Dying To Look Good Excerpt #58

Natural vs. Synthetic
There are no standard definitions within the cosmetic and personal care product industry for natural or synthetic. However, the National Organic Program (NOP) does have definitions that are accepted within the organic food industry.

Since many people are interested in knowing if the ingredients in their products are natural or synthetic, the NOP definitions were used to define the ingredients in the Cosmetic Ingredient List as natural or synthetic:

Nonsynthetic (natural)
"A substance that is derived from mineral, plant, or animal matter and does not undergo a synthetic process as defined in section 6502(21) of the Act (7 U.S.C. 6502(21)). For the purposes of this part, nonsynthetic is used as a synonym for natural as the term is used in the Act."

Synthetic
"A substance that is formulated or manufactured by a chemical process or by a process that chemically changes a substance extracted from naturally occurring plant, animal, or mineral sources, except that such term shall not apply to substances created by naturally occurring biological processes."

You can find out if the ingredients in your skin care products contain natural or synthetic ingredients in the book Dying To Look Good.

Find cosmetics and personal care products with natural ingredients in Dying To Look Good and on DyingToLookGood.com

Dying To Look Good Excerpt #57

Cosmetic complaints
The FDA maintains the Cosmetic Adverse Reaction Monitoring Database to keep track of adverse reactions to cosmetics. The FDA estimates, however, that it receives only a small percentage of complaints about cosmetics filed by consumers. Poison control centers, manufacturers and distributors, and state and local agencies are more likely to receive complaints of adverse reactions to cosmetics.

The most common complaints reported to the FDA in 1999 were related to dermatitis, fragrance sensitivity, nervous system reactions, pain, respiratory system reactions, and tissue damage.

If you experience adverse reactions to cosmetics, you can contact the FDA:

• by phone: 301-436-2405
• by e-mail: CAERS@cfsan.fda.gov
• call the nearest FDA district office found in the blue pages of your phone book

Note: It is very unlikely that you'll need to file a complaint if you use the information in Dying To Look Good to choose healthy products.

Healthy Skin Care

Your skin is like a sponge. It absorbs a great deal of what you put on it, directly into your bloodstream.

When you eat, the food you put into your body is filtered through your liver and some of the toxic effect is reduced.

That's not the case with skin care products. There is no filter to reduce the toxic effects as there is when you eat. Many skin care products contain harmful chemicals that go directly into your bloodstream. Some cause cancer.

How do you determine which skin care products are healthy to use and which are not?

You have several choices.

You could learn to read and interpret labels so you know exactly what each ingredient is that's listed on the label.

You could shop for products that have been screened by an expert and determined to be healthy.

Or you can learn how to make your own.

Finding healthy skin care products isn't hard if you have the right resources. It just takes a little conscious effort and a commitment to your good health.

Check out our healthy Product of the Month. Come back every month to discover a new healthy product.