The deadly price of beauty

Cosmetics may make you look good on the outside, but as Reem Leila discovers, beneath that plastered layer, a massacre is taking place

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It is something we all succumb to: the temptation of beautifying concoctions. From make-up and hair-dye to hair gel and tanning lotions, hair-growth stimulants and miracle mixes for the skin, we have all fallen prey to the allure of the cosmetic industry's promises. And of course it makes sense -- in today's fast-paced, high-tech world, we jump out of bed, cover ourselves with creams and gels and powders that vow to work wonders and we rush off to start the day. On the surface, we have made progress in the quest for perfection. But beneath that outer face, all hell is breaking loose.

Most of the products we use day-to-day -- including shaving creams, mouthwash, perfumed soap and toothpaste -- are potentially hazardous to the health for they include cancer- causing ingredients, to start with. In theory, the components of cosmetics are tested. In reality regulations on the cosmetic industry all over the world are lax. With the exception of a handful of extremely toxic chemicals manufacturers can put almost anything in their cosmetics without testing to check whether the ingredients are harmful or not. What makes things worse is that words like "natural" and "hypoallergenic" do not have official definitions. They stand, instead, as simply misleading labels that help push up sales.

According to Nadia Gamal, head of the chemistry department at the National Centre for Sociological and Criminological Research (NCSCR), cosmetic chemistry is nothing more than a blend of industrial chemicals. In the early 1980s the chemistry department launched an investigation of the chemicals in cosmetic and personal care products, Gamal told Al-Ahram Weekly. Researchers reported startling findings: long-banned industrial chemicals were found in products we use every day, "at 100 times the permissible amounts".

Additionally, 40 per cent of the analysed samples contained carcinogens -- cancer- causing agents. "Things actually got worse the next time the researchers analysed cosmetic samples in the early 1990s, for they found that 65 per cent of the cosmetic products sampled contained carcinogenic contaminants," Gamal said, stressing that cosmetics are not viewed as seriously as they should. "One of the most extreme cases I have seen was that of a woman whose bone marrow was affected by chemicals used in hair dye. The situation is critically dangerous," said Gamal.

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate -- SLS, a common element found in most cleansers, toothpaste, and shampoos -- was found to irritate the skin, corrode the hair and contribute to significant hair loss. Further tests, Gamal continued, indicated that it can keep children's eyes from developing properly and has contributed to the development of cataracts in some adults. In children under the age of six, SLS prevents proteins from linking up properly. Also, it was found to mix with other chemicals present in shampoos to form nitrosamines, a human carcinogen. "This very same ingredient is used to degrease automobile engines and clean garage floors because of its corrosive nature," Gamal said.

The Egyptian cosmetics industry is valued at LE1 billion a year. It employs more than 25,000 people and comprises an estimated 170 factories. The industry is supervised by the Medicine and Cosmetic Industry Chamber -- MCIC -- which is headed by Ali Abdel- Moneim. "According to our statistics," Abdel- Moneim told the Weekly, "there are more than 50 factories working illegally. These factories use certain cosmetic materials containing a host of dubious ingredients which should be in a test tube rather than on women's faces. These synthetic ingredients are very cheap, stable and have a long shelf life. Manufacturers at such factories love them, but the results of long term use could be deadly. The regulations approve about 3,000 ingredients for cosmetic use, but many others find their way into finished products," he continued. "Loopholes in government regulations are being exploited by manufacturers to allow cosmetics to contain banned chemicals if they cannot 'reasonably' be removed. Many of these ingredients have been shown to cause cancer in laboratory animals."

While the MCIC is trying to regulate the industry and clamp down on violators, the task will undoubtedly take time. Until then, learning to read and interpret the ingredient labels on different cosmetics, toiletries and personal care products can act as a powerful shield for consumers.

Dr Mohamed Nada, a dermatologist at Al- Qasr Al-Aini Hospital, advises women not to be fooled by the fancy packaging and persuasive words like "natural", "gentle", and "hypoallergenic". "When women buy and use the product, they will definitely find that it is not the case," Nada says, explaining that the chemicals used in cosmetic products get into the bloodstream in a number of ways. Hair sprays, perfumes and powders are inhaled; lipstick is swallowed; eye make-up is absorbed by sensitive mucous membranes and others taken in through the skin. In the last 20 years, Nada says he has treated about 8,000 patients, "nearly all of whom were found to have a sensitivity to beauty and personal care products," he said.

