This is a guest post by Kelly Dunleavy, a writer living in Northern California.

While we may not be using arsenic as a cosmetic anymore, the make-up we put on (almost) every day can still have punishing and dangerous chemicals. Of course, there are organic and safer versions. But, why not demand an overhaul of the industry?

The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics is working to get rid of dangerous chemicals in the cosmetics we use.

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Some would be content with just one successful career. Others (myself included) let the type “A” part our brain rule. Enter Ashley Peldon - actor, director, producer, entrepreneur - and all before she turns thirty. Some “stars” use their celebrity strictly for monetary purposes and ethics and commitment be damned.

Not so for Ashley Peldon and her sister Courtney. Started in 2006, Starring…! Fragrances is a cosmetics company with a difference. It combines “the allure of Hollywood glamor with their commitment to health and wellness.” Starring…! products are hand crafted and are a collection of natural, organic, environmentally friendly and paraben free perfumes, body scrubs and 100% soy wax melts. Their lineup includes everything from “playful, dessert-inspired scents to sexy, attention-grabbing florals.”

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This eco-friendly shopping site offers eco chic clothing, organic cosmetics, recycled handbags, earth friendly jewelry and green gifts and goodies at competitive prices. What’s more, in light of a new environmentally conscious business trend, Eco Zen Boutique has aligned itself with two different environmental organizations: it is offsetting its carbon footprint through Carbonfund.org, one of the country’s leading carbon offset organizations and through its alliance with 1% For The Planet, Eco Zen boutique contributes 1% of company sales to environmental organizations.

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Keep it stashed in your bag during Summer heat to spritz all over as a refreshing, light, easily applied moisture solution that will leave you smelling gorgeous. Pop the top, spray and voila! A great addition to any ‘must have’ list for Summer.

I love my job but sewing and handling fabric all day long can be really tough on your skin so I think it might be time to try my hand at something a little more rejuvenating.

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There isn’t an ideal or perfect beauty. We are all so completely and utterly different. You can have someone drop dead gorgeous who is shallow and mean and she’ll seem like the most unattractive person on the planet. Conversely, you might meet someone not so physically attractive but with a beautiful personality and radiance that can take your breath away. Beauty can’t be separated from the personality no matter how much spritzing, spraying, waxing and killing yourself on the treadmill you think will make you beautiful.

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Of course, the signs have been around for awhile. It seems that I’m constantly meeting people who are starting new organic soap or skincare lines. And at the LOHAS Conference in April, an entire section was dedicated specifically to the booming green spa industry.

But it looks like I’m behind the curve on this one, though talking with the Green Bliss folks last week was enlightening. They reminded me that every ingredient in a particular product would be absorbed through the skin or nails…eeks! They also pointed out that many products, like nail polish, were developed decades ago. Science has come a long way since then, and we’re all more knowledgeable about what we put in, and on, our bodies so we should take the time to educate ourselves. And, you can’t rely on labels that tout a product as “natural” or “organic” – you have to read the ingredients.

Whew! OK, I finally get it. I need to “green up” my products.

To help me in this quest, I went back to Green Options writer Rebecca Carter’s Tip O’the Day: Cosmetics That Cause Concern. She recommended going to the Environmental Working Group’s cosmetics safety database, Skin Deep. There, I searched for the products that I use most, and got a few surprises, both good and bad. This was great for the products I already use, or am considering, but what about when I’m in the store…what ingredients do I really need to avoid?

I found a list of some of the worst offenders at National Geographic’s Green Guide, which lays out the “Dirty Dozen” one by one, along with the scary stuff that results from their use. They even have a downloadable wallet card so that you can always have the list with you.

With tremendous growth occurring in the Natural Personal Care category, it’s important to be educated consumers. By resisting old habits and spending a little more time educating ourselves, perhaps we can push new products in a healthier direction, and do better for our bodies in the meantime.

