Beauty Toxins Cause Chronic Illness for Profit: The Scam of Beauty Marketing

By Kaci Baez

A lot of people are unknowingly using products every single day that may be harmful. Just because it’s been approved by the FDA doesn’t mean it’s safe! Companies are profiting off of the side effects caused by the toxins in beauty products and medications. Millions of people, especially women, are being sickened by marketers, plastic surgeons, injectors, prescribers, and other scammers telling them that they are not already beautiful to begin with. Stop believing these lies! Most prescription products are a quick side effect fix that cause more side effects. A healthy lifestyle can go a long way to healing yourself from the inside out!

Since 2009, 595 cosmetics manufacturers have reported using 88 chemicals, in more than 73,000 products, that have been linked to cancer, birth defects or reproductive harm; many can cause neurological problems. More companies are now offering  “clean beauty” products, a term that is used widely and might be confusing. Clean beauty is a label for cosmetics and skincare products that are free from harmful chemicals and are considered non-toxic or carcinogenic. These products are made without ingredients that can damage health or the environment, such as: parabens, phthalates, sulfates, synthetic fragrances, talc, hydroquinone, and refined petroleum. Clean beauty products are not necessarily chemical-free, all natural, or organic.

It is important to note  U.S. law does not require personal care, cosmetic products and ingredients, except for color additives, to be approved by FDA before they go on the market. 

The laws governing beauty and skincare products like Botox and fillers are so limited that known cancer-causing chemicals, or carcinogens, are legally allowed by the FDA in personal care products and the majority of prescription drugs. Some carcinogens, such as formaldehyde, are widely present in these products. Botox, one of the most poisonous biological substances in the world, is a neurotoxin extracted from the bacterium Clostridium botulinum, found in soil, plants, and animal intestines. 

There are hundreds of thousands of people who have reported side effects from these poison-filled products. You can find their stories in Facebook support groups and on Reddit. Published information by the manufacturer of Botox clearly states that almost 25% of people get UTIs after receiving Botox. The toxin can travel along the nerves and lodge in the central nervous system, leading to difficulty swallowing, muscle weakness, paralysis, seizures, and, ultimately, respiratory failure and death. And, according to an aesthetician I spoke to here in Austin, Texas, cosmetic injections should NOT be received if you have other existing conditions such as autoimmune problems. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention one year ago said 17 people from nine states, 13 of whom were hospitalized, became ill after receiving Botox injections from counterfeit or unverified sources or from practitioners who did not follow local and state requirements.

Botox has a 16% reported complication rate in facial injections, while fillers have serious risks like vascular occlusion leading to blindness or stroke.

A neurotoxin gave me chronic UTIs, EXTREME unexplained anxiety, and landed me in the ER!

Toxic Chemicals in Beauty Products Used Daily Cause Serious Harm

The list of toxic chemicals legally allowed in beauty products is so vast and mind-boggling that it is hard to know how to keep yourself safe as a consumer. My favorite way to look for clean makeup products is by using the “Clean at Sephora” filter. There are also many good skincare products that are non-toxic. The one area I still have a hard time finding clean options in are hair products; that research is still ongoing. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) has a database of products rated by toxic chemical concerns; this is one place to start but can be overwhelming. 

According to the EWG, every day, consumers in the U.S. are exposed to an average of two ingredients linked to cancer and two linked to chemicals that can harm the reproductive and development systems. Commonly used chemicals like parabens mimic estrogen and can lead to hormonal balances and breast cancer. According to the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, phthalates are still widely used and linked to cancer, developmental and reproductive toxicity, and endocrine disruption, although phthalates are banned in the European Union.

According to the EWG, no category of consumer products is subject to less government oversight than cosmetics and other personal care products. Per the MD Anderson Cancer, “Even a low dose should cause concern, especially if you use the product every day.” Some states have passed laws limiting toxic product chemicals, but they are still not banned entirely. 

Among the toxic chemicals that should be banned, and have been banned in Europe and other countries, include:

  • Formaldehyde, a known carcinogen.

  • Paraformaldehyde, a type of formaldehyde.

  • Methylene glycol, a type of formaldehyde.

  • Quaternium 15, which releases formaldehyde.

  • Mercury, which can damage the kidneys and nervous system.

  • Dibutyl and diethylhexyl phthalates, which disrupt hormones and damage the reproductive system.

  • Isobutyl and isopropyl parabens, which disrupt hormones and harm the reproductive system.

  • The long-chain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances known as PFAS, which have been linked to cancer.

  • M- and o-phenylenediamine, used in hair dyes, which irritate and sensitize the skin, damage DNA and can cause cancer.

Always be careful with labels that say “natural” or “organic” as these products can still potentially be harmful. Also, be careful what you let your kids use: A study by scientists at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health and Earthjustice found that most children in the United States use makeup and body products that may contain carcinogens and other toxic chemicals.

My favorite clean beauty brands include e.l.f, Saie, Illia, Farmacy, Tata Harper, and Kosas.

Beauty does not have to make you sick: you are already beautiful.