Treading Lightly
Treading Lightly

Not Just a Pretty Face

“Not Just a Pretty Face: the Ugly Side of the Beauty Industry,” by Stacy Malkan, made me equal parts depressed and hopeful. The book goes into the history of how some of the biggest changes in cosmetics have been made as well as some of the major groups fighting for safer cosmetics.

Image courtesy of oandncollective.org
The sections on the cosmetic industry’s refusal to make changes for safer cosmetics highlighted the fact that these corporations really only care about one thing: money. I haven’t felt safe or like these companies were really looking out for my health for years, but this book really validated my suspicions. Malkan and one of her colleagues even went as far as to attend the cosmetic industry’s conferences and follow what their incredibly powerful industry group was saying about safer cosmetics and more regulations.
If you are using cosmetics out of your local drug store or you want to know what’s really in your bottle and behind the label, “Not Just a Pretty Face” is a quick, informative read that will change how you see your shampoo.

If you only use products that are safe enough to eat, then this book will remind you of the reasons you avoided these products and chemicals in the first place. It also encouraged me to keep telling my friends and family about these chemicals and the corporations that refuse to care about our safety.

Some of the best resources from the book:
CosmeticDatabase.org
ScoreCard.org
ResponsiblePurchasing.org
SafeCosmetics.org
LessToxicGuide.ca
BigGreenPurse.com
GreenLivingNow.com

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