“Women absorb up to 5 pounds of damaging chemicals a year from their beauty products.”
I saw this newspaper headline and was amazed, astonished, and perplexed. I just couldn’t believe it. Being a skeptical Brain, I figured the article was just a typical “scare” piece designed to spook us into fearing chemicals, but they actually provide a reference to their headline and quotes from a biochemist. So, this Beauty Brain was intrigued. Are we really absorbing pounds of chemicals through our skin? I had to see their proof. The actual quote from the article is as follows:
“The average woman absorbs 4lb 6oz of chemicals from toiletries and make-up every year, the industry magazine In-Cosmetics recently reported.”
Here’s where it gets interesting. First of all, In-Cosmetics is not a peer-reviewed scientific journal, it’s a magazine published in conjunction with an annual trade show where companies that sell cosmetic ingredients go to show off their newest products. Secondly, the quote appeared in this article “Trends in natural and organic cosmetics and toiletries.”
It turns out, the notion that women absorb 5 pounds of chemicals from cosmetics comes from a scientist who runs a natural company called Spiezia Organics. According to Dr. Mariano Spiezia and his wife Loredana “everything we need to be fulfilled and healthy is provided by nature. Today’s research suggests that the human body will absorb most of what is applied to the skin, meaning that up to 2kg (5 pounds) of chemicals a year from toiletries and skincare preparations used daily.”
There is no other reference provided. No studies are cited. Dr. Spiezia makes this assertion without any data at all. Then the reporter completely believes the statement and quotes it as fact.
It is not fact. It is nonsense. It is the kind of junk science that some Natural or Organic companies try to dupe you with so you won’t feel bad about spending your hard earned money on their over-priced products.
Do you absorb 5 lbs of cosmetic chemicals through your skin?
Based on our knowledge of the barrier properties of skin, this claim seems ridiculous. It suggests skin is a sponge that absorbs any chemical it’s exposed to. In fact, skin is the opposite. It is actually a barrier that prevents chemicals from getting inside your body.
It’s not a perfect barrier because some compounds do pass through the skin like some sunscreens (eg. benzophenone-3) and drugs like Nicotine. Even caffeine can enter your blood stream through your skin. So scientists are concerned about chemicals on the skin. But safety studies are conducted chemicals all the time and the vast majority don’t behave as such.
For the most part, cosmetic raw materials do not penetrate the skin so deep that they are absorbed into the blood stream. They typically absorb into only the top layer of skin (stratum corneum) and are naturally removed over time.
Beauty Brains bottom line
No, your cosmetics are not poisoning you. While chemicals can absorb into your skin, but it is true of only a small number of them and these have not been shown to cause problems. You certainly don’t absorb 5 lbs of chemicals through your skin; we’ll try to assess how much you really do absorb and report back after a bit more research. But the important thing is when you hear claims like this in the media, be sure to check the source Occasionally, it’s backed up by science, but usually it is propaganda by a biased source. Proof is found in scientific studies not in the opinions of natural-product selling “experts”.
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Craig Says:
Your point about “propaganda by a biased source” by people trying to sell you some overpriced solution can be extended to other areas.
For example, man-made global warming claims ignore natural warming and cooling cycles over thousands of years while trying to sell you increased government controls and reduced choices.
Or in econcomics: history repeatedly demonstrates that low marginal tax rates support strong economic growth while providing trillions in taxes to the government while high tax rates do not. Yet politicians love to raise taxes in the name of “progressive causes.”
The Brain is right–examine the claims, the sources, and the facts when people are trying to take something from you. It takes a while, but it is worth it.
Kristen Says:
It’s rather shocking that the Daily Mail would run such an article – and include this wildy exagerrated claim in their headline no less – without getting the facts straight first.
very irresponsible journalism!
Traci Says:
What do you make of this? Virginia Hopkins is a medical writer and has co-authored with Dr. John Lee.
http://www.virginiahopkinstestkits.com/vol3issue3.html#skindeep
Laura Says:
This is something that I’ve been wondering about lately and I would love to see your follow-ups on this.
Thanks
Mandy Says:
Way to go, Brains! You should send this to the journalist that wrote the article. I sort of sympathize with him because it’s easy to get carried away in whatever nonesense a “scientist” tells you. They’re smart! They know a lot more than I do. Still, a claim like this should have been researched–it just SOUNDS fishy! I mean, c’mon!
