Cosmetics in Canada contain heavy metals: report

According to a report released by Environmental Defence, cosmetic products that Canadians put on their faces every day have been found to contain toxic heavy metals, such as lead, arsenic, and cadmium.

CTV British Columbia: Lisa Rossington explains

Health concerns are being raised about the ingredients used to manufacture cosmetics.

CTV News Channel: Gill Deacon, author

The author of 'There's Leader in Your Lipstick' says chemicals are not required to be proven safe for human use before they enter the Canadian marketplace.

Canada AM: Rick Smith, executive director

The executive director of Environmental Defence Canada says there is a widespread contamination of a lot of heavy metals in popular makeup brands. He also says the average woman eats four pounds of lipstick during her lifetime.

Extended: Darren Praznik, president and CEO

Canadian Cosmetic Toiletry and Fragrance Association CEO explains why this group disputes the report's findings, saying the metals are found in such minimal amounts in cosmetic products that they pose no significant risk.

Watch: See all Videos in the Player

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Many of the makeup products that Canadian women apply every day contain a number of toxic heavy metals � and some contain arsenic and lead levels that exceed Health Canada recommended limits.

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More on this topic

Read the Environmental Defence report - Heavy Metal Hazard: The Health Risks of Hidden Heavy Metals in Face Makeup

CTV.ca News Staff

Date: Mon. May. 16 2011 6:55 PM ET

Many of the makeup products that Canadian women apply every day contain a number of toxic heavy metals – and some contain arsenic and lead levels that exceed Health Canada recommended limits.

That's what the Canadian environmental advocacy group Environmental Defence found when it submitted 49 makeup products to lab testing. The tests revealed heavy metals in all the products -- none of which were listed on the labels.

Almost all the heavy metals found were within limits set out in Health Canada's "Draft Guidance on Heavy Metal Impurities in Cosmetics." But Rick Smith, Environmental Defence's executive director, notes that those guidelines aren't even yet law; instead, they've been "sitting on a shelf" for more than two years.

Smith is now calling on Health Canada to tighten up those regulations and make cosmetic companies list all metals on their product labels because "Canadians deserve to know what is in their cosmetics."

"People shouldn't have to be chemical engineers when they shop for their cosmetics. We need better labelling with these kinds of toxic chemicals," he told CTV's Canada AM Monday morning.

Environmental Defence asked six random women to choose five makeup products they regularly used. The group then added another five of their own to test. (Some of the items, such as eyeshadows, contained more than one shade, so each item was tested separately). They included:

14 eye shadows
8 lipsticks or lip glosses
7 mascaras
5 foundations
5 blushes or bronzers
4 concealers
4 powders
2 eyeliners

The items ranged from inexpensive brands available in drug stores to more expensive brands from makeup counters. No one brand stood out as worse than another. In fact, some brands contained shades with some of the highest levels of the metals as well as shades with low metal levels.

All 49 items tested contained nickel, 96 per cent contained lead, and 90 per cent contained beryllium.

The four metals of most concern for this testing were arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury. Only one product, Annabelle Mineral Pigment Dust (Solar), was found to not contain a single metal of most concern.

On average, the products contained four of the eight metals of concern, though one product contained seven of the eight metals of concern (arsenic, cadmium, lead, mercury, beryllium, nickel, selenium, and thallium).

"These heavy metals have been very strongly linked by doctors to serious human disease – things like heart problems, nerve damage. And these heavy metals actually accumulate in our bodies over our lifetime. So it's very important to try to limit our exposure," Smith said.

The highest levels of arsenic (70 parts per million), cadmium (3 ppm), and lead (110 ppm) were found in lip glosses. Lip products are of particular concern, Smith says, because they're applied close to the mouth and are regularly ingested.

"There's been some studies and believe it or not, the average woman eats an average of 4 lbs (1.8 kg) of lipstick during her lifetime," Smith said.

Benefit Benetint lip gloss Red Tint contained the highest level of lead, at 110 ppm, which is over 10 times higher than the limit set out in the Health Canada Draft Guidance on Heavy Metal Impurities in Cosmetics. The lip gloss also contained 70 ppm of arsenic, which is over 20 times higher than Health Canada's recommended limit of 3ppm.

