Week 4 | 14/10/2024 | ‘45% of People Worry About Toxic Makeup — Should You?’
Initial Thoughts and First Impressions
My initial thoughts and impressions are that the article is very informative and professionally written. I found myself immersed while reading the article, as I was shocked to see how high-risk some of the everyday essentials/products are and the use of harmful chemicals. Some of the products are ones I use personally and as a professional makeup artist.
The article was based on the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and written by Karen Selby, a registered nurse and Board Certified Patient Advocate. Selby has over 30 years of experience and a background in Oncology and Thoracic surgery, Pacheco (2024). The extensive experience of the writer ensures the information is accurate and up to date, demonstrating a high level of professionalism. I particularly liked how the article included add-on buttons at the beginning, including ‘Fact Checked’ and ‘Why Trust Abestos.com’. This gives the reader a sense of trust, creating a reliable source of information for future researchers. This article provides valid and reliable information about the lack of regulations regarding the FDA and the harmful toxins within products. Selby has added statistics and informative images that support her claims below. This makes the article more accessible for visual learners like myself.
Since studying this article, I have become increasingly aware of products and brands that state they are "natural," "organic" and "free-from." Furthermore, stating the products contain essential oils, suggesting the products are good for us, falsely advertising the harmful and toxic chemicals also laden within. The article brought my attention and awareness to this misconception and false advertising, which can be misleading for customers who are unaware of this. The article triggered the Bader-Meinhof phenomenon, The Bader-Meinhof phenomenon, also called the frequency illusion, is a cognitive bias that affects how we think and process information. It’s a phenomenon where something you recently learned seems to appear everywhere, making it seem more common than it actually is."
Group Discussion
Prior to the group discussion, myself and peers highlighted how we had not previously thought about or considered the health risks associated around cosmetics. After reading the article, the topic opened up a new trail of thought and has now changed my whole perspective on the cosmetic industry. As makeup artists it is significant for us to have this specific knowledge as we use these products on a daily basis which could potentially cause someone harm. Although I try to be as minimal as possible with waste within my makeup kit, I have never really considered product ingredients. I consider myself as easily influenced when it comes to packaging, such as colour, design and branding. For example, when a product, such as shampoo professes to be ‘lengthening’ or a primer says ‘blurring,’ I am often drawn in by this. Furthermore, I am usually quite fasinated by how the products have been formulated to do this? Often businesses put eye catching labels on products from a sales angle. However, specific products such as oil control primers could not possibly be something sourced from the planet when they are completely transparent in colour or a jelly like consistency.
With the article being American based (FDA approved) the article backs up many points and facts by saying that it is FDA approved. However, Selby states, "The FDA do not actively regulate the contents of the cosmetics." Collaboratively, we concidered how the lack of safety regulations within cosmetics might effect our us as makeup artists. It was concerning to find out that no-one had any prior knowledge around the health and safety regulations of products and the extent of toxins and chemicals that could be harmful to our clients. Many peers added, they did not trust in organic or natural labels, due to branding strategies to claim more clients. Furthermore, their concerns around buisnesses claiming a fully 100% natural and organic product/ingredients.
Rachel’s Question’s
Do you check the ingredient's?
