People are paying attention to the way they look more and more. In the past, women were the major targets for the beauty industry. Today, plenty of cosmetic products aim at men. According to one survey, Americans spent more than $12 billion on cosmetics and beauty products over the internet in a single year.
However, the burgeoning market of personal care products and cosmetics carries a lot of pitfalls. The industry is notoriously under-regulated, and that’s not including the harm caused by illegal reproductions that are available online.
Protect yourself and your appearance by learning as much as you can about how to buy safe beauty products.
Government Regulations
Despite being found in almost every home in the country, cosmetics are not required to be FDA approved. The Food and Drug Administration only requires their approval for color additives. However, the FDA does prohibit manufacturers from printing misbranded labels. This makes it essential that you read the labels on cosmetic products.
This means that their labels must obey the following rules:
- Labels should not have false or misleading information printed on them
- All the required information must be adequately visible and not inconspicuous
- The label must have all required informationprinted on it
The FDA also makes sure that beauty products are unadulterated, which means it should not contain any harmful substances and decomposed or filthy ingredients. However, despite these rules, there are still loopholes during the production process that can allow potentially harmful substances into making it to your medicine cabinet.
Important Safety Tips
In 2019, a woman in California was sent into a semi-comatose state because of skin cream contaminated with mercury. Vigilance is key if you want to make sure your beauty products improve your appearance and not cause a major medical condition. The following tips may help you stay ahead and protect you from dangerous cosmetics.
- Stay Educated
Because the beauty and cosmetics industry are unregulated, you must do your own research to find products that match your needs and safety requirements. Important information you need to know include the origin of your cosmetic ingredients, where your beauty products are manufactured and whether these products are tested on animals. You should also do research on what kind of ingredients your cosmetics have, as they may be harmful to you over a prolonged period.
- Read the Labels
The labels on your cosmetic products are the only thing the Food and Drug Administration regulates, so you should always read them completely. Important information you need to find on your labels include a complete list of their ingredients, warnings about possible allergens, clear and concise instructions for use, and their manufacturing and expiration dates. If some terms and ingredients are unclear or unfamiliar to you, do your research and determine if they pose a threat to your well-being.
- Choose Simplicity
Mainstream cosmetic and beauty products often have dozens upon dozens of ingredients, and most of them tend to by synthetic in nature. The more ingredients a cosmetic product has, the more likely one of them is harmful to your health. Instead of buying products that have overtly complicated manufacturing ingredients, choose to purchase simple products. Although these products tend to have shorter shelf lives, they make up for it by having fewer synthetic ingredients.
- Mind Your Body
No matter how seemingly effective a cosmetic or beauty product seems, the moment it causes a negative reaction to your body, you should discontinue using it and seek a healthier alternative. Negative side effects that may occur from using the wrong cosmetic includes allergic reactions, skin irritation and other dermatological reactions. Take hints from your body about which beauty products you should use and you’ll have easier time finding the right cosmetics.
- Buy from Authorized Sources
Brand-name cosmetics can be very costly, even the more common ones and its understandable why you would want to look for more cost-affordable alternatives. But unlicensed or unauthorized manufacturers and retailers can sell products that are less than ideal. Best case scenario are their products aren’t effective. Worst case scenario is their product is tainted or compromised in some way that could lead to serious harm or even death. The price of buying your cosmetics from authorized sources is going to cost you less than a hospital stay or a funeral.
Because of the unregulated nature of the beauty industry, it falls to you to be vigilant about your cosmetics. The guidelines provided above can help you eliminate unreliable and harmful beauty products and let you choose the right cosmetics.
Useful Content. Thanks a lot for the info!