Frequently Asked Questions Scroll down for New Questions and Answers Click on the Q for the answers. Are many people affected by problems with cosmetics? Anita Roddick said that most cosmetics do not work and are a waste of money. Is that true? Are the expensive products better than cheaper store brands? There have been scare stories about particular products in the past - are there any products we should avoid? Are there any products which you would recommend? What are the top-ten most dangerous cosmetic ingredients? Is it true that moist baby tissues are dangerous? Why are there so many ingredients used in cosmetics and toiletries? Nine times out of ten the list of ingredients is huge. Some cosmetics list 'Active Ingredients' before the other ingredients. Does this mean the other ingredients are inactive and do nothing for my skin? New I have acute IgE mediated allergies to foods such as peanuts, soy, tree nuts, sunflower, and carrots. These are life threatening and can induce anaphylaxis- I carry epinephrine and avoid ingesting them. I also have numerous severe allergies to environmental allergens such as grasses and trees and mold. My concern is my Chanel cosmetics, especially those for the eyes and lips. The lipstick contains thirty plus ingredients, including Ricinis Communis -castor bean oil- which is supposed to be safe if the toxin is removed. Are there any history of reactions to castor bean oil? How do I know that this is pure? Is there any way to test if I am allergic to this? Also, I had read on the Web of several anaphylactic reactions to CARMINE, a dye from an insect, but it is in all of my Chanel Lipsticks. HELP! New I found something on the Internet that said to avoid borax. This has worried me because I have been using borax in my wash, and even rinsing my hair every so often with it. A book I have read on cancer said propylene glycol causes cancer so I avoided it, and started using borax on my hair instead, because the book suggested it restored hair color. Boy, no wonder I have circles under my eyes. New I have read something that says to avoid using products containing mineral oils? Are they bad? New I have found a brand of cosmetics which claims to contain no toxic ingredients but it does contain lots of herbs etc in it. Doesn't your book say something about getting microbes from oils and herbs? New I found a cosmetic product formulated by a doctor that uses titanium dioxide Is this ingredient bad? New As I search the web for cosmetics with the least harmful ingredients, especially parabens, I get overwhelmed by all the information. I cannot decipher the hype. Can you please give me some guidelines as to which companies are for real? New Exactly what ingredients in hair dyes make them a cancer risk? I have read a few reports now that say to stay away from hair dye- I would like to know exactly what ingredients are the culprit to see if there are any "safe" ones out there. New Please tell me what the basic ingredients used in mascara are, as well as any animal/animal byproducts used in it? I have a lot of environmental allergies, as well as allergies to animals, and any information that you can provide will be most helpful. New I am allergic to salicilates. Many products contain this chemical under varying names. Does your book outline which cosmetics contain this ingredient? Does your book outline all of the "alternate" names for Salicilates? New I am now avoiding buying any products with SLS in them. I didn't quite understand in your questions and answers whether you said SLS should be avoided or not. Could you please clarify. New Can you tell me if there is a difference between a Lancome product called Renergie that costs $70 and a similar product made by L'Oreal called Plenitude which costs about $10. Both products are for wrinkles. I dont' want to continue paying $70 for Renergie when I can use Plenitude instead. New Can you tell me what you are using as makeup and skin cleanser? I just returned $100 worth of skin products made in China which claimed they would help my age spots. etc. I am in great need of some products to cover my age spots etc.as I have a special party I want to attend but feel I might not go. I was going to buy Chanel but read that it contains phthalate. Same with Christian Dior. I think I will clean my skin with olive oil. What do you think of Propylene Glycol and Mineral oil?. New I have very sensitive skin, and a lot of allergies. After having used one particular brand for 10 years with "perfect" skin, I now find I can no longer use this brand and my skin is a mess. In fact, I am having trouble using any brand of cosmetics. I have blemishes, and dry skin at the same time. I usually get "blistered and burnt" skin, or hives and itching with most cosmetics. I have even tried using sensitive skin products, expensive products, and "all-natural" products. I would like some sound advice on creating a safe (chemical free) regimen, If you have any information for me in supplementing my research, I would greatly appreciate it.

Are many people affected by problems with cosmetics?

It wasn't until we began writing this book that we realised most everyone we knew had some sort of problem, at some time in their lives, with a cosmetic or a toiletry product. Every time we mentioned to friends or relatives that we were writing this book, they would tell us their story, be it about face cream that caused soreness, eye-shadow that caused red and flaking eyelids, shampoo that caused dandruff, shaving soap that caused irritation or perfume that caused breathlessness. The problems seemed so numerous that we can only guess that the number of people affected by a product at any one time must be colossal.

To quote some statistics:

• A survey carried out by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) found that nearly one-quarter of the people questioned said they had suffered an allergic reaction to cosmetic products including moisturisers, foundations and eye shadows.
• A study by the chemical company, Rohm and Haas reported in the journal Manufacturing Chemist, July 1999 found that 42% of women believe they have sensitive skin, presumably because they have suffered at some point in their lives from irritation due to the cosmetic products they've used.

Anita Roddick said that most cosmetics do not work and are a waste of money. Is that true?

In fact Anita Roddick, founder and co-chairman of the body shop, actually said, "Moisturisers do work but the rest is complete pap." She added, "Anything that says it can magically take away your wrinkles is a scandalous lie." And we agree with every word.