Shamefully, no I do not check the ingredients. When purchasing cosmetic beauty product's, I typically buy into brands that are popular within the industry. Social media has a huge influence on my purchases, as I am easily persuaded when I see the ‘hype’ or ‘trends’ circulating the internet. However, working in the retail industry, I have recently came across customers and fellow employees using their AI cosmetic scanners to check beauty items within the workplace. The app allows you to check whether the product is low risk or high risk, which tells us whether the specific item is harmful or not to be used our skin. This is interesting to me, as I am able to investigate whether the multi-million pound beauty brands are lying to us! For example, I work for a company called Hourglass cosmetics, which is a 100% vegan and cruelty free makeup brand. They claim to be non-comedogenic and also support charities such as the Non-Human Rights Act, donating 5% of their makings on their ‘Unlocked Collection’ to this charity supporting endangered animals. Given that Hourglass has such strong values towards animals, humans and luxury, I personally expected them to have a low risk, beneficial makeup range, considering they claim to be non-comedogenic and vegan/cruelty-free. Non-comedogenic definition - A product is formulated to avoid clogging pores, which can lead to blemishes and acne, Beiersdorf (2024). ‘The FDA does not regulate the term “non-comedogenic,” so there’s no standardised definition of what it means,’ Villines (2023). Non-comedogenic makeup products should not involve harmful ingredients as this type of customer needs healthy, natural sourced ingredients to maintain a positive outcomes after using these products. However, it’s stated that this term does not have any reliable or trusting definition. Conversely, the article has favoured me to be more cautious when making my makeup and cosmetic purchases.
Fig 1 (Yuka n.d)
Are there particular ones you’d avoid?
As I do not typically check my makeup products for harmful chemicals, I do not have much knowledge on what to avoid. However, I do look for specific ingredients that I prefer to be included. When purchasing products such as foundations or skin care, I typically look for items that are infused with essential oils or low SPF’s (10-15). I have recently been educated on products that include SPF’s and how they should be avoided or cautious of when using products with an SPF higher than 15. ‘High SPF products tend to lull users into false sense of security,’ Environmental Working Group (2024). This statement explains that many SPF users feel secure and protected the higher the SPF is. For example, when shopping for sunscreens many customers purchase the higher dose of SPF (50+) without realising the dangers and tend to think that they can stay in the sun much longer than they could with a lower dosage. The FDA has now band companies from labelling SPF products higher than 50. According to the Environmental Working Group (2024), high SPF products require higher concentrations of sun-filtering chemicals than low SPF sunscreens do. Some of these ingredients may pose health risks when they penetrate the skin and have been linked to tissue damage and potential hormone disruption. Some may trigger allergic skin reactions and are associated with skin ageing and cancer such as melanoma. With this recent knowledge, I now buy products with a low SPF unless going on a holiday that requires more protection, but I will no longer purchase the false adverted sunscreens.
Further, chemicals I avoid are hair products. I look for sulphate and paraben free shampoos and conditioners as I have seen many influencers and specialists state, that these chemicals are causing scalp sensitivity and hair loss. Besides these current concerns, a study by WebMD Editorial Contributors (2024) shows that, 'items containing parabens may cause low sperm count and testicular cancer in men.' This statement shows how harmful these specific chemicals can be to men, which makes us wonder if it will be the same for women. After learning from this article that parabens are also included in cosmetic products, I will now also be looking out for this chemical within my makeup purchases in the future.
The article is American based (FDA) – Where would we get our information for the UK?
In the UK the UKCR (UK Cosmetics Regulation) is the equivalent to the FDA (Food and Drug Administration). First, as a fundamental rule, all cosmetic products and their ingredients which are placed on the UK market must be safe, by law. In the UK, the manufacture and supply of cosmetic products are governed by the UK Cosmetics Regulation (UKCR). Legislation covering the safety of cosmetic products in the UK and EU has been in place for over 40 years. All ingredients within cosmetic products must be safe, and ingredients are regularly reviewed by independent scientists to ensure that the latest scientific information is taken into account. If the panel of independent scientists has any doubt about an ingredient’s safety when used in a cosmetic product, it will be banned. The UKCR contains extensive Annexes of banned and restricted substances. Before it is made available for sale, each cosmetic product must undergo a safety assessment by a duly qualified and experienced safety assessor, whose qualifications are stated in the UKCR. The UKCR also provides guidance on how this safety assessment must be carried out. The safety assessment takes account of all the ingredients used in the cosmetic product, how the product will be used, by whom, where and how often. This is irrespective of the source of an ingredient – whether it is made in a laboratory or is extracted from a plant. They all have to be safe when used in a cosmetic product. The thorough safety assessment ensures the cosmetic product is safe to use, Paternotte (2020).
