Although cosmetics became widely popular in the 1900s, tombs from 3100 B.C. have revealed that makeup originated in the first Egyptian Dynasty ("The History of Makeup", 1). Researchers found that these cosmetics contained ingredients that ranged from lead to cat dung; both of which are toxic. The use of toxic chemicals in cosmetics, such as coal tar, negatively impacts a person's health. Cosmetic companies put consumers' health at risk due to the use of toxic chemicals, marketing ploys and failure to properly regulate their own products and the chemicals they contain. While cosmetics pose dangerous risks to the human body in general, pregnant women and their fetus are especially vulnerable to the consequences of being exposed to these toxins.
If some women are not willing to give up their cosmetics during pregnancy, the ingredients in makeup can be lethal to the fetus. Nail polishes and hair sprays contain substances called phthalates, which is more commonly known as a plasticizer and can be found in the material to make rain coats and garden hoses, and its purpose is to make plastic more flexible but still strong (“Controversy Over Phthalates in Cosmetics” par 1) .When phthalates are absorbed into the skin, they could harm the fetus and, in baby boys, they could cause irregular genitals. Another ingredient, methylisothiazoline (or MIT for short), can be found in everyday shampoos and body washes such as Head and Shoulders, Suave and Pantene Hair conditioner, products a pregnant woman may very well use, and tests have shown that exposure to this ingredient could cause abnormal brain development in the fetus ("Popular shampoos contain toxic chemicals linked to nerve damage" par 2). However, these chemicals can cause health defi...
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...rench, Christy T. "History of Makeup" (2004): Authors Den. 20, September, 2011. Web.
Mercola, Joseph. "How Dangerous are Your Cosmetics?" (2011): Mercola.com: Take Control of Your Health. Web. 2 Feb. 2015.
Reid, Brian. "Controversy Over Phthalates in Cosmetics" (2011): Our Stolen Future. Web. 2 Feb. 2015.
Rudow, Barbara. Turning Green (2008): California: Scobre Press Corporation. Pages 3, 14, 33. Print.
The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics (2011): Environmental Working Group. Web. 2 Feb. 2015.
“Coal Tar Hair Dyes: Hair Care Cautions” (2011): Hairfinder: Hair Styles, Hair Care & Fashion. Web. 2 Feb. 2015.
"Cosmetic and Personal Care Products Can be Cancer Risks" (2011): Cancer Prevention Coalition. Web. 2 Feb. 2015.
"Natural and Organic Beauty Products: Behind the Facade" (2011): Articlesbase: Free Online Articles Directory. Web. 2 Feb. 2015.
Kanter, James. "E.U. Bans Cosmetics With Animal-Tested Ingredients." New York Times. The New York Times, 10 Mar. 2013. Web. 20 Mar. 2014.
SUMMARIZE: The article grants information on new models in cosmetics to take the place of animal experimentation. It goes on to talk about how the European Union has now banned using animal-based test for cosmetic reasoning. Pharmaceutical companies and regulatory agencies have been using computer-like tools to assess the toxicity it has for years. The author incorporates information on cosmetics and the outlook on further research. ‘According to experts, combination of laboratory-based with virtual work will be the future of testing and is progressing faster than they expected.” (87 words)
"Toxic Chemicals Used in Salon Products." Women's Voices For The Earth. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Apr. 2014. .
Childbirth is nothing short of a miracle. The placenta—the organ connecting a developing fetus to the uterine wall and allowing for waste elimination, nutrient uptake and gas exchange via the mother's blood supply—filters most harmful substances that threaten an embryo, though some may still pass on to the fetus. These harmful substances, called “teratogens,” range from environmental chemicals to the transmission of maternal diseases, and can negatively impact the normal developmental cycle of a fetus. The title “teratogen,” however, refers to any substance or chemical exposure with the potential to cause birth defects in prenatal development. Exposure to teratogens can result in a broad spectrum of physiological and psychological issues in later life, including malformations of the body.
The use of animals to test cosmetics is introduced in their article as well. The authors quote a vast amount of credible sources from prestigious universities such as Princeton and from well known animal rights group such as PETA. I will use this as my main source of information.
With the economy still not at its best, and the population continuously increasing, many consumers would rather be killed by health hazardous ingredients than be self cautious about the chemicals in their shampoo. The desire to want to be pretty only increases the manufactures negligent behaviors. Women buy the makeup to enhance themselves. Without observing the ingredients in the makeup, they are often unaware of the toxins they are applying to their skin. The same thing also goes for men. When applying anti-perspiration deodorants they are applying Parabens and toxic chemicals, which could cause breast cancer and genetic mutations in both men and women. Parabens are chemical compounds, which are used a preservatives. Parabens are best to be avoided due to them being man- made; they imitate the chemical estrogen, which causes breast cancer.
Each year, thousands of animals are brutally tortured in laboratories, in the name of cosmetic research. A movement to ban animal testing for cosmetic purposes has been gaining popularity, with many companies hopping on the bandwagon against this research. New alternatives have been developed to eliminate the necessity to test on animals. This is only a small beginning of what is necessary to end these immoral acts. Animal testing in cosmetics is useless and cruel, and can be accomplished by other methods of research to end the suffering of animals.
