The Hidden Dangers of Makeup and skin care.

SHINING LIGHT ON THE DARK SIDE OF BEAUTY

CLEAN BEAUTY You've probably heard about clean eating and clean living, but what about “clean beauty”? It's the latest movement generating buzz about the growing concern over harmful chemicals used in selfcare and beauty products.

“Years ago, the trend of clean beauty, which means removing any questionable toxic ingredients from your beauty products, was all the rage in Europe, but there was little interest here on the East Coast,” states Cynthia Sansone, founder of Life on Mars Beauty.

"As a makeup artist and President of a very big cancer care charity – Mondays at Racine, I began to question the cosmetics I was using on myself as well as on the women in treatment that I was making up. There were no cheap bottles of foundation or eyeshadow pallets from China on my vanity; only high-end brands would suffice my designer taste. As documented, the number of young women who were being diagnosed with cancer here on Long Island was rapidly rising, and I began to see a connection to what I believed played a small part. According to some of the doctors that I worked with, the wellness pie consisted of 5 pieces: genetics; stress; the environmental assault on our bodies; what we put in our bodies; and what we put on our bodies (personal care products).

It was challenging to find a full cosmetics and beauty line that was safe, free of toxic chemicals, beautiful and luxurious. So, back in 2015, my daughter, who is a nurse, and I created Life on Mars Beauty to address the needs of an ever-growing population of women wanting to know what they are putting on their bodies. Life on Mars Beauty is committed to sourcing safe, beautiful and effective products that won’t compromise your health. The skin is the biggest organ. We know toxic chemicals penetrate and accumulate in the system. The immune system can only take so much bombardment before there is a breakdown.

As consumers, we have cleaned up our act in the kitchen, opting for organic eggs, produce, and grass-fed meats without any hormones or antibiotics. Green cleaning products are replacing the big brand names. People understand products with a skull & crossbones on the back of the bottle are caustic. The personal care category is one of the last areas where scrutiny is now being imposed.”

Scott Faber, VP of Government Affairs at EWG (Environmental Working Group), released an online article in April of this year titled: The Toxic Twenty Chemicals and Contaminants in Cosmetics (visit ewg.org for more info). It states: “Chemicals and contaminants linked to cancer can be found in food, water and many other everyday products. However, no category of consumer products is subject to less government oversight than cosmetics and other personal care products. Since 2009, 595 cosmetics manufacturers have reported using 88 chemicals that have been linked to cancer, birth defects or reproductive harm in more than 73,000 products.” Yikes!!

Fortunately, consumer awareness is powerful. Due to growing demand, there is a large selection of chemical free and safer skin care products readily available, making it easy to start making the switch. Healthy is beautiful.

Beauty Ain't Always Pretty.

TOP OFFENDERS: (you won’t find any of these in Life on Mars Beauty products)

Parabens Known to disrupt hormone function and are linked to a risk of breast cancer and reproductive toxicity.

Phenoxyethanol Used as an antibacterial in cosmetics and perfumes; very harmful if inhaled, ingested or swallowed, especially to nursing mothers and infants.

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate Strips the skin of its natural protective oils. Can be very irritating to skin and eyes.

Mineral Oil and Petroleum Jelly Found in lipsticks, eyeshadows and foundations. Commonly used to coat the skin, like plastic wrap, disrupting the skin's natural barrier, impeding skin’s ability to release toxins. This process also slows normal cell development, causing premature aging.

Diazolidinyl Urea and DMDM Hydantoin Cosmetic preservatives that release formaldehyde. Found in many products, mainly nail polish.

BHT - AVOID AT ALL COSTS! Found in lipstick, eyeshadow, lip gloss and skin creams; it penetrates skin and remains in the fatty tissue. When metabolized, BHT creates free radicals in the body that can damage DNA in cells.

Carbon Black Very popular ingredient in makeup, especially nail polish, eyeliner, and mascara. The most likely effect from exposure is lung disease. Inhaling carbon black particles can irritate the lungs, the eyes, nose and throat.

Their mission is to empower all women to make the switch from toxic makeup to healthy, safe, skin care products that improve your skin naturally.

NATURAL ORGANIC SKIN CARE COSMETICS POLISH

LIFE ON MARS BEAUTY COUNTERS LOCATED AT: Racine Salon 341 Main Street, Islip, Point Lookout Yoga 50 Lido Blvd, Point Lookout AND OTHER FINE SALONS lifeonmarsbeauty.com | @lifeonmarsbeauty