There is not much on the www.gov.co.uk website about specific products that may be harmful to us, but there are forms for consumer reporting on products that may be unsafe to use. Although this website does not give information on harmful/high risk products, it does allow the public to report any unsafe products that may be dangerous to the consumer. Apps such as, ‘Cosmetic ingredient checker,’ ‘Yuka’ and ‘Think Dirty’ are good sources of information with 5 star ratings to learn about potential toxic ingredients in cosmetics, skincare and personal care products. However, these apps are not 100% reliable either, the products that are connected to these apps are claimed to have undergone scientific research/studies by experts.
Do you trust the labels ‘natural’ and ‘organic?'
50% of the time, I do gravitate towards the skin care and hair care ranges that have natural and organic labels. I do agree that colour schemes influence customers to make purchases and manipulate users into thinking the product is actually ‘99%’ natural / organic. Although, I do not completely trust them. I understand that businesses use dynamic labelling to entice sales, which can be misleading to consumers. Consumers are drawn into branding and trends, so experts know what sells and how to sell it for optimum sales.
When shopping for items such as body wash, toothpaste's and general essentials, natural and organic products stand out to me compared to others, due to price points and colour schemes. When making purchases for general cleanliness, all natural/organic products seem more appealing because of the organic labels, percentages and claimed ingredients. Whereas, when it comes to other essentials such as hair care and skin care, I prefer more high quality products (still natural/non scented) and tend to do slightly more research into ingredients as my hair is something I intend to focus on making healthier. As for skin care, it’s important to me to keep a radiant, clear face ensuring that I can keep a more natural beauty approach due to not wanting to wear much makeup. I trust natural and organic labels 50%, due to the product stating it’s ‘99% natural’ or ‘all organic ingredients wear used.’ I usually believe the product can’t be a high risk product, it has to be some what okay to use, putting my trust in the brand regulatory. With this in mind, I took it upon myself to investigate products I have purchased with these specific labels and scanned them on the Yuta App. Here are my results…
Fig 2 (Yuka n.d)
Fig 3 (Yuka n.d)
Fig 4 (Yuka n.d)
Fig 5 (Yuka n.d)
How does natural based makeup (e.g Lush) compare to non natural based?
Natural based makeup brands aim to contain a higher amount of natural ingredients within their range rather than non-natural makeup. “Only 70% of our range is self preserving and we’re always looking to improve on that,” Lush (2024). Non-natural makeup often includes synthetic materials, artificial ingredients and chemicals. Although Lush is not 100% natural based (it’s actually 70%) makeup brands cannot always include 100% natural ingredients. Designing and creating a product that is, ‘16 hour wear, airbrushed, filter finish or light reflecting,' requires the right ingredients for the desired effect, colour or tone. Working within retail, many customers think that they can buy a makeup product that will give coverage, longevity and make them look 10 years younger, whereas, in many cases it’s either one or the other. Buy an all natural makeup product and get a natural, healthy finish, or, buy a product that claims to do x, y and z and put artificial ingredients on your face. My personal opinion is, our future will be becoming much more sustainable and eco-friendly and as the years go on, the world will begin to follow what is good for the planet. The fashion and makeup industry are constantly being slammed for how wasteful they are and people want refillable items with less packaging, made with natural ingredients. To cater to more consumers, the beauty industry will have no choice but to follow sustainable guidelines not just with their formulas but with their packaging and refill schemes too.