Simple household items such as lotions, shampoos and cosmetics aren’t very expensive and are within reach for the public, yet the public is not knowledgeable of the fact that the products that they use everyday are put through a series of tests which involve the use of harmless animals. Several large commercial companies do not make products for animals; they decide that using these harmless creatures for the testing of their products, could be cause to be harmful to animals still go forward with these types of procedures on an everyday basis. Although these animals are unable to defend themselves or signs of any form of consent for the near death procedures, these companies find this as a cheap solution for testing their products before placing them on the market. There are many other alternatives to testing animals such as embryonic stem cell research. Animal experimentation is wrong and it can be avoided but companies which are greedy for money chose not to.
Makeup and cosmetics have always been used long before the first century. Researches never really found exactly who was the first cosmetologist, but they do know who were the people who mixed ingredients together to be able to apply and beautify were the Egyptians. Some sources still find that hard to believe, because the ancient hunters were the first people who mixed urine and mud to camouflage their scent, but that would mean everything from bug spray to VapoRub is a cosmetic, but not all materials that are mixed together are able to apply onto the
At present, cosmetics are always used in daily life. When we talk about cosmetics, most people will think of the things that only use for make-up such as lipstick, eye-shadow, mascara, blusher etc. But in fact cosmetics are not only mean to the things that only use for make-up but also shampoo, lotion or sunscreen. According to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) explains “Articles intended to be rubbed, poured, sprinkled, or sprayed on, introduced into, or otherwise applied to the human body… for cleansing, beautifying, promoting attractiveness, or altering the appearance.” (2014) The reason why people use makeups have different ways such as some people use for more confidence, some people use for protect the sunlight, and some people use for maintain their skin. However, there are a lot of people still worry about using the cosmetics since they believe that cosmetics are contained the dangerous chemicals that damage their body so they afraid of using them and try to avoid to use them. Although many people will be concerned that applying cosmetics may destroy their health, in fact, many experts have been confirmed that the use of cosmetic is not harmful to the human’s body. Moreover, cosmetics are also useful for users.
Every woman when pregnant has a 3-5% chance of having a baby born with a birth defect, and these chances increase when the developing fetus/ embryos are exposed to teratogens, whether it’s intentional or unintentional (Bethesda (MD), 2006). Teratogens can cause severe birth defects, malformations, or terminate the pregnancy altogether (Jancárková, & Gregor, 2000). The placenta is known as an effective barrier from any detrimental pathogen that can potentially hurt the fetus. The timing of exposure of any teratogen is critical to the impact of prenatal development (Bethesda (MD), 2006). The most vulnerable time of the fetus for severe damage is during early pregnancy when all the major organ and central nervous system (CNS) are developing. Miscarriages have an important role in keeping a pregnancy from evolving when there is something serious going on with the developing fetus/embryo. Miscarriages are more common than we think and are the most familiar type of pregnancy loss (Bethesda (MD), 2006).
Most people have worn makeup at least once in their lives, but a lot of people wear it on a daily basis. It has become a necessity and is a vital part of many people’s morning routine. If someone has worn makeup before, they have probably worn a product that has been tested on animals. Animal testing began in 1922 and is still occurring today. It is seen as a very effective way of assuring product safety by some companies, but is seen as evil and inhumane by others. Cosmetic animal testing is relevant to everyone who uses any type of beauty product and is a very popular way of measuring the usability of cosmetics.
It is now required by law that cosmetics are tested for safety before being made available to the public. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is in charge of overseeing drug and cosmetic testing today. Animal testing was the most widespread form of cosmetic testing considered proven, but the technology that is now available may replace the need for animal test...
Not as many new lip sticks or body wash are out on the market because many of the companies have to rely on already safe ingredients because they cant animal test for new ones. “All the cosmetic products sold in the EU use ingredients that have been well established to be safe for use on humans and so do not require new testing for new ingredients or the end product.”(RSPCA Australia Knowledgebase). The cosmetic industry is always growing and some think this will set the EU back quite a bit. Truth of the matter is that no one needs 100 different eyeliner choices. Would you rather kill innocent life for a new lipstick? It isn’t right. The EU can still use alternatives to test new products so it’s really up to the company if they’re willing to do so. New products are still coming out in the EU but not necessarily as many as before. Again, no one needs 1000 different choices for cosmetic
Some examples of harmful toxins with difficult names include diethanolamine (DEA), formaldehyde, glucocorticoids, and triethanolamine (TEA). We are exposed to toxic chemicals in many ways. We may breathe them in as sprays and powders, swallow chemicals on our lips and, even rub them on our skin. According to a team of researchers who conducted a study on the relationship between exposure to phthalates and DNA damage on human sperm, “cosmetics frequently contain enhancers that allow ingredients to penetrate deeper into the skin. Studies have found health problems in people exposed to common fragrance and sunscreen ingredients, including increased risk of sperm damage, feminization of the male reproductive system and low birth weight in girls” (Duty et al. 1164). There should be regulations banning toxic chemicals from personal care and beauty products because toxins are bad for our health (1), the consumer faith in cosmetic companies are suffering (2), and other countries recognized the effects and banned it while America has not