When it comes to disclosing ingredients for cosmetics, the laws go less than skin deep. As a result, the makers of personal care products don't have to tell you all the ingredients they use. The Environment Working Group, (EWG) has taken the industry to task in a new report that lists the top nine chemicals to avoid in cosmetics and personal care products. Here’s the rundown in random order, and it’s not pretty:

• Mercury
• Lead
• Synthetic fragrances
• Animal parts
• Hydroquinone
• Nanoparticles
• Phthalates
• Petroleum byproducts
• Placenta and placental extracts

That's quite a list, and it is starting to pop up on other watchdog groups' radar, too. In addition to the EWG, there are a bunch of other organizations pushing for standards, including the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics. This issue is not going away. The attention being paid to it is only going to increase, and the message is eventually going to penetrate. When that happens, we’ll see fast changes.

In the meantime, decide for yourself whether you really need to use cosmetics. We’re firm believers that beauty comes from the inside out.