Drop-Dead Gorgeous: Protecting Yourself from the Hidden Dangers of Cosmetics by Kim Erickson
Our preoccupation with beauty is a fascination that the cosmetic industry has parlayed into a 28 billion dollar a year industry. They offer products that claim to deliver youthful skin and luxurious hair, yet they fail to mention the scores of potential irritants, carcinogens, neurotoxins, and hormone disrupters used to manufacture these products. Without knowing it, many men and women are exposing themselves to more than 200 synthetic chemicals each and every day. While most of us assume that labs full of researchers in white coats protect us from the potentially dangerous cosmetic ingredients, the truth is that cosmetics are not required to gain pre-market approval before they are sold to consumers. In fact, the FDA is powerless to compel manufacturers to conduct safety testing. Drop Dead Gorgeous exposes the dangers of many of the products currently available and the cosmetic industry's lies and glaring omissions. She also explains why the FDA is powerless to protect consumers and offers easy and typically inexpensive alternatives.