Trust the safety of cosmetics? You must be joking! In "Batman: The Movie," arch villain The Joker, having had his own face melted into a permanent smile after falling into a vat of toxic chemicals, devises a plot to poison Gothem City’s cosmetics supply.

But the truth, horrifically, is not far removed from fiction. Corporations that control the manufacture of cosmetics really seem to be evil arch-villains, and the laws that are supposed to protect us against their dastardly activities are weak and largely ineffective. It is shocking to find out about the harmful chemicals found in all kinds of cosmetics, creams and perfumes - especially shocking that they are in products intended for babies.

Here is a list of ingredients of concern that exist in a typical supermarket foam bath for babies:

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate

"a known skin irritant". "According to a report published in the Lancet, sodium lauryl sulfate damages the skin barrier function, enhancing the allergic response to other toxins and allergens, as well as altering skin cells." "Unacceptable levels of dioxin" form in some products (cancer causing).

Cocamide DEA

"The National Toxicology Program has found that DEA by itself, is a potent carcinogen". When DEA is combined with Sodium Laureth Sulfate (a variation on the above and often in baby bath) "cancer causing nitrosamines can be formed".

Imidazolidyl Urea

"The second most reported causes of contact dermatitis".

Sodium Methylparaben and Sodium Polyparaben

Parabens are hormone disrupting chemicals (like phthalates) which mimic estrogen. Parabens are in nearly every cream such as foundation, sun cream, etc.

This ingredient information is from a highly recommended book: "Drop Dead Gorgeous" by Kim Erickson, who offers alternatives such as buying 100% organic products or making your own cosmetics. Mayonnaise, for example, makes an effective hair conditioner, having protein for strength, oil and vinegar for shine.

Manufacturers acknowledge that these worrying ingredients are in their products, yet they claim that skin will not absorb them. That this claim is a lie is easily proved. Skin will absorb nearly all chemicals. That is why "patch" medicines, that are stuck on the skin such as some forms of hormone replacement therapy or nicotine patches work.

The cheapest cosmetics normally contain the worst chemicals , yet even the most expensive have plenty. Children are also put at risk by contact with fragrances, in the air or rubbing onto them from an adult. The harmful products are stored in the body and build up. Any women and girls of child bearing age and below must consider that they may be absorbing poisons that can cause birth defects. This is the demographic of most concern. Fragrances impact on the environment, with synthetic musks showing up in water, sewage and aquatic life such as fish, ending up in the human food chain. As they degrade the concentrations of the compounds increase. The air is polluted by perfumes, and the compounds have even been found in Norwegian outdoor air samples. In other words, as with the contraceptive pill, which increases hormones in our water supplies, even products we may think only pose a risk to ourselves also affect innocent parties who had never chosen to use the products.

While consumers should take a lot of the responsibility for this, the real "bad guys" are the corporations and the governments that do not enforce stricter standards. In an ideal world only organic products would be available by law and the grip of the companies that make a living from our ill health would be broken. Now there’s a job for a Superhero!

by Victoria McMagnus

April 24, 2007