There has been some controversy in recent years about the safety of cosmetics products that contain ingredients known or suspected to cause cancer, birth defects, or other reproductive harm. Some groups view the use of these products to be safe and argue that exposure by these products is too low to be dangerous. Other groups view these products as suspect and argue that the exposure from these products is chronic, and, therefore, a cause for concern.1 Since there is no definitive answer to this question, consumers need to make educated decisions about what products they feel safe using. As an aesthetician, it is incredibly important to know what, if any, potentially harmful chemicals are in the products you use, so you can help your clients make informed decisions during treatments. It is also important for you to encourage your clients to educate themselves about the products they use at home. In January, the state of California launched a website that makes finding this information easier. The Safe Cosmetics Program Product Database provides information on over 30,000 cosmetic products, and website users can find out if their favorite cosmetics products contain any of the 900 chemicals deemed harmful by California’s Proposition 65.2 References1 Barrett, Julia R. “Chemical Exposures: The Ugly Side of Beauty Products.” National Center for Biotechnology Information. 25 June 2005. U.S. National Library of Medicine. 16 Jan. 2014. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1253722/.2 Yeomans, Michelle. “California state cosmetics database in place after 9 years.” CosmeticsDesign.com USA. 13 Jan. 2014. 16 Jan. 2014. http://www.cosmeticsdesign.com/Product-Categories/Color-Cosmetics/California-state-cosmetics-database-in-place-after-9-years/?utm_source=Newsletter_Product.Want to read more? Subscribe to one of our monthly plans to continue reading this article.