Step 3: Do an About Face

The average adult uses nine cosmetic products every day, with a total of 126 chemical ingredients. To go greener and healthier with products you put on your body, follow these tips:

• Look out for your own skin! Although regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, cosmetic products are not required to be tested for safety.
• Visit the non-profit Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep Database (external), which ranks thousands of products in various categories on their safety.
• Educate yourself (external) about chemicals in cosmetics and personal care products.
• Rethink the use of products with phthalates, parabens and other ingredients listed as questionable (external) by the Breast Cancer Fund.
• Get involved with the non-profit coalition the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics (external).
• Watch the “Story of Cosmetics: Toxics In. Toxics Out” (external) video from activist Annie Leonard (“Story of Stuff”).
• Consult the federal government’s Household Product Database (external) to learn the ingredients of personal care products.

Thanks to the following organizations for resources used on these pages:
Local Hazardous Waste Management Program in King County   Washington Toxics Coalition   Take Back Your Meds Coalition   Natural Yard Care program   King County Wastewater Treatment Division

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