Makeup Uncovered

Reading about toxicity levels in makeup left me confused instead of reassured. Yesterday I gathered my cosmetics and began to research them via EWG Cosmetics Database and Paula's Choice to find out what exactly I was putting on my face.

Needless to say the "Organix" hair shampoo and conditioner I've been using is NOT organic...or anything close to that. In fact, it's about as unhealthy of a product you can get, ranking 8/9 on the toxicity scale.

These levels are measured based on toxic ingredients to be avoided, including, but not limited to: parabens, fragrance, hanoparticles, formaldehyde, phthalates, petroleum byproducts, triclosan, lead, and mercury.

The Clinique products I swear by also got poor rankings. However, one of their products, "Clinique Blended Face Powder" was ranked a 1/9, making it one of the best products to use. However, the main ingredient in this powder is talc...the worst possible product for acne prone skin!

So...what do we do about this? Who and what do we believe about what is going onto our bodies? What is safe to put on our skin? At this point I believe nothing is good for your skin except for leaving it as natural as possible...a difficult method for someone with severe acne scars.

What else can we do?
Be aware of your skins' needs. For me this powder is awful, but for others it might truly be the best.
Read the ingredients.
Do your research. For example, I assumed drug store products would rank the worst. However, the majority of Revlon products were ranked at a 1.
Weigh the consequences. Is wearing a foundation that ranks a 4 once a week going to harm me? Probably not. But if I wear it daily, it could pose a risk to my health.

Check out these two websited (EWG Cosmetics Database and Paula's Choice) and see where your cosmetics rank. In the mean time, I need to go find a new shampoo and conditioner!