The long-term effects of the chemicals in yoru makeup will make you stop and think before you continue to swab makeup all over your face.

By: Mitra Asgarinik

As far back as 2500B.C, humans have been applying makeup to their faces.

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In the mid-fifteenth century A.D, royalty painted their faces for an elegant look. Unbeknownst to them, the makeup they used contained high amounts of lead, which could be a likely cause of early deaths. Today, makeup is a daily routine for almost every woman. The day cannot begin unless we feel our faces are flawless. We moisturize, cover up with foundation, and add the necessary additions to our faces with eye shadows, blushes, mascaras, and lip shades.

?Is all of this healthy for us? Environmentalists say no. Laws require that makeup produced?must not cause irritation when applied.?But what about the long-term effects? Attention has been called to this imperative question, and researchers are searching for these answers.

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Here is a list of every day cosmetic ingredients you should be wary of:

Coal Tar: Used in hair dyes, studies have linked coal tar to bladder cancer, non-Hodgkins lymphoma, and multiple myeloma. According to NewsTarget.Com, "19 percent of bladder cancer in women in Los Angeles may be attributed to long-term hair dye use". The FDA has not prevented the use of coal tar in hair dyes, so be careful when selecting hair?chemical treatments or services.

Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHAs) and Beta Hydroxy Acids (BHAs): These acids are generally used in products that advertise to remove wrinkles, blemishes, and acne scars. These acids however have shown a potential increased risk of skin cancer. Alarming as well, the FDA has not restricted the use of AHAs and BHAs.

Lead: More than half of name brand lipsticks (61%) contained detectable levels of lead, according to SafeCosmetics.Org, and none of these lipsticks listed lead as an ingredient. Lead is a proven neurotoxin, that can lead to learning, language, and behavioral problems. It has also been linked to miscarriage, reduced fertility, and mentrual irregularities. SafeCosmetics.Org also mentioned that buying more expensive lipstick does not necessarily protect you from lead. Dior's Addict, which contained the most amounts of lead, is $15 more than Revlon, which contained no detectable lead.

SafeCosmetics.Org offers a list of safe lipsticks, including Clinique's Merlot, Dior's Replenishing Lip Color, MAC's Matte Lipstick, and Wet N Wild's Mega Colors. Lipsticks listed with the highest amounts of lead include Maybelline's Moisture Extreme, Cover Girl's Incredifull Lip Color, and L'Oreal's Color Rich.

So what can we do to protect ourselves, friends, and family from the harmful chemicals in cosmetics? SafeCosmetics.Org offers a list of cosmetics which you should avoid and which are safe for use. You can also experiment with organic cosmetics.CosmeticDatabase.Com allows you to search for the cosmetic brands you use and shows, on a scale from 0 to 10, the health hazards which your cosmetic bag might have.

I decided to test my makeup bag, and the results (from CosmeticDatabase.Com) are as follows:

1. Maybelline Volum' Express Turbo Boost Mascara in Very Black contains a health hazard of 4. Ingredients in this product have been linked to cancer, developmental/reproductive toxicity, allergies, cellular change levels, and several other alarming effects. The mascara has a "moderate hazard" and there are 32% of mascaras that have lower concerns.

2. MAC Studio Fix Fluid contains a health hazard of 4 as well and contains the same risks as the mascara. There ae 39% of foundations that have a lower risk out on the market.

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????????????????????????????? 3. MAC Studio Fix Pressed Powder has a health hazard of 3, and 31% of pressed powders are safer.

4. MAC eye shadows have a health hazard from 3 - 4, and 74% of eye shadows have lower concerns.

5. Lancome eye shadows have a health hazard from 4 - 8, and have admitted to conducting animal testing.

6. Maybelline eye shadows have a moderate health hazard of 5, and 88% of eye shadows have lower concerns.

Reading these findings did alarm me. I definitely won't opt out on the MAC; however, I may consider different eye shadows and mascaras in future purchases.

Do your research and see if you could be doing your body harm when you're dolling up for that night out. There are many cosmetics on the market that could be safer, including organic lines, and still have you looking glamorous.

Photo courtesy of ModelsPrefer.Com