Foundation, eye shadow, mascara, fragrances and skin products are the main beauty products that are used or bought on a daily basis. Unfortunately, when these products are bought, most people do not check the ingredients that are used to make the product. There are many chemicals in these beauty merchandise that have a bad effect on our skin.

The chemicals and acids used in beauty products could have a long term effect if not treated within a long period of time or simply used too much, such as sodium lauryl sulfate. It is mainly found in foundation, body wash, shampoo, and many other products and can cause skin irritation, eye damage, and acne. There are also parabens, which are in a lot of beauty products, but it is mainly associated with fragrances. Parabens easily penetrate the skin and enter the bloodstream. It can also be a cause of breast cancer since it is capable of mimicking the female sex hormone, estrogen. These are only two of the many other chemicals that people put on their face. Most people are unaware of there being chemicals in makeup, and are practically blinded by the beauty enhancement they see as they look in the mirror. Sophomore Beverly Vasquez says, “I’ve heard about sodium lauryl sulfate, but I don’t really remember what it is.” Other people are aware of certain effects caused by wearing makeup, but not the chemicals behind it. Freshman Sydney Romero says, “I only wear makeup Monday through Friday from 7:00 am to 3:00 pm, you know school times.” Besides not wearing it at all, an alternative to avoiding the harsh effects of makeup is wearing it for certain amount of time.

When buying products for themselves or others, it is assumed that people do not care to check what is used. Senior Fuad Ali says, “I wouldn’t check the ingredients in makeup. I would just buy my girlfriend what she asked for.” There are many chemicals in makeup that do cause long term damage even if you do not see it then. It is recommended to check the ingredients of products before purchasing them and to be aware of the effects.

Most people wear makeup as a confidence booster, expression of creativity, to make a good impression, or simply just for special occasions. It boosts people’s confidence as it hides their flaws and brings more out of their most adored features. Other people like to wear it to represent their art skills, such as James Charles. He is a makeup artist on YouTube that goes all out for his videos, aka makeup tutorials. Some use it as a way to leave a good impression on someone or a group of people. For example, many girls wear it to be seductive. But most guys, like Junior Joshua Marucheck “I mainly don’t prefer people with a lot of makeup, since some people go overboard and are practically hiding their true self behind it” he says. While simply leaving the house could be a good enough reason to wear makeup, others decide to only wear makeup when it is a special occasion, such as a party.