Fire Project
3-26-12
Beauty in society is defined as being a skinny person typically with blonde hair and light colored eyes like blue or green. Both men and women in our society use products to try to change their appearance and try to make themselves look more “beautiful” in the way that society and the media portray “beauty” to be. What people do not realize is that most of the products they might be using may contain toxins, which can increase health issues. These products although not harmful at first can be dangerous in the long run. This is a problem in society not only because men and women use these products because media portrays them as necessary to be beautiful, but also because most people who use these products do not know about the potential harm they may cause. People should be more informed about the harm in their beauty and hygiene products and should do something to help protect and keep themselves healthier longer. Although the public more widely recognizes the harmful toxins in readily available beauty products, organic products are not as accessible and can be expensive.
Although more and more people are being informed about the harm in everyday beauty and hygiene products, most people still need to really understand that based on scientific testing there have been toxins in most products such as carcinogens and parabens that increase the risk of cancer and as stated in a news article, “published studies have linked parabens to breast tumors in women, and possible disruption of reproductive hormones in young males.” (Connie Thompson. (2008, November 20). Site warns of toxins in beauty products.) The public should be more widely informed about these types of risks that are linked to their everyday used products. Having a higher risk for cancer or reproductive health issues can be prevented and if people knew more about the risks that these products can cause they would find ways to use other products that are not full of harmful toxins. Another article mentioned that overuse of products especially multiple products can increase health risks overtime. So people need to know that even if these products seem good for you now they can be harmful after long-term usage. Another interesting thing that was stated in the article was that in the “United States and Canada Johnson & Johnson was selling a baby shampoo which contained small amounts of quaternium-15, a formaldehyde- releasing preservative that has been linked to cancer, even though the company had removed the chemical from similar products sold in Europe and Japan.” This is important to know because it proves the lack of interest that the United States has for the countries well-being if they allow for companies to sell their products to us knowing that they have health risks involved. It’s important for people to inform themselves about what products are safe to use especially because the FDA does not have many regulations for beauty and hygiene products.
The most common chemicals found in commonly used products are phthalates which can be found in health and beauty products like nail polish, lotions, and shampoos. An article stated that the “FDA has determined that their use of phthalates is not a "health risk." However, phthalates have been linked to cancer, infertility, and birth defects.” (Cindy Jones-Shoeman, December 8, 2010, Toxins in Health and Beauty Products are hard to avoid). Even if the FDA does not consider phthalates to be harmful research has shown that it can be risky if used in large amounts so the government should do more to fix the regulations on beauty and hygiene products.
Other toxins commonly found in products are lead, and parabens. Lead is a well-known toxin that is harmful and can be found in women’s lipstick. The most commonly used preservatives in beauty products are parabens. They are used to make the shelf-life of beauty products longer and have been linked to cause breast cancer and reproductive health problems. “A person's skin acts as a shield, but it is not an impenetrable shell.” Although your skin protects you from most of the products that you use the dangerous chemicals and toxins can still get inside. This is important to know especially because if people understood that after using their everyday products for long periods of times those small amounts of toxic chemicals can build up after so much usage and that is when health risks begin to increase.
Another issue that involves beauty products is that products that are readily available are the ones that are not safe and the safer organic products are not as readily available to the public especially not in lower income communities. In the Little Village community there are not many stores nearby which carry organic products like a Whole Foods, the lack of having organic products available to people increases the use of other products which are unsafe. More recently some stores have added a line of organic products, such as Target which carries brands like Burts Bees which are safe and do not contain harmful chemicals. In low- income communities however more stores like Wal-Mart and K-Mart are closer and cheaper but these stores offer the public the beauty and hygiene products, which are less safe to use. More communities should have the access to stores that sell organic products and that way the knowledge about unsafe beauty products will be spread and people would want to buy more organic products.
The costliness of organic products is also an issue because not many people can afford to buy them. Especially for people in low-income communities although these products are available in some stores like Target, people hardly ever go to them or buy them because they are more costly than the everyday products they are used to getting. These high prices are issues because people find them to be too expensive compared to the other products that are 5 dollars for a bottle of shampoo rather than almost 20 dollars. If these organic products are safer for us then we should be able to afford them as an everyday option not have to splurge on these products just to be healthy and organic. The government should either do more about the cheaper products so that the FDA prohibits the use of certain toxins that are harmful to us and if not they should make the already organic products more affordable and accessible as well. The lack of better stores that offer organic products in low-income communities is an injustice because it discriminates against people who are less capable and willing to purchase these products, but also because not having these products as easily available it prevents people from being able to use these products and be able to be healthier in terms of the products they use.
