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During the past decades, cosmetic surgery has risen so fast that it’s become as part of our daily life. We all know of the risks and damages cosmetic surgery can cause, but most of us choose to either ignore it or accept it as long as it “fixes” our flaws.Check the list if you have heard of these dangers involved in a cosmetic surgery:


·         Bleeding

·         Infections

·         Scarring

·         Nerve Damage

·         Seromas

·         Necrosis

·         ………….


Despite these facts, there’ll always be someone finding the needles attractive. The main problem is the worst damage cosmetic surgery has ever caused is changing one’s value.

How many people went through plastic surgery and find themselves more confident? How many people asked for the help of surgery solely because of labels such as “beauty” and “ugly”? How many people have changed because they are now prettier and cooler? How many people understand that the inner personality is the only one that matters? No matter how many times one goes through cosmetic surgery, it could merely change one’s appearance, not his values.

It is not wrong to seek for self improvement. Plastic surgery itself is a good solution for several problems, such as birthmarks, accident scars, etc. Yet, a human’s value can never be made inside an operation room nor can it be determined by those senseless needles. Cosmetic surgery is no more than just the beauty of an ugly devil.

 
Everyone knows what hairspray is. Everyone loves what they can do with their hair. But not everyone is aware of its health effects. What does hairspray have to do with one’s health? It’s just hair. It can’t probably harm you in any way. But do you know that hairspray may lead to cancer?

The main ingredients of hairspray are polymers and solvent such as vinyl chloride. Vinyl chloride is a chemical that relates to angiosarcoma of humans liver, which means that its toxic will attack your liver first. Even though it’s replaced now due to the law, the chemicals contained in hairspray are not friendly to the body. Common chemicals such as alcohol and artificial fragrance can possibly cause breathing problems, infection of skin, eyes, and lungs, low blood pressure, or even coma.  Plus, hairspray is flammable which can burn one’s skin or cause skin infection.

Hairspray is a dangerous beauty product, not only to one’s health but also to the environment. The chemical compounds found in hairspray harm the ozone by contributing to global warming. Our environment has already been polluted enough. If we don’t act now and preserve it, we won’t stand a chance against self-destruction any time soon.

Let’s put away your hairspray and enjoy the natural beauty of your hair!

 
We are told that sunscreen is the best protection for your skin against the damage of UV rays of the sun, which cause possibility of skin cancer. In fact, this is merely the sweetness of an ugly devil deep within. We’re just informed of the beauty of what sunscreen can give us, but never were we informed of its damage upfront. How many people know that sunscreen’s ingredients are very harmful to one’s body? How many people refuse to believe it simply because the risk hasn’t found its way to them yet? Do you know that some chemical within the sunscreen can seriously damage cells and destroy the whole immune system?

Some ingredients contained in sunscreen can act as a radical component. It affects mostly the hormone in our body, and the most important one is estrogen. Estrogen is the main hormone in females. Damage to estrogen can cause polycystic ovaries, endometriosis, and possibly cancer. Males, too, suffer the same risks as females even though estrogen is no dominant in males. The risks include declining of sperm count, prostate cancer, and testicular cancer.

Fairly speaking, vitamin D is a necessary nutrient to prevent us from cancer. The UV rays can cause skin cancer if it gets too strong and our ozone continues to break. However, the sun still remains the best source of light that we can get, and its risk is less than cosmetic chemicals. It’d take a life time for the sun’s rays to damage our body while it takes days and months for radical components within the sunscreen to take advantage of our fragile cells.

 
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Recycling is an easy way for all of us to help the environment, and this includes cosmetic and beauty care products as well. Most cosmetic containers are made from the plastic resin polypropylene, which is found in a variety of containers, but is often not included in curbside or city recycling programs.

However, with a small bit of effort, even cosmetic containers can be recycled. Cosmetics manufacturer M.A.C. accepts their own brands for recycling and gives customers a free lipstick in return.

Skincare products manufacturer Origins (www.origins.com) goes one better – they will accept empty cosmetics containers, regardless of brand, for recycling and give you a free sample of their products in exchange.

