Controversial chemicals
Are those unpronounceable ingredients listed on beauty products detrimental to your health? We take a look at the evidence and highlight some non-toxic ranges
A recent survey revealed the scale of concern about the chemicals in everyday cosmetics and toiletries. The poll reveals major consumer confusion over cosmetics and skincare labelling and showed that 99 per cent of consumers want clearer information.
Hardly surprising, given that the average woman uses 12 beauty products every day and applies over 175 chemicals to her body. Most products contain a long list of ingredients, many with unpronounceable names and no explanation of why they are present.
'The regulators require that all ingredients are listed according to their INCI (International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients) names,' says A'Kin's Simon Golding.
'Even the INCI names for natural ingredients often look scary, which makes understanding the average ingredient list similar to a foreign language. Most natural brands, including A'kin, now list the common name in brackets alongside the INCI name.'
To help you decode the information, the Cosmetic, Toiletry and Perfumery Association (CTPA) will in April launch www.thefactsabout.co.uk to help visitors find out about the science behind their products and access an ingredient glossary. The site will also provide rapid response to issues in the media likely to cause concern to consumers.
With the seal of approval from the EU, technically all beauty products are safe, but there is an undeniable and controversial link between the presence of these chemicals and allergies, skin sensitivities and even cancer.
It was once thought that cosmetics did not penetrate the skin, and thus manufacturers were not regulated. However, it is now known that the skin absorbs products which are put on it. Ingredients penetrate and carry the active ingredients to deeper layers of the skin, and some chemicals can be toxic to the liver, brain and kidneys.
In addition, cosmetic products are often formulated to last a number of years, and therefore contain a large amount of preservatives. So what ingredients are the so-called 'baddies' we might choose to avoid?
1 | 2 | next
printer friendly
send to a friend
Delicious
Digg
reddit
Facebook
StumbleUpon
DietAnotherDay| Horoscopes| Message Boards | Quizzes | Newsletters | Join
iVillage Ltd is a UK company registered in England & Wales (3837269) at 80-110 New Oxford Street, London WC1 1HB
