Getting the 411: The Skin Deep Cosmetics Database

Now that I am back home from my travels and settling back into my routine, I have had time to consider what I would like my next post to be about, and in what direction I'd like to take this blog. I kind of got freaked out, because I realized there was no easy, obvious choice. I had a running list of ideas, but none stood out to me as the one I had to pursue next. Then, my friend, Rita, called.

Rita and I are a lot alike, in that we both try to be conscientious consumers and are slightly paranoid about putting unhealthy things in our bodies. And so, her phone call a few days ago, anxiously and rapidly detailing how my first blog post had prompted her to spend her evening doing hours of research (I love how excited she gets!), should not have come as a surprise, but it did. I just did not think that my blog would influence anyone that heavily. But Rita had really taken off with it, having discovered information and resources in one night that took me two months to find. And one website that she came across was the Skin Deep Cosmetics Database by the Environmental Working Group, which I had been looking forward to exploring and possibly writing about. Her curiosity and proactivity made me realize that, because of the problems on which I had shed some light in my first post, it was time that I offer some solutions.

EWG's Skin Deep Database.

EWG's Skin Deep Cosmetics Database
http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/

The Skin Deep Cosmetics database has safety information and ratings for over 74,000 beauty products, ranging in everything from fragrances to hair care to sun protection. You can search their database for specific products or browse products according to category. Products are rated with an overall score ranging from 0-10, with 0 being the safest and 10 being "Chuck this. Chuck this now." (my own personal supplemental qualifier for their rating system. I know, I know- very effective.). Included with the numerical score is a rating by the database on the amount of research available about that particular product, ranging from "none" to "robust." If you're content with that level of information, you can stop there. OR, if you are detail-oriented, you can click on the product within the search results and find out the reasons why the product is rated as it is. If you decide to do so, you will be provided with ratings of the overall hazard, cancer concern, developmental and reproductive toxicity, allergies and immunutoxicity, and use restrictions, as determined by the ingredients in the product. Beyond that, if you click the link that says "About the Ratings," you can get a breakdown of the level of safety and concerns for each individual ingredient in the product. More than you ever want to know, huh? Or, maybe, exactly what you need to know to make an informed decision (see below for examples of search results)...

I kind of wish I had known about this before I went all militant on my own skin care routine (see my first post), because, as it turns out, I wasn't doing too badly with what I was using (relatively speaking). Probably the scariest parts about the products were the levels of endocrine disruption and developmental and reproductive toxicity, which is disturbing, but not the indication of cancerous sludge that I was expecting. Here is a breakdown from the database of the three main products I was using in my skin care routine:

Face Wash: Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser

Health concern ratings for my Cetaphil Facial Cleaner.

Cetaphil was given an overall score of 3, which is a low-moderate risk. Not bad, considering the articles I had read decrying Cetaphil as the worst thing you can put on your skin- claims that nearly made me shed a tear for the flawless skin I would be sacrificing if I took them seriously. I did, in fact, take the claims seriously (though I did not actually shed a tear), and now I am wishing that I had done some more research. While I am still glad that I switched to oatmeal (which leaves my skin looking great without causing my endocrine system to go all nutty on me), my decision to stop using Cetaphil was based on the opinions of a blogger (stupid bloggers ;-P) rather than facts and data. Now that I see the data, I still feel that I made the right decision for myself, but I also feel that some of the claims about Cetaphil were highly exaggerated.

Night Time Moisturizer: Olay Regenerist Serum, Fragrance-Free

Health concern ratings for Olay Regenerist Serum, Fragrance Free.

My beloved Olay serum was scored 5 (moderate risk), by which I was also surprised. I figured any mass produced product that was so affordable and made my skin feel so much like silk had to be made of some unknowable laboratory concoction. Which I am sure this is. But the concoction is not as hazardous as I thought it would be. More hazardous than the rosewater and vegetable glycerin spray I use now, but not necessarily a product whose use I'd lose sleep over. 

Day Time Moisturizer: RoC Multi Correxion 4-Zone Daily Moisturizer, SPF 30

Health concern ratings for Roc 4-Zone Daily Moisturizer.

I remember the day that I bought this at Ulta. It was a relatively recent addition to my collection, made after I had started researching the dangers of ingredients in beauty products but before I realized that safe(r) products could be relatively affordable. Not that this was very affordable either, but compared the the $56 for the self-proclaimed natural cream that was my only alternative, $22 for this seemed like a good deal. I used this until about two weeks ago, and seeing this, I am glad that I stopped. I find the level of reproductive toxicity particularly alarming, though I shouldn't, given that avobenzone (a synthetic sunscreen), which is the main ingredient, is known to disrupt hormone balance. But, again, with a score of 6 (high-moderate risk), at least it did not flash bright red like I expected it would. 

Some Other Cool Things About the Cosmetics Database

1. If you click on one of categories of products listed across the top menu, it provides a list of products in order from lowest toxicity to highest, which means...

2. You can find safe alternatives by browsing through the list and searching either online or at your local health food or drugstore for said alternatives (tip: if you want to know how well the products work for their intended purpose, cross reference with ratings on MakeupAlley).

List of facial cleansers provided by the database. As you can see, these all have scores of 0, and they are a few of many.

3. The database does not link to sites where you can purchase the products, which reassures me that the EWG is not sponsored by particular brands, but rather is an unbiased, informative third party.

So, There Is Hope...

I know I freaked some people out with my first post (aha, got your attention!), and I am sorry for that. The truth is, going natural was a personal choice that I made because I wanted to make a conscious effort to avoid ingredients that are known or thought to be harmful whenever possible. But, while I do think it is important to be aware of what you are putting on your skin, it is possible to balance being well-informed with that healthy dose of vanity that makes us all want to look our best. I continue to use some makeup products that I'm sure don't rate so well- but I try to do so sparingly. That's what's so great about the Cosmetics Database: it covers the "well-informed" part so that you can make your own decision about the purchase and use of beauty products by weighing the facts against your own values. 

Thanks for reading, and I hope this relieved some of the anxiety I might have caused you earlier! 

-Melissa

NOTHING OF THE DAY: Today I woke up at 1 p.m. (I know- what a bum, right?!), started writing, went to my mom's house (and talked on the phone during the drive there-oops!), came home, and wrote some more- all that to say that I have not listened to a single song, watched a single TV show or movie, or seen a single picture today worth sharing. But, you did learn something about me from the sheer fact that I slept past noon. Take from that what you will...