O/T The 515 Chemicals Women Wear

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The 515 Chemicals Women Wear

By e van der Leun

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We think it's a treat for our body when we exfoliate, moisturize and polish, but

are we actually making ourselves sick? A recent study by Bionsen, a natural

deodorant company, estimates that the average woman wears 515 chemicals a day --

from eye shadow ingredients linked to cancer to perfume ingredients linked to

kidney damage.

In September, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration found extremely high levels

of lead in lipstick. In addition, recent research from the Washington,

D.C.-based Environmental Working Group (EWG) showed that teenage girls are

exposing themselves to potentially hormone-altering substances by engaging in

that seemingly-innocent coming-of-age tradition of applying makeup. Yet, despite

the dangers, women need to bathe and groom -- and most of us like a little extra

color on our faces. So what can we do to stay healthy and still look good?

The quick answer is: Use fewer products and educate yourself. The average

American uses 10 products every day, and chances are, she doesn't know what's in

them. " It's simple: Read the labels and be a smart shopper, " says Leann Brown of

EWG. " Buy from companies that disclose their formulations. " Since producers

aren't required to make their ingredients public, many choose not to. " A company

that discloses all ingredients and keeps out ingredients of concern will

probably have lower risk products than cosmetics with mystery ingredients, " says

Brown. These transparent products are likely to be equally effective -- your

hair will be just as smooth, your cheeks just as bright -- but without the

lurking health hazards.

When shopping, there are a few key ingredients to be avoid. However, due to lax

regulation, you may find them in products marked " organic " and " all-natural, " so

be on the lookout. Choose from the many nail polishes that have been

reformulated to remove a common " toxic trio: " Dibutyl phthalate, a reproductive

toxin; toluene, which affects the nervous system and may cause headaches; and

formaldehyde, which can cause allergies and irritation. Stay away from sodium

lauryl and laureth sulfate, which are spopular in cleaning products, such as

body washes, as they can cause skin irritation.

Triclosan and triclocarban, which pop up in antibacterial hand soap, can damage

both the thyroid and the environment. Instead, use plain soap. If you wash for

20 seconds, you'll be just as germ-free.

Finally, stay away from parabens, common in shampoos, lotions and shaving gels.

These preservatives have been so widely and publicly exposed as toxic

contaminants that it is now relatively easy to find clearly-marked parabens-free

products. Brown also counsels cutting out fragrance completely, since the term

" fragrance " is poorly defined and could contain any number of mysterious and

unhealthy synthetic compounds.

If the ingredients sound too long to remember, the Cosmetics Database offers a

free pocket-size ingredients guide, where you can also find out more about over

50,000 products. If improving your health and helping the environment isn't

enough, think about this hidden benefit: Eliminating every mascara with toxic

ingredients will make choosing from the overwhelming array of drugstore brands

(Thickening! Lengthening! Double-thickening and lengthening!) much quicker and

easier.