Wrinkles are a natural part of the aging process and are caused by the loss of collagen from the deeper layers of skin. We now know that aging occurs inside our cells. Every time our cells divide to make new cells, to repair or replace worn out tissue, the DNA inside the cells is degraded. (For full details of the aging process and the new research that is a potential breakthrough to stop the aging process, read Cosmetics Unmasked.) It is quite impossible for any cosmetic to halt or reverse the changes in the DNA inside our cells.

Retinoic acid, a prescription drug with some serious side effects, can reduce wrinkles but the effects of long term use of this drug are uncertain.

If you want to avoid wrinkles, avoid the things that are known to cause them, i.e., keep out of the sun, don't smoke and don't drink too much alcohol. Stress can also hasten the onset of fine lines and wrinkles. But even if you avoid all of these wrinkle factors, they tend to run in families because you inherit them along with the DNA that causes them.

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Are the expensive products better than cheaper store brands?

Yes and no. In the cosmetics market it's not generally true to say that you get what you pay for. Even Anita Roddick, founder of the body shop, has recently said as much.

Many well-known branded products are more expensive simply because of their name and their exclusivity. And of course, they have to recoup all the money they spend on advertising. If you compare the list of ingredients in an expensive branded product with a cheaper one, you'll often find there's little difference. 'More expensive' does not necessarily mean the product contains more expensive ingredients. For example, if you take two face creams of the same make, one labelled as 'hypo-allergenic' and the other not, the hypo-allergenic one tends to be more expensive even though the only difference in the ingredients is that it contains less perfume and colorants. The more expensive products may have more expensive packaging but sometimes they don't even have that. Some expensive products may have had more research, and tender loving care put into them but equally, we have found a number to contain more of the ingredients on our 'to be avoided' list than the cheaper brands.

But beware expensive brand names being sold cheaply either in market stalls or in some foreign countries. You may be buying pirate copies or products that are not regulated by the same rigorous safety provisions as we enjoy here in the West. The products are likely to contain poorer quality ingredients and toxic contaminants from the manufacturing process. At least when you buy the more expensive product from a well-known outlet, you can be sure it is made to the highest safety standards.

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There have been scare stories about particular products in the past - are there any products we should avoid?

It's not so much which products but which ingredients we should avoid, especially when buying for infants and toddlers.

Many of the scare stories you read about are totally without foundation. For instance, there's been some bad press recently about a link between aluminium in antiperspirants and breast cancer. There is no evidence for this and no mechanism by which the aluminium can pass into the body to cause cancer. There is no backing whatsoever for this by medically qualified experts. Equally, there are some products which can have harmful adverse effects such as sodium laurel sulfate (SLS), that have been heavily slated by writers on this subject. But the writers in question tend not to have a scientific background and do not always see the whole picture. SLS is a widely used detergent and it does appear to have a good safety record.

Then there are those ingredients which really should be avoided. Skin peelers used in so-called anti-ageing creams, such as alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs), have only a temporary effect and can do more harm than good. They are currently under investigation by both the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the US and the EU Commission. Another ingredient to avoid is talc in baby powder and feminine deodorant products. There have been some recent conflicting studies on this and while there is not enough conclusive evidence, they do indicate there might be a link between talc and ovarian cancer. And talc is always harmful if inhaled into the lungs.

If you have sensitive skin or are allergy prone, we recommend you avoid all highly perfumed and highly coloured cosmetics and toiletries. It has been well-established that many perfume chemicals and artificial colorants are major allergens. We could go on but the list of ingredients to avoid is just too long -- you'll have to refer to our book.

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Are there any products which you would recommend?

We are often asked this question but it tends to be in the form of 'Which products do you use?" Our answer is always the same. If you use a product you are happy with, whether it is cheap or expensive, then stick with it. Just because one person finds a product is suitable for them, it doesn't mean it would be suitable for you. If you don't have sensitive skin, you might not need to avoid our list of 'to be avoided' chemicals. If you do have sensitive skin and need or want to change to another product, that's a different matter.

When recommending a particular product, people tend to ask what the product contains that makes it so good. That's because the manufacturers lead us to believe that special ingredients are doing us good, be they plant extracts or proteins, minerals or vitamins. This is utter nonsense. The question should focus rather on what the product doesn't contain. Perfume chemicals, colorants, preservatives and a whole host of other commonly used cosmetic ingredients (over 1,000 in all) are known to cause harm. And adding in nutritious substances like proteins and plant extracts means that even more of the potentially harmful preservatives have to be added. And just because you buy a product that claims to be 'natural' or comes from a health food shop, that doesn't mean it's better. We have found some of these products to be among the worst offenders.

Some products are now coming onto the market aimed at people with sensitive skins or medical skin conditions, which boast of containing no perfume, no colorants and even no preservatives. But they are still fairly rare and quite expensive. Hopefully, our book will help to bring more of these products onto the market.

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What are the top-ten most dangerous cosmetic ingredients?

This is a difficult question to answer and it would be completely impossible and improper to produce such a list. The first thing to remember is that the vast majority of cosmetics have an excellent safety record, including those that contain potentially hazardous ingredients. Secondly, sensitivity to cosmetic ingredients varies from person to person. Millions of people use products containing hazardous ingredients every day and have no problems at all while some people have severe reactions to the most harmless of ingredients. having said this there are some products that should be treated with respect.

