The Story of Cosmetics

Summary

This script exposes the alarming reality of toxic chemicals in everyday personal care products, highlighting the lack of regulation and the industry's outdated reliance on harmful substances. It calls for consumer awareness, better labeling, and stronger government oversight to ensure the safety of products we use daily, advocating for a shift towards safer, healthier alternatives already available in the market.

Takeaways

• 🌏 The world is facing a crisis due to an obsession with material goods, leading to environmental and social harm without providing real enjoyment.
• 🔍 Understanding the system reveals opportunities to turn problems into solutions, suggesting a path towards a more sustainable future.
• 💧 Personal care products like shampoos and cosmetics contain chemicals linked to serious health issues, including cancer and reproductive problems.
• 🧪 Many everyday products are filled with unregulated chemicals, with less than 20% assessed for safety, turning personal care into a risky experiment.
• 🤰 Even unborn babies are affected, being born pre-polluted with toxins like mercury and flame retardants, indicating a pervasive issue.
• 🛍️ The choice of safe products isn't in the hands of consumers but determined by companies and governments, who decide what ingredients are used.
• 🌿 Misleading labels like 'herbal', 'natural', and 'organic' have no legal definition, allowing companies to make false claims about their products.
• 💡 The cosmetics industry operates with a 1950s mindset, focusing on chemical innovation without considering long-term health impacts.
• 🏭 The industry self-regulates with voluntary compliance, allowing the continued use of harmful chemicals without legal repercussions.
• 📋 The FDA does not assess the safety of personal care products or their ingredients, leaving a significant gap in consumer protection.
• 🌟 There is a call for new laws that give the FDA the power to ensure the safety of personal care products, advocating for a precautionary approach to hazardous chemicals.
• 💚 Some companies are already producing safer products, and green chemists are creating non-toxic substances, showing that change is possible and happening.

Q & A

What is the central theme of the story presented in the transcript?

The central theme is the concern over the widespread use of toxic chemicals in personal care products and the need for better regulation and consumer awareness.

Why does the narrator express concern about Pantene Pro V?

The narrator is concerned because Pantene Pro V, a product they use daily, contains a chemical linked to cancer, as revealed by scientists they consulted.

What is the 'toxics in, toxics out' principle mentioned in the script?

The 'toxics in, toxics out' principle refers to the idea that if toxic chemicals are used in the production of a product, the end product will also be toxic, affecting workers, communities, and consumers.

How many personal care products does the average person in the U.S. use daily, according to the transcript?

The average woman in the U.S. uses about twelve personal care products daily, while the average man uses about six.

What percentage of chemicals in cosmetics have been assessed for safety by the industry's safety panel?

Less than twenty percent of all chemicals in cosmetics have been assessed for safety by the industry's safety panel.

Why is the narrator critical of the term 'herbal' in the context of personal care products?

The narrator is critical because 'herbal' and similar terms like 'natural' and 'organic' have no legal definition on cosmetics labels, allowing companies to make misleading claims about their products.

What is the narrator's view on the current state of regulation for personal care products in the U.S.?

The narrator believes the current state of regulation is inadequate, as the FDA does not assess the safety of personal care products or their ingredients, and there are no laws to remove harmful chemicals.

What does the narrator suggest as a solution to the problem of toxic chemicals in personal care products?

The narrator suggests that Congress should pass a new law giving the FDA the power to ensure the safety of personal care products, based on the precautionary principle to avoid hazardous chemicals.

How do some companies currently handle the use of toxic chemicals in their products?

Some companies continue to use toxic chemicals due to outdated mindsets and lack of regulation, while others, like responsible cosmetics companies and green chemists, are developing safer and non-toxic alternatives.

What role do consumers play in the push for safer personal care products, as per the transcript?

Consumers play a crucial role by demanding safer products, using online resources to make informed choices, and advocating for stronger regulations to protect their health.