Left Brain Says:
Traci, while Virginia Hopkins is a medical writer she clearly hasn’t studied the subject she writes about. I looked at the site and it contains all kinds of nonsense that isn’t supported by science. For example, she states that there are Chinese herbal remedies that can really cure the common cold. This is nonsense. Nothing has ever been proven to cure the common cold.
As for Dr John Lee, he is trying to sell books and cds. Hormone balance, nutrition supplements, electromagnetic fields. None of these are proven science and are most likely ridiculous topics. Anyone can get a degree in science or medicine which is exactly why we believe evidence not the opinions of supposedly learned people.
Highlight HEALTH Links - June 26th, 2007 » Highlight HEALTH Says:
[...] Are Your Cosmetics Poisoning You? « The Beauty Brains [...]
Traci Says:
Dear Left Brain,
I am going to disagree about progesterone creams. I myself have noticed a marked difference using it and there are too many MD’s that support this as an alternative to HRT since the WHI study was halted and it determined HRT raised risks for many things. As for testing of this product, what independent can come up with funding? Pharmaceutical companies are working in Congress right now to ban compounding pharmacisits from making these types of creams. Testimonies abound as to how well they work for people, myself included. And by the way, Dr. Lee is dead and Virgina Hopkins is continuing his work.
So today’s story about the methyl salicylate in muscle creams, is that “one” of the products that does get absorbed into the skin? What about paraben’s getting into the skin? And phalates found in breast milk? And the finding of 1,4 dioxane found in childrens bath and hair care products. 1,4 dioxane is a probable human carcinogen and banned in Europe. I personally think much more research needs to be done to determine what really gets absorbed and what our body does with it. As you know, the FDA doesn’t have but 9 banned items for use in cosmetics. The EU has about 1300. And the FDA doesn’t regulate the cosmetic industry either unless something is found to be dangerous. I checked out the FDA website to read about it because I didn’t believe it. It is a self-regulated business which does a good job ( let’s face it, thousands aren’t keeling over - for now) but there are many, many untested chemicals that go on our skin, and some of them go in it!
TopSitesTurk » Blog Archive » Highlight HEALTH Links - June 26th, 2007 Says:
[...] Are Your Cosmetics Poisoning You? « The Beauty Brains [...]
Marina Palmer Says:
Natural-smatural…I’m sick of hearing about natural. If natural is so effective, why do we keep stiving for advancements in medicine, in skin care, etc? “Natural” products have their share of contraindications. Many synthetic ingredients are tested for safety, more so than natural ingredients AND they’re tested for stability and effectiveness. Don’t buy into the Natural and Organic hype. Please!! If you want real results and a product that’s not irritating to your skin, try HydroPeptide. It uses only safe and effective ingredients.
margaret mckinley Says:
Sorry, Gang, all you who are trying to refute this article and claim it’s nonsense….I was given some really wonderful grapefruit smelling shower gel for Easter last year….now, I’m chemically sensitive to begin with…and for 2 months after I began using it I felt absolutely awful….exhausted, “dumbed down”…felt like I was poisoned or something, but I never made the connection between the shower gel and the symptoms…well, one morning I felt particularly good, I must not have used it for a day or so, and within 2 MINUTES of using the shower gel, I felt like crap again, and poof ! there it was ! the real reason
I felt so lousy…I never touched it again, and never had another day of feeling so rotten. It was literally poisoning me…but who would think ?!!!! AND I could literally FEEL it spreading throughout the body.