Photo Credit: SpaFinder.com

Facts: Some natural, organic beauty products are exactly what they claim to be; however, many of the trusted brands featured in health food stores and coops contain harmful ingredients and/or are not 100% natural. Anyone can claim their product is natural and/or organic, as there are no federal certifications or safety testing for beauty products. There are no official guidelines as to what constitutes a natural product, and even though a beauty product may contain certified organic ingredients, it may not be 100% natural. Some beauty products labeled organic, contain only a single digit percentage of organic ingredients.

Rebecca recently wrote about beauty products in Tip o’ the Day: Cosmetics that Cause Concern. She advised readers to visit the Environmental Working Group’s cosmentic data base Skin Deep, which provides analysis of many beauty products. When consulting this site, I became concerned when I saw many of the “natural” beauty products I purchased at our local coop were rated higher than I expected for toxicity. By reading labels, I discovered many of these brands utilize ingredients that are not natural or may only be derived from natural ingredients. According to Skin Deep FAQ, “It is often difficult for us to identify which ingredients in products are truly organic, since “organic” is a generally marketing term used by many in the cosmetic industry to imply that the product is natural.”

Let’s look closely at one such “natural” body product I use every day. Alba Body Lotion made by Avalon Natural Products received a score of 8 out of 10, according to Skin Deep. Here are the ingredients from the packaging, some of which are organically grown:

ACTIVE INGREDIENTS: OCTYL METHOXYCINNAMATE, BENZOPHENONE-3. INGREDIENTS: CERTIFIED ORGANIC HERBAL INFUSION OF CHAMOMILE (CHAMOMILLA RECUTITA), ECHINACEA (ECHINACEA PURPUREA), GREEN TEA (CAMELLIA SINENSIS), LAVENDER (LAVANDULA OFFICINALIS) AND ROSE HIPS (ROSA CANINA), ISOPROPYL PALMITATE, GLYCERYL STEARATE, SWEET ALMOND OIL (PRUNUS AMYGDALUS DULCIS), CETYL ALCOHOL, SILICA, VEGETABLE GLYCERIN, CERTIFIED ORGANIC ALOE BARBADENSIS, ORCHID EXTRACT (CYMBIDIUM GRANDIFLORUM), ALPHA-HYDROXY ACIDS OF GLYCOLIC (SUGAR), LACTIC (VEGETABLE) AND ASCORBIC (CITRUS FRUIT), BOTANICAL FRAGRANCE (PARFUM), METHYL/PROPYLPARABEN, TOCOPHERYL ACETATE AND TOCOPHEROL (VITAMIN E).

The fragrance is considered to be of the highest concern for hazard, but the ingredient that stands out as the most unnatural is methyl/propylparaben. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reports methyl and butyl parabens and certain preservatives have been linked to metabolic, developmental, hormonal, and neurological disorders, as well as various cancers. “True organic personal-care products would not contain preservatives,” says Diana Kaye, cofounder of the organic care line Terressentials. According to Wikipedia, methyl/proplylparaben belongs to the paraben family, “Parabens are a group of chemicals widely used as preservatives in the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries…. Their efficacy as preservatives, in combination with their low cost…probably explains why parabens are so commonplace.”

Another common ingredient used in “natural” beauty products is sodium laureth/lauryl sulfate (SLES/SLS). This surfactant is derived from coconut oil and fell victim to an Internet rumor as carcinogenic. It is commonly used in “natural” beauty products, as well as engine degreasers and antifreeze. Although SLES/SLS do not cause cancer, it is in fact an eye and skin irritant. In people with sensitive skin (prone to dermatitis, acne, eczema, psoriasis and chemical sensitivity), the drying property of SLS/SLES can cause flare-ups or may worsen existing conditions. This has been my experience with my son, who’s eczema disappeared after only three days on SLS free soap. As the Natural Health Information Center warns us, “Do not believe that just because a product is labeled as “natural” it is free from SLS or SLES. Most common brands of “Natural” or “Herbal” shampoos and cleansers still use these harmful chemicals as their main active ingredient - check your labels!” Many “natural” beauty companies stand by the use of SLS/SLES, such as Tom’s of Maine (now owned by Colgate/Palmolive). Other companies, such as Aubrey Organics, question its safety. Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soaps has put together a video using a forensic drug test to demonstrate how many, “Companies mislead consumers in conflating their detergent-based products with ecological biodegradable soaps, even calling these synthetic detergent products ‘organic’. Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soaps are real soaps made from real organic oils, while these other so-called ‘Soap’ products are detergents made from petroleum and conventional vegetable material. They are not soap, they are not organic, they are not natural.” Although SLS/SLES is derived from coconut oil, and many “natural” companies will place coconut in parentheses on the label behind SLS/SLES, it is not considered natural by all. In Germany, where there is an effort underway to label cosmetics and personal care products as certified natural, formulations containing sodium lauryl sulfate, ammonium lauryl sulfate or sodium laureth sulfate cannot be certified natural.

