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PEG
Compounds in Cosmetics: A Little-Known Danger to You
by SixWise.com
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How
many cosmetics and toiletries do you use in a day? Go ahead
and add them all up, from shampoo and body wash to makeup
and hair dye. You assume those products are safe and non-toxic,
right?
But
did you know that, according to the government agency that
"regulates" cosmetics, the FDA's Office of Cosmetics
and Colors, "... a cosmetic manufacturer may use almost
any raw material as a cosmetic ingredient and market the product
without an approval from FDA."
That's right. And an Environmental Working Group analysis
shows that
"89 percent of 10,500 ingredients used in personal care
products have not been evaluated for safety by the CIR, the
FDA, nor any other publicly accountable institution."
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Many common cosmetics like
shampoos, mousse, moisturizers,
deodorants and shaving products
contain PEG compounds shown to
have harmful impurities ... but there
are smart alternatives noted below!
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That
means that the cosmetics you use daily likely contain ingredients
that have not been studied at all, have been studied inadequately,
or worst of all, have been studied and have been found to
cause harm.
Why
You Don't Want Polyethylene Glycol (PEG) in Your Cosmetics
One
such ingredient that is widely used, yet seldom spoken of,
is polyethylene glycol (PEG). PEG-6, PEG-150 and other similar
names are all close relatives of the PEG family.
PEG
compounds are synthetic chemicals used in cosmetics as surfactants,
cleansing agents, emulsifiers, skin conditioners and humectants
that many believe could increase the risk of a variety of
cancers, including breast cancer.
They
contain various harmful impurities, according to a report
by the Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) committee that was
published in the International Journal of Toxicology, including:
- Ethylene
oxide: Ethylene oxide increases the incidences of uterine
and breast cancers and of leukemia and brain cancer, according
to experimental results reported by the National Toxicology
Program.
- 1,4-dioxane:
According to the National Toxicology Program, "1,4-dioxane
is reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen."
- Polycyclic
aromatic compounds (PAHs): Known to increase the risk of
breast cancer.
- Lead
- Iron
- Cobalt
- Nickel
- Cadmium
- Arsenic
Unfortunately,
the risks associated with PEG compounds are widely underexposed.
Even the CIR concluded that many PEG compounds "are safe
for use" in cosmetics, yet they added that PEG compounds
should "not be used on damaged skin."
Things
do appear to be moving in the right direction, though, as
some 23 PEG compounds have been named by the CIR Expert Panel
as "high priority" for initiation of safety reviews
in 2005.
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Do
My Cosmetics Contain PEG Compounds?
According
to the Environmental Working Group, the following
percentages
of common toiletries contain PEG compounds and other
impurities that are
linked to breast cancer.
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Mousse
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90.3%
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Hair
Dye
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79.5%
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Baby
Bath Wash
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73.8%
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Douche/Personal
Cleanser
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58.3%
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Menopause
Cream
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54.5% |
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Depilatory
Cream/Hair Remover
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48.2%
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Baby
Lotion/Oil
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46.4% |
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Anti-Itch/Rash
Cream
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46.3% |
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After
Sun Products
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45.5% |
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Lip
Balm/Treatment
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43.6%
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Moisturizer
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43.1%
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Deodorant
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42.7%
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Facial
Moisturizer/Treatment
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42.0%
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Shaving
Products
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41.3%
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Anti-Aging
Treatment
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41.0%
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Styling
Product
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39.6%
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Eye
Treatment
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38.8%
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Concealer
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37.9%
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Foot
Odor/Cream/Treatment
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37.3%
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Conditioner
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35.2% |
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What's
the Alternative?
It
may seem like an impossible feat to find cosmetics and toiletries
that don't contain PEG or other harmful additives, but if
you can move beyond the major commercial lines of cosmetics
sold in grocery store and drug store chains, they can be
found.
The
best alternative is to use natural varieties of cosmetic
products found in health food stores or online.
However,
the risks of PEG compounds, especially in products made
for damaged or sensitive skin, are so widely unknown,
that even many products claiming to be natural contain
them. So do some label-scrutinizing research ...
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Read
the Label
Your
best bet is to be your own detective and actively seek
out -- and avoid -- any products that contain PEG compounds
(and, ideally, other unknown or questionable chemical
additives.)
Organic,
pure cosmetics offer the best chance of being non-toxic,
but read the label -- or ask a trusted representative
at a natural health products store -- nonetheless.
One
natural brand that has gone the extra mile to ensure
their products are free of PEG compounds and other impurities
is Aubrey Organics -- you
can review many of their products right now, including
shampoos, conditioner, skin lotion, hairspray, soap
and much more.
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Brands like Aubrey
Organics have gone
the extra mile to ensure their cosmetic
products
are free of PEG compounds
and other impurities. They offer a full line
of cosmetics including shampoos,
conditions, deodorant, hairspray, and
much more.
See
Aubrey Products Now!
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Also,
SixWise.com highly recommends that you check out the Environmental
Working Group's Skin Deep Report, which includes a searchable
directory of cosmetics and any harmful additives they contain.
You can search by product name and see whether the cosmetics
and toiletries you use daily contain questionable ingredients
that could be slowly wreaking havoc on your health.
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