Most people who might be aware of the toxicity of beauty products continue to use them for long times. Things like shampoo and conditioner face washes and soap are things people use on an everyday basis and people unknowingly use these products. Although the toxins of many of these chemicals found in these products have been put out there for the public to be aware of, big business still continue to use them in their products and the FDA does not regulate the chemicals that can be put into their products.
The most common chemicals found in commonly used products are phthalates which can be found in health and beauty products like nail polish, lotions, and shampoos. An article stated that the “FDA has determined that their use of phthalates is not a "health risk." However, phthalates have been linked to cancer, infertility, and birth defects.” (Cindy Jones-Shoeman, December 8, 2010, Toxins in Health and Beauty Products are hard to avoid). Even if the FDA does not consider phthalates to be harmful research has shown that it can be risky if used in large amounts so the government should do more to fix the regulations on beauty and hygiene products.
Other toxins commonly found in products are lead, and parabens. Lead is a well-known toxin that is harmful and can be found in women’s lipstick. The most commonly used preservatives in beauty products are parabens. They are used to make the shelf-life of beauty products longer and have been linked to cause breast cancer and reproductive health problems. “A person's skin acts as a shield, but it is not an impenetrable shell.” Although your skin protects you from most of the products that you use the dangerous chemicals and toxins can still get inside. This is important to know especially because if people understood that after using their everyday products for long periods of times those small amounts of toxic chemicals can build up after so much usage and that is when health risks begin to increase.
Luckily there are many companies that do offer organic products which do not contain any type of preservatives or toxins and most importantly that do not increase the health risks of their consumers. In order to be more informed about the products people use there are websites Like, http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/, which list many products and the hazardous level it has, as well as a list of the toxins it may contain. This is a helpful website because it gives people easy access to look up all kinds of products like makeup, shampoo, soaps, body washes, sunscreens etc., to see which ones are the best to use that do not contain any toxins at all. Another way people could help keep themselves informed is by being more conscious and beginning to read the labels on their products. Looking out for specific chemicals or even just picking out products that do not have a huge list of ingredients that do not even make sense could even be a step forward to having a more healthy living and not having unnecessary increased health risks.
3-26-12
Beauty in society is defined as being a skinny person typically with blonde hair and light colored eyes like blue or green. Both men and women in our society use products to try to change their appearance and try to make themselves look more “beautiful” in the way that society and the media portray “beauty” to be. What people do not realize is that most of the products they might be using may contain toxins, which can increase health issues. These products although not harmful at first can be dangerous in the long run. This is a problem in society not only because men and women use these products because media portrays them as necessary to be beautiful, but also because most people who use these products do not know about the potential harm they may cause. People should be more informed about the harm in their beauty and hygiene products and should do something to help protect and keep themselves healthier longer. Although the public more widely recognizes the harmful toxins in readily available beauty products, organic products are not as accessible and can be expensive.
Although more and more people are being informed about the harm in everyday beauty and hygiene products, most people still need to really understand that based on scientific testing there have been toxins in most products such as carcinogens and parabens that increase the risk of cancer and as stated in a news article, “published studies have linked parabens to breast tumors in women, and possible disruption of reproductive hormones in young males.” (Connie Thompson. (2008, November 20). Site warns of toxins in beauty products.) The public should be more widely informed about these types of risks that are linked to their everyday used products. Having a higher risk for cancer or reproductive health issues can be prevented and if people knew more about the risks that these products can cause they would find ways to use other products that are not full of harmful toxins. Another article mentioned that overuse of products especially multiple products can increase health risks overtime. So people need to know that even if these products seem good for you now they can be harmful after long-term usage. Another interesting thing that was stated in the article was that in the “United States and Canada Johnson & Johnson was selling a baby shampoo which contained small amounts of quaternium-15, a formaldehyde- releasing preservative that has been linked to cancer, even though the company had removed the chemical from similar products sold in Europe and Japan.” This is important to know because it proves the lack of interest that the United States has for the countries well-being if they allow for companies to sell their products to us knowing that they have health risks involved. It’s important for people to inform themselves about what products are safe to use especially because the FDA does not have many regulations for beauty and hygiene products.
