In Australia, any foodstuff must have every single ingredient must be clearly labelled, plus a 'best before' or 'expiry' date, for it to be legally sold. Of course, the big companies who put crap into the food they expect us to eat have a way around that - they put scientific names on the labels, just to get us nicely confused. But still, at least the ingredients are there.
The same cannot be said about cosmetics.
Think about it. You put cosmetics all over your face. You swallow about fifty percent of your lipstick. All your eye makeup goes right up into one your most delicate organs. Yet it is not a legal requirement to have every ingredient listed, or a satisfactory expiry date.
I have a makeup stash, like most women. And like most students, I don't have a lot of money to spend on makeup, so I can't buy all those posh brands that are perhaps a bit more reliable than the stuff you find in two dollar shops.
But just as it is my right to know what I am eating, I think it is my right to know what the hell I'm putting on my face. It should be a legal requirement for all cosmetics, skincare, haircare and other beauty products to have a full list of ingredients and an expiry date, no matter what the price tag is.
I know, I know. You're probably saying that I shouldn't wear makeup. But who are you to tell me that?
1 comment:
I remember feeling betrayed when I read the book Cosmetics or something like this, where there was a list of "active ingredients". (Jon Entine and the Body Shop come into mind here).
In this sense, cosmetics are more like medicine than like food, because they affect your skin and your insides. (At least the care cosmetics are. The decorative ones may not be).
It's about being an informed consumer, isn't it?
Here's the book (which is now in its 8th edition)
Don't go to the cosmetics counter without me
Paula Begoun is a great writer and very wise lady in that regard.
(She has a good book about hair products as well: did you know that L'Oreal started as "The Harmless French Hair Company"?).
And there are ways to make your own cosmetics, rather like making sauce.
Don't know of any specifically Australasian books in that regard.
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