Cosmetics

Cosmetics are highly toxic. While I personally don't use them aside from shampoo and conditioner, I know that many other women do. Many girls will start wearing make-up in their teens or even earlier.
 * Importance**

What inspired me to learn more about this was a presentation by one of my classmates for another class. I wondered what sort of impact it would have if young girls were to learn about how bad cosmetics are for them. Would they decide not to use them? I think I recall my mom explaining to me when I was younger that most nail polish and such are toxic (besides the fact that I've always been something more of a tomboy).


 * Ideas**
 * Story of Cosmetics http://www.youtube.com/storyofstuffproject#p/u/4/pfq000AF1i8
 * Another good message: that girls don't have to wear lots of make-up or perfume to look beautiful and that it is possible to look pretty without harming your body
 * Perhaps some sort of label-reading and research contest; the kids would be given a certain number of different cosmetics and then have to find out what the effects of the ingredients in them are
 * One cosmetic per team would probably be enough
 * Could also increase scientific/media literacy; perhaps another activity would be to read some research (probably not an actual scientific article, depends on the age of the kids) on toxins in make-up or read something about why make-up is toxic.
 * Social science


 * Supplies:** computer (or print-out of the various resources listed below), projector and screen or access to a large TV to screen film, cosmetics (toxic ones and natural ones), and a worksheet and a pencil for each child.


 * Workshop:**** First, I would ask the children what they know about cosmetics. Do they use them? Do their parents use them? I would ask them what they know about connections between cosmetics and the environment, or cosmetics and human health. Next, the //Story of Cosmetics// would be screened.

After this, we would look at the cosmetics and the sites and articles online and in print. Each participant would be given a worksheet with a few pertinent questions as well as ingredients to look for in the cosmetics. The children would be given about twenty minutes to explore and ask questions.

Finally, we would spend the last twenty minutes discussing our findings. We would also talk about society’s views on beauty, and whether cosmetics are necessary for beauty and why. If there is time, we might also discuss advertisements effects on how people view beauty.


 * Resources**
 * []
 * [] This site lists common chemicals in make-up and how toxic the chemicals are; more research should be done to make sure that this site is accurate (since it promotes natural make-up and therefore may be biased), but it looks like it is probably a good site.
 * [] Another "ingredient directory".
 * [|http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=Ud0jOl-8eG4C&oi=fnd&pg=PA1&dq=cosmetics+toxic&ots=xvNDtf3zta&sig=zJLUU10JerR0irmryqDJhXHh1zE#v=onepage&q=cosmetics%20toxic&f=false] Definitely at a higher reading level than kids the target age would be at, but still a useful resource