Some containers can also be reused for things like pill containers, cases for jewelry, etc… Some containers are also refillable, which can save you money - you can even make your own do-it-yourself cosmetics and reuse your containers at the same time (see the DIY section on this site for recipes on how to make your own cosmetics!)

Another option for products that you may have tried and don't like is to give them to friends or family members. Anything is better than throwing them into the trash right away.

More information on recycling cosmetic containers can be found here:

http://www.thedailygreen.com/green-homes/eco-friendly/recycle-cosmetics

http://www.ecolife.com/recycling/household/how-to-recycle-cosmetics-makeup.html

http://www.recyclescene.com/how-to-recycle/pore-over-these-ways-recycle-makeup

 
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I found it pretty difficult to get any kind of accurate statistics on worldwide cosmetics consumption per year but I can imagine the pounds of makeup, skincare items, haircare items and all other products that fall into the "cosmetics" category that are produced, consumed and discarded each year would be mind boggling. Cosmetics are a way of life for much of the world and that isn't going to change any time soon. However, more and more people should consider the impact the production and waste generated from cosmetics has on the planet. The energy used to produce the bazillions of cosmetic products each year as well as the landfill space the empty packaging takes up is just one piece of the pie when looking at a planet that is being forced to take more and more human abuse each day.

While researching cosmetics consumption I stumbled across a UK cosmetics company that is working with  a cloud data management firm to help assess their carbon footprint. The company is Lush Cosmetics and they have hired CloudApps to help track their sustainability - or lack thereof.

According to an April 2012 article from Environmental Leader "CloudApps‘ Sustainability Suite will organize data collection and improve Lush’s sustainability reporting, helping it to better manage its sustainability goals, make carbon savings and reduce operational costs, the companies say. Lush will use the software to track and analyze measurements on water and energy use, travel, waste generation and packaging across all 102 of its stores, eight main offices and eight factory sites in the UK."
This is big news from a cosmetics company as most of Lush Cosmetics' contemporaries haven't yet addressed their carbon footprint or environmental impact. According to an article on the CloudApps website Lush is ahead of the curve with green packaging: "Already, 62 percent of Lush’s products are packaging-free and the ones that are packaged use 100% recycled material. The firm also says it recycles 85 percent of its waste and has banned domestic flights for staff."
On Lush Cosmetics' website they have a very thorough page dedicated to their environmental policy. They address everything from packaging to water usage and other topics in between. Two quotes from this site are:
"We are committed to becoming more sustainable the more we grow, by using our buying power to drive positive change." Lush Cosmetics 
"We believe taking care of the environment is everyone's responsibility including all of our staff and our customers." Lush Cosmetics
This company is very forward thinking in my opinion and U.S. cosmetics companies could learn a lot from their philosophy.
 
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On a daily basis we are faced with questions regarding our use of cosmetic products. Only a handful of us look at the back of each product to see what kind of chemicals it contains. The most important thing for most consumers is looking good, even if for only one night. Our society is lured in by the media and magazine articles to look good rather than focus on our real beauty.

There are thousands of chemicals used in cosmetics, and for many of them we don’t know their full impact on the body. We are a living guinea pig experiment. From the 1930's through the 1990's, the majority of the chemicals used in both male and female cosmetics were not fully tested, and a majority of those products deemed “safe” back then are banned now.

Are we the only ones that are affected by these products? The answer is no; as a majority of us know, cosmetics are tested on animals before they ever get to us.

According to Idausa.org, “Every year, cosmetics companies kill millions of animals through testing their products. These companies claim they test on animals to establish the safety of their products and ingredients for consumers.” This testing on animals is inhumane and the results are often inaccurate when applied towards humans. LD tests do not measure human health hazards but only determine how toxic the product is to the type of animal it was tested on.

What can consumers do? As a society we can push for the ban in the U.S. of cosmetics that were in any way tested on animals, as the European Union did in 2009. We can also work to educate ourselves on the ingredients used in cosmetics and reduce our exposure to and intake of toxic substances.

Visit http://www.leapingbunny.org/indexcus.php for more detailed information regarding the safe use of cosmetics.
List of companies that do test on animals: http://www.mediapeta.com/peta/PDF/companiesdotest.pdf
Cosmetic Testing Facts: http://www.idausa.org/facts/costesting.html

 
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The look of women’s fingernails is a very important detail not only to the women themselves, but also to the men. That’s why the majority of women take pride in their nails and either get them done at a salon or do them their selves at home. The problem is most women don’t know the dangers that have been associated with the nail polishes they use regularly.