Environmental Defence is urging the government to revise its draft guidelines to reflect its contention that lower levels of certain metals are "technically avoidable" in the manufacturing process.

The Canadian Cosmetics, Toiletries and Fragrances Association disputes the report. It says the metals are found in such minimal amounts in cosmetic products that they pose no significant risk.

Darren Praznik, the president and CEO of the CCTFA, adds that many of the pigments used in cosmetics are naturally sourced.

"In the real world, these are natural contaminants that are occurring in nature. They are in soil, they are in minerals, they are in plants, etc. So anything that uses an ingredient from those natural sources faces the issue of whether or not they are in their products," he told CTV News.

He also notes that Environmental Defence's report doesn't include the full findings.

"They didn't include in their report… their specific data because that reinforces that products on the market are within the guidelines that have been established internationally in Europe. So the reality is the products on the market are safe."

Health Canada says it has seen the report but says heavy metal impurities in cosmetic products are unavoidable "due to the ubiquitous nature of these elements."

"We don't think that trace levels of metals in cosmetics are a human health concern," James Van Loon, Health Canada's director of Risk Management Bureau, Product Safety told CTV News.

"These are present in the environment. They are ubiquitous."

The agency says heavy metal concentrations in cosmetic products are seen to be "technically avoidable" when they exceed the following limits:

Lead: 10 ppm
Arsenic: 3 ppm
Cadmium: 3 ppm
Mercury: 3 ppm
Antimony: 5 ppm

Comments are now closed for this story

Carol
said
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Which brands were tested?? We need to know so we can stop using them. I'm appalled that in 2011, people are putting metals in these products.

Cleo
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FOR THOSE ASKING FOR SPECIFICS: Read the report! It's in there.

Barb K
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Back in the 70s, there was an uproar when we found out that animals were being tested on cosmetic products. This practice ended and manufacturers began listing all ingredients in their products. Now, years later, we need to look up these ingredients in a medical dictionary to understand what it means.Do people really believe that there is no cumulative effect of what we put on our skin, which is an organ? What goes on, goes in. I have long suspected that this might be one of the causes of breast cancer. As a nursing mother, I remember that when I had garlic for dinner, my daughter had garlic milk for breakfast. Maybe beauty is more than skin deep and we should let go of some of our ego by saving our health.

Tommy M. USA
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Hello Neighbor,
Cosmetics for women as well as for men,& sunscreen for all including children,are now at the present time in the US are going through a tranformation. The new science of NanoTechnology which involves extremely minute particles of all kinds are now being formulated into all kinds of products. According to the US Federal Drug Administration if these chemicals of the larger particle size do not effect the health of the consumer the FDA automatically approves the minute chemical particle of the same chemical that are now being introduced into all cometic products in the US. At the same time the FDA does not require that the manufacturer list the nanoparticle in the ingrediants of the products.There are two reasons for this logic?.1 is that the FDA does not have the organization or the expertise to determine if these smaller products have a toxic effect on the consumer.2 The scientific research that determines toxicity of nanoparticles in cosmetics and other products has yet come to any conclusive determination how exactly the nanoparticles effect human health.There has been some research on some products that have shown serious toxic effect on human health. This is a gap that exists between product development and scientific evidence that the product is hazardous to human health.This is the route that took place with the recent revelation of the hazard of asbestos.It was 10 years before asbestos was found to be a health hazard to human health,while millions of people became ill before asbestos was outlawed.Nanotechnology is now in the pipeline of all new cosmetics manufactured in the US.We will not know the reprecustion of this new technology on human health for years. A website, Midget Technology, will clarify exactly what this science means to the general public. Bye Neighbor

Steph
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Im all for awareness and public empowerment, but there is a labelling law in Canada. Also, there are heavy metals in pretty much every substance. Also, just because something is natural it is not necessarily good. Lead and arsenic are natural elements.

Joel
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Click on the "More on this topic" link under the Photo for the actual study with all Names

Reece
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Anything manufactured in China is something you always have to be leery about. Their business community places very little weight on animal rights and human rights are non-existent. Or did you think you were special? Buy from any country but China folks and maybe you won't die a painful death. You'll have only yourselves to blame.

