Be an informed cosmetics consumer

With the recent formalin scare, people have become more conscious of what’s in the food products they buy and eat every day. But what about the beauty products/cosmetics that we use for our daily hygiene/beauty ritual? What’s really in those beautifully packed products?

It’s time to face the facts and be an informed cosmetics consumer, says dermatologic surgeon Dr. Barney J. Kenet, MD, author of How To Wash Your Face.

Based on a face-to-face talk with his clients, Dr. Kenet, a leading authority on skin care in America, relates, “‘Doctor, what should I buy?’ Patients ask me this question every day. They want to know what kind of soaps, moisturizers and cosmetics they should use for good-looking skin. Many of them have medicine chests full of of last year’s ‘groundbreaking’ skin treatments, only to be lured by a new ‘breakthrough’ that promises even better results. Skin care advertisements make claims that sound like miracles. We want skin that ‘glows,’ that is ‘luminous,’ that is ‘visibly younger.’ Even the most sophisticated consumer can be tempted by the possibility of recapturing youth. Is anyone making sure the promises are true? Can we rely on the integrity of the cosmetic companies to tell us all we need to know about the products we are so eager to buy?”

Fact is, cosmetics have been used probably since the beginning of time, since there were people to use them. The first trace of cosmetics usage was around 4000 BC in Ancient Egypt. In 10000 BC Egypt, people painted and dyed their skin, body, and hair; rouged their lips and cheeks with a mixture of red clay and saffron; lined their eyes and eyebrows with kohl (a dark colored powder made of burnt almonds, lead, oxidized copper, malachite, ash, etc.); and stained their nails with henna.

Cosmetics were an inherent part of Egyptian hygiene; both men and women wore makeup — like the women, the men didn’t leave home without their makeup kits (but these men were not called metrosexuals then). It is said that Cleopatra actually wrote an instructional guide to cosmetics.

The word cosmetae was used to describe Roman slaves whose menial work included bathing men and women in perfume. The ancient Greeks and Romans used cosmetics containing mercury and white lead (never mind the dangers they posed).

In the Middle Ages, people lightened their skin (skin bleaching was already popular back then) to look aristocratic. (unlike those who toiled and tilled the land, burning their skin in the sun). They slathered on their bodies a lot of products, like white lead paint, which contained arsenic, a toxin. White lead gained a loyal (and royal) following, which included Queen Elizabeth I of England who called it “the mask of youth.”

Look before you buy any cosmetic product. Here’s a list of some common ingredients found in beauty products/cosmetics and what research says about them, according to the US Food and Drug Administration, International Association for Research on Cancer, Health Canada, The European Union Cosmetics Directive, The Safe Shopper’s Bible, among other sources:

• Alpha hydroxy acid (AHA). Found in hundreds of products, from antiaging creams and moisturizers to lip balms. Strips the upper layer of the skin to reveal new skin. Research says: AHA increases sun sensitivity, leading to sunburn and sun damage. USFDA says it has serious safety questions. The European Union says it can only be sold in concentrations up to four percent.

• Coal tar. Found in dandruff and psoriasis shampoos; this is actual coal tar, different from the coal tar derivatives used as hair dyes. The International Agency for Research on Cancer says there’s enough evidence that coal tars are carcinogenic in humans. EU banned it from cosmetics in 2004.

• Hydroquinone. Found in skin-bleaching creams. Research says it’s effective only when used long term but safe only when used briefly and discontinuously in products rinsed off thoroughly after use. It can cause an allergic response that includes itching, burning, scaling, hives, and blistering. It’s banned in EU unless proven safe; sold in one to two percent concentrations in the US.

• Lead acetate. Found in progressive hair dyes used primarily by men. Research says it’s suspected to damage the reproductive system in humans. The State of California says it causes cancer. Health Canada restricts the amount that can be used in hair dyes and says that companies must warn consumers not to use it around the eyes.

• Nitrosamines. Found in half of the cosmetic products sold in the US. A 2000 study found it is readily absorbed through the skin and accumulates in organs where it induces chronic toxic effects.

• Parabens (a.k.a. butyl, methyl, ethyl, proply, isobutyl). Found in skin and hair products, baby care lines, deodorants, nail polishes. Scientists say parabens may alter hormone levels, possibly increasing risks for certain types of cancer.

• Petrolatum (petroleum jelly). Found in one of every 14 personal care products (including 15 percent of  all lipsticks and 40 percent of all baby lotions and oils). Research says that impurities created during the manufacturing process of some petrolatum are linked to breast cancer.

• Phenol. Found in medicated lip moisturizers as disinfectant. Studies show that fatal poisonings occur when large quantities are absorbed through the skin. EU says this ingredient is toxic if it comes in contact with the skin and if  swallowed.

• Phenylenediamine. Found in permanent hair dyes used by women. Research says it’s a possible human carcinogen. Highly allergenic, it can cause eczema, bronchial asthma, gastritis, skin irritation, and even death.

• Phthalates. Found in hair sprays, nail polishes (to prevent nail polish from chipping), fragrances. Research links one phthalate, DEHP, to premature breast development in girls.

• Resorcinol. Found in hair dyes, dandruff shampoos, some acne creams. Studies show it can cause methemoglobinemia, a blood disease, if it enters a wound.

• Silica (cystalline). Found in hundreds of products, including eye makeup, foundation, powder, blush, toothpaste, mascara, hair dye, shampoo. In 2004, it was classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer as a human carcinogen.

• Talc. Found in baby powder, face powder, blush, foundation. A 1993 report by the National Toxicology Program in the US found cosmetic-grade talc caused tumors in animals. The Safe Shopper’s Bible warns prolonged use of powder in the genital area may increase risk for ovarian cancer.

The ugly truth, says Dr. Kenet,  is that products considered to be cosmetics do not require preclearance for safety or the demonstration of efficacy. “This relatively loose regulatory scheme gives companies a wide range in which to describe the wonders of their potions and lotions,” the good doctor notes. “Companies cut down on lots of red tape if what they are selling is determined to be a cosmetic. The FDA does require, however, that a cosmetic not be adulterated or misbranded.”

Dr. Kenet is quick to add that today, the line between cosmetic and drug is blurring — there are now the so-called cosmeceuticals to describe products that are not quite drug and not quite cosmetic.

For all cosmetics consumers out there, Dr. Kenet gives these handy safety tips:

• Do not use open samples at cosmetic counters. In one survey of makeup counter samples in department stores, more than five percent were infected with fungus and other contaminants. Beware of makeovers in department stores. If you do agree to a makeover, insist that applicators used are fresh disposable ones.

• Discard any makeup that smells rancid or has lost its efficacy.

• Wash hands before applying cosmetics.

• Wipe off containers with a damp cloth if they become dusty or dirty.

• Discard eye cosmetics after six months and mascara after three months.

• Use fresh tap or distilled bottled water to dampen eye shadow. Never add liquid to bring a product back to its original consistency. Adding other liquids can introduce bacteria.

• Do not use makeup if you have an eye infection. Throw away all products you were using when you discovered the infection.

• Do not store cosmetics above 85 degrees because doing so can increase the chances of destroying preservatives that protect against bacteria.

• Be careful not to scratch the eye. Do not allow any cosmetic to come in contact with the eye.

• Never line the inside of your eyelid as this can damage your eye.

• Serious infections may occur and may permanently affect vision, especially if the eye is traumatized with infected mascara. So don’t apply mascara in a moving car.

Quite an eye-opener, don’t you think?