Cosmetics make a whole lot of a difference.We love it when our wives look good courtesy of them.Infact at times we cheer them on to use them.In no way is this article meant to paint cosmetics badly.After all great multinationals such as L’Oreal and Nivea have grown due to the insatiable demand for cosmetics and personal care products around the world.Moisturizers, shampoos, lipsticks, perfumes, lotions…The list is endless for products we use everyday which we can easily pluck out of our bedroom cabinets.Though these products are meant to help us look (and feel) good, we seldom think about their after effects especially on the air we breathe.Some cosmetics and person care products not only have risky ingredients such as mercury (subject for another day), but are laced with highly volatile substances some of which find their way into the air we breathe indoors.PHTHALATESIt’s nearly impossible to identify cosmetic products not laced with some amount of these substances.So does that make them safe?Not really.If they stick to our skins probably their impact may be small time.They easily vaporize.But this doesn’t make them risky.Concern stems not from their presence but that they compromise the quality of indoor air over the long haul.Because cosmetics are used in our homes, these substances are left lingering in our air exposing the most vulnerable among us such as children.But why should phthalates matter?Long term exposure is associated with heart complications, reproductive issues, asthma, compromise of liver and kidney function among others.But it’s not only phthalates that are of concern when it comes to cosmetics and personal care products.FOREVER CHEMICALSThese unique compounds bear that name simply because once released into our environment, are basically impossible to degrade.And what better products to use them on like cosmetics.They seem to improve the shelf life of these products allowing continuous usage over time.But at what costs?Just Iike phthalates, long term exposure to forever chemicals might lead to a spectrum of complications such as organ damage, reproductive issues and possibly cancer.Our focus on these indoor air pollutants is of no use if we do not explore ways to mitigate against their harmful effects.And ventilation is key in this regard.VENTILATIONPicture a day when all windows and doors in your house are closed.How does it feel?How does the air smell?Do you feel comfortable?Ventilation matters when it comes to reducing the concentration of indoor air pollutants originating from synthetic stuff such as cosmetics and related products.Is there air movement in your home?Perhaps try observing your curtains.Air movement is key and may help avert health complicatiins brought about by high concentrations of harmful substances.IN CONCLUSIONIndoor air quality is extremely important today since we are exposed to many synthetic products.There is therefore need to find ways of reducing exposure to airborne pollutants at home.So practices such as good ventilation and aeration could help avert chronic exposure to such pollutants.We must commit to taking care of our health…even if it is at home.Photo credit: Adobe Stock