Look-Good-Feel-Better Organization Using Chemical-Laden Products on Cancer Patients

By Britta Aragon on October 23, 2009 | 4 Comments

The “Look Good, Feel Better” (LGFB) organization has done a lot of great things for many people across the nation. Formed by the American Cancer Society (ACC) and the Personal Care Products Council, it regularly gives workshops to cancer patients, teaching them beauty tips and offering them cosmetics to help them feel more confident and beautiful even while they’re going through the fight of their lives.

Unfortunately, amidst all their great accomplishments, LGFB is treading a dangerous line between encouraging health and promoting harm. A lot of the products they give out to cancer patients during their workshops contain the very ingredients cancer patients should be avoiding, including potential carcinogens and hormone disruptors. According to Mia Davis, National Grassroots Coordinator of the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, some of the corporate donors for LGFB are companies that not only use suspect ingredients, but actively lobby against legislation that would make cosmetics safer.

“The system is clearly broken when we allow carcinogens in products given to cancer patients,” Davis says. “And it is simply egregrious that some large companies that could make safer products are not doing so, and are instead launching projects like Look Good, Feel Better, and profiting off pink ribbons.”

Fighter Elizabeth concurs: “I went to the Look Good, Feel Good [sic] class by the ACC. They get all their samples from the cosmetic companies. I was really upset that they were passing out all this makeup that was bad for me.”

Newly diagnosed cancer fighter Meenu adds, “It has been frustrating and deeply disappointing to me that the program encourages the use of toxic and carcinogenic cosmetics for cancer patients….”

The problem seems to be inherent in LGFB’s “brand neutral” philosophy. So far, they refuse to take a stand against any particular brand of product. “I used to volunteer as a cosmetologist for LGFB,” says Beverly, “and quit after a 2-hour long mandatory training session that basically told us not to express any opinion about the safety of the cosmetics….We were supposed to be more ‘brand neutral;’ however, the act of giving cancer patients a bag of cosmetics was totally endorsing the manufacturers.”

We don’t want to take away from all the good that LGFB is doing. Patients attending the workshops often come out feeling much better than when they walked in. Still, we can’t help but point out the glaring hypocrisy of preaching hope while dishing out danger. Isn’t there a better way to help cancer patients look and feel better without pumping them full of more dangerous chemicals?

Note from Britta, Cinco Vidas Founder: If you’re wondering what products you can use during your cancer treatments, this blog offers a lot of information. I actually started it to eliminate the confusion and give you information that will keep you safe and still looking good.  Here are a few tips when navigating through all the products out there:
• Read labels—make sure the product doesn’t include any of these chemical ingredients.
• Click on our Side Effects category to find tips, natural remedies, and non-toxic, safe recommendations to help you deal with the side effects of cancer treatment.
• Make sure you stay away from harsh, aggressive products.
• Sometimes the ingredients to help soothe your sensitive and inflamed skin are right in your kitchen.
• Check the Skin Deep website to see the toxicity rating of your current formulas. Know that your skin changes during chemotherapy and radiation and you will most likely have to switch to more gentle, safer formulas for sensitive skin.
• Send us a message if we can help you in any other way!

Have any thoughts, comments and concerns about the LGFB organization? Let us know.

Photo courtesy AnnArbor.com via Flickr.com.

Posted in: Toxic Talk and Labels

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