If a product is sold in stores and consumers (like me and you) report problems-like a lotion caused a severe reaction-the company does not have to report the complaint to the FDA. More than 1,600 chemicals are banned for use in cosmetics in the European Union due to questions over their safety. The Food and Drug Administration only regulates misbranding or false advertising on packages-not what actually goes inside the packages. A product can go straight from manufacturing to store shelves without any type of approval or mandatory safety testing. Unfortunately, there is little to no federal regulation of the cosmetics industry in the United States. View more View less Lack of Regulation with Skincare Products Join my Clean Beauty Community to get it! PS: I now write a monthly newsletter centered around understanding harmful ingredients in skin care and cosmetic products. So, I’ve put together a comprehensive list you can read here and download! The best way to proactively choose safer products is to know which ones to avoid.

Some of these are know carcinogens and endocrine disruptors, which can inhibit your body’s ability to balance hormones.Īfter researching skincare ingredients to avoid and learning more about how it could impact my family’s health, I knew I needed to make the switch. And, I was even more surprised to find out there is little to no government regulation in the cosmetic industry.Īccording to a survey done by Environmental Working Group, the average woman uses 12 products containing 168 unique ingredients every single day. I was shocked to learn the number of harmful ingredients in skincare products. When I got pregnant with my first child at age 31, I suddenly cared a lot more about what potential dangers were lurking in my lipstick, and how harmful ingredients impacted pregnancy.

While both of those things are important, I had no idea that what I was putting on my skin on a daily basis was negatively impacting my health. Not sure if your cosmetic products are safe? Here’s a quick and easy list of the top ingredients to avoid in skincare and makeup products.įor the majority of my twenties, I thought health was really just about food and exercise.

Download skin deep cosmetics