Outlines

00:00

🌏 The Problem with Personal Care Products

This paragraph discusses the widespread issue of toxic chemicals in everyday personal care products, which are linked to serious health problems like cancer, learning disabilities, asthma, and reproductive issues. The speaker uses their own experience with Pantene Pro V, a product they can't live without, to highlight the presence of harmful chemicals in products we use daily. The paragraph emphasizes the lack of safety assessments for the majority of chemicals in cosmetics and the 'toxics in, toxics out' principle, which means that if toxic chemicals are used in the production process, they will end up in the final product and potentially harm consumers, workers, and the environment.

05:02

🛡️ The Need for Change in the Beauty Industry

The second paragraph delves into the lack of regulation in the cosmetics industry, pointing out that the FDA does not assess the safety of personal care products or their ingredients. It criticizes the industry's self-regulation and the use of misleading terms like 'herbal' and 'natural' on product labels. The speaker calls for stronger government action to ensure product safety, advocating for laws based on the precautionary principle to remove hazardous chemicals from personal care products. The paragraph also highlights the efforts of responsible cosmetics companies and green chemists who are already developing safer alternatives, and it points to the success of European regulations in reducing toxic chemicals in cosmetics, suggesting that change is possible and necessary for the health and safety of consumers.

Keywords

💡Toxicity

Toxicity refers to the degree to which a substance can cause harm to living organisms. In the video, it is a central theme as it discusses the presence of toxic chemicals in everyday personal care products, which can lead to health issues like cancer and reproductive problems. The script mentions that 'less than twenty percent of all chemicals in cosmetics have been assessed for safety,' highlighting the potential risks of unregulated substances.

💡Personal Care Products

Personal care products encompass a wide range of items used for personal hygiene and grooming, such as shampoos, lipsticks, and sunscreens. The video emphasizes the chemical content of these products and their potential health risks, noting that 'the average woman in the U.S. uses about twelve personal care products daily,' which can expose individuals to a variety of chemicals.

💡Chemicals Linked to Cancer

This phrase refers to specific chemicals that scientific research has associated with an increased risk of cancer. The video script points out that the narrator's Pantene Pro V and other products contain such chemicals, illustrating the pervasiveness of potentially harmful substances in personal care items.

💡Toxics in, Toxics out

This concept from the script highlights the idea that if toxic chemicals are used in the production process of a product, the end result will also be toxic. It is used to explain the systemic issue of toxic exposure not only to consumers but also to workers and the environment.

💡Pantene Pro V

Pantene Pro V is a brand of hair care product mentioned in the script as an example of a personal care item that the narrator is particularly fond of but later discovers contains harmful chemicals. It serves as a specific example within the broader discussion of the hidden dangers in common products.

💡Regulation

Regulation in this context refers to the rules and oversight provided by governmental bodies to ensure the safety and quality of products. The video points out the lack of regulation in the cosmetics industry, with the FDA having banned only eight ingredients out of over 12,000 since 1938, indicating a need for stronger safety standards.

💡Precautionary Principle

The precautionary principle is a decision-making approach that suggests caution in the face of potential harm, especially when there is uncertainty. The video advocates for this principle in the context of chemical safety, urging for a more cautious approach to the use of hazardous chemicals in products.

💡Green Chemistry

Green chemistry is the design of chemical products and processes that reduce or eliminate the use and generation of hazardous substances. The script mentions green chemists developing safer substances, indicating a move towards more environmentally and health-conscious practices in the industry.

💡Misleading Labels

Misleading labels refer to product descriptions that are inaccurate or deceptive, such as 'herbal' or 'natural' on cosmetics that contain synthetic chemicals. The video criticizes this practice, stating that such terms have no legal definition and can mislead consumers about the true nature of the products they are using.

💡Self-Policing

Self-policing in the video refers to the practice where industries regulate themselves, often through voluntary compliance with their own guidelines. The script criticizes the cosmetics industry's self-policing committee, suggesting it is ineffective and allows for the continued use of harmful chemicals.

💡Consumer Choice

Consumer choice is the power of consumers to select products based on their preferences and values. The video emphasizes the importance of informed consumer choice, advocating for transparency and safer alternatives in personal care products so that consumers can make healthier decisions.

Highlights

The world is described as being obsessed with material possessions, leading to environmental and social crises.

