If you saw the movie Cat Woman, you’ll remember the subplot was about a cosmetics company peddling a cream named Beauline that literally turned Sharon Stone’s face to stone. The cream worked miracles for a while, but in the end it made people sick and disfigured. People were dieing trying to be beautiful.

Many people have never heard the term endocrine disruptor, but just like the fictitious Beauline, endocrine disruptors will eventually make people sick and disfigured.

The endocrine system consists of glands that control vital functions–growth, fertility, sexuality. The glands release hormones that tell organs what to do—release an egg, grow hair, produce insulin, make sperm. Synthetic hormones found in perfumes, cosmetics, and skin care products disrupt this system. The synthetic hormones displace the natural ones.

Endocrine disruptors—synthetic hormones—mimic natural hormones. They are the reason that six year old girls enter puberty or young boys develop breasts. They’re dumped into the environment via the manufacturing process and the toilet and cause wildlife to have abnormalities as well. Fish have been found to have both sex organs.

With all that the endocrine system controls, you can see why it’s necessary to choose what goes in/on/near your body carefully. Your health is at stake. Perhaps you know someone who has chemical sensitivity and gets sick from perfume. Don’t think because it doesn’t bother you that you’re not getting sick from it because you are getting sick—just much more slowly.

Think of all the weird autoimmune and inflammatory diseases that women are more prone to–lupus, fibromyalgia, arthritis. Women consume much more skin care products than men. Have you ever wondered how much of that is related to the toxins in cosmetics?

Many chemicals in cosmetics have not been tested at all. The FDA has no power to remove something from the market. A good source to find out how safe your skin care products are is Skin Deep. Check out the ingredients in your cosmetics and then check them out on Skin Deep. Find out if they’re bonafide toxins or on the suspected list. You’ll be surprised at how many of the most popular brands are truly dangerous to your health.