If Organic Lipstick is Not Your Thing, at Least Move to Canada

Buying organic is a great option when you have it and when you know about it. More and more women everyday realize that splurging on an organic lipstick is an investment in their health. But what about people who don’t have the time to do the research? To read ingredients? To pull back the veils of marketing and see the real stuff that they are getting? Shouldn’t they be protected too?

That’s a trick question. Of course they should be. Of course there should be rules and regulations where a woman can go to a beauty counter, pick up any products she wants and feel safe about it.

Unfortunately that isn’t so. And the lobbying groups behind the beauty industry are very powerful at insisting that things remain that way.

But the tide of change is upon us. And the tipping point towards social responsibility and consumer protection is coming closer.

A few really encouraging signs of the change have recently emerged in Canada. Canadian government has given indication into its willingness to tighten the rules and at least limit the free-for-all in the chemicals and new technologies field.

First, In January 2009 Canada gave strong indication that it will become the first government in the world to require companies report their use of nonmaterial. More than 800 consumer products containing nanomaterials are sold around the world. Nanotechnology in cosmetics shows up in powders, lipsticks, sunscreens, anti-aging creams and more.

Nanotechnology is a new science, and it involves crashing particles into such tiny peaces (often less than 0.000001 centimeter in diameter) that they acquire different properties than their bigger counterparts, and thus their health and environmental effects are presently unknown and potentially dangerous. They can easily penetrate the bodily systems due to their small size.

The fact that presently these technologies are unregulated and inserted at will into anything and everything is a terrifying notion, and if the Canadian government follows through on this anticipated step at regulation we will all breath a little easier.

The second commendable, though still “potential” act on the side of the Canadian government is the proposal for regulation of siloxanes D4 and D5. For a small explanation of what these are I found this paragraph from the official government site very telling:

“Siloxanes are an ingredient found in most personal care products on the market in Canada. They are also used in many other applications such as textiles, paints and coatings, antiperspirants, sealants, lubricants, plastics, non-medical ingredients in pharmaceuticals, silicone polymers, food additives, surface treatments for wounds, and medical devices.”

While the site does not actually state what siloxane is (a form of silicon) I find it alarming that this man-made compound is found in so many things that are part of our daily use. Just think – your lipstick contains the same ingredients as plastics, lubricants, sealants, paints and coating… Appetizing, isn’t it? No wonder women opt for organic lipstick when they can.

I applaud the government for actually looking into the matter and realizing that the combined effect of all these products can cause a major havoc on the environment. I also hope that they can make the logical deduction that if something can cause issues for the “municipal wastewater streams” consuming these products in food and skin-care products can mess up our internal systems just as well, if not more so…

So, what does all this mean?

It means the tipping point is near. The consumer cry for safer products is getting louder. Though people are willing to search for organic alternatives and invest in organic lipsticks, in the fast paced modern world they cannot be expected to always look out for the lurking dangers in their daily products. A tired mom shouldn’t have to be an ingredients expert just because she’s buying shampoo for her baby. And you shouldn’t need a chemist degree to figure out the health impacts of a compact powder.

And governments that want to stay relevant, have to step in and do their job. That's why we elect them in the first place. To protect the public. Not the corporate interests.

And yes, these particular steps are really small. And really tentative. And they aren’t even sure steps yet.

But they are steps in the right direction.

PS: Just as I was writing this I read a newsflash that Canada is also proposing to add Pigment Red 3 (2-Naphthalenol), a carcinogen, to cosmetics ingredients Hotlist. Though it is found in very small number of cosmetics (reportedly a nail polish and some soaps, no specifics where given), the proactive step is very commendable.