According to the University of Illinois, the average woman in the United States uses 12 products a day. But women aren’t the only ones. The average man uses six.
Worse, the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics notes that those six personal care products may contain more than 80 unique chemicals.
Surprised? Count up the number of products you use per day, including toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner, shaving cream, aftershave, deodorant, moisturizer, sunscreen, hair gel, and more, and you may find your daily number is a lot higher than six-meaning you could be absorbing and breathing in even more than 80 chemicals a day.
Men Using More Products Than Ever
Many studies have linked chemicals in personal care products to potential health problems in both men and women. And as men become more concerned with their appearance and use more products, they could soon be using close to the same amount of products per day as women.
In fact, an April 2013 report indicated that over the next five years, men are expected to drive an increase in spending on personal care products in the United Arab Emirates-and we’re seeing the same increase here in the States.
If you’re wondering what might be lurking in your products that could be bad for your health, here are a few examples:
- Phthalates: Linked with childhood asthma, diabetes, and developmental problems, phthalates like diethyl phthalate (DEP) are often found in cologne, aftershave, shaving cream, shampoos, and deodorants. In fact, the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics reports that Quicksilver, Calvin Cline Eternity for Men, and Old Spice After Hours Body Spray all contain DEP.
- Lead acetate: A known reproductive toxicant, lead acetate is found in men’s hair and beard colorants, including Men’s Grecian Hair Formula and Youthair Hair Color for Men.
- Formaldehyde: A known carcinogen, formaldehyde is found in many shampoos and body washes. It can also trigger allergic reactions.
- Triclosan: A popular antibacterial, this ingredient is found in soaps and deodorants, but is linked with hormone disruption, and the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacterial.
How to Protect Yourself
Why not choose safer products? There’s really no need to risk your health with personal care products that contain questionable ingredients. Instead, try these tips:
- Check your products against the Skin Deep Database to see how hazardous they may be. Look for those with 0-2 ratings.
- Start reading labels. Look for more than just the masculine colors and names-what’s inside the product is what matters. If you see a lot of ingredients you can’t pronounce, consider looking in your Whole Foods store or local organic section for better options.
- Avoid products with ingredients like triclosan, fragrance, PEGs, parabens, DMDM hydantoin, and the other ingredients listed in my Ingredients to Avoid.
- Instead of aftershave, try my Rescue + Relief Spray-full of soothing, natural ingredients that will instantly cool, calm, and soften your skin. Follow with Calming Moisture to help skin recover and to keep it hydrated.
- For dry, flaking, cracking hands worn from a hard day’s work, try my Restorative Skin Balm for a safe, nourishing salve certain to have you waking up to smoother, more comfortable skin.
Guys, do you find yourself being more careful of the personal care products you use? We’d love to hear from you!
Picture courtesy graur razvan ionut, via freedigitalphotos.net.
Sources
Gillian Duncan, “Men to drive rise in UAE spending for personal-care products this year,” The National, April 23, 2013, http://www.thenational.ae/business/industry-insights/retail/men-to-drive-rise-in-uae-spending-for-personal-care-products-this-year.