It is well recognised that oxidation (permanent) hair dyes contain some potentially dangerous ingredients. This is confirmed by the regulations that require products containing certain ingredients to display warnings on their labels. In the EU, hair dyes containing m-phenylenediamines, p-phenylenediamines, methylphenylenediamines and diaminophenols are required to carry the following wording on the label:

• Can cause an allergic reaction
• Contains phenylenediamines (or diaminophenols)
• Do not use to dye eyelashes or eyebrows

Additionally, hair dyes used by professionals must state:

• For professional use only
• Wear suitable gloves

In the USA, FDA regulations require the following warning to be displayed on hair dyes that contain 4-MMPD (4-methoxy-m-phenylenediamine, also called 2,4-diaminoanisole) "Warning - Contains an ingredient that can penetrate your skin and has been determined to cause cancer in laboratory animals." In addition to this dye, the following dyes have also been shown to cause cancer in laboratory animals and were found to be able to penetrate human skin: 4-chloro-m-phenylenediamine, 2-nitro-p-phenylenediamine, 2,4-toluenediamine and 4-amino-2-nitrophenol.

Whenever you are using oxidation (permanent) hair dyes, follow the instructions carefully. You should carry out a patch test before you use these products. If there are no instructions on the package, apply a small amount of the dye to the skin behind your ear and leave it there for at least twenty-four hours. If there is any irritation or red, or sore skin, you should think twice before using that product. Since allergic reactions never happen on the first exposure to a chemical, but can happen on the second or subsequent exposure, you would be well advised to carry out a patch test each time you dye your hair.

Finally, always remember that the safety record of these products is excellent and the vast majority of people have no problems with them whatsoever.

Formaldehyde is an inexpensive preservative that is commonly used in shampoos, conditioners, shower gels, foaming bath products and some anti-bacterial hand wash formulations. It is also used in nail hardening products. It is not a particularly effective preservative and there are many safer alternatives. Both Japan and Sweden have banned its use in cosmetics, so it may be worth avoiding this ingredient if you can. For full details of formaldehyde, go to our article, Contaminants in your Cosmetics.

Benzoic acid, benzoates and parabens (methylparaben, ethylparaben, propylparaben and butylparaben) are commonly used preservatives. Once again, most people have no problem with these chemicals but if you have a history of asthma or urticaria (nettle rash or hives), you would be wise to avoid these ingredients.

Alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs) are attracting a lot of attention because they are potent ingredients that dissolve the outer layer of skin cells. This can allow other ingredients that were never intended to penetrate the skin barrier, to enter the deeper layers of skin cells where they can cause a multitude of adverse reactions. When the outer layer of skin cells is removed, some of our natural protection against the sun's ultraviolet rays is lost. For full details of the problems caused by AHAs, see our article on The Safety of Alpha-Hydroxy Acids on our News and Updates Page.

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Is it true that moist baby tissues are dangerous?

There are some concerns that excessive use of moist baby tissues can cause skin rashes, contact eczema and allergies, and can irritate skin conditions such as nappy (diaper) rash. Moist baby wipes contain a cocktail of ingredients including alcohol, preservatives, detergents and fragrances. While they are excellent for those occasions when you are not at home, regular use of baby wipes should be avoided. This was highlighted in Danish Environment, Internet Edition 3, Dec 96.

Soap and water have an excellent safety record. If you are at home and your baby need changing, don't use baby wipes. Use soap and water, followed by a corn starch (Zea mays) based baby powder (don't use talc if you can avoid it) to make sure baby is properly dry.

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Why are there so many ingredients used in cosmetics and toiletries? Nine times out of ten the list of ingredients is huge.

In fact the list is even bigger than it looks. The word, Fragrance in the USA or Parfum in the EU, refers to a mixture of fragrance chemicals, seldom less than fifty in number and commonly more than a hundred, most of which are artificial. If they all had to be listed individually, shampoo would be sold by the gallon in order to fit the list of ingredients on the bottle.

We like to divide the ingredients into five different groups. The first group are the functional ingredients, without which the product would not work. Shampoo would not clean your hair if it did not contain a detergent and a sunscreen would not protect you from harmful ultraviolet rays if it did not contain UV absorbers.

The next group are the presentation ingredients. These give the product the right feel, smell and appearance. For example, a bar of moisturising soap should both feel and smell luxurious.

The third group are the preservation ingredients. These stop the other ingredients from separating or prevent microbes growing from in the product, thus protecting you harmful bacteria and giving the product a long shelf life.

The fourth group are the trivial ingredients which have no function other providing the manufacturer with a marketing gimmick. These are easily identified because the ingredient features strongly in the advertising and the banner label but are usually placed near the end of the list of ingredients because they form a very small part of the formulation. They include a host of natural extracts, proteins and vitamins to name but a few.

The final group are the unnecessary ingredients. These are added for the convenience of the manufacturers and include such things as lubricants to prevent the product from blocking pipes and tubes in the machinery, anti- corrosion agents to prevent the manufacturers' machines from rusting, anti- foaming agents to prevent a build up of foam during manufacture and various solvents and carriers used to add other ingredients to the product.

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Some cosmetics list 'Active Ingredients' before the other ingredients. Does this mean the other ingredients are inactive and do nothing for my skin?

By definition, cosmetics and toiletries do not contain active ingredients. The only products that are required to display a list of 'Active Ingredients' are medical devices that are normally sold under the supervision of a qualified pharmacist. They are called, active ingredients, because they have a medical or physiological effect on your body. Their effects are generally beneficial but they can have undesirable side effects, especially if they are used in an uncontrolled way. With just a few exception like some anti-dandruff shampoos, oral care products and acnegenic make-up, cosmetics do not normally have medical effects on your body because they do not contain active ingredients.