The “big three” or the “toxic trio” are the common nicknames given to the chemicals that most people thought were banned out of nail polish…That was up until a recent study was done, and concluded that the majority still include these chemicals in their ingredients. In the study they found that 5 of the 7 brands that claimed to be completely toxic free did in fact include high levels of one or more of these chemicals. The three toxic chemicals found in these brands are Formaldehyde, Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP), and Toluene.  

Here’s a quick rundown on these three chemicals:

Formaldehyde: most commonly used as a preservative, a sterilizer, and to embalm bodies…..Has been connected to lung and nasal cancer…

Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP): most commonly found in plastics to make them more flexible, like rain boots….Has been linked to reproductive issues if pregnant mother is exposed to…..

Toluene: mostly seen in gasoline, and used in creating TNT……Has been known to affect the nervous system, cause dizziness, nausea, headaches, birth defect, and liver and kidney damage….

Clearly you’re gonna want to avoid these toxic chemicals, so some brands that did show up to having at least one of these chemicals if not all three are: Sation, Dare to Wear, Chelsea, Baby's Breath, New York Summer, Paris, Sunshine, Cacie, Golden Girl, Nail Art, and High Gloss.

Some brands that tested negative and are safe to use are OPI, Essie, MAC, and Chanel. Now there are plenty more brands that don’t have these chemicals in them so look at the ingredients before you buy anything just to be safe!

 
Recently, there have been several legislative proposals urging the need for more regulatory authority over cosmetics.  Aren’t cosmetics strictly regulated by the FDA?  Turns out the answer is no and that the cosmetic industry is largely self regulated.  Cosmetics are covered by the 1938 Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.  The FDA’s legal authority over cosmetics is very different from other products, such as food and drugs, which the FDA strictly regulates.  Cosmetics aren’t subject to FDA approval prior to going to market, they aren’t regularly tested by the FDA, the FDA has no recall authority, and the manufacturers may use almost any ingredient in them that they believe is safe. 

The cosmetic industry is essentially a self regulated industry.  The cosmetic firms themselves are responsible for the manufacture of safe products.  Concerns over self regulation and increasing concerns over cosmetic health and allergy issues have brought up discussions for increasing regulatory authority.  Legislation has been passed at the State level to help address the lack of Federal regulation.  The State of California passed the California Safe Cosmetics Act of 2005, Washington State passed the Children’s Safe Products Act in 2008, and Minnesota passed the Toxic Free Kids Act in 2009.  All of these acts specifically target chemicals of concern in cosmetics.

The real answer is a national standard and the granting of increased regulations and authority to the FDA.  Federal efforts are now being proposed to do exactly that.  The Safe Cosmetics Act of 2011, the Cosmetics Safety Enhancement Act of 2012, the President’s Proposal for Cosmetics Reform, and the Cosmetics Safety Amendments Act of 2012 are separate proposals that increase the FDA’s authority and increase regulation of cosmetics.  All of these proposals seem to be struggling to get out of committee and are unlikely to pass.  To find out more about why increased regulation is important, please look at the following which shows how little authority the FDA has over cosmetics at:

http://www.fda.gov/Cosmetics/GuidanceComplianceRegulatoryInformation/ucm074162.htm      
 
There's nothing wrong with looking good and feeling clean, especially when the products you use are also friendlier to both your skin and the environment. In addition to new colors, fragrances and styles, today's consumer has many more choices when it comes to companies and products that perform well, are healthier and also environmentally conscious.

Here are a few examples of companies with high quality, environmentally friendly products. A link to the complete list can be found at the end. So look good AND feel good about the product choices you make. Enjoy!

