Before, my biggest worry has been Global Warming what with the rising temperatures, the extinction of animal species, and the distressing weather/climate changes.
But just recently, my MAJOR peeve has been nanotechnology in my beauty products. T_T
Nanotechnology involves the manipulation of materials and the creation of structures and systems that exist at the scale of atoms and molecules. A nanometer (nm) is one billionth of a meter. By way of comparison, a DNA molecule is roughly 2.5 nm, a red blood cell 7,000 nm and a human hair cell a whopping 80,000 nm wide. The existing body of toxicological literature indicates that nanoparticles have a greater risk of toxicity than larger particles.
In summary, the major concern of scientists and health practitioners has been that nano particles are so small and can SO easily penetrate the body that they can find their way into major organs like the heart, lungs, and even our nerve centers causing major biochemical damage.
And major beauty companies are using nanotechnology too. Companies like L'Oreal, Revlon, Shisheido, Procter and Gamble, and Estee Lauder have jumped into the nano bandwagon. I mean I was dipping into my wallet for a bottle of Body Milk from The Face Shop. Fortunately I read their website and read that this particular product had nanoparticles. So you could be getting radiant, whiter, acne-free skin but these products could be killing you sooner than you think.
So read up, girl. It pays to know your stuff. Here's some literature you can start off with.
Nano Ingredients Pose Big Risks in Beauty Products
Putting on your face could cause ugly health problems (includes list of chemicals to avoid)
Nano, Nano on the Wall
Nano Basics: learn the basics about nanotechnology
