Discontentment gives rise to many issues in life as contended person lives a happy life and remains satisfied what has been granted but problems arise when wishes gain strong roots in heart and one tries to emulate others rather wants to get superior to the people around particularly when matter of beauty and appearance comes to fore. This situation triggers a blind race to improve outward appearance and this run has no end point.
BEAUTY INDUSTRY AND ILLUSIONS
Beauty industry sells dreams and boggles minds with illusions. All this is done by exploiting human psychology to look beautiful, unique and prominent. The objects of beauty are presented in a stunning way and the people are motivated to use the beauty products to look like those models. The whole beauty industry is based on this exploitation of minds and playful maneuvering of the wishes that remain embedded in the hearts of every individual. The people at large particularly the women and more specifically the young girls are hoodwinked through robust marketing strategy to have a good use of the beauty products to look attractive.
- EXCESSIVE USE
In billions and billions of households across the globe, the beauty boxes are opened and beauty products are uncapped on each morning whenever one gets ready to move to the workplace. Before each festive occasion, the practice is repeated as the people prefer to move out and come across others with makeup to have better appearance and look beautiful. One can imagine what treatment a woman particularly a young girl may find if she moves to a gathering without cosmetics and makeup. The beauty industry spent years to develop this specific mindset that is now impossible to claw itself away.
- GODLINESS
In ancient civilizations like Egyptian, Samarian, Indus, Mayan and others, the cosmetics grew its roots. In this regard, the Egyptians perhaps the pioneers. The beginning appeared to have been happened with the religious perspective as the priests motivated the women to present themselves in the worshipping places with better look because the gods and goddesses liked to see the women and young girls in shinny dresses, blushing cheeks, glowing lips and glistening eyes. This was a form of exploitation as the priests used to grind own ax in the name of gods and goddesses. If those seemingly heavenly beings were true, they would have preferred purity of heart instead of outward appearance. This mindset creeped into the minds of the people and it is still followed even with stricter standards.
- ILLUSIVE MARKET PRACTICES
The products of beauty industry such as foundation, mascara, face lotions, body lotions, soaps, shampoos, hair styling items, body spray, toothpastes, hair dying items, nail polish etc., are not risk-free as these can cause infections, bacterial spread on the body, irritation and itching of eyes, allergies and sensitivity and contaminations. Despite having such health issues, the beauty industry has never bothered to put warning on their products to make the users aware of the risk which may occur by using these items. It becomes clear that the industry is more concerned about sale of its products instead of the wellbeing of the users. This is called illusive market practices as the negative aspects are put on back burner while the positivity is projected and highlighted. However, there should be justice and fairness whatever is being done.
NO CRUELTY-FREE INGREDIENTS
Although some beauty brands such as drunk elephant claim to use cruelty-free ingredients or at least these brands propagate that their products have the chemicals at a limited level posing no health risks but the reality is all the way round. All the beauty products without any exception use chemicals having health issues. Thousands of beauty products use varied combinations of ingredients as over 12,500 chemical ingredients are used only in the US and what to say about other countries. Some chemicals used in cosmetics pose serious health hazards such as cancer, reproductive and neurological issues as these chemicals enter the body through skin, inhalation, ingestion and internal use and cause the same risks as the food chemicals. Cosmetics become even riskier when get mixed with heavy metals like arsenic, cadmium, lead, mercury, nickel and others. The beauty industry becomes even more illusive when it remains oblivion to the users’ health and continues to present the beauty items in a beautiful and presentable manner.
The hazards of beauty industry are not confined to the persons and consumers but it has some risks to the environment as it also produces solid waste, CO2 gases and other such materials. Despite all these factors, the industry is sprawling with each passing day and more products are rolled out to the markets and a larger number of people specifically the women are becoming the users. However, the situation turns painful when the factors of justice and transparency are compromised and the consumers are not given awareness about the health risks which may cause due to the use of beauty products. One should be fair enough to own the negative aspects while boasting about the positive sides.
How much do the beauty products detrimental to health?
Although beauty products are risky to health, its careful and sparing use can minimize the hazards.
Is there any regulatory body to oversea beauty industry and its products?
The cosmetics industry is regulated by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and other countries have also oversight departments.
Is it possible to avoid the beauty products of cosmetic industry?
It is possible but difficult to get rid of them as one has to opt for natural and herbal unfinished products which have a limited scope.