North_of_60
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Heavy metals can build up in the body over time, the study notes, and are linked to a variety of health problems, "including cancer, reproductive and developmental disorders, neurological problems, memory loss, mood swings, nerve, joint and muscle disorders, cardiovascular, skeletal, blood, immune system, kidney and renal problems, headaches, vomiting, nausea and diarrhea, lung damage, contact dermatitis, brittle hair and hair loss. Many are suspected hormone disrupters and respiratory toxins, and for some like lead, there is no known safe blood level."Women have a disproportionate number of many of these health problems.It's also important to note that the feedstock for most cosmetics is recycled grease from slaughterhouses, chip fryers, and grease traps in sewers.Yes, heavy metals occur naturally, however the concentrations found in some of the cosmetics approach the concentrations in toxic materials dumps.

Mia
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Is there a list of the Brands that have these chemicals in them????

URU
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What doesn't contain metals in our everyday consumptions. It doesn't matter where its made or where it comes from, it will always contain something that someone doesn't like or disagree with. Foods that are grown here have recalls because of salmonella, cars that are made here have recalls because of malfunction or some sort of mechanical wrongs one way or another consumer reports or consumers themselves will complain on everything. Unless, we are go back to the old days living in a tent and abandon all electronic things in today's world to live a normal and better life without fears of contamination's or recalls.

Lisa
said
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Is nothing frigg'in safe, anymore? I'll probably toss my lip tint, but I refuse to give up wearing make-up. Life's not fair.

dante in vancouver
said
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Sharon is right this information is useless without specific brand names which feeds into another whole arena. Responsibility. Consumers pay the price for bad science.... Frankenstein lurks!

Lou
said
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WHAT COMPANIES??
ALL OF THEM!!
Read some of the labels for
Parabens, Methylparabens
all TOXIC and in
ALL BIG BRAND NAMES

Don't believe me, read the labels and find out.
They are in baby wipes!!
Baby lotions
Children's lip gloss

Lorraine
said
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Very young children buy and use these products sold in dollar stores and other department stores. The skin is the largest organ in the body and certainly does absorb chemicals, similar to ingesting it. To say you would have to eat pounds and pounds to have a problem is ridiculous. Cosmetic companies need to be accountable. They have known this for ages!! It is time to ask your cosmetic companies why they are doing this and demand better. It is the consumer that has the fastest and strongest result. If you wait for the Government to change a law, Good Luck. Cosmetic companies will bow to the pressure much faster.
While you are at it ask about the methylparabens in every shampoo, conditioner, baby lotions, baby products, every cosmetic!! It is dangerous and a preservative. It is in baby wipes! everything.
Time to make them pay attention.
I hope they do!!

marsh wpg
said
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All products need appropriate labels. See The WHMIS Warble http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5yjhO5AaXc

Jimmyjames
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I read the report, quotes it here "Given that some products had multiple parts (e.g., an eye shadow product may include three different and separate colours), a total of 49 different product items were tested for a total of eight different heavy metals. Twenty of the products were manufactured in the
United States, ten were manufactured in Europe, four were manufactured in Canada, and one
was manufactured in Korea. None of these metals were listed on the product label."

Heidi
said
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I suggest to all commenters to download the report and read it before posting comments. Most of your answers or concerns are addressed within.

It also contains the names of the products to avoid. In reply, to Orange: a high price never garantees quality when it comes to cosmetics. Read the ingredients instead.

Lynn
said
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well, with all of the animal testing that takes place (where animals can be legally tortured so we can try to alter our appearances... or have the best shampoo and hair dyes) I would imagine there is no raise for alarm... or do we know how these various brands of make-ups affected the test-animals? And if they affect the test animals differently than humans, why test the animals in the first place?On another note... is it really a surprise that make up contains things that are bad for us?

Old Ted
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Health advocates have been trying to get the word out for years about the bad stuff in cosmetics. Most of the dolled up air heads out there wouldn't even understand the problem if it was explained to them. Your skin is like a big sponge taking in all sorts of chemicals and materials that are applied to it. We absorb too much crap into our systems already without deliberately adding more. Put the warnings on the packaging and if people still want to use the products, then the problem is theirs. Quit trying to save the foolish. You do, and a bigger fool pops up.

