Mercury-free cosmetics

I could not believe my eyes when I saw this headline today By Associated Press writer MARTIGA LOHN Mercury in mascara? Minn. law bans it. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071214/ap_on_he_me/mercury_in_mascara”.

I guess I should not be surprised given what is in “cleaners,” but how Pollyanna of me to think there was some kind of common sense regulation on products meant to be applied to the face and eyes. If you recall, in my “Because Clean Shouldn’t Hurt” article, absorption via the skin is the second fastest method to take in a substance, led only by inhalation. Good thing cosmetics don’t have a smell …

“Federal law allows eye products to contain up to 65 parts per million of mercury” and many other personal care and beauty products contain it as well as multiple other unhealthy chemicals and substances that are known to be a health hazard. Sixty-five parts per million is probably not a lethal dose, but add that to moisturizer, blush, shadow, lipstick, foundation, concealer and now you have a dose that would be six times over allowable by Federal law. Toss in the brew in your laundry soap, bath soap and cleaning products and you may as well go swimming in a waste dump.

I will not test your intelligence by listing all the negative health effects of mercury, but please do think a moment if this avoidable ingredient is really okay with you. A gentle reminder as well that in order to put mercury in your make up also requires a manufacturing process involving workers exposed to it as well as waste being added to the environment. There is no federal law about ingredient labels so do not bother going to look, trust me if it is there the last thing they want you to do is know about it. The good news is now we know where they put all that mercury from our thermometers that were too dangerous to have OUTSIDE our homes.

I became an
Independent Shaklee Dealer
because, as an herbalist, I was mad at what I found was legal to put in “cleaners” and “health products,” feeling there ought to be a law about selling toxins in pretty packages. For 50 years this company has not wavered on allowing profits over health, and has managed to keep the costs even with, and frequently less than the competition.

Give it some thought, and give me a call or drop me an e-mail if you decide that a little truth and safety are a good thing.