What ingredients are in my everyday products and cosmetics?

Once I plunged into research regarding organic foods, it didn’t take long for the thought to arise of what was lurking in all of my favorite everyday personal care products. I was always attracted to more natural products, but with research I discovered that companies are not required to list all ingredients used in products nor are they regulated by any agency at all. This new, startling information also aligned with a new career path. In 2010, I started working and educating with Horst Rechelbacher, who is considered one of the fathers of safe cosmetics. My jobs were to research ingredients, product test and educate audiences on the importance of ingredients in products. Below, the first two resources are resources we would use during educational retreats, and the third is a new resource that brings finding toxic ingredients to modern day technology.  

1. Toxic Beauty: How Cosmetics and Personal-Care Products Endanger Your Health… and What You Can Do About It, by Samuel S. Epstein, MD with Randall Fitzgerald
   Samuel S. Epstein is the founder and chairperson of the Cancer Prevention Coalition. In this book, Dr. Epstein outlines how the beauty industry undermines your health on a daily basis. The book provides comprehensive information on how to best avoid products that put you at risk for cancer.
2. The Story of Cosmetics is a video that examines the pervasive use of toxic chemicals in our everyday personal care products. The video also lives on the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics website. The site also serves as an instrumental resource to find out information on products and their safety. Watch the video: storyofstuff.org/movies/story-of-cosmetics/
3. Think Dirty App
   This app puts product knowledge at your fingertips. The Think Dirty app is the easiest way to learn about the potentially toxic ingredients in your cosmetics and personal care products. Download the app, scan a bar code or type in a name of your favorite product and the app will score it based on toxicity.