LLHL 127 - Health and Beauty Products: The Good, the Bad, the Ugly

Did you know that the Food & Drug Administration does not require companies to test health and beauty products for safety before they hit store shelves? That means it's up to you to understand if harmful ingredients are in the personal care products you use every day. Chemicals, additives, fragrances, and dyes wouldn't be an issue if our skin weren't so good at absorbing stuff. But it is, and if you use several personal care products each day, toxic exposure can add up quickly. In this class, we'll learn which are the major ingredients to avoid and why, which beneficial ingredients you should look for instead, tips for reading and understanding labels, and how to determine if an ingredient is harmful on an on-going basis. Students are encouraged to bring one personal product to class for analysis.