Tons have gone to many lengths to achieve beauty. Most of these attempts in the end torment their health. Makeup, something that gives a lot of people more confidence in themselves, has been one of the things humanity has long utilized, although its components can be harmful at times.
The Halifax Public Library institute states that the earliest instance of humans wearing makeup was 6000 BCE in Ancient Egypt. That’s about 8000 years of humans putting gunk on their faces. Harmful chemicals have been found in ancient makeup. Lead for example was widely used in Sumerian cosmetics in 3500 BCE, according to the National Institute of Health. To this day makeup can still house toxic chemicals that slowly, but surely, cause harm.
In a schoolwide survey of 120 people, 64% of students reportedly use makeup. For those that wear makeup often, have you ever taken a peek at the ingredients in the products that go on your face? Wearing makeup for a few hours daily, in the long term, can lead to disease. The age when people start experimenting with makeup varies but some Bearcats like Sophomore Kaitlin Lansford
have been wearing it for a few years.
When asked about the side effects of makeup, she was unaware of the exact harm it causes and when told said, “I think that the media should make that more out there, because no one really ever talks about it.” Another makeup user, senior Daphnee Valdez has been wearing makeup since her freshman year, she states that she enjoys it but is aware of the side effects it can pose on health, she also acknowledges that not all makeup is a threat. “I think teens should be cautious but if it doesn’t affect their health then they should keep wearing it.” Says Valdez.
Identifying harmful ingredients when looking for new makeup can be beneficial to health. The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics informs that these ingredients include things like parabens, phthalates, formaldehyde and fragrances, the list can go on. Parabens and phthalates are preservatives that can mess with hormones and the reproductive system. Formaldehyde, used to prevent growth of microorganisms, can irritate the skin and eventually lead to cancer with constant exposure. Fragrances, very common in cosmetics, are all made up of different unspecified chemicals, most of which lead to cancer as well. As many as 3,059 materials are reportedly used to make fragrances, according to the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics. The more ingredients that make up cosmetics, the more harmful its contents could be.
Not all makeup is harmful though. There are many clean makeup brands out there. The well known makeup store Sephora has an entire clean makeup selection known as, Clean at Sephora. “Clean at Sephora is our commitment to offering effective products without certain ingredients, such as parabens, sulfates, phthalates, and mineral oils.” They mention this on their main website. Everyone’s body and skin is different and may react differently to any ingredient introduced to it. Proper precaution can lead to protection against health issues in the long term.
