Page 56 - Demo

54 HEALTH NATURALLY RETAIL
FROM PAGE 53
folks can have a field day.
“I usually use the example of arsenic: it’s poisonous,
but natural!”
She adds that just because a product is ‘natural’ is no
guarantee of its effect when it comes to irritation, redness or sensitivity.
Ms Teixeria also used the arsenic example, emphasising how aware today’s consumer is.
“Some point out that arsenic is natural, and shoppers are starting to catch onto that,” she said. “Better terms for skin care products are ‘safe’ and ‘effective’.
Ms Hughes said: “The only way to know if something is 100 per cent natural to a high standard is looking for certifications like Australian Certified Organic.”
Companies such as The Good Face Project can provide a good way to examine whether a product is safe and free from harsh chemicals.
“At The Good Face Project, where we use AI to match you to clean cosmetics that work for you, we use powerful algorithms to create the largest cosmetic ingredient ontology in the world, with more than 80,000 ingredients graded across 15 dimensions of safety and cosmetic benefits, geared toward answering three basic questions: is this product safe, is it effective, and is it for me?” Ms Teixeira said.
Harsh chemicals to avoid
According to Ms Teixeira, three broad categories of toxins are found in cosmetics: “allergen/irritants, hormonal disruptors (think phthalates and others), and carcinogens (such as parabens)”.
According to Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, an umbrella coalition of groups with a focus on perceived risks of chemicals used in cosmetics, “laws governing cosmetics and personal care products are so limited that known cancer-causing chemicals, or carcinogens, are legally allowed” in them.
Carcinogens found in personal care products include:
• Formaldehyde.6
• Phenacetin.6
• Coal tar.6
• Benzene.6
• Mineral oils (treated and mildly treated).6
• Ethylene oxide.6
• Heavy metals.6
• Cadmium and its compounds.6
• Arsenic.6
• Chromium.6
• Silica.6
RETAIL PHARMACY ASSISTANTS • JUL 2020