxicity.

This may not seem like a serious issue, after all, no one has beauty product defects, right? But there is cause for concern. The birth defect hypospadias has been linked to chemicals found in nail polish and moisturizing cream. The son of former fashion model Olivia James was born with this condition, causing James to question her daily use of these products for years.

Here's a timeline: The University of Puerto Rico did a study in 2000 that linked phthalates to early puberty in girls. The compound has also been used to soften plastic and is sometimes found in toys for young children and babies. Harvard University in 2002 and 2003 linked phthalates to low sperm count in men and decided the chemical may have a connection to uterine problems in women and testicular cancer in men.

Women should not be wearing something that can potentially cause birth defects in their children. There must be regulation of United States cosmetic products in order to protect all makeup wearers from the adverse effects linked to these chemicals.