Doug
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Now if they will only investigate the billion dollar anti aging business ranging from useless "beauty in a jar" creams sold by everyone from department stores, drug stores, dermatologists and plastic surgeons.Pure crap that does more harm than good.

Margaret Kiprenko
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You can get more detailed info re. brands used in this 'study' from the Environmental Defence website here:

http://environmentaldefence.ca/reports/heavy-metal-hazard-health-risks-hidden-heavy-metals-in-face-makeup

There is a link there, to a .pdf file with the article.

Jo
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If you're curious about whether the brand of makeup you use is particularly dangerous, you should check out this website. http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/
It is basically a catalogue of suncare/makeup/skin care/fragrance, etc products, and it lists any ingredients that might cause you harm.

For example, the worst mascara is Neutrogena Weightloss Volume Wax Free Mascara. It contains ingredients proven to cause cancer, organ toxicity, and endocrine disruption, among other things.

Just an FYI.

Terri
said
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I have switched to a botanical company as well. Paraben free and chemical, dye and with great results. I switched because I know that if you put products with fillers and perfumes on your skin it does go into your bloodstream. Can't be good for you or your baby if you are pregnant! Switched right away. If anyone is curious visit www.mysitetodream.myarbonne.ca to see what my family uses.
Great article and it all comes down to choices...we watch what we eat but we need to watch what we use on our skin. Dr.Suzuki came out with a list of top 12 ingredients to avoid - great carry card to use when shopping.

Dave in Courtenay
said
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Nothing like a good dose of heavy metals verbiage to instill fear in the ignorant. It is not the presence of a substance that is detrimental, but instead it is the dosage and in what compound it exists. For example, organic mercury compounds are terrible, but mercury in our tooth fillings is not. There are deadly nickel compounds, but we are not afraid to touch the nickel coins in our pockets. As the article states, elemental metals are present in all matter on earth. Of course, if a product contains a dangerous form of a compound, then it should be banned.

Ivan
said
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Just so that everyone is aware - I could collect samples of dust in your home, in your desk at work, in your car and find heavy metals. Not saying that unnecessary metals should be avoided, but there is a natural background in the environment. Detection limits with current scientific instrumentation are now several orders of magnitude lower.

Orange
said
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When I was young, I knew makeup aren't good for you. I only used it on special occasion and if I do buy makeup, I will pay more for the expensive one.

L
said
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blinkybill: How can you blame this on Harper? These products have been around for decades, how does this prove Harper doesn't care about health issues? It amazes me how people blame the Conservatives for every little thing, even if the story has nothing to do with them, addresses something that has been done or around for decades, or was ignored by many governments before them. In regards to the actual story, I think people need to do more research before jumping on the findings of one study that sampled a relatively small selection of makeup.

Personal Research Required
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To all the men who are shaking their finger at all the women who wear make-up, please remember that the 'science' of this article also applies to all of your tatoos, shampoo, hair gel, skin care products and colognes (etc). No one is exempt if they are using personal health/beauty products. And next time your kids bring home goodie bags from a birthday party, throw out the cheap dollar store make-up and lotions before they use them. It is all toxic unless it is completely natural. It is important to research this topic to find out how many chemicals we have naturally incorporated into our lifestyles and can EASILY eliminate from our daily lives.

sarah
said
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Yes it would be great to know what products these are, once names start to leak then companies might start doing something about it...