Read the Label!You can take action on this issue by signing EWG’s petition in support of government-mandated safety testing of product ingredients. Alternative products do exist that are truly natural and organic, but the consumer will need to read labels, research ingredients, and review Skin Deep to find the safest, natural beauty products. The advises, “There are still no regulations that keep unethical body care companies from making fraudulent ‘organic’ labeling claims outside of the USDA organic certification process… As a consumer, if you purchase a body care product that claims to be organic but does not have the USDA certified organic symbol, you have no way of knowing how much (or how little) organic content that product actually has.”

Shirley: When the Environmental Working Group last week announced its release of an updated and expanded "Skin Deep," its online database of chemicals in cosmetics, my first reaction was, "That's great. At least someone is keeping an eye on what goes into the stuff we put on our faces, hair and skin." (The EWG says it created Skin Deep to provide consumers with information that's not required by the federal government — i.e., whether the ingredients in our personal-care products are proven to be safe, or not.)

But as I spent a little time exploring the extensive data online, I started wondering, "Are we worrying too much about every little thing instead of focusing our energies on the greatest environmental hazards?" That is, should we be as concerned about the potential dangers of parabens in lipstick, phthalates in toys and possible endocrine disruptors in pesticide-sprayed produce when we've got global warming, depleted topsoils, desertification, shrinking biodiversity and other far-reaching problems?

Ultimately, I think, the short answer is, yes. While it can be overwhelming trying to keep track of every possible environmental hazard, I find that every bit of information I gain about the "little" dangers helps me make better decisions that might also diminish the "big" dangers. Maybe phthalates in toys and shower curtains might (or might not) interfere with my toddler son's normal endocrine development, but if I choose all-natural wood toys or hemp shower curtains instead, I'm adding a little less plastic to the world and supporting companies that are probably smaller, more sustainable and more environmentally aware. I'm not going to live in fear of every bit of plastic or every synthetic substance that might be lurking in my home, but the less of it I have, the more responsibly and healthily I believe I'm living.

Skin Deep: The Cosmetics Database

Well you check them on Skin Deep, the cosmetics database, of course! This database created by the Environmental Working Group claims to hold information of 1/4 of all cosmetics - over 22,000 items across almost 1,000 companies. They rank each product from 0 - 10, the higher numbers meaning more "concern" you should have about using the product.

They'll also tell you each ingredient in the item, which of those are on the sketchy side, and why (linked to cancer, reproductive issues, etc). Additionally, they let you know if that manufacturer has signed the Compact for Safe Cosmetics and if they conduct animal testing.

So, for example, we'll look at white Dove bar soap. It's got a score of 5 (so, middle ground). Unilever has not signed the Compact for Safe Cosmetics and DO test on animals. The fragrance seems to be the scariest ingredient of the bunch with an individual score of 8. And apparently, 67% of bar soaps are of "less concern". Four bar soaps wound up with a score of 0 - meaning whew! very little concern. They include Kiss My Face's Pure Olive Oil Bar Soap ($3.50), Lilie De Vallee Castile Unscented ($3.99), and two soaps from NeemAura.

Take a look through your bathroom and see how your products rate. You just might decide to make a change!

Rebecca says: This is something I've had growing concern about and will definitely be looking into our products at home. I'm a little nervous to find out the answers, but I guess ignorance is not bliss…