The use of cosmetics is common in all societies and is almost as old as humanity itself. We can see this from the red mineral pigments used which are associated with the emergence of Homo sapiens in Africa. We know that cosmetics are mentioned in the Old Testament, and in ancient Rome some women used powders and kohl containing lead-based formulas to look fashionable white, and also in the late nineteenth-century women used belladonna alkaloids to make their eyes look larger (in Turkish we call the plant from which this substance is obtained "güzelavrat otu"). In Egypt, 5,000 years ago, men and women used frankincense oils to make their skin smell nice and soft, white creams to protect their faces from the sun, black antimony-based dyes as eyeliner, and crushed flowers to create natural blush.
Recently, cosmetic products have become a more important part of our lives. The size of the cosmetics market in the world today is around 250 billion dollars. We come across many people sharing their daily care routines or new products they have tried on social media every day. We are in a time when cosmetic products are becoming more widespread than ever among teenagers. So how should we choose the correct cosmetic product?
At this point, it is necessary to know what cosmetics are. Although it is a formal definition, it is probably best to look at the official definition as it reveals the variety of products. Accordingly, A "cosmetic" is any substance used to clean, improve, or change the complexion, skin, hair, nails, or teeth. Cosmetics include beauty preparations (make-up, perfume, skin cream, nail polish) and grooming aids (soap, shampoo, shaving cream, deodorant). Besides the many benefits that cosmetics provide us, there are of course damages because they are chemical. Most of these products contain lots of chemicals like alcohols, aromatic hydrocarbons, perborates, and anionic and nonionic surfactants.
The reason why safe cosmetic use is so important is that we are exposed to so many chemicals every day through cosmetic use and most of these products are applied directly to the skin, the body's largest organ, and from there, the ingredients can be absorbed directly into the bloodstream. Consumers use a wide variety of cosmetics and personal care products. According to research, a woman uses an average of 12 personal care products containing 168 different chemicals every day, while men are limited to 6 personal care products containing an average of 85 different chemicals.
Unlikely, no consumer product category is subject to as little government regulation as cosmetics and other personal care products. While most chemicals and contaminants in cosmetics and personal care products likely pose little risk, exposure to some has been linked to serious health problems, including cancer. Many cosmetics have also been linked to acute risks, including burns and infections.
To protect ourselves from these effects, we should choose safe cosmetics. When we say safe cosmetics, we mean non-toxic cosmetics. Non-toxic beauty and personal care products are generally safe even if swallowed, inhaled, and absorbed by the body. They do not contain chemicals that are harmful to human health or the environment. Therefore, it is important to pay attention to the content of the products we will use, to use products that are appropriate for our age and skin type, and to apply the products correctly. By being conscious when choosing products, we can feel safe about the products we put on our bodies.
In fact, there are many more things to talk about in cosmetics, such as waterless cosmetics, environmentally friendly packaging, and the no-wake trend. Maybe we can return to this topic in another article in the future.