Women all over the world, whether old or young, use a vast range of cosmetic products daily. However, in spite of this desire to look their best, little do they know that excessive use of such products leads to a chemical pile up in their bodies.
A new study has found that women who use make-up everyday, soak up around 5lb of chemicals annually into their bodies. This means that a “cocktail” of 4lb 6oz chemicals seeps into the body through the skin yearly.
The study also found that many women use over 20 different beauty products per day, while nine out of ten women apply make-up which is way past its expiry date.
It was also found that some synthetic compounds present in cosmetics bring out side effects that range from skin irritation to untimely ageing and cancer.
“We really need to start questioning the products we are putting on our skin and not just assume that the chemicals in them are safe. We have no idea what these chemicals do when they are mixed together, the effect could be much greater than the sum of the individual parts,” saidRichard Bence, a biochemist who spent three years researching the conventional and the supposedly ‘safe’ products.
“If lipstick gets into your mouth it is broken down by the enzymes in saliva and in the stomach. But chemicals get straight into your bloodstream, there is no protection,” he said.
Among chemicals under inspection are parabens (para-hydroxybenzoic acids) which are preservatives used in products like soap, shampoo, deodorant and baby lotion.
Sodium lauryl sulphate, used to help produce lather in soaps, shampoo, shaving foam, toothpaste and bubble bath, can be the root of skin irritation.