The first comparison between a natural based and non-natural based makeup product is the formula. All natural makeup is of course going to be more beneficial and healthier to apply to the skin. According to Woohoo Body (2024), “the skin absorbs up to 60%-70% of everything we apply to it” and states “it takes 26 seconds for your skin to absorb a chemical into your bloodstream.” However, a non-natural based makeup product is filled with ingredients to improve the overall look and quality of how the makeup applies and wears, with no thought about hazardous chemicals. Consumers tend to purchase items that have higher quality results under popular brand names encouraging them to think that these products are good. People tend to purchase items from a more ‘luxury’ cosmetic brand, paying more for their purchases without realising that paying less for an all natural product will be more beneficial in many ways, such as saving money, our skin, the climate and future long term health problems. The second comparison would be packaging. All natural brands tend to use recycled paper bags, cardboard boxes and easily disposed materials. They use an earthly colour palette including: Browns, Greens, Blues and pops of floral colours, this matches a brands aesthetic and connects the brands values to their customers through their branding and colour psychology. This is the same with brand advertising and campaigns using specific colour schemes, nature oriented props and sustainable values, keeping their brand image strong across all aspects of the business. As a non-natural based makeup brand, such as P. Louise, Benefit and Charlotte Tilbury, these brands tend to prioritise packaging over product, creating unessacary waste while adding many chemical ingredients to achieve desired flavours and scents to their products. For some children, teens and adults, they will buy items because it looks nice or packaged to look like other things we enjoy such as: coffee, sweets or food, even the scents are same.
Fig 6 (Renna 2023)
Recyclable packaging created with the planet in mind.
Fig 7 (Rose 2024)
Packaging solely created for the purpose of consumers. This type of packaging is wasteful and only created with profit in mind.
Summary
First and foremost, the main topic of this article highlights the harmful chemicals added to products and cosmetics that present as 'natural' and 'organic.' This, for me, was the most illuminating and the most concerning, especially considering the effects of such toxins on our health, such as the possibility of causing cancerous and developmental issues. Furthermore, large-scale regulators, such as the FDA, are not preventing harmful ingredients in the cosmetics we use within the beauty industry. The labels and advertising strategies used to promote products are seriously misleading to consumers who trust the major brands and trends within the industry. This calls for serious advertising intervention to protect its consumers' health and safety. As a makeup artist, this article has brought my attention to toxic ingredients within my specific products. I want to prioritise my knowledge and understanding to keep myself and my clients safe. I have realised how I have fallen prey to advertising strategies, such as the colourful and dynamic labels that profess to be laden with essential oils and other natural, organic ingredients. This article has definitely brought to the forefront the actual ingredients to look out for. Furthermore, technological apps help consumers scan the product for high-risk ingredients. I will be using the apps within my practice as I am shocked at how many unknown ingredients are unregulated and added to long-lasting, water-resistant products, such as asbestos and formaldehyde.
References
Beiersdorf, (2024) What does non-comedogenic mean? [online] Available at: www.nivea.com Accessed on: 14/10/2024
Environmental Working Group (2024) EWG’s 18th annual guide to sunscreens [online] Available at: www.ewg.org Accessed on: 14/10/2024
Palmer, J (2023) What is the Badder-Meinhof Phenomenon? (Overview, Definition and Examples). [online] Available at: www.onboardmeetings.com Accessed on: 14/10/2024
Paternotte, M (2020) All cosmetic and personal care products must be safe [online] Available at: www.thefactsabout.co.uk Accessed on: 14/10/2024
Renna, M (2023) Da Lush in mostra il packaging del futuro [online] Available at: www.modaestyle.it Accessed on: 14/10/2024
Rose, B (2024) P.Louise Spoilt for Choice Oven Bundle [online] Available at: www.vinted.co.uk Accessed on: 14/10/2024
Villines, Z (2023) What are noncomedogenic skin care products? [online] Available at: www.medicalnewstoday.com Accessed on: 14/10/2024
Yuka (n.d) Make the right choices for your health [online] Available at: https://yuka.io/en/ Accessed on: 14/10/2024
Original source for this article - Selby, K (2024) 45% of People Worry About Toxic Makeup — Should You? [online] Available at: www.asbestos.com Accessed on: 14/10/2024