Barbarella73
said
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There is a link to the actual report to the right of this story, under Web Links. It's called Heavy Metal Hazard: The Health Risks of Hidden Heavy Metals in Face Makeup report. Near the end of the report, you will find the names of the specific products they tested.They only looked at 49 different products, but I still found my blush there :(

Tracy in Vancouver
said
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People need to take responsibility for their own health. Government also needs to be proactive on behalf of Canadian citizens and make it illegal to have such toxic chemicals in our products. Ignorance is simply not bliss and we need to care more about our long term health instead of the short sighted payoff of looking good today. These chemicals will kill us & it is not okay! After all, what goes on us - goes into us & once they damage us, we wash it down the drain and damage our environment too. That is not fair either. I think society as a whole has to take responsibility and put a stop to the toxin take over. Health & beauty product and the commercials pushing them.

someone
said
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I hate when people target a specific industry. People, go out and breathe the air, guess what there are chemicals and pollution floating around EVERYWHERE, the exhaust from the bus that just went by, or the car idling as you stand to cross the street. Read the labels on the food that your putting into your body. Have you checked out what a microwave does to your food and what it puts in there? Why isn't there labels on our so called fresh produce and all the pesticides and herbicides that are sprayed on them, I don't see any labels on the apple I buy. PLUS, all this so called organic food, well guess what if the guy next door has sprayed and there happens to be a bit of a wind, well oops now you are actually just paying more money for the pesticides that are on your food. Yes, people are trying to be safer, but you can only do as much as you can do unless all chemicals are band from earth this problem will always exist. Have you ever checked out the medication you are putting in as PRESCRIBED by a DOCTOR. This is a MUCH bigger problem in our whole society. I mean REALLY come on compared to all the chemicals and crap that we eat and the air we breathe I think cosmetics is the least of our worries.

blinkybill
said
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Vain women have been plastering their faces with all sorts of rubbish for centuries. There is nothing new here other than that the Harper government doesn't give a fig whether Canadian women live or die or get eyelid cancer. That much is obvious so all you women who voted for him get what you asked for...an eye full of crapola.

WpgLisa
said
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Can't wait until they make the perfume industry list the chemicals! Much MUCH worse than make up by far. Nothing like spraying on some brain damage every day and going out into the world to infect others!

Jim in Ottawa
said
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This should surprise no one for this is information that has been in the public sphere for some time. The concentrations of these material however are well below the danger threshold and once again demonstrates the value of laboratory animal testing.

Marilyn
said
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We aren't told names of products PLUS where they are manufactured! Want to bet many of them come from China?

Jaclyn Majer
said
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Heavy metals in makeup... You can test the lead in lipstick/lip gloss by applying some lipstick to the back of your hand and then use gold/wedding ring etc. to rub over the lipstick. If there is lead in the lipstick it will turn black. Most makeup artists should be able to tell people that.

MC250
said
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"The Canadian Cosmetics, Toiletries and Fragrances Association disputes the report. It says the metals are found in such minimal amounts in cosmetic products that they pose no significant risk."~ Based on what? Based on the occassional use of one product? Based on the constant use of several products over a person's adult life time? They may criticize the authors of this study, but they offer no assurance other than it's within acceptable levels and that there's naturally occurring toxins in nature ... a load of coverup is all they're spewing. Come on Government of Canada, make them list the amounts of heavy metals & such on their packaging, at least on their websites, if anything.In the mean time, I'm going to my health store to see what my true natural options are ...

Sharon
said
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This information is useless without brand names to guide us!!

Bneufeld
said
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My optometrist has told me that I am allergic to my eye makeup. Ladies, and some gentlemen, how many times do you experience burning eyes after applying makeup? I have swithced to products manufactured in Europe, because I have lost faith in our "people's republic of North America" to properly monitor and enforce manufacturing standards.

Tammy
said
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For all those asking about the report and the specific products..look at the link listed in a box below the photo/video. It will give you the entire report...

Zach
said
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Not many people know, but there is a website that has a huge growing database of cosmetics (including soaps and shampoos, etc) and rates products by toxicity levels using a scale from 0 to 9 (9 being the most toxic)

It is really a great place to double-check products before you buy them.

Just google "cosmetics database", it is the first result.

Travis (Barrhaven)
said
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Putting thousands of dollars worth of goop and powder on one's body every year seems like such a terrible waste, all with the desire to make one look more attractive, and improve self-image and confidence.

Makes even less sense knowing how many make-ups companies miserably fail to protect their customers.

The reality is people are ugly, and no amount of make-up will fix it. The thought of toxic metals covering women is a complete turn-off.

Go natural! Let us see your real self.

