Makeup Your Mind! The Hidden Dangers of Cosmetics

Cosmetics are nothing new to human culture. Our species has used a wide variety of substances to alter our features for over 7,000 years. Some argue that cosmetic body & face art is the earliest ritual in human history — think about the ancient Egyptian civilization 5,000+ years ago!

However, there's a caveat to this beautiful burden.

The current cosmetic industry manufactures products that are loaded with artificial & toxic ingredients. Big businesses such as L’Oréal, Neutrogena, & Maybelline avoid the expensive alternative of naturally-derived ingredients, which these age-old populations would‘ve hand-picked from mother nature herself.

They used organic materials like mud, roots, crushed beetles, flowers, berries, etc. I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if their natural applications may have boosted their skin, hair, and overall health!

Today, women worldwide are the main contributors to this 500+ billion dollar industry. At this rate, it is expected to jump to $800 billion by 2024.

The average American woman applies over 515 synthetic chemicals on her body every single day (that's over 4 lbs of makeup & toiletries absorbed through one's external organ in 365 days).

The United States alone has approved over 82,000 different chemicals, with names you can barely pronounce, for use in makeups, shampoos, shave creams, sunscreens, and other personal care products. Many of which are ILLEGAL in European countries (similar to the legalized chemicals put into our foods mentioned in the article Just one more bite...).

Here is a list of TOXIC chemicals that you should look out for in your make-up & cosmetic products (mentioned in the fantastic read The Rain Barrel Effect):

- BHA & BHT

- Parabens

- Parfume (aka "fragrance")

- DEA-related ingredients

- Dibutyl Phthalate

- Formaldehyde-releasing preservatives

- PEG

- Petrolatum

- Triclosan

How does a governmental agency approve chemicals and deem them safe?

Most are briefly tested on animals, not even for long-term exposure (which is how women typically use makeup).

These toxins wreak havoc on your entire body & mind, not just your skin. Over 60% of all the environmental things that make contact with your glorious protective lining directly absorb in your system.

Eventually, after chronic & daily usage, this application can lead to major health complications from minor skin irritations (acne, eczema, inflammation, etc), hormonal dysregulation, and cancer.

It becomes an endless cycle of covering up the unattractive skin spot with what is causing the issue in the first place!

We often forget that our skin is one of our most important organs. It is a porous yet water-resistant complex that any sort of cream, lotion, oil, or chemical can seep right through directly into your bloodstream. I mean, it is only 0.5mm thick.

This may seem counterintuitive, but absorption through the skin has been shown to be worse than swallowing. This is because your liver and digestive tract can process these toxins & filter them out BEFORE entering bloodstream. "If you cannot eat it, do not put it on your skin"

Makeup has become so pernicious that 1 in 8 ingredients (out of 82,000 legalized) contain cancer-causing or hormone-disrupting ingredients! The cosmetic industry is not so clean after all... they store this dirty little secret far away from the consumer.

This whole issue of caking-up layers of this synthetic sense of security starts with the media (especially Instagram, Twitter, & Facebook). Our society pressures the shit out of women to pamper-up and show the world that there is no such thing as an imperfection. This is truly disheartening.

Us guys on the other hand, aren't expected to worry about any sort of prepping up for the public eye. All we have to "stress" about is a toxic spray of cologne and grooming some hair on our face.

Makeup has been looked upon as helping average looking women stand-out & shimmer in a crowd. Bold lipstick can make the lips look fuller, mascara can make the eyes look bigger, contouring can sharpen the jawline, primers can help even skin tone by covering-up pores & fine lines... the list goes on and on. Why is this idea of makeup needed for females engrained so deep in our brains?

It's a question I will never know the answer to.

However, if you still won't budge on cutting makeup out completely, I recommend to ladies trying to live a longer and healthier life to try these natural ALTERNATIVE brands:

- Maia's

- Mineral Fusion

- Beauty Counter

- Rejuva Minerals

- W3LL

It's so important to avoid these slow stabbing & destructive preservatives, emulsifiers, fragrances, & coloring agents in your daily routine. It is perfectly fine to use these in moderation for big occasions or going out for the weekend. It's not going to kill you... at least right away.

BUT REMEMBER, you look stunning regardless of that mascara, concealer, foundation, lipstick, or eye shadow.

You do not need to hide your identity behind makeup... so please, MAKEUP YOUR MIND!