There are plenty of natural substances out there to use…I strongly suggest alternatives to chemicals !!!!!
thebeautybrains Says:
Margaret: Our point was not that chemicals don’t affect ANYONE. We were just pointing out this the referenced article about 5# of chemicals was not very well researched. If you have chemical sensitivity you SHOULD watch what you put on your skin!
amy Says:
Ok people.Wake up. Chemicals ARE ABSOLUTLEY absorbed through the skin.They make 1000 new chemicals each year…our bodies cannot handle them,and they get stored in our tissues and fat because we cannot proccess them! Hence,cancer,diabetes,arthriris,the list goes on. Why do you think so many people are sick and on medication? Another thing our bodies cant handle.Wake up and search for the truth! we live in a corrupted America controlled by money and profits.
amy Says:
P.S. If you dont want to believe its probably because you dont want to stop using your poisonous products! Sorry but that the way I see it.Think and learn.
mumu81202 Says:
Please people. Yes, we absorb chemicals. Yes, people are out to sell us items and ideas through sensationalism. Truth is, natural items are still chemicals. And most chemicals are naturally based. Do what makes YOU feel best and happiest and forget what others try to tell you to do.
margaret mckinley Says:
I just HAVE to further comment, as I hadn’t read the full article before I replied the first time…what utter nonsense, all of it !!!! sorry, I’ve been SO sick from all sorts of chemicals over the past few years…baby powder breathed in, that set off an MS exacerbation within 15 minutes,…AND caused all sorts of other symptoms in other people that I was with, ranging any where from violent outbursts to crying jags, all SORTS of neurological problems that I would associate with mercury poisoning, for instance…and mercury is a natural substance found to be a component of talc where it is mined, so, PLEEEEASE !!!! you are all so clueless when you think that substances are incapable of traveling into the bloodstream and causing problems through the skin…my goodness, I almost killed myself one night using clay baths, that overpowered my kidneys with clay particles that got into my bloodstream from the BATH and SKIN, unfortunately, the clay particles are bigger than the microtubules in the kidneys…and massively clogged things up..I had fluid retention all the way up into the back of my arms, and one night 2 days after I took a second clay bath, could actually FEEL a glass of water spreading across my chest after I drank it, as my kidneys had ceased functioning. WHO in their right mind would know this ?!!!! I was fortunate enough to have a biochemist with 40 years of mercury detox in his background that I was communicating with who pulled me through it all, or I have NO doubt I’d be dead right now !!! I could write a BOOK !!!! And it unfortunately would refute ALL of the nonsense written in this article !!!! everything there is utter crap ! If I hadn’t been so sick over the past 10 years with every chemical exposure known to man, from pesticides, to foam sealants, to even, the SHOWER GEL !!!! and how do you think it traveled into my system ?!!! through the SKIN !!!! and also being breathed in !!!!! puleeease !!!! the world is SO clueless !!!! try a little closer observation of oneself and immediate symptoms when using products…IF you’re more astute, you’ll observe all sorts of symptoms that you wouldn’t have had otherwise. physical and neurological…because it all crosses the blood brain barrier…through the bloodstream…see the results of screening of amniotic fluid for chemicals 2 yrs ago….over 280 different chemicals…exhaust fumes, drycleaning fluids, you name it ! America is one of the highest industrialized nations in the world, and we also have the highest incidence of disease, particularly auto-immune diseases such as MS, Parkinsons, lou gehrigs disease, fibromalagia, etc.
now, I wonder just how all those chemicals got in the amniotic fluids of all those mothers who were tested ?!!!! and what was it dsoing to the brains and development of all those babies ?!!! my goodness America, use your heads !!!! we lead the world in Multiple Sclerosis !!! Do ya THINK there’s a connection ?!!!! go get a deep tissue test done for chemical content and see what you come up with !!!! do your research…I HAVE !!! until you’re as sick as a dog, you believe all this other nonsense ! heaven forbid the companies that make all this stuff aren’t going to tell you the truth ! they’d be out of business ! I have literally FELT spreading sensations from lipstick going down the chin into the throat area ! Now what possibility do you think I’ll have for throat cancer in later years ?! and I’ve never smoked !!! chemicals alter the ability to function of the human cell ! and I’m not alone in all this !!! I speak to people frequently who have been much sicker than I’ve been !!! one friend of mine was sprayed with chemicals from the pest control guy…she was close to death for 3 years !!! and it all went in through the SKIN !!!! now just because your face cream has different components from pesticides doesn’t make them capatible with the human body ! and just because it takes a little longer to get to your bloodstream than a liquid did for her, doesn’t mean it isn’t hurting you like it did her ! just because she and I can FEEL the poisons spreading through our bodies and you can’t, doesn’t mean it ’s not hurting YOU also !!!! try this one on for size ….your shoes….they outgas all sorts of chemicals, and you absorb them thru your FEET !!!! and you thought your feet were swollen because you were on them all day !!!!! NOT IN YOUR LIFE !!!! gotta run, DO write me if you can ! I’d LOVE to expound even more on all I’ve learned the hard way the last 10 years of my life…I’ve also perhaps not been as clear because I’m in a hurray to get out of work and get to an appointment, so my comments may not reflect all the learning I’ve been thru. God bless, and DON”T TRUST ANY CHEMICAL FOR ANY REASON !!!!
