I decided to take a break from my "Outdoor Ethics" series for those of you who aren't all that outdoorsy, but I have a few more OE topics to come!
Today's topic is one that is a bit foreign to me, but I think it is an important one to address: makeup and fragrances!
Most of you know that even though I am in my twenties I am still a "Tom-Boy" and only wear makeup on special occasions -however, I do have a small collection of little plastic bottles filled with different beauty products. These little bottles are not refillable and the majority are not recyclable. Moreover, according to beauty experts, makeup should not be kept for more than a year.
I know a few of my friends won't even run to the corner store without their "face" on and with all that makeup there is bound to be a lot of waste in the form of containers, applicators, removers, etc.
But, that's not the end of it.
The more I looked into this topic, the more shocked I became about what I learned. Cosmetics do not fall under the jurisdiction oft the FDA or Health Canada. This means that nobody is really monitoring the quality or safety of these products. Cosmetic manufacturers are not forced to fully disclose ingredients of fragrance body products and you almost need a chemical engineering degree to decipher the ingredients of makeup! According to an article on the David Suzuki Foundation website, many of these chemicals are linked to serious health concerns.
So what is a consumer to do?
Well, we need to remember that our skin is an organ too and that whatever we put on it will most likely be absorbed into our system.
There are a few things you can do:
1) Wear less makeup and let your inner beauty radiate! This means less packaging and less chemicals!
2) Not convinced by 1)? Well, look for makeup and fragrances with simpler labeling or that are certified Organic, 100% natural and cruelty-free.
3) Buy brands that come will less packaging! Shoppers Drug Mart carries a brand, Physicians Formula, that has an organic line of 100% natural makeup. What I like about their products is that they have minimalistic packaging and a lot more of their makeup-containers were made from paper (they claim 93% less plastic than a traditional compact and that their brushes are 100% recyclable)
4) Demand to know more! If you follow this link you will be directed to the David Suzuki Foundation Website where you can send a message of concern to Canadian Health Minister, Leona Aglukkaq, and ask her to change the regulations regarding the disclosure of fragrance ingredients.
5) Make your own scent by mixing natural oils and fragrances, or picking different plants (just google "make your own perfume" and a ton of sites come up!)
Great places to shop for cosmetics and body-care products are stores like The Body Shop and Lush, and if you bring your own bag or container, you can skip on packaging for things like soaps and bars! These stores promote animal and human rights, as well as encouraging patrons to protect the planet.
So, as for me, I am going to continue with my minimalistic makeup, but when I do need to "gussy-up" I will be sure to use natural/organic products that are cruelty-free and come in eco-conscious packaging!
Sources:
http://action.davidsuzuki.org/parfum
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art52798.asp
http://dailyuw.com/2007/5/3/make-up-doesnt-have-to-re-make-the-environment/
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