All the ingredients of a beauty product have a purpose, a function. Of course, they wouldn't be in there otherwise. Some make the product smell good, some make the product look good, some make the product feel good but others have a more basic function. In fact those with a more basic function are almost a necessity.
Most of these chemicals are widely used across the beauty industry because they are known to be good at their job. Let's take preservatives for example. Parabens are the most commonly used preservatives because they are considered the most effective. In fact, Avon say they see no alternative to parabens. If manufacturers want their products to have a decent shelf-life (most cosmetics can usually be kept in your bathroom cabinet for around 2 years) then they have to include preservatives.
If the suggestions that parabens are harmful are proved then what will manufacturers do? Plus the banning of parabens might not only upset manufacturers ... many consumers may be rather irritated that they have to use up their products so quickly.
Another example is PPD - a chemical used in hair dyes. The amount of this chemical allowed for use in hair-dyes has just been reduced because it is now considered harmful when used above a certain concentration. However, it has not been banned completely. Surely if a chemical is considered harmful at all then it really shouldn't be allowed in our (everyday - for some) beauty products.
Manufacturers claim that there is no alternative to PPD - it is the best chemical available to dye hair permanently. So could this be a clue to why it hasn't been banned completely - industry pressure?
These potentially harmful chemicals, over which there is considerable debate, seem to cause a bit of a problem: most of them are a necessity to make our beauty products do what they are supposed to do but concern is growing about their effect on human health. It seems ... we can't live with them, we can't live without them.
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