The speaker expresses a love for Pantene Pro V, yet discovers it contains a chemical linked to cancer.

Many everyday personal care products contain chemicals associated with health issues like cancer and learning disabilities.

The concept of 'toxics in, toxics out' is introduced to explain the systemic issue of product contamination.

The average American uses multiple personal care products daily, each containing numerous unregulated chemicals.

Less than 20% of cosmetics chemicals have been safety assessed, indicating a lack of oversight.

The speaker undergoes a body toxicity test, revealing high levels of harmful substances.

The presence of toxins in products is not just a consumer choice issue but a systemic problem of production and regulation.

Procter & Gamble's 'Herbal Essences' is criticized for containing toxic petrochemicals despite its misleading name.

Marketing of harmful products like hair relaxers for children and skin whitening creams is highlighted as problematic.

Estee Lauder's contradictory stance of fundraising for breast cancer while using cancer-linked chemicals is pointed out.

The outdated mindset of the cosmetics industry, rooted in the 1950s, is criticized for overlooking health impacts.

The FDA's lack of regulation over personal care products and their ingredients is discussed.

The cosmetics industry's self-regulation through voluntary compliance is presented as ineffective.

Online resources are mentioned as a means for consumers to make informed choices about product safety.

Calls for new legislation to grant the FDA power to ensure product safety and the adoption of precautionary principles.

Examples of responsible companies and green chemists developing safer products are given.

The potential for reformulation of cosmetics to be both safe and honestly labeled is emphasized.

The empowerment of consumers to make choices that prioritize safety and health is highlighted.

Transcripts

This is a story about a world obsessed with stuff.

It's a story about a system in crisis. We're trashing the planet,

we're trashing each other, and we're not even having fun.

The good thing is that when we start to understand the system,

We start to see lots of places to step in and turn these problems into solutions.

Can I tell you, I love my Pantene Pro V.

Of the dozen or so personal care products I use everyday, it's the one I can't live without.

Says it gives my dull hair "the ultimate cool shine."

How does it do that?

I was wondering that, while I was lathering it into my hair one day,

so I read the ingredients right here:

Sodium Laureth Sulfate,

Tetrasodium EDTA,

Methyl-iso-thiazo-linone...

What is this stuff?

I took this list to some scientists who know how to read it.

Turns out my Pantene contains a chemical linked to cancer.

And lots of other products in my bathroom from sunscreen to lipstick and even baby shampoo

also contain chemicals linked to cancer or other problems like learning disabilities, asthma,

and even damaged sperm.

Like most parents,

I try to keep my family safe

but now I find out my bathroom is a minefield of toxins.

What are we supposed to do?

To find out the answers

we have to go back to one of the key features of our materials economy: Toxics in, toxics out.

If, at the factory, you pour toxic chemicals into a product - like baby shampoo -

you're going to wind up with... toxic baby shampoo ...

AND toxics in workers, communities,

and, duh, babies.

So let's take a closer look at this toxic outrage where it seeps into our lives every day -

in the bathroom.

The average woman in the U.S. uses about twelve personal care products daily.

The average man, about six.

Each product contains a dozen or more chemicals.

Less than twenty percent of all chemicals in cosmetics have been assessed for safety

by the industry's safety panel

so we just don't know what they do to us when we use them.

Would you fly on an airline that only inspects twenty percent of its planes?

Of course, not all of these chemicals are dangerous.

But we know that many are.

Some are carcinogens -

that means they can cause cancer.

Others are neurotoxins and reproductive toxins;

proven to mess up brain development and reproduction in animals.

Wait a minute, we're animals too!

It's like a giant experiment.

We're using all these mystery chemicals and just waiting to see what happens.

One thing we do know is that they're getting inside us.

I had my body's toxicity levels tested, and I'm loaded with things like mercury, flame retardants,

triclosan and lead!

We all are.

Even babies are being born pre-polluted.

Now I know we can't live in a lead free world, but do they have to put lead in our lipstick?

I don't know. Maybe it's my fault.

Maybe I just bought the wrong thing.

