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Is The Need to Use Pure Skincare Products Just Alarmist Hype?

To me this question is a lot like smoking in the 1960's – when you talk to someone that was a smoker back then, they usually say "we didn't know it was bad for us." Maybe... but they suspected it was bad. I don't believe that it never crossed anyone's mind that smoking might not be the greatest idea. And just because the technology was not available to PROVE it was bad, common sense kept at least some people from lighting up.

So goes the pure skincare debate. At best, ingredients used in most cosmetics and skincare products are unproven; at worst, some ingredients are known carcinogens. As a WebMd article put it:

"The evidence may not be as definitive as some would like, but there are some strong associations suggesting women routinely exposed to some of these ingredients may increase their risk of developing breast cancer later in life, " says Vassar College professor Janet Gray, PhD, who, together with experts from the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, compiled a report on what we know so far about the environmental links to breast cancer.

And so, the adage "better safe than sorry" comes to mind when considering the importance of using pure skincare products. We just don't know what the lasting effects the cosmetic and skincare products we use will have. Thus the burgeoning pure skincare industry. While they can be tough to come by, there are more and more new products available that provide truly pure skincare options. And they're not patchouli oil and mud masks. Anti-aging products like the Miessence Firming Eye & Neck Serum provide best-in-class results right along with the peace of mind that comes from knowing it's a pure skincare product.

And much like any health issue, the need for pure skincare is particularly crucial with moms-to-be or families with young kids. The WebMd article offers more calm, rationale perspective:

"Will you get cancer, or harm your baby, because you use lipstick? Very unlikely, But what worries those of us involved with cancer prevention is that we don't know the cumulative effects of these chemicals, or the synergistic effects of one chemical with another, or what role the chemicals found in cosmetics will play when viewed in the broader scope of the overall chemical exposure we get from all facets of our life, " says Julia Smith, director of the Lynne Cohen Breast and Ovarian Cancer Prevention Program at the NYU Cancer Institute in New York City.