Are your cheeks naturally ruddy? Or do you try to add a little boost of color sometimes? Blush – whether cream, gel, or powder – is helpful as long as it’s healthy. (Who wants to add a healthy glow if the glow is truly unhealthy?)
The Environmental Working Group rated 637 blushes – and the good news is there are 190 safe varieties (rated as low hazards) on the market. (There also are 421 blushes ranked as moderate hazards.)
A total of 24 blushes are ranked as high hazards all because of 4 toxins: butylparaben, propylparaben, quaternium-15, and retinyl palmitate. (For the record, each hazardous blush includes some kind of paraben.)
What’s so wrong with these four ingredients?
Butylparaben and propylparabens are parabens that are toxic to your reproductive system and development. Parabens also accumulate in breast tumors.
Quaternium-15 is a disinfectant and preservative that releases formaldehyde. That causes a problem because formaldehyde is a known human immune system toxicant, as well as a human skin toxicant. It can trigger blistering, burning, itchy, scaly skin and hives, and respiratory reactions. It also triggers allergies and is toxic to your organs.
Retinyl (vitamin A) palmitate is toxic to your reproductive system and organs.
The bottom line
Like all cosmetics we’ve covered this month, please be encouraged that there are dozens of safe options on store shelves. Just be sure that you choose one without toxins!
Talk back
What’s your favorite blush? Do you prefer cream, gel or a powder-based variety?
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