This is not about makeup!

Heavy metals, such as arsenic, mercury, aluminum, zinc, chromium, lead, and iron are found in tons of beauty products! Including lipsticks, eyeliner, eye shadows, blush, sunscreen, concealers, and foundations!! Some of these metals are intentionally added, while others are contaminants of other ingredients, and sometimes processing.  Exposure to these metals has been linked to health concerns including reproductive, immune, and nervous system toxicity [1]. 

Many of these heavy metals are found in color cosmetic products, and the FDA reports the highest levels are found in eye shadows, blushes, and compact powders. Suggesting, most of these metals come from the minerals used to color cosmetics, such as clay and talc [2]. This process is somewhat regulated by the FDA, in that the FDA has established allowable amounts of metals in cosmetics. The FDA reports, "for the most part", levels of these metals were low... and currently there is not information saying these lower levels are harmful. They do go on to list their allowable limits for the metals they surveyed, including allowable amounts of lead! However, there's also a short little sentence reporting, heavy lip product (glosses included here ladies) wearers should decrease use... because, the average woman (average) eats about 4 pounds of lipstick in her lifetime. I can guarantee, my grandmothers top that average woman rate, as they both are in the 80's and still apply lipstick routinely! 

However, when I read things like... "Pre-adolescents are also at risk as lead has been linked to a delay in the onset of puberty in girls, and the development of testes in boys," and also, "cancerous breast biopsies show higher accumulations of iron, nickel, chromium, zinc, cadmium, mercury and lead than non-cancerous biopsies. In addition, several metals act like estrogen in the presence of some breast cancer cells...."[2]. I want to know more. More about, exactly what the allowable limits are, how are those tested, where is the evidence they aren't dangerous. We all know that bio-accumulation is a thing, especially for metals... hence, the removal of lead paint and pencils ya'll! 

HOWEVER, the FDA reports they conduct safety surveys on cosmetics, but "cosmetic companies do not have to share their safety data or file their product formulations with FDA."  Additionally, cosmetic products and ingredients do not need FDA approval before going on the market...... So, the FDA only looks into personal care products, and cosmetics when there is enough complaints from consumers to signify a problem! 

Wait.........what? That is part of the problem! This industry is a multi billion dollar a year industry, and basically, has no regulations. How do we know if a product is safe, how do we know exposure in pregnancy, and adolescence doesn't increase of total life time cancer risk? 


Remember the Wen Hair Care scandal?? People were literally losing their hair, the company settled on a class action law suit, to the tune of $26 million. Now, don't get me wrong, I watch a lot of Suits, I totally get that people settle out of court all the time to save face, money, etc. However, I've also learned on Suits, the most likely won't settle unless their guilty. (Excellent logic on my part, I know I know, don't judge me...)

Of course these products were not cosmetics, and the complaints likely were not related to metals. However, it hints to the point BeautyCounter is making It's not about makeup! 



I personally, don't wear a ton of makeup...however, I wash my hair, my face, my body and apply certain cosmetics daily. Multiply all that chemical exposure times years and years (yeah, you thought I was going to admit my age there huh?), I'm personally not comfortable with rolling the dice on those chemicals not increasing my risks of cancer, allergic reactions, eczema, asthma exacerbation, hair loss... the list goes on and on.  

This of course, wraps around to why I've loved BeautyCounter so deeply... I do not have to read labels. Every product is certified by the Environmental Working Group as safe for using, on myself, my babies, my friends, and family!!

So, if you're interested in not taking chances on your personal care products,let me know, I'd be happy to help! 

Start big, or start small, but just start now! 

[1] Environmental Working Group (2007). Impurities of Concern in Personal Care Products. Available online: www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/research/impurities/php. Accessed August 30, 2018.

[2] Campaign for Safer Cosemetics: Lead and Other Heavy Metals. Available online: http://www.safecosmetics.org/get-the-facts/chemicals-of-concern/lead-and-other-heavy-metals/. Accessed September 14, 2018. 

[3] U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (2018). FDA's testing of Cosmetics. Available online: https://www.fda.gov/cosmetics/productsingredients/potentialcontaminants/ucm452836.htm. Accessed September 7, 2018.

[4] Ars Technica Science (2017). Wen hair loss scandal ... Available online: https://arstechnica.com/science/2017/06/wen-hair-loss-scandal-cracked-open-dirty-underbelly-of-personal-care-products/. Accessed September 15, 2018.