Find out which fruits & vegetables are most contaminated with pesticides - click here
USA TODAY tells what kind of produce we should definitely buy organic, and which ones are safe enough to purchase conventionally.
Watch this short video of THE STORY OF COSMETICS from The Story of Stuff.
Less than 20% of chemicals used in our cosmetics are tested for safety. LESS THAN 20% of what we use on our hair, face, skin, etc. is tested before it is allowed to be sold on a shelf. And the chemicals that are tested and passed are usually considered “safe” based on ridiculous standards, and without knowing the long-term effects on human health. Doesn’t anyone else see what’s wrong here?? What you put on your skin is JUST as important as what food you put in your body. Your skin is your largest organ, and everything that goes on your skin can be absorbed through your skin, and into your body.
This is a very serious issue! Cosmetics/skin care products and their ingredients are not regulated by the FDA! Although, you’d think that if you’re buying products from a shelf in a store, in the 21st century, that what you’re buying must be safe. Right? Wrong. These companies will do whatever they can do make a product that seems to please consumers (mostly by fooling people), in order to make profit. And that’s what it’s all about. For them, at least. As for us, we’re left to figure these things out on our own — by reading labels, and deciphering what they mean.
Find out how safe, or unsafe, your daily products are, here:
Skin Deep: Cosmetic Safety Database
(This is the website that introduced me to all natural skin care, and made me more interested in finding out /what’s in the products that I use & have in my house.
Other informative websites, here:
Your Sunscreen May Cause More Harm Than Good
Summer’s almost here, and there’s no better time than now to take a look at your sunscreen (sunblock, suntan lotion, etc) and learn a thing or two about what yours should and shouldn’t have on the ingredients list:
According to the Environmental Working Group, the most effective, and least harmful sun protection should have the minerals zinc or titanium listed as main ingredients. These are the ingredients that actually block out the sun’s harmful rays without the use of harmful chemicals, and have a lower chance of penetrating the skin, therefore getting into the bloodstream. However, avoid sun-protecting sprays, since the zinc and titanium nano-particles can be inhaled this way.
Sunscreens that use chemicals as UV blockers are often hormone disruptors that penetrate the skin. Sunblock should NOT contain Benzophenone-3 (Oxybenzone), which is a hormone disruptor that is absorbed though the skin. You should also avoid sunscreens that contain Vitamin A (aka: retinyl palmitate, or retinol on ingredients labels). Vitamin A is often added to creams/lotions due to it’s anti-aging properties — this is also the same reason it is added to many sunscreens. However, studies show that vitamin A is photocarcinogenic, which means, when exposed to sunlight, it becomes cancerous. When exposed to the sun, Vitamin A can do more damage than good. This can further damage the skin, and create free radicals, increasing the risk of cancer.
By the way, don’t assume that just because it’s sold in a store, that your sunscreen is safe. The FDA has not yet set finalized regulations for sunscreen (or for any cosmetic products, for that matter). The FDA claimed it would start to regulate sunscreen back in the summer of 1978 — almost 33 years later, and sunscreen is still not regulated.
Take a look at the EWG’s Top Sunscreen Picks for 2011:
http://breakingnews.ewg.org/2011sunscreen/best-sunscreens/best-beach-sport-sunscreens/
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Visit these links to learn about these sunscreen issues in more detail:
Nanomaterials and Hormone Distruptors in Sunscreens: http://breakingnews.ewg.org/2011sunscreen/sunscreens-exposed/nanomaterials-and-hormone-disruptors-in-sunscreens/
The Problem with Vitamin A: http://breakingnews.ewg.org/2011sunscreen/sunscreens-exposed/the-problem-with-vitamin-a/
FDA Fails Consumers: http://breakingnews.ewg.org/2011sunscreen/sunscreens-exposed/fda-fails-consumers/