We have seen several products where the manufacturers have listed one or two ordinary ingredients as 'Active Ingredients' to give the impression that their product will work in some special, medical way that puts it ahead of other, similar products. This is a good marketing ploy but it is misleading for many people. One cosmetic we looked at listed Rose Water as an active ingredient. Rose water is an important ingredient in Turkish Delight but we have never seen a list of 'Active Ingredients' on a carton of this, or any other candy.

Fluoride is listed as an 'Active Ingredient' in most brands of toothpaste. It is well known that fluoride helps prevent tooth decay and no one will dispute the fact that fluoride is the ingredient that protects our teeth. Common sense tells us that fluoride is an active ingredient but there is no requirement for manufacturers to list fluoride as an 'Active Ingredient' on the label.

So does this mean that most cosmetic ingredients are inactive and do nothing for your skin? No. While none of the ingredients will have a permanent or earth-shattering effect on your skin, many products will temporarily improve its appearance and feel. Surfactants will cleanse your skin and hair, deodorants will control microbes on your skin that cause body odour, moisturizers will make your skin feel softer and conditioners will improve the texture of dry or damaged hair.

Ingredients like AHAs in exfoliants (skin peelers) and thioglycolates in depilatories (hair removers) are corrosive ingredients that dissolve keratinized skin or hair cells. Once again, common sense tells us that these are the active ingredients in these products but there is no requirements for these to be labelled as 'Active Ingredients'. However, since thioglycolates are corrosive and can damage eyes, depilatories sold in the EU that contain thioglycolates, must clearly state on the label, 'Contains Thioglycolate' and must display some mandatory safety warnings.

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I have acute IgE mediated allergies to foods such as peanuts, soy, tree nuts, sunflower, and carrots. These are life threatening and can induce anaphylaxis- I carry epinephrine and avoid ingesting them. I also have numerous severe allergies to environmental allergens such as grasses and trees and mold.

My concern is my Chanel cosmetics, especially those for the eyes and lips. The lipstick contains thirty plus ingredients, including Ricinis Communis -castor bean oil- which is supposed to be safe if the toxin is removed. Are there any history of reactions to castor bean oil? How do I know that this is pure? Is there any way to test if I am allergic to this? Also, I had read on the Web of several anaphylactic reactions to CARMINE, a dye from an insect, but it is in all of my Chanel Lipsticks. HELP!

Sorry to read that you have so many serious allergies - it must be miserable. Life is bad enough for me with just hay fever at this time of year. From the tone of your e-mail I guess you are worried about using most things that have been linked to allergies. You would be wise to take some precautions but the fact is, just because you are allergic to A, B and C, it does not automatically follow that you will also be allergic to the rest of the alphabet. You must find products you are happy with and stick with them.

For the vast majority of people, castor seed oil is perfectly safe. There is no way to tell if the batch of castor oil used in any particular cosmetic is pure because impurities in ingredients are not required to be shown in the list of ingredients. A study by A. A. Fisher at the N.Y. University Medical School, published in Cutis., 1991 Jun, 47(6), 389-90, found that castor seed oil used in lipstick could cause allergic cheilitis.

If you are concerned about allergies to cosmetic ingredients try a small amount of the cosmetic on your arm and leave it there for 24 hours. This should tell you if you are sensitive or allergic to it. As an alternative you could ask your doctor to arrange an allergy test for you which should give you a more reliable result but remember, you can use something safely a hundred times, become sensitized to it on the 101st time and suffer an allergic reaction on the 102nd.

Allergies are not contagious. Just because there are some reports of severe allergic reactions to carmine, it does not follow that you will have any problem with it, even if you have several other severe allergies. If you have used products containing carmine and they have not affected you adversely, then carry on using it. The simple fact is that carmine has a good safety record. If you are worried about it you can find out more from the National Research Council's publication, Toxicity Testing: Strategies to Determine Needs and Priorities, Washington, D.C., National Academy Press. 1984.

For your information, carmine has the following aliases: carminic acid, cochineal, carmine of cochineal, E120 and CI 75470. It is also used as an insoluble pigment (lake) when it is converted to its aluminum salt. It is these insoluble lakes that are commonly used in lipstick and eye products and, since they do not dissolve, they are even less likely to cause allergies.

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I found something on the Internet that said to avoid borax. This has worried me because I have been using borax in my wash, and even rinsing my hair every so often with it. A book I have read on cancer said propylene glycol causes cancer so I avoided it, and started using borax on my hair instead, because the book suggested it restored hair color. Boy, no wonder I have circles under my eyes.

Borax is probably one to avoid. If it really does restore hair color then most shampoos would use it as an ingredient. The chemical suppliers put the following warnings on tubs of borax:

• Skin and eye irritant
• Possible risk of impaired fertility
• Possible risk of harm to the unborn child
• Wear suitable protective clothing, gloves and eye/face protection
• Do not breath dust
• In case of contact with eyes, rinse immediately with plenty of water and seek medical advice
• In case of accident or if you feel unwell, seek medical advice immediately (show label where possible)

Borax is very poisonous. It is used as a wood preserver and one brand of systemic ant killer uses borax as the main toxic ingredient.