And please, stop dousing yourselves with 12oz of perfume every day. I knew this one girl who literally went through a bottle every month or two. Completely overpowering, and totally unnecessary. A complete turn-off.

Tammy Bendel
said
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Great story...too bad no list of the products which were researched. OUt of all, only 1 specific product was mentioned and lucky me, I own it. In the garbage it goes!

Dr. M Zuk
said
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It's time to get tough!

Richard
said
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Given that most of these products are derived from petroleum products, what do women expect they are going to find in the ingredients - essence of utopia with a splash of blind ignorance?

When women finally realize that they are more naturally beautiful without an oil slick plastered to their face, and that they are being manipulated by this industry to think they can't look "good" without caking their skin with derivatives of 10W/40, then they might discover much healthier they feel without all these toxic elements leaching into their bodies.

Anne
said
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All well and good, but list the products please. Having said that, I'm not going to stop using makeup either, simply not going to happen. And I suspect neither will most women. It is a sad that so many of us feel completely unattractive without makeup on, but that's how it is in our society and I don't see that changing anytime soon. All we can do is perhaps avoid makeup products made in China where safety is of no concern at all.

Regina girl
said
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For the individuals who asked for specific brand names for the makeup in question, I believe every one they tested (except one specific product, mentioned) had some form of toxic metal in it. I've known about this for a while now, and what I do is just to be safe, avoid ALL big-brand make-up. There are actually a lot of people that make and sell their own mineral makeup! Plus, it works 100% better than other makeup! I've gotten so many compliments since I started wearing it, and not only is it much lower in heavy metals, but it also doesn't contain phthalates or parabens, which are other cancer-causing toxic chemicals DELIBERATELY put into makeup products! Check your ingredients lists, and if there's something you don't understand, please google it before you allow your body to absorb it!
In the meantime, if you're not against having a Paypal account, I would suggest going on eBay and searching for a store called Mudd Minerals; I buy all my makeup from this woman, she ships from Canada, it's almost as cheap as the drug-store brands, and 100% natural and amazing!

jill
said
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Yes what people need to realize is that there are toxic dangerous chemicals and heavy metals in all sorts of things that the government declares safe for us; try looking up some of the ingredients in your shampoo, deoderant, even your microwave dinners and breakfast cereals you feed to your kids. Try looking up the recycling numbers of anything plastic you own that has a number 3, 6 or 7 on the bottom of it, and find out WHY you're not supposed to put liquids into plastic zip-loc bags and why it's OK to microwave a plastic container, but not its flexible lid. This is just the very tip of the iceberg of toxic ingredients that we slather ourselves in every day. We shouldn't have to be well-versed in scientific-chemical talk in order to fulfill everyday tasks like putting make-up on our faces and food in our stomachs, and soap on our skin. These products should be being tested BEFORE they hit shelves; since when did the North American populace become the world's largest testing ground?

Stephanie
said
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I recently discovered a company who sells botanical ingredients in skin care products. I recently switched to them after reading all the ingredients in a cream that I purchased in a pharmacy. I was using it on my baby and couldn't see any changes and then once I had switched over to this natural product, within 2 days her skin was back to normal. Why condemn ourselves to use products that contains so many impurities and risk getting disease down the road. Life is more important that!

Wow!
said
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I shudder when I see all that cheap "kiddie" makeup from China. Heavy metals are especially harmful for developing brains. Why doesn't our government think Canadains are as worthy of protection as Europeans? We're a dumping ground for all the crap the cosmetics industry isn't allowed to sell in the EU.

Ken Douglas
said
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Government does not really protect the consumers of the cosmetic products. Governments protects the industries - that's where all the jobs and money are. The Industries have many lobyists in Ottawa advocating on behalf of the industries. This same problem runs through the food industry and ultimately back to the pharmaceutical industry. They all sell tons and tons of toxic, cancerous chemicals in their products ostensibly for the health and benefit of the consuming public. It's the same with our water - tons of chlorine and fluorine which are both toxic to the body; they are especially harmful to the functioning of the thyroid.which then affects many functions of the body. It's not the consumer that matters; it is the industry that has the government's ear and gets all the benefits and concern.

