Women’s Voices for the Earth (WVE) has run a campaign since 2004 called “Campaign for Safe Cosmetics.“ Every women should be concerned about the chemicals found in cosmetic and personal care products. According to WVE, 89% of the 10,000 chemicals in our products have not undergone safety testing. I haven’t read through all of the information on “The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics” web site but what I’ve read so far is shocking.

Some of the information on the site details the problem with lead in lipstick, phthalates linked to the feminization of boys, products contaminated with 1,4-Dioxane (which includes ingredients such as “PEG,” “polyethylene,” “polyethylene glycol,” “polyoxyethylene,” “-eth-” (such as sodium laureth sulfate), “oxynol” “ceteareth,” or “oleth.”) One article I came across on the Environmental Working Group web site, was really frightening, “Almost Half Of All ‘Natural’ Personal Care Products Contain Known Carcinogen.”  This article illustrates in part what I wrote about in my previous posting about Women’s Voices for the Earth. We can’t be fooled by the words “natural” or organic. A product can be “natural” or organic and still be harmful.

I did a bit of research myself and visited a helpful resource I found once again on the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics site. On the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep database, I did a search for all personal care products which contained PEG, polyethylene, polyethylene glycol, and/or polyoxyethylene. (I didn’t include sodium laureth sulfate since I’ve read conflicting studies about its actual hazard.) My search results are quite lengthy and once again, shocking. (I hate to keep using this word, but it really is). At the top of the list, L’Oreal, Estee Lauder, and Avon appear multiple times.

We, as women, need to become more educated consumers and purchase products that won’t make us unhealthy or worse yet, sick. I compiled a short list of some companies who make “clean” cosmetics. (By clean I mean they do not use harmful ingredients.)  I plan to sample products from a few of these companies and I’ll let you know what I find. A great thing I found out is The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics “has asked cosmetics and personal care products companies to sign the Compact for Safe Cosmetics (also known as the Compact for the Global Production of Safer Health and Beauty Products), a pledge to remove toxic chemicals and replace them with safer alternatives in every market they serve. As of August 2007, 600 companies have signed the Compact.”

I believe all six companies below have signed the Compact for Safe Cosmetics.

Perfect Organics
Jasco Organics
Naked
Ferro Cosmetics
Everyday Minerals
Sevi

Perhaps most important, is that we educate the next generation of women to find it absolutely unacceptable for personal care and cosmetic products to be unsafe. Below is an excellent video about Teens for Safe Cosmetics. (Note the footnote at the end of the video… what at coincidence — Estee Lauder, L’Oreal and Avon show up here again!)

Here are the two “clean” product companies mentioned in the video above:
tweenBeauty
Juice Beauty

Now, excuse me while I go dump my entire cosmetic drawer into the trash…

A great article in the Los Angeles Times about cleaning products, How safe are green cleaning products?

The author makes a good point about the fact that ” ‘green’ and ’natural’ are marketing terms — they’re not terms of science.” And just because a product is natural doesn’t mean it won’t cause allergic reactions or skin irritations. An organization, Women’s Voices for the Earth, has started a nationwide campaign to get people to host green cleaning parties where guests make their own non-toxic cleaning products. Here a few recipes posted on their web site:

All-Purpose Cleaner
suggested uses: hard surfaces like countertops and kitchen floors, windows and mirrors

2 cups white distilled vinegar
2 cups water
20-30 or more drops of essential oil (optional)

Tip: Warming in microwave until barely hot will boost cleaning power for tough jobs. Only microwave in a glass container.

Creamy Soft Scrub
suggested uses: Use this creamy soft scrub on kitchen counters, stoves, bathroom sinks, etc.

2 cups baking soda
½ cup liquid castile soap* 
4 teaspoons vegetable glycerin (acts as a preservative) 
5 drops antibacterial essential oil such as lavender, tea tree, rosemary or any scent you prefer (optional)

Mix together and store in a sealed glass jar, shelf life of 2 years.

Tips: For exceptionally tough jobs spray with vinegar first—full strength or diluted, scented—let sit and follow with scrub.

Dry soft scrubs can be made with baking soda or salt (or combination of both) with 10-15 drops essential oil to scent

More recipes are posted on the Women’s Voices for the Earth web site.

And if you would like to host a green cleaning part you can visit the Women’s Voices for the Earth web site.