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I have read something that says to avoid using products containing mineral oils? Are they bad?

As far as mineral oils are concerned, petrolatum is not too bad and the vast majority of people have no problem with it. Chemically it is similar to mineral oil but it is a thicker, heavier oil with a much higher boiling point, and therefore it is less likely to be contaminated with PCAs (poly cyclic aromatic compounds) which are carcinogens. A tiny minority of people find that petrolatum causes mild skin discoloration. Personally, we would not worry about it. All that stuff about it suffocating your pores and polluting the sea is bunkum.

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I have found a brand of cosmetics which claims to contain no toxic ingredients but it does contain lots of herbs etc in it. Doesn't your book say something about getting microbes from oils and herbs?

Too many natural extracts such as herbs and flowers, and various proteins and vitamins, may carry a risk of microbial infection simply because they are nutritious. Most products that contain these things are stuffed to the brim with preservatives to keep the bugs down and since preservatives are often harmful (after all, they are designed to kill cells or alter the way they reproduce), we like to avoid products that are over preserved. Aloe vera (also called Aloe barbadensis) is used medically as a mild demulcent which means it has a soothing effect on itching or irritated skin. This plant has natural anti-bacterial properties and can be used as a natural preservative providing there are not too many other nutritious plant extracts in the product. A tiny minority of people are sensitive to aloe vera and find it makes them itch like mad.

The thing to remember is that 90% of herbs have no cosmetic effect whatsoever and are only there so the label can say, "Natural".

Oils tend not to encourage microbes. Very few bugs can live in pure oils which is why a bottle of cooking oil will remain fresh for months without using any preservatives or refrigeration.

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I found a cosmetic product formulated by a doctor that uses titanium dioxide Is this ingredient bad?

Titanium dioxide is a white pigment. It is completely harmless. It is even used as a food additive to lighten the color of processed foods and it has no known adverse effects.

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As I search the web for cosmetics with the least harmful ingredients, especially parabens, I get overwhelmed by all the information. I cannot decipher the hype. Can you please give me some guidelines as to which companies are for real?

You are right - it's very hard to find which companies are for real. We have been looking at a number of companies' websites and products. Every time someone asks us "have you heard of so & so?", we look only to find their products are nothing special and sometimes contain some nasties. Most of all we found it's almost impossible to avoid the parabens.

The only way to tell with websites is by being able to get a look at the actual ingredients. Some companies will tell you that their products "really do work" or that they are "environmentally friendly" or "organic" or that they are brimming full of "antioxidants to combat free-radicals". It's enough to make you even more ill than the parabens you are trying to avoid! There is so much marketing hype and so little substance to be found. And they're all so expensive.

However, we've had a number of queries on this front and our research has thrown up a few handy tips. The list of companies below is not exhaustive and there may be other products we have not yet come across that do not contain ingredients with known harmful or adverse effects. But there are still relatively few of them.

We have found some simple products made by a company here in the UK called Optima Healthcare Ltd. (http://www.optimahealthcare.co.uk - not the .com which is an insurance company) They are called Allergenics and include a face cream, face and body shower/wash, shampoo and baby lotion. Like all products, they make some silly claims but not the usual "crank" claims and they are effective, contain few ingredients and don't cost the earth. Most important, they contain no perfumes, colorants or preservatives (that means no parabens).

We've also looked at the Aubrey Organics website (http://www.aubrey-organics.com) and the ingredients of a couple of the products which they include on their site (so few actually list the ingredients). There is certainly nothing ostensibly wrong with any of their ingredients. Some people are allergic to PABA - the sunscreen used in their moisturising cream. PABA is an artificial chemical and it's a bit misleading of them to suggest that it's related to Vitamin B as they claim (you certainly wouldn't need any PABA in your diet!). They list so many natural ingredients, one wonders whether this is for marketing reasons and to justify a high price rather than being necessary. But apart from this minor marketing mush, these products do otherwise appear to be okay. We didn't find prices on the website but the offers make us think they are expensive.

The Cetaphil range looked okay when we last looked (http://www.cetaphil.com) but when we went to check it again, we could no longer finder the ingredients listed. When we did see the ingredients, we found they were fragrance and colour free which is a good thing, were good value for money and, with the exception of the skin cleanser which is basically water, detergent and too many paraben preservatives, there were low on preservatives and other harsh ingredients.

There is also a US company called Neways (http://www.neways.com) which has an irritating website that won't let you use the 'Back' button. If you want to look at it then come back here, right click the link and choose 'Open in new window' from the menu. Some of Neways' products avoid using harsh ingredients and from what we've seen, the products do not include any parabens. They sell through distributors via multi-level marketing. Their products aren't exactly bargain basement though and while we think some of their products are good, (e.g. the shampoo and conditioner) they are nothing remarkable, although of course, their claims suggest otherwise.

Back to the Questions
Exactly what ingredients in hair dyes make them a cancer risk? I have read a few reports now that say to stay away from hair dye- I would like to know exactly what ingredients are the culprit to see if there are any "safe" ones out there.

The ingredients are listed in our book. There are a large number of them. In the US a warning about cancer is required on the label where the ingredient 4-methoxy-m-phenylenediamine is used (also known as 2,4-diaminoanisole or 4-MMPD) and there is a list of other cancer suspects on page 169 of the book. The difficulty is, that when it comes to hair dyes (ones that work effectively that is), it's almost impossible to find a hair dye without some of these ingredients.

