Page 6 - Edge: Issue 6 March/April 2019

The Makeup of Your Makeup
Story and Photos by Logan Saldana
Do you know what’s in your makeup?
The teenage years are when many people begin to experiment with makeup. Unfortunately, many teens, and adults, using these products do not know is that there are many harmful chemicals
found in almost all cosmetic products.
It is not even just makeup; these toxic chemicals can
also be found in shampoo, conditioner, perfume, cologne, nail polish, nail polish remover, lotions, shaving cream, sunscreen, hair spray, and even skin care products. Do
you even know what sodium lauryl sulfate, triclocarbon, or aminophenol are? Check your products - you might be putting them on your face or in your hair.
There are, however, ways around using
these chemical-filled products. There are
options such as organic makeup and skin care products. One example of organic makeup and skin care would be the products sold by Keep Me Safe Organics. The products from Keep Me Safe Organics are still fairly new to the industry but they have gained a following after people began to see the difference in organic makeup. This includes Olivia Day, 11, who is a representative for the company.
“Right now my favorite is Keep Me Safe. I know that’s probably typical of someone who works for a business but I actually love how their products feel light on my face rather than thick and cake-y like other foundations or powders.
It’s really good for my face too,” Day said.
As teens, many will experience breakouts that can
really prove to be quite inconvenient. A lot of people do not realize that chemicals in cosmetics could be the cause of these breakouts along with natural causes. The chemicals in makeup and skin care products can cause your skin
to have a reaction to what is being put on it. The skin care products that are being marketed to clear breakouts and prevent them also conveniently contain the chemicals that could be linked to causing exactly what
they are supposed to be preventing.
One of the most common chemicals in skin care is Parabens. Not only are they cheap and easy for companies to put into their products, they do a good job in keeping bacteria from growing in the products. Over 60% of all cosmetic products contain Parabens in them. Studies have shown that Parabens can be absorbed through your skin and into your bloodstream where they remain and pile up. Parabens, which mimic natural estrogen, are also thought to possibly lead to breast cancer after a certain
amount of exposure.
With skin care it may seem much harder to avoid all
of these potentially harmful chemicals due to the fact that they are in almost everything and they can even be disguised as something that may seem harmless but is really doing worse things for your skin than it should be.
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