Using Cosmetics Safely

We use cosmetics as beauty aids and to help us smell good. These products include lipstick, aftershave, eye shadow and deodorants. These products can have many different ingredients and are usually not tested before they appear on store shelves. Cosmetics must be safe if consumers use them in the usual way or as the label instructs them to be used.

Cosmetics can cause allergies such as itching, redness, rash, sneezing, or wheezing. These reactions can happen the first time a new cosmetic is used or after you have been using it for a while.

Makeup testers at cosmetic counters are used by many people, which can harbor many germs. If you want to test a product at the counter anyway, use a new sponge or cotton swab.

Labels on cosmetics are meant to be read carefully. Labels should include the following information: what the product is, if there are safety precautions you need to know about how to use the product, how much of the product is contained in the package, and what company makes the product. There should also be a list of ingredients of what's in the product.

Some products can be both drugs and cosmetics, such as dandruff shampoo. To know the difference, here are some quick facts. A drug is meant to keep you from getting sick, make you well, or change the way your body works. Different rules are in place for how ingredients are listed.

Some cosmetics contain AHA or alpha hydroxy acid, which has been said to lessen wrinkles and make other signs of aging softer. There are some side effects to using products containing AHA, including redness, burning, bleeding, itching, swelling, blisters, rash, and changes in skin color. To use AHA products safely, follow a few safety precautions. Use sunscreen and/or wear long sleeves while you are using the product and for a week after you stop using it. Buy only products that contain 10 percent AHAs or less, and with a pH of 3.5 or more. If you have itching, burning, swelling, or other problems, stop using the product and see your dermatologist.

To keep your makeup and health in top shape, keep makeup closed tight when not in use. Do not share makeup or put it on while driving. Throw away makeup if the color changes or if it gets an odor. Throw away mascara after three months. Do not use eye makeup if you have an eye infection. Keep your makeup out of the sun. Stop using a product if you have a reaction to it.