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How many cosmetics and toiletries do you use in a day?
Go ahead and add them all up, from shampoo and body wash
to makeup and hair dye. You assume those products are
safe and non-toxic, right?
But did you know that, according to the government
agency that "regulates" cosmetics, the FDA's Office of
Cosmetics and Colors, "... a cosmetic manufacturer may
use almost any raw material as a cosmetic ingredient and
market the product without an approval from FDA."
That's right. And an Environmental Working Group
analysis shows that
"89 percent of 10,500 ingredients used in personal care
products have not been evaluated for safety by the CIR,
the FDA, nor any other publicly accountable
institution." |
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Many common cosmetics like
shampoos, mousse, moisturizers,
deodorants and shaving products
contain PEG compounds shown to
have harmful impurities ... but there
are smart alternatives noted below!
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That means that the cosmetics you use daily likely
contain ingredients that have not been studied at all,
have been studied inadequately, or worst of all, have
been studied and have been found to cause harm.
Why You Don't Want Polyethylene Glycol (PEG) in Your
Cosmetics
One such ingredient that is widely used, yet seldom
spoken of, is polyethylene glycol (PEG). PEG-6, PEG-150
and other similar names are all close relatives of the
PEG family.
PEG compounds are synthetic chemicals used in cosmetics
as surfactants, cleansing agents, emulsifiers, skin
conditioners and humectants that many believe could
increase the risk of a variety of cancers, including
breast cancer.
They contain various harmful impurities, according to a
report by the Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) committee
that was published in the International Journal of
Toxicology, including:
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Ethylene oxide: Ethylene oxide increases the
incidences of uterine and breast cancers and of
leukemia and brain cancer, according to experimental
results reported by the National Toxicology Program.
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1,4-dioxane: According to the National Toxicology
Program, "1,4-dioxane is reasonably anticipated to
be a human carcinogen."
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Polycyclic aromatic compounds (PAHs): Known to
increase the risk of breast cancer.
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Lead
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Iron
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Cobalt
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Nickel
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Cadmium
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Arsenic
Unfortunately, the risks associated with PEG compounds
are widely underexposed. Even the CIR concluded that
many PEG compounds "are safe for use" in cosmetics, yet
they added that PEG compounds should "not be used on
damaged skin."
Things do appear to be moving in the right direction,
though, as some 23 PEG compounds have been named by the
CIR Expert Panel as "high priority" for initiation of
safety reviews in 2005. |
Do My Cosmetics Contain PEG
Compounds?
According to the Environmental Working
Group, the following percentages
of common toiletries contain PEG compounds
and other impurities that are
linked to breast cancer.
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90.3% |
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79.5% |
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73.8% |
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58.3% |
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54.5% |
Depilatory
Cream/Hair Remover
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48.2% |
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46.4% |
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46.3% |
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45.5% |
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43.6% |
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43.1% |
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42.7% |
Facial
Moisturizer/Treatment
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42.0% |
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41.3% |
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41.0% |
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39.6% |
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38.8% |
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37.9% |
Foot
Odor/Cream/Treatment
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37.3% |
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35.2% |
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What's the Alternative?
It may seem like an impossible feat to find
cosmetics and toiletries that don't contain PEG
or other harmful additives, but if you can move
beyond the major commercial lines of cosmetics
sold in grocery store and drug store chains,
they can be found.
lUse
Neways
The best alternative is to use natural varieties
of cosmetic products found in health food stores
or online.
However, the risks of PEG compounds, especially
in products made for damaged or sensitive skin,
are so widely unknown, that even many products
claiming to be natural contain them. So do some
label-scrutinizing research ...
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Read the Label
Your best bet is to be your own
detective and actively seek out -- and avoid
-- any products that contain PEG compounds
(and, ideally, other unknown or questionable
chemical additives.)
Organic, pure cosmetics offer the best
chance of being non-toxic, but read the
label -- or ask a trusted representative at
a natural health products store --
nonetheless.
One natural brand that has gone the extra
mile to ensure their products are free of
PEG compounds and other impurities is
Neways International
view
products here and another is Aubrey
Organics --
you can review many of their products right
now, including shampoos, conditioner,
skin lotion, hairspray, soap and much more.
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Brands like
Neways products without peg
and
Aubrey Organics have gone
the extra mile to ensure their cosmetic
products are free of PEG compounds
and other impurities. They offer a
full line
of cosmetics including shampoos,
conditions, deodorant, hairspray,
and
much more.
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Also, SixWise.com highly recommends that you
check out the
Environmental Working Group's Skin Deep Report,
which includes a searchable directory of
cosmetics and any harmful additives they
contain. You can search by product name and see
whether the cosmetics and toiletries you use
daily contain questionable ingredients that
could be slowly wreaking havoc on your health.
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