Post 1

Dear students, please comment on Taylor’s “Toxic Cosmetics?” post, paying particular attention to, and commenting on, the choices she has made in conveying her message. You may submit your observations, RESPECTFUL criticism, or questions.

Taylor S. says:

Emma, I absolutely agree with your discussion about “the availability of these ‘safer’ products.” I too believe they should be accessible to the everyday person who doesn’t have time to shop for special necessities at special stores, for example, one you referenced, “Down to Earth.” However, even if one shops at a specialty store, he/she isn’t guaranteed an actual “safe” product. “How do you know?” you ask, well I have a story for you.

For ages my grandma, pursuing a healthier lifestyle, has been looking to switch from our family’s old conditioner to a healthier, organic one. Her co-worker Jodi recommended using Korres Acacia Milk Conditioner because she, too, pursued a similar idealistic lifestyle that my grandma pursued. My grandma perused through different websites, finally coming across one that mentioned the Korres Acacia Milk Conditioner that Jodi talked about. The website, http://www.skinstore.com/p-3113-korres-acacia-milk-conditioner.aspx, provided a break down of what this “organic” conditioner was all about. One of popularity, the website offered over “5000 skin care products,” was protected by McAfee Secure, and was supported by Accredited Business Company. Credibility was no question for my grandmother. Knowing the site’s credentials, my grandma believed the synopsis of this conditioner. It had a“5/5 star rating.” It was “natural.” It was applauded. According to George Korres, founder of the Korres Natural Products Ltd., “this product meets our natural beauty standards with a high concentration of quality natural botanicals while keeping harsh chemicals to a minimum.” The key word is “natural.” According to Stacy Malkan of the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, she says that the terms “natural” or “organic” have no legal meaning in the beauty industry. Pharmacist George Korres also said his line “combined nature with science to develop products that are skin-compatible, environment-friendly, joyful and effective.” Convinced this conditioner the key to a healthier life, she purchased an 8.45 ounce bottle for $19.00. This was expensive. After researching the site, my grandma believed this conditioner was the right match and, even though it was out of the way to purchase and was expensive, she bought it, believing all the conditioner’s details the website praised. For this project, I entered “Korres Acacia Milk Conditioner” in the Skin Deep Cosmetics Database. Korres Acacia Milk Conditioner scored a seven out of ten. It contained products linked to developmental/reproductive toxicity, allergies/immunotoxicty, organ system toxicity, and biochemical or cellular level changes. This milk conditioner was ranked one of the highest scored products of the entire Korres Natural Products line. Devastated by this, I told my grandma and we used up the whole bottle and refused to purchase another.

After this experience, I was cognitive of the entire cosmetic situation. Is “organic” or “natural” or any type of product safe, even if you go out of your way to purchase it? If the rarer items, ones not sold at longs or even at Down to Earth, ones more expensive than others, ones created by exclusive companies, are still somewhat toxic, then is there such thing as a “safe” product? Are people tricked by the beauty industry into believing that using products is better for you, when realistically, using no products is actually the healthiest solution? Is the ideal use for products arbitrary due to the fact that it may be safer not to use products at all, rather than using products that are “safe”? These are the questions I have, and these are the questions that will hopefully one day be answered.

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