The most common chemicals found in commonly used products are phthalates which can be found in health and beauty products like nail polish, lotions, and shampoos. An article stated that the “FDA has determined that their use of phthalates is not a "health risk." However, phthalates have been linked to cancer, infertility, and birth defects.” (Cindy Jones-Shoeman, December 8, 2010, Toxins in Health and Beauty Products are hard to avoid). Even if the FDA does not consider phthalates to be harmful research has shown that it can be risky if used in large amounts so the government should do more to fix the regulations on beauty and hygiene products.
Other toxins commonly found in products are lead, and parabens. Lead is a well-known toxin that is harmful and can be found in women’s lipstick. The most commonly used preservatives in beauty products are parabens. They are used to make the shelf-life of beauty products longer and have been linked to cause breast cancer and reproductive health problems. “A person's skin acts as a shield, but it is not an impenetrable shell.” Although your skin protects you from most of the products that you use the dangerous chemicals and toxins can still get inside. This is important to know especially because if people understood that after using their everyday products for long periods of times those small amounts of toxic chemicals can build up after so much usage and that is when health risks begin to increase.
Another issue that involves beauty products is that products that are readily available are the ones that are not safe and the safer organic products are not as readily available to the public especially not in lower income communities. In the Little Village community there are not many stores nearby which carry organic products like a Whole Foods, the lack of having organic products available to people increases the use of other products which are unsafe. More recently some stores have added a line of organic products, such as Target which carries brands like Burts Bees which are safe and do not contain harmful chemicals. In low- income communities however more stores like Wal-Mart and K-Mart are closer and cheaper but these stores offer the public the beauty and hygiene products, which are less safe to use. More communities should have the access to stores that sell organic products and that way the knowledge about unsafe beauty products will be spread and people would want to buy more organic products.
The costliness of organic products is also an issue because not many people can afford to buy them. Especially for people in low-income communities although these products are available in some stores like Target, people hardly ever go to them or buy them because they are more costly than the everyday products they are used to getting. These high prices are issues because people find them to be too expensive compared to the other products that are 5 dollars for a bottle of shampoo rather than almost 20 dollars. If these organic products are safer for us then we should be able to afford them as an everyday option not have to splurge on these products just to be healthy and organic. The government should either do more about the cheaper products so that the FDA prohibits the use of certain toxins that are harmful to us and if not they should make the already organic products more affordable and accessible as well. The lack of better stores that offer organic products in low-income communities is an injustice because it discriminates against people who are less capable and willing to purchase these products, but also because not having these products as easily available it prevents people from being able to use these products and be able to be healthier in terms of the products they use.
Most people who might be aware of the toxicity of beauty products continue to use them for long times. Things like shampoo and conditioner face washes and soap are things people use on an everyday basis and people unknowingly use these products. Although the toxins of many of these chemicals found in these products have been put out there for the public to be aware of, big business still continue to use them in their products and the FDA does not regulate the chemicals that can be put into their products.
The most common chemicals found in commonly used products are phthalates which can be found in health and beauty products like nail polish, lotions, and shampoos. An article stated that the “FDA has determined that their use of phthalates is not a "health risk." However, phthalates have been linked to cancer, infertility, and birth defects.” (Cindy Jones-Shoeman, December 8, 2010, Toxins in Health and Beauty Products are hard to avoid). Even if the FDA does not consider phthalates to be harmful research has shown that it can be risky if used in large amounts so the government should do more to fix the regulations on beauty and hygiene products.
Other toxins commonly found in products are lead, and parabens. Lead is a well-known toxin that is harmful and can be found in women’s lipstick. The most commonly used preservatives in beauty products are parabens. They are used to make the shelf-life of beauty products longer and have been linked to cause breast cancer and reproductive health problems. “A person's skin acts as a shield, but it is not an impenetrable shell.” Although your skin protects you from most of the products that you use the dangerous chemicals and toxins can still get inside. This is important to know especially because if people understood that after using their everyday products for long periods of times those small amounts of toxic chemicals can build up after so much usage and that is when health risks begin to increase.
Luckily there are many companies that do offer organic products which do not contain any type of preservatives or toxins and most importantly that do not increase the health risks of their consumers. In order to be more informed about the products people use there are websites Like, http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/, which list many products and the hazardous level it has, as well as a list of the toxins it may contain. This is a helpful website because it gives people easy access to look up all kinds of products like makeup, shampoo, soaps, body washes, sunscreens etc., to see which ones are the best to use that do not contain any toxins at all. Another way people could help keep themselves informed is by being more conscious and beginning to read the labels on their products. Looking out for specific chemicals or even just picking out products that do not have a huge list of ingredients that do not even make sense could even be a step forward to having a more healthy living and not having unnecessary increased health risks.