Just How Pretty Do Those Petroleum-based Cosmetics Make You?

Just how pretty do those petroleum-based cosmetics that you wear make you? It's safe to say that you are bombarded on a daily basis by images suggesting what "pretty" or "handsome" looks like according to advertisers and product manufacturers. Insomniacs who dare to turn on the television during the wee hours of the morning are flooded with their choice of infomercials ripe with the topic. The overall suggestion seems to be a simple one; you are flawed and there is a product that can change that! There is a never-ending sea of products that offer the promise to change you for the better one way or another. It would appear that consumers have bought into this way of thinking hook, line, and sinker.

Not only do consumers crave to minimize their perceived flaws, they have become convinced that there is a simple solution to each and every one of them. Advertisers and product manufacturers take it one step further by suggesting that certain amounts of these beauty-enhancing products should be used regularly in order to achieve and maintain the results that consumers are looking for. This never-ending quest by consumers creates a tax that has to be paid by the planet and its occupants. The shiny hair, flawless complexion, smooth skin, perfectly manicured nails, intoxicating scents, and plethora of aerosolized products exact a toll on the earth as well as the people who use them. The question is, do consumers care enough to try to minimize the overall impact they are having?

Small Changes Can Have a Huge Impact On The Planet and Your Health!

It isn't just the oil and gas that consumers put in their vehicles each and every day that contributes to this global problem. It's also the products we put on our bodies and the packaging and containers that they come in. Where do you think all of the plastic packaging, bottles, caps, and in many cases the ingredients inside the products themselves come from? You may be surprised at the number of petroleum-based products in your home as well as the ones that are potentially on your body right now.

If consumers would make a concerted effort to educate themselves about the origins of the products they use on a regular basis and attempt to move away from those that are derived from fossil fuels, it would have a huge overall impact. It isn't only a matter of the health of our ailing planet, it's a matter of consumer health as well. Many of the cosmetics that dot the shelves of our grocery and drugstores are a concoction of toxic chemicals that are capable of doing everything from disrupting hormones to potentially causing cancer. Making an attempt to steer clear of these chemicals may save the planet and your life.

Educate Yourself About What's In Your Bathroom Cabinets and Medicine Closets

The next time you purchase a cosmetic product, consider investing in its organic and sustainable counterpart. There are many plant and mineral-based products that are not derived from petroleum that are not only better for the planet-they are better for you too. Chances are, if you can't read the list of ingredients very easily, it isn't something that you want to be putting on your body on a regular basis. It's not only your body that you have to worry about either. Many products that are targeted for parents to use on their children are a cause of concern as well. It's time to take a closer look in your bathroom cabinets and medicine closets to consider what the implications are of the products you are using. Places you can begin to gather information about the products that your family uses and their safety is at the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics and the Cosmetic Safety Database.

The likelihood that you can eliminate petroleum-based products from your life is probably not a realistic one and it doesn't have to be. Being a little bit more discerning about your consumption is a great place to start. Recycling the plastic containers that your products come in is an important piece of the big picture. We have to stop being a throwaway society and learn to re-use, reinvent, and recycle as much as we can. Our fragile and ailing planet could use some help right about now. Are you willing to take the first step and make a small commitment towards having a healthier planet and body? Because if you are - that is sexy.

Sources:
Campaign for Safe Cosmetics
FDA - U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Cosmetic Safety Database