On one of my first days as Department Head where I work, the Head of our Marketing Department came to my office asking for a favor. Would I be willing to go downtown and do an interview for the local arts and culture show, Applause, on WVIZ, or local PBS station – and we had to leave in 15 minutes?
I said yes, partially as a favor to her, and also to help support the Department and school. I had no makeup or brush, but did have a colored lipgloss in my purse. After seeing myself I the monitor in the tv studio, I had feelings of gratitude for the lipgloss – since it made me look like I was “tv-ready” – and I almost looked like I had makeup on.
Since then, I always have promoted the use of lipgloss as a quick way to look as if you put on makeup – or as a fast way to look a little fresher or cleaned up.
I recently read about some of the discussion that has been occurring due to a feature that Dr. Oz did about lipgloss, that focused on potential health affects that can be caused by using lip gloss which contains petroleum jelly, which comes from petroleum. The health reports focus on putting this on your lips means that you end up eating it – and ingesting over 10 years on average 7 pounds.
In Europe, many petroleum jelly products have been banned, and scientists are concerned that the use of lipgloss might be linked to cancer. Studies have shown that women with breast cancer have twice the levels of hydrocarbons (substances found in petroleum jelly) in their breasts than women who haven’t had breast cancer.
What can be used instead? Getting a product that does not has mineral oil or petroleum jelly. Lipglosses can be made with beeswax, or other natural materials that are.
Yesterday I headed to the coop – to get a new lipgloss that does not contain mineral oil or petroleum. I haven’t gotten rid of my other glosses yet… I am still checking the ingredients and working on getting ready to let them go (I think.)