Bring the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics to Your Campus!

Even if you're not back at school yourself this month, you probably know a middle school, high school or college student looking forward to new cosmetics and clothing purchases.

But what's going on inside those bottles and jars in the shower caddy you or your daughter totes to the dorm bathroom? Since the cosmetics industry is virtually unregulated, it is perfectly legal for Bumble and Bumble Curl Conscious Shampoo to contain hidden, potentially hazardous fragrance ingredients and ingredients likely to be contaminated with carcinogens, St. Ives Gentle Apricot Scrub to contain chemicals linked to cancer and organ toxicity, Neutrogena Lip Plush lipstick to contain a chemical that can readily absorb through skin and is linked to developmental toxicity and Clearasil Total Control Gentle Cleansing Wipes to contain a chemical that even the cosmetics industry says should not be used on damaged skin.

Students shouldn't have to be chemistry majors to understand the long list of ingredients in their personal care products, nor should they need training in toxicology to figure which of those chemicals are hazardous and how they might put their health at risk.

This fall, there's tons you can do to spread the word on campus:

Invite friends and family to sign up for our action alerts.

Visit our Web site's Take Action section for on-campus action ideas, like starting a Campaign chapter at your school.

Host a dorm-friendly Healthy Cosmetics Party with the help of our handy how-to party kit, which includes easy recipes for whipping up masks, scrubs and lip balms made from natural ingredients.

Download, e-mail and/or print our brochure, Unmasked: 10 Ugly Truths Behind the Myth of Cosmetic Safety. It's a great overview of the issue that gets people talking.

Before your next trip to the drugstore/mall/superstore, check out the growing list of companies that have signed the Compact for Safe Cosmetics, a pledge to make safer products. See where the brands you already use rank on the safety scale-and find safer alternatives-with the Skin Deep database.

The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics is working to convince manufacturers that safe personal care products make sense for business and their customers' health. We're also advocating for smarter laws that mandate safer products that everyone can access and afford. These are no small tasks-we'll need some student power to help make this a reality!