Cosmetic hazards and safety concerns

Public and Community Health

After researching your commonly used products, what do you think about this site?

The website is very innovative in its approach towards environmental and personal safety. First, the website is seamless to use. This is paramount in regards to views and usage of the website. Without a seamless method of navigating the website, consumers could be potentially becomes disgruntled and leave. The website identifies key information with bold, large lettering, designed to impact the consumer. The color scheme is also very inviting as many of the colors create a sense of "freshness" and "cleanliness" within the website. This is evident as the website, in its entirety, generates over 1,000,000 views each month.

The search bar is particular is very easy to use. In regards to this particular website, the search bar is the primary focus for those seeking information. As such, its ease of use is critical to the proper functioning of the entire website. When searching for common brands such as "Clinique" of "Mac" a multitude of options were displayed. As indicated on the website, the company has a database of over 71,000 products. As such, consumers have access to many of the world's most popular brands. Due to the massive availability of brands, I believe a filter on the homepage would be warranted. The search bar is large and is displayed in a prominent position. However, options to filter searches are not readily available at the home screen. This would be a welcomed addition to the website if it could be implemented on the homepage.

The tabs displayed at the top of the homepage are categorized to insure seamless use of the website. These tabs are clearly displayed and easily read by viewers. Another very important aspect is the tabs located to the left of the screen. These tabs provide information in regards to the methodology used to evaluate products, safety tips, and much more useful information. Those individuals visiting the website will find this information invaluable to their research efforts.

2) Do your products pose any health risk?

The products I research posed a moderate health risk to the environment and to the consumer. Although Clinique touts its health and natural solutions to consumers, the ingredients that comprise the product are anything but healthy. According to the website, many of Clinique's products have a very low risk of cancer. In particular the age defense BB cream has very low cancer rating. However, the product scored very highly on biochemical or cellular level changes. In addition many of the products contamination and irritation concerns regarding use. For instance, one of the ingredients, Oxybenzone creates concerns regarding skin absorption, biochemical and cellular level changes, reproductive toxicity and endocrine disruption. This ingredient alone has a score of 8 on the hazard score. Thankfully, a majority of the other ingredients in the product had hazard scores of 0 or 1. Armed with this information, consumers are in a much better decision to make informed decisions.

3) Were you surprised?

I was surprised first with the level of detail embedded within the website in regards to product specifications and ingredients. In addition, the hazard imbedded within these products is rather alarming considering their widespread usage and adoption rates. In many instances, consumers use these products on a daily basis. Without the knowledge garnered from the website, consumers are exposing themselves to hazards they may not otherwise be aware of. As a result, consumers potentially will inadvertently cause harm not only to themselves but to the environment.

4) Are you going to make changes to the products that you use?

Personally, I will be making changes to the products I use on a daily basis. Cosmetics, fragrances and other forms of beauty apparel all have their strengths and weaknesses. By utilizing this website properly, I will be in a better position to make informed decisions regarding usage. Products that I use heavily, or on a daily basis, will be replaced with more consumer friendly products. Over the long-term, both my body and the environment will realize the benefits of this change.