WHAT IS IN OUR MAKEUP??

As I was chopping vegetables for homemade soup I was watching/listening to the "Doctors" television show.  I was glad I did as it was all about the ingredients in makeup.  

I thought it was just another "let's sensationalize" something - interesting but nothing that would have any effect on me.  However, having a little time on my hands, I decided to go to the website they talked about and check out some of the ingredients in the makeup I have in my medicine cabinet.  I'm glad I did.  I suggest you do the same.  The website is www.ewg.org/skindeep.

One of the main reasons wanted to check it out is because a friend of mine discovered the horrible rash she kept getting on her face was due to her nail polish.  That's right - nail polish!  After much testing and some very high doctor bills, it was discovered she was highly allergic to formaldehyde.  Nail polish often contains formaldehyde.  When I heard this, I looked at each of my nail polish bottles - throwing out all bottles that contained formaldehyde. 

Today I learned from the show that the letters DMDM means formaldehyde.  Now more of the nail polish has gone in the trash.  Then I discovered some of my makeup has DMDM listed as one of the ingredients!  Move over nail polish, liquid makeup is on it's way.

After the nail polish was in the trash, I looked at the ingredients in the Youth Code Day Lotion I've been using.  

    

The website gives each ingredient a rating.  The higher the rating the more dangerous the ingredient is.  The rating grades are, a low hazard 0-2, a medium hazard 3-6 and a high hazard 7-10.  However, I discovered even ingredients with a 3 can have some heavy duty concerns.

The day lotion only has 4 active ingredients - with ratings of one 2, two 3's and one 4.  All of them appear to be synthetic sunscreens.  One of them (the first ingredient listed) breaks down in sunlight.  Another ingredient is a weak hormone disruptor and can enhance penetration of a toxic herbicide.

It doesn't get any better, so I decided it had to go.  Now it too is sharing space with the nail polish.

I urge you to check all the bottles, jars and containers you have stashed and to read labels.

Have I thrown everything out?  Absolutely not!  Could I?  Probably, but now I am able to make a more informed choice of what I will or will not put on my face. 

I guess I could revert to what my father told me to use when I was a little girl - alcohol to clean my face and mayonnaise to moisturize it - but I doubt I'll go that far.

Have fun!

Thanks to Redgage - the site where I post lots of photos.

Here is my photo of the day:

http://www.redgage.com/c-mggnb