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Ditch the Dyes Cheat Sheets

Finding Safe Cosmetics and Body Care

By Kristie Turck •  Published 12/12/07 •  3 min read

Last updated on August 19th, 2022 at 10:31 pm

The more I research safer products for our babies and kids, the more I want the same kind of safe products for myself and my family. Especially how to find safe cosmetics.  I cringe to think about the 30 years of garbage and chemicals I’ve been slathering all over myself on a daily basis. Like my mother always says, “You don’t need to put chemicals all over your body.” No, really, she actually says that all the time.

It becomes especially important to me when I read things like this:

Is a lead laced lipstick slowly making you senile?

Is that $175 Petri dish of wrinkle cream mutating your skin cells into cancer cells?

Is your teeth whitener covertly exaggerating your premenstrual symptoms?

And, did you know that cosmetics do not need an FDA seal of approval before hitting the market?

The FDA only gets involved AFTER the item is proven dangerous or gets marketed as a drug. After. Not before you slather it all over your face hoping it erases a few wrinkles.

I am much more aware of what I am putting in and on my body these days, and I am sad to report that I have tossed what is probably totaling hundreds of dollars worth of products. This is an ongoing effort to simplify my life as well as reduce and improve the quality and safety of the products I use.

But how do you know? What is “safe” and what is not?

How Do You Know What Cosmetics Are Safe? And What Is Not Safe?

That is where the ongoing debate comes in. There is always conflicting information, especially from companies whose livelihood depends on these products. Do they really know that the chemical ingredients are safe in their cosmetics?

This list of websites can help you determine what is safe for you and what might not be:

United States Food and Drug Administration (cosmetic safety)
Environmental Working Group
Personal Care Council
Campaign for Safe Cosmetics
Skin Deep Database

My point (I do have one) is to find out about what products you’re using and make informed decisions. I wholeheartedly agree that not everything is cut and dry, and the line between safe and unsafe is fuzzy, but the risk is not worth it for me.

Apps That Can Help You Source Safer Cosmetics

There are a handful of apps that can help you source safer cosmetics. I have not tested any of these apps yet, but they are worth mentioning. Here is an article that lists safer cosmetic apps.

Ultimately, you must read what you can and make the call for yourself.

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