The "Green" Movement has led many consumers to begin questioning the ingredients in their cosmetic and personal care products. In turn, manufacturers are beginning to change direction on the marketing of current products. Some manufacturers are even modifying the ingredient contents, but unfortunately, not all manufacturers are taking this path.

What is In Your Cosmetics and Personal Care Products

Reading the ingredients on the back of any cosmetic or personal care product leaves most consumers totally confused. Chemical names are often lengthy and look quite daunting. To make things even more challenging, the proper names of herbal ingredients are equally lengthy and confusing to differentiate.

Traditional store-bought products are often made up of various chemical compounds, which lately, have been making news in the health field. Ingredients such as "Parabens", "Sulfates", "PEGs" and "Formaldehyde's" are common in most cosmetic and personal care products.

Understanding the Various Chemicals in Cosmetics and Personal Care Products

Although many consumers want to buy healthier products and have good intentions of doing so, it isn't as easy as 1-2-3. Manufacturers often disguise their products to appear "healthy, "pure" and "natural."By putting their product in earth-tone packaging and making use of visual designs such as leaves, grass, natural springs and other representations of nature, manufacturers lead consumers to believe that the product is natural and healthy. To make things even worse, many ingredients are not even listed on the product. Any chemical that is a by-product of the manufacturing process, or any chemical ingredient that is used to make a fragrance, is not required by law to appear on the product label.

With ingredients in your products that are known to cause human cancer, among other illnesses, it leads back to the same question: "How can consumers be certain of what they are buying?"

The answer is not so simple. Understanding what to look for is half of the battle and the The Cosmetic Chemicals Guide is a reference book designed to provide information on chemicals to the consumer. Since many chemicals go by various names, it is also recommended to research products on databases like the Environmental Working Group's Skin Deep cosmetic database.

The Cosmetic Chemicals Guide Book for Understanding Chemicals

As a consumer, manufacturers do not want you to understand what the chemicals are capable of. While human studies are lacking, there is enough evidence to show that these chemicals do have potential health risks. The European Union features many proactive regions who have either banned use of these ingredients, or has allowed use of the ingredients with restrictions on their use.

The Cosmetic Chemicals Guide offers a look at the most common chemicals found in cosmetics and everyday personal care products. It is a good starting point for anyone who wishes to buy safer products and avoid products that may have adverse health risks. The book also aids consumers in their quest to finding more information and offers suggestions for networks and groups so readers can begin learning and sharing information. The book also provides other names that chemicals may appear under on product labels.

Currently, government regulations do not place many restrictions on the chemicals used in cosmetic and personal care products. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration does not check each product before it goes on the market and manufacturers are allowed to leave many harmful ingredients in their products as a result of these softer guidelines. Consumer awareness is on the rise and manufacturers do see the trend. While some companies are beginning to move towards producing products with less chemicals, most are not and show no intention of doing so anytime soon. It is up to consumers to self-educate and learn how to shop for safer alternatives.