Sara
said
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If the facts are true and tested by chemical engineers as stated in the program, then the dangerous products should have been presented. How am I - the consumer - supposed to know which ones are safe and which are unsafe? Please provide a list as soon as possible.

Kate MacIver
said
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Duh...did it really take you this long to write an article about this, how sad is that! There are tons of chemicals in everything we put on our bodies...shampoo, makeup, nail polish...all to LOOK good.People you need to be self advocates, take your products, shampoo, makeup and go to a website called Skin Deep..all ingredients can be looked up. There are some wonderful companies right here in Canada that offer natural make up and body care products. Take a little time and do a little research and voila you will have a healthier you!

G
said
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Not surprised. That's why I don't use any of those drugstore brands. I use mineral based makeup that probably does have unavoidable traces of these things but I wear it so lightly and don't cake it on.I pretty much never wear lip gloss or lip stick either.These same metals are also in inks and pigments used in tattoos. Which I would think is even worse since you're injecting it into your body and bloodstream. This is the reason that I have been hesitant about getting a tattoo even though i direly want one.

Afsan (North York)
said
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Please let us know which products are good.

Pat
said
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This is long overdue. Why should contents not be listed just like food etc, this is no different. many cosmetics are too highly perfumed, and those who state they are allergen free is not so. I have tried some allergen free products and I got a rash from them, why is that. ? You just cat trust anything, so its up to you if you want to risk using the product. Canada sorely lags in making sure companies list the contents. Also another beef of mine is the writing is so small on some containers you cant read it, (maybe meant to be that way. ) !

Paul ~ Kitchener
said
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We the people, are entitled to have safe and healthy products on our store shelves. We elect a government with ministries assigned to seeing that "All Products" are healthy and safe for the general public. No wonder we have "CANCER" in every possible format ~ we fill our bodies inside and out with dangerous chemicals. Large corporations with their millions of dollars in earnings will never allow government legislation to interfere with this capitalist free market system.Nothing is assured short of death.

Prof. Pye Chartt
said
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What if you're in a heavy metal band, and you wear makeup with an excessive amount of heavy metals? Does it pose a greater health risk, improve your musicianship, neither, or both? Hmm. For my own sake, I'd like to know.

Let's just make more money
said
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The Canadian Cosmetics, Toiletries and Fragrances Association disputes the report. It argues that the metals are not ingredients, but impurities -- unintentional contaminants from the manufacturing process, and so don't need to be listed on the label.>>>Excuse me, but what difference does it make how they got there if they are in the product and dangerous? How do you unintentionally contaminate with toxins? Are you getting all those glowing ingredients from a toxic landfill?

Guelph Observer
said
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It would be nice if the cosmetics industry stepped up to the plate and voluntarily cleaned up their products AND got rid of any unwanted contaminants. But that's not going to happen. They will deny, obfuscate, resist and intentionally obstruct any attempt at making information public or doing anything about it. The only alternative is to shame them into it or get these toxics out of the product trhough regulation. We will see if the 'Harper Gov't' has got the moxy to do just that. I doubt it.

CanI afford to look pretty?
said
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So, when will we get a list of these products and their brand names?

Vic Kuisma
said
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Be more specific. What companies, brand names and test results do you have. Without this info, this report pointless!

Rene
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I just read an article on nanotechnology, and the question I have is "are these trace particles nano particles". One only has to go to an art gallery and view paintings from the old masters to realize that they used heavy metals in their paints to give them a particular luster or sheen. Maybe that is being done in the cosmetics industry as well, even though the levels are acceptable under Health Canada guidelines. Of course if these heavy metal particles are nano particles, then they would be more easily absorbed through the skin into the body, and at that point we are definitely talking major health risk.

You gotta fight - for your rights
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The progressive liberal socialist standard response to EVERYTHING is: more government. Women, (and some men) if you are worried about heavy metals in make up - DON'T BUY ANY!

island girtl
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I would like cosmetics to include a full list of ingredients for allergy purposes. Metal may be a threat, but I'm tired of not knowing what is in the container. I find the 'natural' products worse for allergies. Please give us a full account of ingredients.

SAM
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It's about time !