To provide some reassurance, we have found no evidence (yet) that cosmetics containing any of the culprit ingredients have directly caused cancer in humans - most of the evidence indicates these are category 2 and 3 carcinogens, ie known to cause cancer in animals but not yet in humans. But some people think that to be on the safe side, they should really be treated with caution, ie as category 1, known to cause cancer in humans when used in small quantities.

Hair dyes must all carry warnings about allergies. In the past 20 twenty years, there have been a couple of deaths caused by allergy to hair dyes in the UK, one of them very recent - see news article on our news page. Like anything, all these things need to be considered in perspective. While you may wish to avoid all cancer suspect ingredients, you may consider that the benefit in dying your hair (for more youthful looks etc) outweighs the potential risk. Of course, the dangers may be greater when using dyes over the long term - ie from a young age for fashion reasons.

Back to the Questions
Please tell me what the basic ingredients used in mascara are, as well as any animal/animal byproducts used in it? I have a lot of environmental allergies, as well as allergies to animals, and any information that you can provide will be most helpful.

This is a difficult question. The basic ingredients in mascara are given on pages 115-117 of our book but we have copied chunk of this below and have added a few comments after that.

"Modern mascaras contain a number of ingredients to stop them from running or becoming brittle and flaking into your eyes. They usually come in dark colors, mainly black, brown or deep blue. Liquid mascara is water based, sometimes with some alcohol added to help dissolve the ingredients. Waxes such as beeswax, carnauba wax or microcrystalline wax (cera microcristallina), reinforced with proteins, fibers of nylon or rayon, or synthetic polymers or resins, add thickness to the lashes and render them waterproof and smudge resistant. Vegetable oils are added to prevent the mascara from drying out and becoming brittle, and surfactants and film formers are included to help them spread easily and evenly. The usual range of antioxidants and preservatives are added. Cake mascaras contain similar ingredients but are often made in a soap base."

There are hundreds of different colors, waxes and oils, and different resins, film formers and surfactants for manufacturers to choose from. The net result is that two seemingly similar mascarars can have wildly differing ingredients.

As for animal products, the only way to be sure is to find a product that states that it is for vegetarians or free from animal products. If it contains proteins or amino acids, the chances are that they are of animal origin. The soap base used in cake mascara could easily be derived from tallowates (beef fat). Chapter 17 of our book deals with animal products and animal testing, and lists all the common animal products used in cosmetics. We hope to put a more comprehensive list of plant and animal derived ingredients on our website but this won't be up for a while yet. Chapter 15 of our book contains details of cosmetic ingredients that are known to cause allergic reactions but the truth is that anyone can be allergic to anything. There is even a case where someone suffered a severe allergic reaction (anaphylactic shock) caused by the latex in her rubber gloves. Our usual advice is to find something that you are happy with and stick with it.

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I am allergic to salicilates. Many products contain this chemical under varying names. Does your book outline which cosmetics contain this ingredient? Does your book outline all of the "alternate" names for Salicilates?

Our book does not give lists of products that contain these items. If it did, it would be out of date in no time and product ingredients vary from country to country. You simply have to look at the ingredients on the label which must be listed by law.

There are no alternative names for salicilates so look out for anything with this word or salicilic acid. Some very similar compounds that you may also need to avoid are the parabens (anything with the word paraben in it), benzoic acid and any benzoates. It is difficult to find products without parabens but there are a few around.

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I am now avoiding buying any products with SLS in them. I didn't quite understand in your questions and answers whether you said SLS should be avoided or not. Could you please clarify.

This is a difficult question to answer. Perhaps some facts would help.

On the plus side, SLS is a common detergent used widely in cosmetics and other cleaning products. It has been in use for many years now and has a good safety record. It is unlikely to contain toxic contaminants introduced during manufacture. It is unlikely to react accidentally with other cosmetic ingredients to form unwanted or unexpected toxic compounds.

Now for the down-side. SLS has been linked to some adverse effects although these may only effect a small number of individuals. It has been linked to contact eczema in some individuals. Prolonged skin contact such as soaking in a foaming bath, can cause skin irritation and can irritate and inflame the mucous membranes of the urinary or vaginal tract in some people. In 1983, the Journal of the American College of Toxicology reported that animals exposed to SLS experienced eye damage, along with depression, labored breathing, diarrhea, severe skin irritation and corrosion, and death. Studies suggest SLS prevents children's' eyes from developing properly, possibly by denaturing proteins in the eye and inhibiting correct structural formation. This damage is permanent and there is also significant evidence that SLS retards the healing process of eye damage, especially in infants and children. The protein denaturing properties of SLS have been linked to immune system impairment within the skin.

Now for the hard part. If all this worries you then avoid it. There are several alternatives on the shelves that are milder and have fewer adverse effects, for example ammonium laureth sulfate or even glucosides such as octyl or decyl glucoside which are detergents made from sugars. Personally we do not worry too much about it. So if we like a product that contains SLS then we use it. But at the same time, if there is a similar product with an alternative detergent in it, then we tend to choose that one. We do not worry about a small amount of it in our toothpaste but we would rather not soak in a bubblebath that contains it.

There is no black and white answer to this question but we hope this helps.

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Can you tell me if there is a difference between a Lancome product called Renergie that costs $70 and a similar product made by L'Oreal called Plenitude which costs about $10. Both products are for wrinkles. I dont' want to continue paying $70 for Renergie when I can use Plenitude instead.