One such case was that of Sally Mohsen, a 42-year-old engineer who was suffering from extreme eczema on her arms, legs and face. "My hands were so bad that the knuckles would bleed when I made a fist," Mohsen says. After trying a host of creams, lotions, pills and diets to no avail, she began to lose hope. An article on the harmful ingredients in cosmetics triggered the change in her life. She discarded the toxin-containing products she had been using, and in two weeks began to see the results. Her case, Nada says, is no exception.

Artificial tanning and its tube-based products have also raised alarm, for they have been discovered to be animal carcinogens. Tanning products offer little protection from ultra-violet rays -- UV -- and in fact, have actually been found to release dangerously high levels of UV radiation, which can cause premature ageing of the skin and increase the risk of skin cancer.

One must also beware of the harmful effects of moisturisers. Mineral oil is one of the most common ingredients in most moisturisers. It comes from crude oil (petroleum) and is used in industrial plants as a metal cutting fluid. "It may suffocate the skin by forming an oil film; but healthy skin needs oxygen, and to release carbon dioxide it should not be inhibited," Nada says. Holding large amounts of moisture in the skin can "flood" the biology and may result in immature, unhealthy, sensitive skin that dries out easily. According to Nada, Glycerin -- which is synthetic -- acts in a similar fashion, drawing moisture from inside the skin holding it on the surface for a better feel. While these two ingredients may not necessarily be toxic, they dry the skin from the inside and ultimately cause premature ageing.

Women should not just be concerned but alarmed, for the average woman applies more than 200 chemicals a day to her body while men use fewer. And while there is no need to go and throw all our products away, it is critical that we educate ourselves in biochemistry, label-reading, ingredients and alternative means to beautification that is not just skin- deep.

One way to skin freshness, for example, is a homemade mix, says eminent make-up artist Mohamed Abdel-Hamid. It is based on cucumber, which is good for all types of skin. For homemade beauty, purée a few slices of peeled cucumber with two tablespoons of natural yoghurt, and apply as a face mask for half an hour. Rinse off with lukewarm water. And whatever you do, make sure you read the labels on the products that you use. Refer to box for what you need to know.

The Most Unwanted Ingredients in Personal Care and Beauty Products

Isopropyl Alcohol

This is a solvent found in hair colour rinses, body scrubs, hand lotions, after-shave lotions and fragrances. Inhalation or ingestion of the vapour of this substance may cause headaches, flushing, dizziness, mental depression, nausea, vomiting and coma.

Mineral Oil

Baby oil is 100 per cent mineral oil. This commonly used petroleum ingredient coats the skin just like plastic wrap. This process slows down skin function and normal cell development causing the skin to prematurely age.

PEG

This is an abbreviation for polyethylene glycol used in cleansers to dissolve oil and grease as well as thicken products. PEGs contribute to stripping the Natural Moisture Factor, leaving the immune system vulnerable. They are potentially carcinogenic.

Propylene Glycol -- PG

This ingredient is the active component in antifreeze. It is used in industry to break down protein and cellular structure -- what the skin is made of -- yet is found in most forms of make-up, hair products, lotions, after-shaves, deodorants, mouthwashes and toothpastes.

Talc

Talc is a carcinogen and products containing talc, including baby powder, should never be used on babies and children.

DEA (diethanolamine) MEA (monoethanolamine)

DEA and MEA are hormone- disrupting chemicals which are known to cause cancer. These are commonly found in most personal care products that foam, including bubble baths, toothpaste, body washes, shampoos, soaps and facial cleansers.

Colour Pigments

Many colour pigments cause skin sensitivity and irritation. Animal studies have shown almost all of them to be carcinogenic.

Fragrance

Fragrance is present in most deodorants, shampoos, skin care, soap, body care and baby care products. Fragrance has up to 4,000 separate ingredients, most of them are carcinogenic or otherwise toxic.