Cosmetics and paints

For thousands of years of human history, people have used naturally obtained materials as cosmetics — sandalwood, turmeric, neem, plant extracts and clays — for cleanliness, beauty, health and a pleasing appearance.

Today perfumes, bleaching creams, powder, hair dyes and bleaches, deodorants and lip colours are used. They contain natural or synthetic oils, colourings, fragrances, volatile substances and preservatives — mostly complex organic compounds. Perfumes and deodorants contain alcohol, esters and volatile substances.

• Overuse causes disorders in some people, including headache, nausea and sometimes breathing difficulty.
• Many lip colours contain lead; constant use can dry and crack the lips.
• Some creams contain mercury; some contain a compound that stops the skin making the pigment melanin, removing its natural protection from ultraviolet rays and raising the risk of skin cancer, and damaging connective tissue.
• Long use of some creams can damage the liver, kidneys and brain; hair dyes and bleaches cause allergies — itching, hair loss, swelling, cancer and sometimes death.

Why natural is not always safe, nor artificial always harmful

The point is not that every modern product is dangerous; it is to know what is in it and to use it in moderation. Hidden lead and mercury, and pigment-blocking chemicals in skin-lightening creams, are the real risks, and they build up with daily use over years. Reading the label and choosing products without heavy metals protects both you and the water they end up in. Paint solvents evaporate into the air you breathe, so paint in a well-aired room.