Hormone disruptors are particularly present in the makeup, cosmetics, toiletries, and personal care products that teen girls apply to their skin every single day. As a teen, I visited the pharmacy on many an occasion to get myself a new pot of pink lip gloss (#44 to be exact) or a Frosted Brownie lipstick to go with my royal blue liquid eyeliner. A girl has to be prepared, you know.
Unfortunately, nasty chemicals such as phthalates, parabens, triclosan and oxybenzone are widely used in cosmetic products, They act as hormone disruptors that interfere with the body’s endocrine system. Though these chemicals can affect both genders, it comes as no surprise that us females are more likely to be the regular consumers of these types of products.
In the past few years, there is a growing awareness of the potentially adverse effects from exposure to hormone disrupting chemicals that can interfere with the endocrine system, such as fertility issues, increased cancer risk, and disturbances in both immune and nervous system function. Teen girls are at an especially high risk given the hormonal changes that happen when reproductive development begins in puberty.
This year alone, nearly seven million men and women in the U.S. will experience infertility. About 1 in 8 U.S. women will develop invasive breast cancer in her lifetime. In 2016, an estimated 246,660 new cases of invasive breast cancer are expected to be diagnosed in women in the U.S., along with 61,000 new cases of non-invasive (in situ) breast cancer. Additionally, an estimated 22,280 women in the United States will be diagnosed with ovarian cancer, the fifth most common cause of cancer-related death in women.
Teens are also still developing their brand preferences, perhaps experimenting with different products. They may have a tendency to purchase the most inexpensive products, which may also contain the most toxins and chemicals.
So what would happen if teen girls switched to toxin-free cosmetics and beauty products? A study out today from the University of California at Berkeley found that when teen girls stop using makeup, shampoos, and lotions made with hormone disrupting chemicals (such as phthalates and parabens), the levels of these chemicals in the body drops substantially. Even a short break from using conventional personal care products led to a significant drop in levels of hormone disruptors in the body.
Unlike the days when I trekked to the store in my Benetton shirt and Guess jeans to get more makeup to put in my rad rubber GEAR bag, today there are so many fantastic toxin-free brands to choose from. One of those companies (of which I am now an affiliate) is toxin free makeup company, Beautycounter, who has banned more than 1,500 ingredients that are known or suspected to be toxic, cancer-causing, or hormone disruptors. Instead they make fantastic products that are just as indulgent as any luxury shampoo, lipstick, or personal care item on the market while setting new standards in health and safety. Beautycounter products can be purchased directly from their website at Beautycounter.com or through one of their Independent Consultants. If you are 18 years of age or older, you too can become an Independent Consultant, and make money while sharing chemical-free personal care products with friends and classmates!
LuckyVitamin.com (another affiliate brand that I love) sells a variety of natural lip balms, such as those by Soothing Touch, which come in a variety of flavors and cost just $1.10. They carry nail polishes by Hugo Naturals that are free of parabens, phenoxyethanol, sulfates, PEGs, propylene glycol, petroleum products, silicones, phthalates, synthetic surfactants, artificial colors and synthetic fragrances for less than a bottle of conventional name-brand nail polish. They also carry Alba Botanicals, Badger, HoneyBee Gardens, Dessert Essence, Mineral Fusion, Gabriel Cosmetics, Emani, Ecco Bella, and more. LuckyVitamin also has Deals of the Week when you can save on some of your favorite products, and you’ll get free shipping on orders of over $49. In fact, I just took advantage of the weekly deals and stocked up on my favorite sunscreen and anti-bug balm from Badger – and I got free shipping with the discounted products!
By the way, now that you know what a difference taking away those hormone disruptors can make, don’t forget about the ones in sunscreens too. Some brands even hide toxins such as phthalates and parabens in their ingredient labels as “fragrance.” Hormone disrupting chemicals found in conventional sunscreens may be toxic to reproductive systems and interfere with normal fetal development. Though baby-making may seem light years away, it is still important to preserve that ability for the right time. The harmful toxins in conventional sunscreens may also break down over time into free radicals, and the products you are using to prevent skin cancer may actually end up causing skin cancers. Talk about counterproductive!
So ditch the toxins and make the switch. Your wellbeing is worth it. For more information about endocrine disruptors, go to EWG.org.
Disclosure: I am such a fan of LuckyVitamin.com that I recently became an ambassador for the brand.
Related Posts:
10 Ways Healthy People Begin Their Day
What You Need to Know About Food Cravings & How to Stop Them for Good
7 Ways to Shop Organic on a Budget
My Favorite Healthy (& Green) Subscription Boxes
What You Need to Know about GMO’s
How to Eliminate Toxins & Why You Should
7 Easy Ways to Help Your Family Stay Healthy Naturally
The Toll of Stress & Why We All Need a Little More Zen
21 Skin Cancer Prevention Tips
A Day in the Life of an Essential Oil User
The Diet That Will Help You Live Longer & Healthier
50+ Ways to Protect Yourself & Your Identity
Got 15 Minutes? Then Try the Metabolic Aftershock Workout
My New Secret to Maintaining a Workout Regimen (Even When Life Gets in the Way)
Related Stories
You Know It Is Time for a Detox Cleanse When….
31 Energy Saving Life Hacks
The Deliciously Fabulous Health Benefits of Red Wine