The recent New Zealand announcement of banning PFA’s in cosmetics by The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has got me thinking, what the heck were they doing in there in the first place and why have we been sold the idea that makeup should do more than it can actually deliver?
If the term PFA’s is a new one to you, here is a very basic description:
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) is the term given to thousands of human-made (they do not occur naturally) chemicals that are so strongly bonded, they take an extremely long time to break down, hence they are known as ‘forever chemicals’.
Some studies show they interfere with the body’s natural hormone system resulting in reproductive issues and many other symptoms & related effects. I am sure you have close friends or family member or know someone who is struggling to get pregnant or dealing with breast cancer or other symptoms that weigh heavily upon their community constellation.
It is safe to say, they are yet another part of our world's toxic picture that our already overburdened systems have to rally against.
Why do they exist?
Why did we use them in the first place?
PFA's offer a shining and smoothing performance, making formulations last longer. As they have the action of drawing moisture away from them, they do all the things to keep a "perfect face" or be a desired hair product.
Quickly we understand that the makeup industry cashes in on our insecurities, it’s driving many social trends and myths and it’s selling an unachievable outcome.
Any makeup artist that has worked in film /TV or print knows all too well makeup and hair products disintegration process. It occurs in front of our eyes, that is why we are employed all day for the upkeep. No matter the product, brand, conditions, all makeup needs to be maintained or completely re-done to keep looking fresh through-out an entire day. Sometimes I would say even an entire 20 minutes.
- Understand our worth is not based on our looks
- Celebrate aging and natural beauty
- Support clean beauty brands and advocates
- Educate ourselves, choose and buy wisely
Notes:
Some common PFAS ingredients found in cosmetics include perfluorohexylethyl triethoxysilane, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), tetradecyl aminobutyroylvalylaminobutyric urea trifluoroacetate, trifluoropropyl cyclotetrasiloxane, and trifluoropropyl cyclopentasiloxane. Often though they are not listed and still present as they can be found in non-related raw ingredients.
There are some great websites and Apps for looking into product ingredients, a few are listed below.
Resources:
https://www.epa.govt.nz/news-and-alerts/latest-news/epa-bans-forever-chemicals-in-cosmetic-products/
https://www.ewg.org/news-insights/news/2022/09/pregnant-pfas-threat-forever-chemicals-cord-blood
https://greensciencepolicy.org/news-events/blog/can-you-avoid-pfas-in-makeup
https://www.ewg.org/skindeep/