The cosmetics you put on in the morning alone expose your body to over 120 different chemicals. Are we overdoing it with beauty products and can they in fact be dangerous?

I don't think we can live without our cosmetics. If I try to think hard and name only the bare minimum of my cosmetic needs, the list would say: shampoo, conditioner, soap, concealer, lip gloss, mascara, body lotion, deodorant...But with only these products I would feel very uneasy, unfinished, not properly prepared. Although I do recognize the fact that my cosmetic drawers and cupboards, cases and shelves are heavy under all the cosmetics I normally use, my beauty routines make me feel beautiful.

It came as very bed news that a lot of cosmetics available contain some rather dangerous ingredients. Red and Black warns:

"For example, chemicals like phthalates, which are commonly used to soften plastics, are found in countless everyday products like hair spray, nail polish and deodorant. DEHP and DBP, the most used phthalates in cosmetics, are shown to cause liver, kidney, lung and reproductive damage.
Parabens, the most widely used synthetic and preservative in cosmetics, are linked to failure of the endocrine system, an essential part of our body's hormonal operations."

This does sound scary, doesn't it? Especially when we know that European union bans a lot of cosmetic ingredients (like the two mentioned) and takes care to issue approvals for every new cosmetic product after examining their ingredients. While here in the US there are no institutions whatsoever which would deal with cosmetic ingredients and product safety.

So what can a gal do? She can choose wisely, of course. Surf to EWG Report and see all the top health-concerning cosmetic ingredients, and the exact products they come in.

There might be a brighter cosmetic future underway, as the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics reports that 500 cosmetic companies, big and small, have already signed the petition to keep hazardous (cancer, birth defect and other health problems causing) ingredients out of their products.