During the past 24 hours, I’ve read dozens of articles about how women of color are disproportionally exposed to toxic chemicals in beauty products. Every article cited the same source—a commentary published this week in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology—and listed life-threatening side effects. Many went on to explain that women of color are more at risk than white women because of racial stereotypes and beauty standards—harmful ingredients found in hair relaxers, skin-bleaching creams, and unnecessary vaginal douches were specifically called out.
As I read, I was equal parts furious, relieved, and a little confused. Of course we should be talking about the price women pay to fit into beauty-standard boxes. We should openly discuss the fact that we live in a world where how you look can get you sent home from school or cost you your livelihood. But nothing I read told me, a woman of color, how I could avoid poisoning myself. There was zero advice on how to shop for beauty products safely or what brands and ingredients to avoid. So I reached out the lead author of the commentary, Dr. Ami Zota, to figure out where this scientific data fits into the daily lives of women in America.
Dr. Zota made clear that she and her colleagues weren’t presenting new data, but were using recent research to draw attention to a serious and often undiscussed issue: Trying to adhere to Western European beauty standards is costing women their health and, in some cases, their lives. The commentary—think of it kind of a as an expertly curated Pinterest board of facts—pointed to studies conducted in the United States and around the world. The facts are clear: Women of color spend more on beauty products than white women. Women of color use skin-lightening, hair-straightening, and vaginal-douching products more than white women. And women of color have been found to have higher levels of dangerous toxins like mercury and parabens in their blood than white women. When packaged together, along with some disturbing findings like “black women’s natural hair was rated as ‘less attractive’ and ‘less professional’ than when it was straightened,” Zota’s work paints a compelling picture of a dangerous trend. But she’s quick to assert that there’s more to the story and that there are ways that women of color can actively protect themselves.
For starters, Zota recommends keeping an eye out for potentially harmful ingredients while you shop. “Some types of chemicals are more clearly labeled so you can attempt to avoid them,” she told me. “You can reduce your exposure by reading labels. Parabens, for example, are more likely to be listed on packaging and labels so you can look for things that are paraben-free.” But finding key words on ingredients lists isn’t enough. “Other types of chemicals are less likely to be labeled, typically because they’re in fragrances,” Zota said. “The FDA doesn’t require companies to list the individual components of fragrance. Historically, that’s the one place that contaminants, like phthalates, are found.”
You can also keep yourself informed on a daily basis using websites like the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep, which lists known chemicals in beauty products. You can search through brands or look up specific products that have been researched. While Zota doesn’t endorse EWG certification as a sole means of preventing exposure to toxins, it’s one more way to vet potential dangers.
A third factor, one that hasn’t been making the rounds in recent coverage, is that there’s another marginalized group with the umbrella “women of color” who are at the greatest risk. “Most of the literature we cited looked at immigrant women [in the United States] who were bringing in products from other countries or buying their products in small stores that are getting cosmetics from questionable sources.”
Being aware of the potentially harmful unregulated products made available to women in this country is a hugely important part of her research. “We’re not trying to fear-monger, and I’m not a fan of sensational headlines. We’re really trying to educate people, because we are learning that some contaminants, even at a low level, when used on a daily basis can have implications on reproductive health and the health of one’s offspring.”
While I’m thrilled that we’re talking about the injustices women of color face every day, it’s also important that we don’t just read, feel awful, and then move on. There’s a reason women of color are more exposed to harmful toxins in beauty products. There are ways to protect ourselves and to deal with the real, deep-rooted issues that create these problems in the first place. The conversation should continue. We need to keep talking.
Related Stories:
–I Thought We Were Done Policing Black Hair?
–President Obama Talks Black Hair and the Pressures His Daughters Feel to Look a Certain Way
–“I Want to Show Girls It’s Not Bad to Be Dark—Different Is Beautiful”
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