Rhoda Lim
Working as a Coordinator for the Cancer Prevention Centre (CPC) at the Jewish General Hospital, I was so excited to be involved in organizing a presentation for our ongoing public-awareness cancer prevention campaign.
After I read a pamphlet on toxic ingredients in cosmetics prepared by Breast Cancer Action Montreal (BCAM), I knew right away that this was an issue I wanted to explore, because as a woman, I’m very interested in the subject of beauty and cosmetics.
However, to be perfectly honest, I would not have wanted to be at the helm of a project that sends out a message to women to stop wearing makeup altogether – simply because I love makeup! Thank goodness I quickly learned that BCAM’s message is not to stop wearing makeup, but instead, to encourage change – to shift the burden of proof about safety from the individual consumer to the companies that produce ingredients for, and manufacture, cosmetics (with monitoring by government regulators). BCAM’s motivation to raise awareness about these issues is our need for adequate, transparent and independent safety testing of cosmetic ingredients.
My personal journey on my new path to what I like to call my “eco-beauty lifestyle” started by visiting the Skin Deep website developed by the Environmental Working Group www.cosmeticsdatabase.com. How disappointing to find out that many of the products I’ve been using were rated “moderate” to “high” on their hazard scale. It was not only disappointing, it was frustrating! Every year I spend a considerable amount of my money on products that I had absolutely no idea carry a risk for causing cancer, among other possible health concerns. The fact that I knew nothing of this issue strengthened my commitment to help raise awareness about toxic ingredients in cosmetics.
The other important step I took was reading Stacy Malkan’s book, Not Just a Pretty Face: The Ugly Side of the Beauty Industry, which taught me so much. For example, I learned to beware of empty claims made by manufacturers. The words “organic” and “natural” are used carelessly by the beauty industry and we, the consumers, often assume that a product is 100% organic when it is not.
The hard part of this journey was doing the research. It was a long process that involved quite a bit of serious reading. First, I had to make a list of all the products I needed, to replace the ones I threw out based on their problematic hazard rating (e.g., facial cleanser, body lotion). Next, I needed to find cosmetic companies that have signed the Compact for Safe Cosmetics, and then verify that these companies are compliant with all safety requirements listed on the Skin Deep website. I also wanted to visit the websites of the different brands to see if I liked what I learned about their products. And of course, I had to factor in my low budget and find out if the company ships to Canada (many are U.S.-based). This process lasted about two weeks and took up many hours of my leisure time.
Happily, I did find what I was looking for but I was afraid that my new products would not work as well as my old ones. A few of my main concerns were that I would break out, or that the facial products would make my skin shine like a disco ball. But after a two-week trial period, I couldn’t be more thrilled that my safer cosmetic products treated my skin and my health right.
On Saturday, May 15, 2010 the CPC held a presentation of The Beast of Beauty: Toxic Ingredients in Cosmetics. As a follow-up, I talked about my personal experience. After the event, many teen girls and women spoke to me or sent email to say that they were grateful for the information. I was very happy with the feedback we received and I also found out that many in attendance even updated their Facebook status that same day, expressing their concern and letting others know about this issue.
I am very grateful to have had the opportunity to help spread the word about toxic ingredients in cosmetics. At first, trying to live an eco-beauty lifestyle seemed complicated, difficult, and time-consuming. But eventually, it all became quite simple - and there is also the great reward of feeling good about the products I now use. Finally, I think of this change as a personal choice; however, as with any personal choice, it’s always better to make an informed decision.
See photos of the event here.