Do you know the true price you're paying when you buy cosmetics direct?

Are you one of those ladies who like to buy cosmetics direct? You know what I mean…your eyes peep the little booklet or catalog full of colorful cosmetics, skin care, perfumes, and the like. You then get in touch with your rep or order online, and it’s usually at pretty good prices. I’m wondering if you know the true price you’re paying for buying cosmetics directly from a representative or a catalog? I’ve been on both sides of the fence so I can tell you the truth behind this highly lucrative industry.

A few years ago, I was at a teacher workshop and decided to wear my shirt which read, “Green is the new pink!” I am a proud “greenie” and not afraid to show it! A fellow teacher saw my shirt and approached me. We started talking and I found out she was a representative for a natural cosmetics company, the kind where you could only buy through her. We eventually set up a lunch date where she introduced me to the company and its line of products. I thought this would be a great opportunity to earn extra money while promoting safe and healthy products at the same time. I was so excited! My excitement quickly turned to skepticism as I noticed in the catalog (and online) there were no ingredients listed. This immediately brought up a red flag and my excitement turned into disbelief. When ingredients in most beauty products are not readily disclosed, there’s usually something shady going on. Wouldn’t you agree?

Just to make absolutely sure my judgment was correct, I attended a product expo where she gave me a printout (available only to reps) of the ingredients. When I saw the ingredients, I immediately told her I couldn’t continue working with her. I’m normally not a quitter on anything I’ve started but I do have standards! One of my standards is to not promote anything I wouldn’t use myself. Believe me, this has closed more than a few doors for me, business wise, but it’s something I WILL NOT compromise.

I have a big issue with companies which market themselves as “natural” and claim they use safe, botanical ingredients but forget to list the other man made petrochemicals in their products. I have found this to be the case for many natural cosmetics products. Is this an innocent oversight on their part? I’ll let you call it. When I noticed this at the product expo, I confronted the rep about it and she continued to insist the ingredients were safe. What it comes down to is you really need to be informed so YOU can judge for yourself and make a more informed decision. So my question to you is, “When you buy cosmetics direct, do you really know the risks you’re exposing you and your family to?”

Cosmetics Direct- What’s the Big Deal Anyway?

Many women want part time jobs or other streams of income to supplement their earnings. One of the easiest ways to do this is to being a cosmetics rep. It’s an awesome way for many stay-at-home moms or ladies who have their own businesses to supplement what they already do. But do these women really know about the cosmetics they promote? When is the line drawn between profits and responsibility? I think the main problem lies somewhere in ignorance. What do I mean by that? Well, many of these women use the same products they sell, naively unaware of the dangers they’re exposing themselves and their customers to. For example, the rep who was trying to recruit me had no idea her supposedly natural cosmetics contained toxic chemicals. Most of the women pushing products don’t know they contain cancer causing ingredients such as parabens, sodium laurel sulfate, and lead. If some of them do know then they’re in denial about it. They figure, if it’s being sold, it’s safe for use. That’s not necessarily the case. When I see people selling this stuff, I just shake my head and politely decline their catalog or offer. I then think to myself, “If they only knew.”

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Cosmetics Direct- Why oh Why?

It has to make you wonder…why do cosmetic companies sell products with ingredients proven to cause disease? They even sell products stamped with a “pink ribbon.” We all know what it means…breast cancer awareness. Isn’t it ironic that the lipstick or lotion stamped with the pink ribbon caused the cancer in the first place? They’re marketing to the women who need safe makeup with an unsafe product …and people eat it up out of ignorance. This is why I boycott all products with a pink ribbon. It’s not that I don’t support women with breast cancer, I just don’t support the marketing of breast cancer from greedy corporations whose products cause disease. The big question is why do the companies use ingredients they know will make you sick? I have a theory…It comes down to one word: profits. Of course, using lower quality ingredients will keep their costs down, allowing them to earn more revenue. Its always profits before people for most corporations. I don’t think ignorance is a factor at all here. I believe they know exactly what they’re doing. They choose the toxic ingredients because they’re cheaper and most consumers don’t know the risks, so they figure, we have nothing to lose. Well, that’s about to change with groups like the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, Teens Turning Green, and folks like me bringing more attention to the toxic ingredients in cosmetics. Are you someone who’s ready to be open to the truth?

Is the wool over your eyes when it comes to unsafe cosmetics?

Cosmetics Direct- Guidelines for Safer Cosmetics

What’s the true price for a cheap tube of lipstick or giant bottle of artificially scented vanilla lotion? You’re trading a few dollars for skin problems, cancer, hormonal imbalances, and more. Is it really worth it? You might be saving a few dollars now, but you’ll be paying a bigger price later. There are ways to avoid the cosmetics direct problem. Look for small, independent companies, many who are family owned but don’t necessarily have to be. You can also seek out indie brands which are started by people who have had enough of the mainstream. People who create indie products usually create safe mixtures they wouldn’t hesitate to use on themselves or their own families. The best way to avoid the cosmetics direct “film flam” is to be an educated consumer. You have to know your ingredients like the back of your hand and use sites likes mine and the Skindeep Database. Never forget this mantra: if you can’t pronounce it, don’t put it on your skin!

What are your thoughts on buying cosmetics direct? Are you for or against it? Are you or have you ever been a rep? Strong opinions are welcome. Feel free to leave your comment below and let’s start a dialogue!

Stay natural…stay beautiful…go green!