Kerri Says:
First, you Brains “proved” the theory stated in the first article to be invalid because the doctor studying it had an ulterior motive (selling his natural products). Then you “proved” that Virginia Hopkins is a quack because she supports Herbal Medicine despite the fact that she graduated from Yale and actually lists her credentials on her site. So I thought that if you Brains felt you should be considered the experts, maybe I should research who you are. And this is not surprising at all: you all are cosmetic scientists (thereby clearing proving your stock in denying the validity of this article for your own purposes), no one’s actually a doctor, AND you provide no credentials whatsoever as to where your education comes from, or even who you really are hiding behind your clever monikers. If you want to bash everyone for not presenting scientific studies for their theories, maybe you need to increase the level of your credibility because you brains seems to be about as fake as everyone else trying to sway the public’s materialistic consumption.
Samantha Says:
This is just sad. How ignorant are we to really think that all of the crap we put on our bodies does not get into our bodies? Take this test..dextox your self for a few days by eating natural products…i.e fruits and veggies and no animal products. After about a week take a bath in salt water, THE WATER WILL TURN BLACK!! This is from all of the impurities that will come out of your lymph system and from your skin. I know as well as anyone how difficult it is to stay away from products. Natural is the way to go…when I say that I mean items that are not chemically altered. Just be safe and try to stay away from items that are overly processed with tons of chemicals…they just are not good for us.
Brooke Says:
Who the heck goes through 5lbs. of cosmetics a year that doesn’t work for the circus. If I added up all the face creams, make-up and shower gels and shampoos, I’d come in under 2lbs using the stuff everyday, and judging by whats on the washcloth, not a whole heck of a lot is missing from when its first applied, and it takes a whole lot of quarter size dollops of gels, shampoos and conditioners to equal 5lbs. If the original article said 5gms. or 5oz. I might of believed it but 5 lbs… impossible. Now 5 lbs. of chocolate absorbed via my digestive track in one year… I’d believe that without hesitation.
amy Says:
Not 5 lbs of makeup per year, 5 pounds of chemicals. This is probably a close and rough estimate. Do you know how light 2 pounds is? HAHAHA If I added your crap would probably come in at 4 1/2 lbs.
angel Says:
Perhaps if you can feel a glass of water spreading across your chest after you drink it, you should be more concerned with where your stomach has gone than chemicals being absorbed through your skin.
thebeautybrains.com » Blog Archive » How Much Chemical Exposure Do You Really Get From Cosmetics? Says:
[...] few months ago we examined the question of whether your cosmetics were poisoning you. In this article we de-bunked the claim that you absorbed 5 pounds of damaging chemicals a year. [...]
Carol Says:
I’m beginning to wonder what kind of corporate handshaking beauty brains does.
thebeautybrains Says:
Carol: There’s no need to veil your question in a clever euphemism.
If you’re asking if we base the content of what we write in this blog according to what kind of money we are receive from the beauty industry, the answer is no.
While we do make some income from companies who advertise with us, we are don’t necessarily endorse those products. We’ll gladly take advertisers money if it helps us continue educating our readers on the truth behind cosmetic products.
Another Carol Says:
And they walk among us… (And Amy is living proof).
Really folks, apply some logic to your thinking.
Natural Bias on the Beauty Brains? | The Beauty Brains Says:
[...] it is not true that whatever you put on your skin gets absorbed into your body. Skin is designed to keep things out of your body. It is an excellent barrier to almost all [...]
Natural Bias on the Beauty Brains? | Beauty Secrets Blog Says:
[...] it is not true that whatever you put on your skin gets absorbed into your body. Skin is designed to keep things out of your body. It is an excellent barrier to almost all [...]