How safe are cosmetics?

These days youths are wearing makeup to show off without realising that makeup is just worn to highlight your features. Many don’t know that cosmetics can be toxic and dangerous. 

Despite all the promises made by the industry, a number of cosmetics can cause health hazards and may turn you ugly instead of pretty. Studies show that cosmetics are toxic and use chemicals and items that may cause cancer. Some talcum powders contain asbestos. The youths rarely read the contents of the cosmetics before buying. 

For example, there are dozens of shampoo brands used for cleaning hair available in the market, each promising something unique and special. It is a common belief that using soap to clean hair is harmful but a comparative research carried out by a doctor with the help of a consumer union in Japan has found that shampoo can damage your hair and result in hair loss. Research has revealed that thickest hair among the shampoo users was only 0.097 mm whereas soap users had 0.115 mm. Similarly, shampoo users had hair as thin as 0.072 mm as compared to soap users who had 0.1 mm thin hair. 

Years ago, people used to dye the hair black but now a days women use colours ignoring the harmful effects it has on health. Hair dyes can be bleaches, temporary dyes, semi-permanent dyes or permanent dyes. They contain hazardous chemicals such as ammonia and hydrogen peroxide, p-phenylenediamine and toluene diamines. Hydrogen peroxide can damage your hair. 

According to a report, temporary dyes contain metallic substances like lead, which are toxic and can be absorbed through the scalp into the body. Temporary dyes are derived from benzidine, which is known to produce bladder cancer.

It may be interesting to know that of all the cosmetics, lipstick is the most toxic and dangerous for two reasons. Firstly, women swallow the chemicals directly. Secondly, the lipstick gets absorbed in the tender lip skin.