I don’t know about you, but I’m always on the hunt the perfect mascara. I want one that gives me volume, length and curl without breaking the bank. But according to dermatologists, there’s one important factor we’re probably not considering when we make our purchase: the ingredients! In fact, experts advise checking labels for a specific harmful ingredient that could be secretly hiding in your drugstore mascara.
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You may have to read the tiny print, but it's worth watching out for aluminum powder. It's a metallic substance used to color cosmetics and it's believed to be one of the worst kinds of neurotoxins. According to a study published in the Pediatrics journal, aluminum has been linked to interfering with a variety of metabolic and cellular processes in the nervous system and other tissues.
Long-term exposure to aluminum powder can impair the body's ability to excrete mecury, which can cause dangerous levels of the metal to build up in your system.
While the FDA has deemed aluminum powder safe to use in most cosmetics, the ingredient is currently banned in lip products, as these have the potential to be ingested. Seems like this is enough evidence to raise some red flags...
Aluminum powder is also present in highly pigmented shadows, so you'll probably want to check the labels of those products, too. Play it safe and opt for a natural version like Real Purity eyeshadow duos, which score fairly well on the Environmental Working Group's database. And of course, it can't hurt to try an organic mascara as well!
