Beauty products are a big part of the majority of women’s lives and we want the best results we can get, but at what point do we put down the brushes and straightners and say “Enough is enough!”? We all try to keep ourselves healthy, but with all of the confusing labels, unpronounceable ingredients and unknown health effects, it’s easy to get lost in keeping track of what is actually helping us out or slowing killing us.
Did you know that:
- the average woman will wear 515 different chemicals every day?
- our bodies will absorb 60% of those chemicals?
- 90% of regularly used ingredients in U.S. cosmetics haven’t even been evaluated for safety
It’s better to be educated about what is harmful than regretting it later when it comes back to kick us in the butt.
1. Contacts
Colored contacts have become a major fashion trend, but even though they make your eyes standout more they are dangerous if they’re not prescribed to you. Contacts are not a one size fits all kind of product. In fact, your eyes have to be measured to get the right fit. Selling generic contacts is actually illegal in some places, so if you really want to try them out, shell out the few extra dollars and go see an optometrist who will gladly write you a prescription. Having scratched corneas is no fun so don’t take your chances!
2. Prescription Eyelash Serums and False Eyelashes
Prodcuts like Latisse help with enhancing your eyelashes to make them longer and thicker but there are frequent negative effects that make you question whether or not it’s worth the results that you may or may not even get. After using this product, many women reported darken skin around the eyes and the color of their iris (the colored part of your eye) turning brown, which may be permanent! Also, be a wary of false eyelashes. None of the dyes that they use in them are FDA approved and can cause allergic reactions, which can lead to other problems!
3. Mascara
Many people don’t know that most of your makeup actually expires after a year. Most of the products won’t cause any harm, they just won’t work as well as they are adverstised to. Mascara on the other hand expires after 3-4 months and is a breeding ground for bacteria. Pumping the wand into the tube brings in more air which grows more bacteria. Instead you should twist the wand to get more mascara on to it and if you get an eye infection, throw out all eye makeup immediately!
4. Petroleum Jelly
This household staple also known as Vaseline is used for a number of different things, but while it makes your skin soft and hydrated, it has carcinogens in it, which are cancer causing substances. Petroleum is often put on lips and nose for cracked skin, but for frequent users you might want to find another product that is safer. If it gets into the lungs, there is a risk of developing lipid pneumonia.
5. Tanning Beds
This is an obvious one but I think it’s important enough to stress. Using tanning beds as little as one time can cause melanoma – the most deadly form of cancer. The UVA rays that are emitted from them cause premature aging a.k.a. wrinkles and leathery skin. No thanks! So while it might make you look and feel better now, in the long run is it not good for health or looks.
6. Lipstick
The FDA recently did an investigation on common beauty products and found out that a majority of the lipsticks contained a potentially harmful amount of lead. There is no “safe” lead level but products that contain lead won’t do much damage unless they are ingested. However, since it is almost impossible to not ingest lipstick throughout the day there are warnings about products that use lead as an ingredient. Instead, try for lead-free makeup!