Women Put Approximately 168 Chemicals On Their Bodies Every Day And Men Put 84!

You’ve probably noticed over the years that the process of getting ready now involves more toiletries and beauty products than ever before. From shampoo, conditioner, soap, face wash, body scrub, deodorant and lotion to lipstick, chapstick, lip gloss, eye liner, eye shadow, blusher, powder, foundation, concealer, sunscreen, nail polish, aftershave, shaving cream, hair gel and serum, there are a lot of products that have become "essential" nowadays.?

A study found that the average American woman uses 12 products per day and the average American man uses 6 products per day. According to the researchers' estimation, American women apply 168 chemicals on their skin every day, while American men apply 84.?

People in other parts of the world aren’t far behind – Dr. Kiran Lohia, dermatologist, estimates that the average Indian uses 3-4 products per day. If you use any of the products on the above-mentioned list, take an average of 15 chemicals per product to find out how many chemicals you're using every day!

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Let’s take a closer look at these chemicals.

Research shows that one out of every eight of the 82,000 ingredients used in personal care products are harmful chemicals. That’s 10,250 chemicals! These chemicals include:

? Carcinogens, which cause cancer.

? Neurotoxins, which affect brain development.

? Reproductive toxins, which affect our reproductive systems.

? Endocrine disruptors, which affect our hormones.

? Plasticisers, which are used to soften concrete and make PVC plastic flexible. Yep, we’re applying them on our skin!

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The Environmental Working Group (EWG) is a non-profit that has been working to raise awareness about the harmful ingredients used in makeup and personal care products. This group did a study in 2000 where they tested nail polishes from 27 different companies and found that several of them contained dibutyl phthalate (DBP). DBP is used in nail polish because it increases flexibility and shine, but it is also known to cause lifelong reproductive impairments in male rats and has been shown to damage the testes, prostate gland, epididymus, penis and seminal vesicles in animals. This chemical is also linked to birth defects in children.?

You’re probably thinking that this chemical probably can’t do you much harm, since you’re just applying it on your nails, it’s not like you’re eating it or anything. Well, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) tested 289 people and found that every single one of them had DBP in their bodies!

Makeup products are also heavily contaminated by toxic heavy metals.

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The EWG did a study that tested 49 different makeup products, including foundations, concealers, powders, blushes, mascaras, eye liners, eye shadows, lipsticks and lip glosses. The study found that almost all the products contained some amounts of heavy metals. Here’s what they found:

? 96% of the products contained lead.

? 90%?of the products contained beryllium.

? 61%?of the products contained thallium.

? 51%?of the products contained cadmium.

? 20%?of the products contained arsenic.

Here are some of the chemicals you should avoid:

According to the EWG's website, these are some of the harmful effects of the chemicals in personal care products.

1. Phthalates?

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Scientific studies link phthalate exposure to reproductive abnormalities in baby boys, reduced testosterone and sperm quality in men and early puberty in girls. Phthalates are often listed in personal care products under the term ‘fragrances’. Companies are not required to list the ingredients in their fragrances, since they are considered to be trade secrets, so they get away with a lot of chemicals using this as a shield. To be on the safe side, buy unscented personal care products.

2. Formaldehyde releasers

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Some cosmetics chemicals are designed to react with water in the bottle to generate a little formaldehyde, a preservative, to keep the product from growing mould and bacteria. But formaldehyde is a potent allergen that is carcinogenic. Formaldehyde releasers include DMDM hydantoin, imidazolidinyl urea, diazolidinyl urea and quaternium-15. Where do you find them? Shampoos, conditioners, bubble baths and other personal care products—even those intended for children. ?

3. Parabens

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Parabens are used as preservatives in some cosmetic products, but so-called “long-chained” parabens can act as estrogens and disrupt hormone signalling. A recent study by scientists at the Harvard School of Public Health linked one type of paraben to impaired fertility in women. Read product labels carefully to spot products that contain parabens, especially the long-chained varieties—propylparaben, ethylparaben, isopropylparaben, butylparaben and isobutylparaben. ?

4. Triclosan and triclocarban

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Triclosan is a bacteria-killing chemical used in Colgate Total toothpastes (to prevent gingivitis), liquid hand soaps, body washes, clothing, cutting boards and other household goods. It has been shown to interfere with thyroid signalling and male and female sex hormone signalling. Triclocarban is the active ingredient in some antibacterial bar soaps. Researchers have linked it to reproductive abnormalities in laboratory animals.?

5. Retinyl palmitate and retinoic acid

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Retinoic acid is used in anti-ageing skin creams. Retinyl palmitate, a related chemical, is added to roughly one-quarter of all sunscreens. U.S. government scientists have found that these chemicals speed up the development of cancerous lesions on sun-exposed skin. The results suggest that people who go out in the sun while wearing retinyl palmitate creams and sunscreens may be at an increased risk for skin cancer, instead of the other way around.?

6. Hair straighteners with formaldehyde or formaldehyde-like chemicals

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Some hair straightening agents can contain as much as 10% pure formaldehyde. The cosmetic industry’s own scientific advisory board has warned against formaldehyde-based hair straighteners. Some nations ban these products, but some companies persist in making and selling them to unwitting consumers. People who want to straighten their hair or undergo a “smoothing” treatment should find out if the salon uses a product containing formaldehyde, also called methylene glycol. If it does, avoid it.

Cover images via?gettyimages.com and?how-to-hairstyles.com