At the store, the choices seem endless.

I can get lipstick in 49 shades

or shampoo for hair that's too dry, oily, fine, limp, or frizzy.

But what about the choices that really matter?

Like the choice to buy products that are safe?

It turns out the important decisions don't happen when I choose to

take a product off the shelf.

They happen when companies and governments decide what should be put on the shelves.

So who are these companies?

This is Procter & Gamble.

They're the ones offering me "Herbal Essences," the number two shampoo in the country.

It contains toxic petrochemicals -

made from oil. Since when is oil an herb?

On cosmetics labels,

words like "herbal", "natural", even "organic"

have no

legal definition.

That means anybody can put anything in a bottle and call it natural.

And they do.

I mean, can you imagine a top seller called "petro-essences?"

Gross.

What's even nastier are hair relaxers marketed to 5 year olds,

and skin whitening creams.

These are super toxic

both in their ingredients

and in the message they send about what beauty is.

Ooh, here's Estee Lauder offering me a chance to help find a cure for breast cancer.

That's nice.

But wait...they're also using chemicals linked to cancer.

Don't you think the best way for Estee Lauder to fight cancer is to stop using those chemicals in the first place?

So really,

I get to choose between meaningless claims on a bottle.

But these guys get the real choice about what goes into those bottles.

And that happens back here at the factories where they're formulated.

Why do the makers of these products use all these toxics, are they trying to poison us?

No, they're just working from a 1950s mindset when people were totally swept up in

"better living through chemistry".

In all that excitement, they forgot to worry about human health impacts. That was years ago, and they are

still using these same old toxic chemicals.

Today big cosmetics companies say the doses of poison in their products are small enough to be harmless.

Yeah maybe if you use them once a year!

I guess they never get out and see that their products are being used

and combined with other products every day: a little toxic dose under your arms,

a little more on your hair, on your lips.

And workers in nail and hair salons get dosed all day long!

So the industry is used to doing things this way.

And they can,

because even now that scientists have linked the chemicals they're using to all sorts of

problems,

there are no laws to get rid of them.

You're thinking - Really? Come on. Nobody's making sure that the stuff

we smear all over our bodies is safe?

No!

The FDA doesn't even assess the safety of personal care products, or their ingredients.

Since 1938,

they've banned just eight out of over 12,000 ingredients used in cosmetics.

They don't even require that all of the ingredients be listed on the label!

Now this is an example where we can all agree a little more government action would be helpful!

This lack of regulation leaves a huge hole that the cosmetics industry

is all too happy to fill.

They set up their own committee to self-police their products.

And compliance with their "recommendations" is voluntary!

So, the cosmetics industry is making the rules and then deciding whether or not to follow them.

So, you see, it isn't our fault that these toxic products are in our bathrooms.

It's a whole broken system that's ignoring the simple rule:

toxics in,

toxics out.

But we're not helpless.

There are resources online that we can use to protect ourselves by identifying the best

possible choices in the store.

But the real action is with people working to change the system.

Because, if we really want to solve this problem,

we gotta start here

with these guys.

Women, parents, workers, people all over the country

are demanding that Congress pass a new law

giving the FDA the power to make sure that our personal care products are safe.

We need common-sense laws based on the precautionary principle.

That means that when we're dealing with hazardous chemicals,

just err on the side of caution.

Let's not debate how much lead should be allowed in lipstick...

Just get toxic chemicals out of our products.

Smarter laws would force companies to get past that old 50s mindset

and figure out how to get us all clean and shiny without toxic chemicals.

Can they?

Totally.

Many responsible cosmetics companies are already putting safer products on the market.

Green chemists are developing substances that are designed to be safe and non-toxic in the first place.

European governments have required the removal of many toxic chemicals

and companies have figured out how to comply.

When cosmetics are reformulated to be safe and labeled honestly,

then we can feel comfortable with the choices available at the store.

We can choose bouncy hair or full hair.

Shiny lipstick or matte.

We can even choose to feel beautiful without using twenty products.

But we'll know that whatever we choose,

the most important choice,

the choice to be safe and healthy, has already been made.