a nny rRCT \\ I iM co BLT Your Cosmetics: How Safe Are They? (NAPSA)—Are you dying to be beautiful? Some cosmetic products—designed to make us more beautiful and marketed as tools to improve our lives—could actually be having toxic effects on our health. Some may even be deadly, a leading environmental journalist believes. In her new book Drop-Dead Gorgeous: Protecting Yourself from the Hidden Dangers of Cosmetics (Contemporary Books. $16.95), author Kim Erickson exposes the little-known truth behind the cosmetics industry. Among the book’s revelations: Each day, consumers are exposed to some 200 synthetic chemicals found in beauty products and personal care items. * Cosmetics and their toxins are being associated with the growing incidence of ovarian cancer, leukemia and other killer diseases. * Deadly cosmetic chemicals are finding their way into our streams and drinking water. Although skin, hair, body and beauty products are loaded with potential irritants, carcinogens and hormone disrupters that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has identified as hazardous, Erickson tells why the FDAis virtually powerless to protect consumers against these hazards. In small doses, these toxins and chemicals may not be immediately harmful, but the cumulative effects of all of our beauty products, coupled with years of repeated exposure, can have an adverseeffect. Fortunately, consumers can fight back, armed with the guidelines in Drop-Dead Gorgeous: Learn how to read andinterpret ingredients on product labels and learn the “Nine Deadly Ingre- ( , a Each day, consumers are exposed to some 200 synthetic chemicals found in beauty products and personal care items, a new book reveals. dients” commonly found in cosmetics, shampoos, lotions, toothpaste and more, including formaldehyde, lead andtale. Discover which well-known companies that claim to care about our health by offering “natural” or “organic” products still use a soup of synthetic and hazardous ingredients—and which large and small companies offer safer, nontoxic alternatives. Find out how to make your own moisturizers, bath oils, shampoos and conditioners, lotions and more, from “Henna Hair Coloring” to an “Oatmeal and Honey Mask.” You'll also find treatments for everything from acne and eczema to brittle nails and dandruff. To learn moreor to order a copy of Drop-Dead Gorgeous, visit www.creatinghealthybeauty.com.
