FEELING peckish? How about a nice chunk of lipstick to chew on? Thirsty? What about a refreshing swig of shampoo? It doesn't sound too appealing, does it? But why would we slather something on our skin if we're not prepared put it in our mouth?
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the past two decades we have become increasingly attached to beauty products. Before leaving the house in the morning, many women could easily use toothpaste, shower gel, shampoo, conditioner, hair styling products, deodorant, body moisturiser, foot lotion – then there might be cleanser, toner and moisturiser for the face, followed by eye cream, foundation, blusher, mascara and lipstick.
It has been calculated that the average woman uses 20 to 30 grooming products a day, which exposes her to roughly 200 different chemicals. Around 60% of these chemicals are absorbed into the bloodstream. The result, some argue, is that over time her body will contain a cocktail of toxins which have the potential to severely damage health.
Men will be surprised at how many products they tot up, too. As well as soap and shower gel, there's shaving foam, aftershave, hair gel, moisturisers and deodorants – and more. The ethical consumer website Hippyshopper estimates that the average man uses eight to ten styling and grooming products a day.
On its own, your shampoo or shower gel is not going to do you too much harm (well, not unless you actually drink it). Rather, it's product overload and chemical cocktail effect that will do the damage.
"Women are bombarding their bodies with chemicals," says Clio Turton of the Soil Association, the UK's organic standards watchdog, although she can't comment on what proportion of these topical products enter the bloodstream.
According to the American group Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, we don't just wear lipstick, lip balm or gloss, we unintentionally eat it, as much as 2kg of it in a lifetime. A study published in the industry magazine In-Cosmetics suggested women who regularly apply make-up absorb almost at least 2kg of chemicals into their bodies in a year.
But given that the beauty industry is so tightly regulated by the European Cosmetics Directive – which requires every product to undergo rigorous safety-checks before hitting the shops – surely nothing too harmful could be seeping into our skin. That, at least, is the argument many cosmetic companies use. They state that while some of the ingredients in their products might be considered harmful in large doses, the levels found in personal-care products are safe.
Britain's Cosmetic, Toiletry and Perfumery Association (CTPA) questions whether our bodies absorb the toxins in the first place, because the skin is such an effective barrier. In addition, when chemicals are absorbed, they insist they are readily metabolised within the tissues of the body, so talk of a toxic build-up is unfounded. Dr Chris Flower, a toxicologist and director general of the CTPA, dismisses the idea that a cocktail of these toxins could pose a danger to health.
Stacy Malkan, author of Not Just a Pretty Face: The Ugly Side of the Beauty Industry (£10.50, New Society Publishers), disagrees. "The root problem is that the chemical industry has been poorly regulated for decades, and tens of thousands of synthetic chemicals have been put on to the market with no thought to the health implications. The result is that we are living in a toxic chemical soup and the mixtures of these chemicals have not been studied for long-term health impacts," she says.
"The beauty industry is not as tightly regulated as people think," adds Margo Marrone, founder of the Organic Pharmacy in London. "Yes, there are only minuscule amounts of toxins in most beauty products, but when you repeatedly put lots of them on, that daily dose accumulates and becomes harmful."
So what exactly are the health implications of this chemical mixture? Campaigners point to the links they say exist between cumulative amounts of certain nasties and everything from irritated skin to cancer and infertility.
"There are several areas of concern," says Malkan. "Hormone-disrupting chemicals such as phthalates – a set of industrial chemicals commonly found in fragrance-containing products such as shampoo, deodorant and cologne – have been shown to cause birth defects and reproductive harm in animal studies.
"The chemical 1,4 dioxane – a byproduct found in many products containing sodium lauryl sulphate (a bulking agent in shampoos and shower gels] – is a probable human carcinogen. Lead, a neurotoxin (which damages or destroys nerve tissue] was recently found in some lipsticks. There is no short list of chemicals to avoid."
For those leaning towards an organic lifestyle, such claims may just be the final push towards an all-natural beauty regime.
"If you can't go completely organic," says Turton, "the simplest way to lessen your chemical load is to reduce the number of products you use."
WHAT TO AVOIDWhat they are? Parabens
Where are they found? Almost everywhere – these are among the most widely used chemical preservatives in the world. Used in hair products, face and nail creams, foundations and face masks.
Side-effects? Possible carcinogen. A 2004 study in the Journal of Applied Toxicology showed traces of parabens in 18 out of 20 breast cancer samples taken, although the suggestion of a direct link has been disputed.
What's the alternative? The substance has been banned by the Soil Association, so any organic product bearing its stamp of approval will be paraben-free.
What is it? Aluminium
Where is it found? Deodorants and sun creams – it's an effective antiperspirant.
Side-effects? Last year, scientists at Keele University revealed that women who used deodorants had deposits of aluminium in their breasts. A build-up of aluminium has been shown to cause cancer in animals. Any firm link that it does so in humans has been denied by the CTPA.
What's the alternative? Deodorants containing essential oils and natural astringents.
What is it? Sodium lauryl sulphate
Where is it found? In toothpaste, shampoo and conditioner, shaving foam and bubble bath.
Side-effects? A known skin irritant thought to alter the skin structure, allowing it to become more porous, thus allowing more chemicals in.
What's the alternative? Another chemical on the Soil Association's banned list, so any product with its seal of approval will not contain sodium lauryl sulphate.
What they are? Phthalates
Where are they found? Used as solvents and plasticisers in cosmetics, phthalates are found in most fragrances, nail varnishes and sprays.
Side-effects? Phthalates are thought to mimic the female hormone oestrogen. A build-up occurs in a mother's body fat or breast milk can affect the development of unborn children, especially boys. But it is claimed that phthalates used in today's products have no reprotoxic effect.
What's the alternative? Products based on essential oils or ones which specify 'no synthetic fragrance'.
For more information: Campaign for Safe Cosmetics (www.safecosmetics.org); Soil Association (www.soilassociation.org); The Organic Pharmacy (www.theorganic pharmacy.com); Cosmetic Toiletry and Perfumery Association (www.ctpa.org.uk) 