Cosmetic Safety

What's in your bathroom? Some people have allergic reactions to deodorant, soap, shampoo, body lotion and other cosmetics. Allergic reactions to cosmetics usually involve redness and irritation. According to the FDA (Food and Drug Administration), "Almost all cosmetics can cause allergic reactions in certain individuals." If you have a reaction to any cosmetic product, stop using it immediately.

Reliable source. So how do you know what's safe to use? The FDA recognizes the International Cosmetic Ingredient Dictionary as a reliable source. It's published by CTFA (Cosmetic, Toiletry and Fragrance Association) and is available to you in most public libraries. It lists thousands of ingredients and, among other things, their chemical structure, function and CIR safety review.

Cosmetic Ingredient Review. CIR is a panel of expert scientists. They are publicly nominated by consumer, scientific and clinical societies, government agencies and industry. Their scientific review and safety assessments of cosmetic ingredients are submitted to the International Journal of Toxicology for peer review and publication.

DermMatch safety rating. The CIR safety assessments of cosmetic ingredients fall into 4 categories: Safe as currently used (S), Safe with qualifications on use (SQ), Insufficient data (I) and Unsafe (U). Naturally, the ingredients in DermMatch rate very highly, with the vast majority rated (S) and none rated (U). How many of the products you use can pass this test?