Ms. Owens
English 12
5th December 2012
1st Period Senior Research Paper
Throughout the years there have been extremely high rates of synthetic products that have resulted as an issue, health and environmental wise. One thing that could be done that is relatively easy to lower our dependency on these polluting and environmentally unsound industries and avoid exposure to potential toxins is by choosing products that contain alternative ingredients. A more effective way to reduce chemically developed cosmetic products that have a negative impact on the environment is to use organic mineralized products that do not require harsh chemicals. Organic products in comparison to chemically developed products are a better fit for the environment and for health reasons. There are a variety of reasons why organic products are better than synthetic products, it is better for the skin and easier to dispose of and is able to degrade easily into the environment unlike synthetic products.
Synthetic products are compounds made artificially through chemical reactions. Synthetic products are manufactured to be made into products that have a low rate of actual plant and minerals that are being used into the products. According to the Organic Make-up Company, synthetic ingredients require pressure and heat that can not necessarily be achieved with just simple technology, chemically produced substances which are not biodegradable through normal biological processes, do not have natural reactants.
Although in certain situations traditional makeup require strong chemicals that are not good health wise. For example, Synthetic makeup may in certain situations contain mineral ingredients in certain products but it also contains synthetic dyes, talc, oils, fragrances and alcohols that can clog pores, cause dryness in skin and even cause allergic reactions. According to the Breast Cancer Fund established to defend the Organic Makeup movement. According to BCF many of these substances are used in industrial manufacturing processes to clean industrial equipment, stabilizing pesticides and grease gears. In other words it is safe to say that an ingredient that effectively scours a garage floor may not be the best choice for a facial cleanser, which in many cases happens in cosmetic products. On the other hand, in the U.S. there have been major loopholes in Federal laws that allowed the cosmetics industry to put thousands of synthetic chemicals into personal care products, even if those chemicals are linked to cancer, infertility or birth defects. In many cosmetic products there are many chemicals that are not so healthy for individuals to use for personal care. For instance, some chemicals that have been found in cosmetic products are Phthalates, lead and aluminum (Organic Consumer Association). Most synthetic cosmetics contain artificial preservatives that eliminate the effectiveness of any natural substances they may contain. Many of these preservatives are known to damage the skin's flora. They promote aging of the skin by reducing its water-absorbent capacities and they penetrate the skin's layers these preservatives remove the skin's elasticity (Gabriel 23). Finally, several studies suggest that some of these products may disrupt hormone systems or trigger skin sensitization when exposed to UV light.
Over the years, there have been a vast majority of companies that have been based on heat and pressure and chemicals to produce many products that are used today. Although, chemically developed products effect the environment because they are not biodegradable, they also have resulted in environmental issues because of the grand majority of companies that produce these products. The processes needed to dispose of the products that are not being used have a negative affect on the environment. Many companies that manufacture a grand majority of these products produce a slight pollution into the air