All the Vanity Blog :: Beauty, Fashion & Shopping

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I was deeply contemplating earlier what to post on this blog. Then, after a few reads from here and there, I stumbled upon Cosmetics Database website, which lists majority of the beauty products sold today in the market and their corresponding hazard weight based on a 10-point grade scale (0 being the least hazard and 10 being the most).

To my surprise deep astonishment, some of the products I used got a flat out 7-10 on the hazard weight scale. What’s more shocking and disturbing is that products that claim “all-natural” or “organic” got at least 3 and up on the scale.

For sure, you’re largely dependent on how the product suits your skin needs. But, knowing what lies on the  ingredients included in it might make you think twice–consider Formaldehyde (and its derivatives) as a case example.

The Real Deal with Ingredients

Discovery’s Planet Green listed some cosmetic ingredients and their adverse effects in human health. As mentioned earlier, Formaldehyde (Formalin in layman’s terms) is a preservative and disinfectant used in embalming process or product preservation for better, longer shelf-life. (Over)exposure could lead to disastrous effects such as Cancer.

In 2007, the European Union bans the use of it for embalming. The Netherlands, in  particular, bans the use of it for textile products. California bans Formaldehyde-based toilet chemicals.

Paraben is a preservative commonly found in almost any beauty products available. It has some common derivatives such as methylparaben, ethylparaben, butylparaben, isoparaben, and more. It seems like an innocuous ingredient, yet is highly suspected to also promote the risk of getting Cancer. It can mimic estrogen hormones, which other studies claim that it plays a role in the development of breast cancer and urogenital abnormalities. Of course, it doesn’t mean you’re in big trouble having estrogen hormones. It’s naturally found in females. But, overdosing yourself (inadvertently or not) with such hormone is another story.

Others may have allergens that could trigger reactions in your body–from light to fatal.

What to do then?

Before immersing yourself into mass hysteria and mindlessly throwing your beauty arsenal directly into the bin, consider these options:

• Investigate. It won’t hurt doing more research on the suspected hazardous product you’re currently up to. Look at product reviews and testimonials. I suggest MakeupAlley.com for less biased reviews.  Also, there could be medical articles available online and offline, discussing the product or the active ingredient present. Doing an extensive study can basically “sort things out” and help you decide whether it’s worth the ditch or not.

• Ask Your Doctor. Seek professional help. Your doctor, or dermatologist for that matter, will help your way to the path of product enlightenment. Ask how the ingredients will affect you. His/her recommendation surely helps.

• Ask Yourself. Nothing beats asking yourself if the product’s worth the keep. Is it really necessary? Won’t you be complete without it? For a beauty junkie like me, there are so many products stashed inside my drawer that I don’t religiously use. In the end, I just have to throw them away, or give it to someone else who’s willing to try it out.  Of course, if I found it hazardous, I might as well throw it away than risk someone getting a serious disease. To sum it all up, if you’re willing to let go of it, then do so.

Curious about your favorite products safety factor? Visit http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/ to know product’s hazard scale.