Posted on June 25, 2020
On Thursday, June 25th, ADAO hosted our fourth successful Zoom conversation to discuss clean and toxic-free beauty. We were delighted to have had nearly 40 participants join the conversation with Ivanna Yang, Director, Advocacy, Beautycounter/Counter Brands LLC; Janet Nudelman, Breast Cancer Prevention Partners and Director of the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics; and Erin Watson, a Breast Cancer Survivor.
As leaders in the Clean Beauty movement, these women have a wealth of knowledge and expertise on the subject. During the conversation, we discussed how Clean Beauty is one of the largest movements paving the way to preventing diseases and cancers caused from toxic chemicals in cosmetics. We also focused on why regulation in the personal care industry is needed and how the audience can get involved.
Ivanna Yang of Beautycounter stated, “From day one, Beautycounter’s mission has been to get safer products into the hands of everyone. We will continue to advocate for better beauty for all as health and safety stays top of mind for lawmakers and consumers.”
For many, when we use makeup, we don’t think twice. Kids play dress-up with it, our teens turn to it as a rite of passage, and as adults we make it part of our daily routines. We don’t bat a mascara-covered eyelash. But we should. Contaminated and toxin-filled cosmetic products put us at risk for dangerous exposure to asbestos and other deadly components.
“Clean cosmetics are important because, quite simply, none of us live in a bubble. The toxic chemicals in the beauty and personal care products we use every day add to our daily body burden of toxic exposures from the food we eat, the water we drink, the air we breathe and the other consumer products we buy and bring into our homes. The science is showing these cumulative exposures are adding up to harm and that the timing of some toxic exposures are contributing to an increased risk of later life breast cancer and other diseases. Clean cosmetics help consumers remove one route of unsafe chemical exposures which is good for disease prevention and good for public health.” said Janet Nudelman of Breast Cancer Prevention Partners.
Erin Watson shared, “Being a breast cancer survivor, sometimes you forgot how the simple sharing of your story can resonate further than you imagine. Thank you ADAO for advocating for all cancer survivors and against all harmful toxins. I look forward to the day when we can celebrate a new anniversary – of new legislation upholding clean beauty standards.”
The conversation was held on the 82nd anniversary of the first and only Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, which was intended to protect consumers from toxic cosmetic products. However, there are thousands of harmful toxicants found in cosmetics, including asbestos-contaminated talc that has been identified in some beauty products.
The conversation helped the audience to learn how to identify toxic products, and how to go forward with a clean and toxic-free beauty product future.
Beautycounter has a page on their website called the “Never List” in which all the products you should avoid in your beauty products are listed. To check it out the Never List, click here.
Similarly, Breast Cancer Prevention Partners have a page on their website with “tips for prevention” in which there are a number of resources and lists full of information on how to stay safe with your day to day products. For more information, click here!
The two Beautycounter action items discussed were:
- NATIONAL — Text BETTERBEAUTY to 52886 (Sends an email to your Member of Congress asking him/her to support the Pallone bill, HR 5279 the Cosmetic Safety Enhancement Act)
- CALIFORNIA ONLY — Text TOXICFREE to 52886 (Sends an email to your CA Assembly Member and Senator asking him/her to support AB 2762, the Toxic Free Cosmetics Act)
Thank you to all who joined! Keep an eye out for our next zoom event, which will be announced soon!
Together, we are making change happen.
Linda Reinstein
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