Alima Cosmetics is based in Portland, Oregon, and offers products "created from the finest cosmetic-grade minerals." In addition, the company is committed to "providing pure, cruelty-free, socially responsible products with minimal impact on the environment."

www.alimacosmetics.com

Beauty Without Cruelty focuses on an ethical approach to cosmetics that is cruelty-free, superior in performance, and of exceptional value. Suitable for vegetarians and vegans, all their color cosmetics are fragrance free.

www.beautywithoutcruelty.com

Earth Dance started as a small handcrafted herbal soap company which has grown to offer botanical lotions, emollient cremes, body scrubs and more, with a focus on natural sourced ingredients.

www.earthdancesoaps.com

EcoColors offers a safe and effective alternative to the harsh chemicals common to most hair coloring products. Designed by a master colorist for use in both professional salons as well as at home.

www.ecocolors.net

Kettle Care makes body care products for those with sensitive skin. Organic herbs are used to create 100% natural therapeutic body care products.

www.kettlecare.com

Pure by Nature offers handmade soaps and other natural products designed to bring harmony and healing to both yourself and the environment.

purebynature.tripod.com

A complete list with these and many more companies can be found here: Eco friendly cosmetics and soap
 
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According to safecosmetics.org the average American man uses 6 cosmetic items per day, with those items containing over 80 distinct chemicals. I’m sure this number is higher for some of the males reading this blog post because I am one of the men who help bring the average down to single digit 6. I consistently use shampoo, soap, shaving cream and deodorant. There was a time where I used cologne on a daily basis but it’s becoming a rarer and rarer occurrence for me. I've never been a huge fan of aftershave lotion either, which I’m guessing is one of the top 6 men’s cosmetics.

Since nearly all men’s cosmetics are put directly onto the skin and then either rubbed in and left or rubbed on and rinsed off it can be worrisome when those products contain potentially deadly chemicals. 3 of the 4 products I use on a daily basis can contain a chemical called diethyl phthalate (DEP). safecosmetics.org reports that “recent human studies link DEP to sperm damage in adult men, abnormal reproductive development in infants, and Attention Deficit Disorder in children”. I took a look and none of my four daily products outright say that they contain DEP; however there were plenty of other chemicals of which I know little about.
A 2005 study by four Harvard University researchers shows that using cologne or aftershave even once or twice can double the median level of monoethyl phthalate (MEP) that shows up in a urine test (Environ Health Perspect 113(11): 1530-5). DEP is a parent compound of MEP. The 2005 study was published in “Environmental Health Perspectives” which is a peer-reviewed journal published by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. According to the abstract of this study, the researchers were exploring “the relationship between patterns of personal care product use and urinary levels of several phthalate metabolites” (such as DEP and MEP). It was stated that “men who used cologne or aftershave within 48 hr before urine collection (in this study) had higher median levels of monoethyl phthalate (MEP) (265 and 266 ng/mL, respectively) than those who did not use cologne or aftershave (108 and 133 ng/mL, respectively)” and “for each additional type of product used, MEP increased 33% (95% confidence interval, 14–53%)”. To me this was frightening: the products I put on my face and head show up nearly immediately in my urine, as potentially deadly chemicals.
I looked a little further into MEP and found that a 2010 study, also published in the journal “Environmental Health Perspectives”, showed that phthalate parent compounds have been associated with the increased risk of breast cancer (Environ Health Perspect 118:539-544). The abstract states that the study “examined the association between urinary concentrations of nine phthalate metabolites and breast cancer (BC) in Mexican women” that “phthalate metabolites were detected in at least 82% of women” and concluded that “we show for the first time that exposure to diethyl phthalate, the parent compound of MEP, may be associated with increased risk of BC.” While the study focused on women, men get breast cancer too, so I’m not relieved by this detail. I’m sure that if the study included men it wouldn’t have looked much different.
Other problematic chemicals commonly found in men’s cosmetics, as listed on safecosmetics.org, are:



While all of this information is pretty depressing and makes the topic of men’s personal care products seem bleak, there are things we can do. One easy thing I found on the safecosmetics.org site was a search area where you can locate companies that make safe(r) men’s personal care products:

Safe Men's Personal Care Products

Also, it is very important to stay up to date on legislation that can help with this issue – making it a requirement for companies to list out every ingredient that they are putting into their products as well as pressuring them to use only ingredients that are safe for human consumption. Prior to the research I’ve done, I had never thought of my cologne ending up in my urine but I now see that it can – and that is a scary concept.

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