You are clearly looking for a straight-forward answer as to which product to buy. But unfortunately, things are not quite as simple as that. To comment on just one product or to compare it with another product would not really give you the information you need to make an informed choice (for the reasons given below). What we can tell you is something generally that you should know about all anti-wrinkle creams.

Firstly, Anita Roddick, Founder and Co-Chairman of The Body Shop, has gone on record as saying, "Anything that says it can magically take away your wrinkles is a scandalous lie."

Secondly, the UK Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) have recently banned four leading cosmetics' suppliers from advertising that their face creams reverse the signs of aging. Two of the manufacturers claimed that Retinol, a pure form of vitamin A, reduces the appearance of wrinkles. The other two manufacturers made amazing claims about what their creams can do, one of them stating that their potion contained a "targeted micro-peptide" (no such thing exists in medical science). The ASA examined trial data for these creams and decided that the claims could not be substantiated. In other words, they do not work!

We can assure you that no matter what the advertisements say, there are no magic potions that you can apply to your skin to make your wrinkles disappear. But we also know that we can put anything in a bottle and sell it at some ridiculously high price claiming it will do just that. No matter what we say, there will always be people willing to buy it and not complain when it doesn't work. They may even think it works when it doesn't!

Any anti-wrinkle creams that you can buy in the USA or Europe, without needing a prescription from the doctor, do not work as you might expect them to. Basically, there are three ways in which cosmetics may help to temporarily reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles as follows:

1. The product may contain corrosive chemicals (exfoliants or skin-peelers such as alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs) or any number of other chemicals including fruit acids) that remove the hard, outer layer of dead skin cells from your face. This reveals softer layers of skin which are more flexible and therefore less likely to show the fine lines. But the effect is only temporary, so to maintain the effect, you need to use the product daily as the label suggests. Constant use of skin-peelers leaves your skin more exposed to ultra-violet rays and so more susceptible to sunburn and wrinkling. And chemicals that were never meant to penetrate the skin can more easily do so. For these reasons, skin peelers are currently under investigation by the FDA and EU Commission.

2. A substantial foundation can be used to fill in the cracks much like polyfiller can fill cracks in a wall.

3. A quality moisturizer can help to plump up the dry outer layer of skin cells making it softer and filling out the wrinkles. Remember, a plum is just a prune that is full of water.

Of all the above, we would recommend the best thing to do is to regularly use a good moisturizing cream. And it doesn't need to be expensive - you need not spend more than $10 unless you want to go for a brand name that you particularly like. If you have sensitive skin, go for a product which is not highly colored or perfumed. But of course, no amount of skin cream will counteract the effects of smoking, heavy drinking (alcohol), poor diet, too much exposure to the sun or genetic disposition to wrinkling.

We have compared a number of expensive products with cheaper brands that claim to do the same thing. In general, although the ingredients were not identical, in principle, the formulations were very similar. There is no ingredient that we know of that is so expensive that a product containing it should cost $70. We cannot say categorically, but in our experience, the very expensive products are often no better than the normally priced ones. If your wrinkles really do bother you, don't waste your money on expensive creams but save up instead for cosmetic surgery which usually gives good results (assuming you use a good surgeon).

Now for the important part. It is difficult to comment on specific brands for a number of reasons:

• Seemingly identical brands and products that are made or sold in different countries often contain different ingredients. So for example, you may find that when you buy your favorite brand in Canada, it may list different ingredients from the identical product sold in the USA.
• Products change their ingredients from time to time.
• A product that is good for one person may be poison for another.

And most important of all, to comment on just one brand is to do a disservice to our readers. You might know the answer regarding that particular brand but you will not be equipped with the information to help you to decide and make your own informed choices. Cosmetics Unmasked will help to guide you in answering any number of questions you may have about any number of products.

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Can you tell me what you are using as makeup and skin cleanser? I just returned $100 worth of skin products made in China which claimed they would help my age spots. etc. I am in great need of some products to cover my age spots etc.as I have a special party I want to attend but feel I might not go. I was going to buy Chanel but read that it contains phthalate. Same with Christian Dior. I think I will clean my skin with olive oil. What do you think of Propylene Glycol and Mineral oil?.

When we use soap, or other cleansing products, we prefer simple, uncolored, fragrance-free brands. There are one or two such brands here in the UK that do not cost the earth. Gina seldom uses make-up but when she does she uses various brands. She prefers products with little of no fragrance and never pays more than 5 to 10 pounds ($8-$14). The best advice we can give you is to try a few brands and when you find something you like, stick with it. We would never go for expensive brands simply because they are not worth it. There are no cosmetic ingredients that we know of, that are expensive enough to justify the price tab on some exclusive brands. In fact, when you buy these 'classy' products you are paying for some fancy packaging and expensive advertising campaigns that are trying to sell you an image.

The phthalate debate is unclear. Certainly some phthalates are harmful in a number of ways while others are harmless. If you are worried about using products that contain phthalates there are plenty of brands to choose from that do not contain them.

As for propylene glycol, it has a very good safety record and very few people are sensitive to it, which is a good thing because it is found in so many products and is difficult to avoid. If it has not caused a problem for you, it should be perfectly safe to go on using it. Some mineral oils are thought to be harmful and there are a number of reports that link it to skin discoloration and even cancer, although the evidence for the latter is not clear.

There is nothing wrong with using olive oil but some people who are prone to acne or pimples find that it can make their condition worse, or it can cause spots and pimples in people who don't normally have them. I know someone who uses safflower oil to clean and moisturise their skin. It is similar to olive oil but finer and lighter.

Finally, don't miss your party because of a few age spots. We all get them and some of us choose to hide them. Using make-up for a few hours is not going to do you any harm providing you use a brand you have used before and you know that it does not cause you any problems. You must always remember that the safety record for the vast majority of cosmetics is excellent and it will probably get better when more consumers show that they are concerned about the safety of a relatively small number of questionable ingredients. Hope you enjoy the party.

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I have very sensitive skin, and a lot of allergies. After having used one particular brand for 10 years with "perfect" skin, I now find I can no longer use this brand and my skin is a mess. In fact, I am having trouble using any brand of cosmetics. I have blemishes, and dry skin at the same time. I usually get "blistered and burnt" skin, or hives and itching with most cosmetics. I have even tried using sensitive skin products, expensive products, and "all-natural" products. I would like some sound advice on creating a safe (chemical free) regimen, If you have any information for me in supplementing my research, I would greatly appreciate it.

The condition of your skin can be affected by any number of things such as the general state of your health, your diet, artificial food additives, hormone changes and irritation or allergies caused by cosmetics, environmental condition such as sun and wind, chemical residues such as detergents and fabric conditioners in clothing. Even regional changes in the water supply can have an effect on the state of some individual's skin condition. Clearly you need to find some cosmetics that suit you but the problems that you have described seem fairly serious so you should perhaps consider some minor changes to your lifestyle for a short while at least. Try avoiding all artificial food additives, especially artificial food colors and preservatives containing benzoates or parabens. This may not be easy as they are extremely widely used in most processed foods. You should also try to avoid too much direct sun during the middle of the day when it is at its strongest.

Now for the cosmetics. It is almost impossible to buy a cosmetic that is 'chemical free' as you put it, but you can buy products that avoid using too many harsh ingredients. The temptation is to look out for the so-called 'natural cosmetics' in the hope that these will be kinder to your skin than 'man-made chemicals'. The problem is that many natural ingredients can be strong irritants and can cause just as many allergies as synthetic ingredients. On top of this, the so-called "natural" cosmetics often contain the same artificial preservatives as other cosmetics. You say that you suffer allergic reactions to most cosmetics which probably means you are sensitive to a small number of cosmetic ingredients which are commonly found in many cosmetics. The most common culprits are colorants, fragrance chemicals and preservatives. You should try to avoid these if possible. Many current skin-care products contain exfoliating (skin-peeling) chemicals and ultra violet absorbers. These are added so the manufacturers can claim that their products 'protect against aging' and 'remove fine lines and wrinkles' or 'reveal fresher, younger looking skin'. These also cause irritation and allergies and should be avoided.

From a practical point of view you could try the following regimen:

1 Keep you skin clean using soap and water. Choose a simple, unfragranced, uncolored soap that does not claim to moisturize your skin. You could even try a baby soap. Believe it or not, many women believe that soap wrecks their skin but in fact, soap has the best safety record of any cosmetic. So safe in fact that in the USA plain, simple soap is not even classed as a cosmetic - it is a grocery.

2 Use a simple moisturizing lotion that has a small number of ingredients. It should be free from colors, fragrances and preservatives. If you cannot find a preservative-free moisturizer, look at the ingredients and avoid anything that has the word 'benzoate' or 'paraben' in it. Try to avoid anything that contains UV absorbers. You can easily see if these are present if the product advertises the fact it contains UV protection or if it has an SPF value, otherwise scan the ingredient list and avoid products that contain 'benzophenone', 'oxybenzone', 'something-cinnamates', 'PABA' or 'something-benzylidene camphor'.

Finally, avoid exfoliants. There are a large number of these which are listed below:

Lactic acid, mixed fruit acid, triple fruit acid, tri-alpha hydroxy fruit acids, sugar cane extract, glycolic acid, ammonium glycolate, alpha-hydroxyethanoic acid, ammonium alpha-hydroxyethanoate, alpha-hydroxyoctanoic acid, alpha-hydroxycaprylic acid, hydroxycaprylic acid, alpha hydroxy and botanical complex and glycomer in crosslinked fatty acids alpha natrium, salicylic acid, tropic acid, trethocanic acid and beta-hydroxybutanoic acid, citric acid and malic acid.

If you buy something that irritates your skin stop using it, take it back to the stare and ask for a refund. When enough people complain, manufacturers will start producing milder cosmetics.

We've done a bit of research in looking for products containing fewer harmful ingredients. You should not take at face value products that claim to be "hypo-allergenic", "dermatologically tested", "natural" or "for sensitive skin" etc. But look at the ingredients they contain and don't buy them if they contain any of the things listed above. We have come up with a number of companies which try to avoid using ingredients with known adverse or harmful effects in some of their products. These companies are listed on our website on the links page together some information about them:

If you can't find anything you can use without irritating your skin, you might want to consider getting some allergy tests just in case your problem is not related to cosmetics. Also, remember that irritated skin can take a while to clear up so if you switch products, you may not notice an immediate improvement as it will take a while for the irritation from your last product to clear. But if it gets much worse then it's probably due to the new product you are using and you should stop using it.

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© Gina & Steve Antczak, 2001

This page was last updated, 10 August 2001

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