This past January, the Minnesota legislature banned the use of mercury as a preservative in mascara, eyeliners, and skin-lightening creams.

What’s the wise Iowa consumer to do?

• Look for brands relying on independent certifications and adhere to European Union standards, which are stricter and require manufacturers to substantiate the safety of ingredients before using them.

• Some good brands of makeup include Nvey Eco (www.econvey.com), Physicians Formula Organic Wear (www.physiciansformula.com), Suki Color (www.sukicolor.com), and Dr. Hauschka (www.drhauschka.com).

This week “The Green Zone” enters the toxic universe of cosmetics. Surprisingly, the cosmetics industry is self-regulated, so consumers can’t rely on labels for safety clues. The term “natural” is meaningless since it carries no legal definition. A company may include one plant extract in a product and call it “natural.”

Similarly, the word “organic” has no legal definition when applied to cosmetics. Shoppers can have some confidence in USDA-certified organic cosmetics, which adhere to the same rules as organic food. However, the USDA’s standards are iffy, at best, because many certified-organic products also contain untested synthetic ingredients

What’s a wise consumer to do? Research the ingredients in your cosmetics and avoid the “Dirty Dozen,” 12 petroleum-derived chemicals that studies have shown to have serious health impacts. They are:

• Antibacterials
• Coal tar colors: FD&C Blue 1 and Green 3
• Diethanolamine (DEA)
• 1,4-Dioxane (present in sodium laureth sulfate and other ingredients ending in “–eth”)
• Formaldehyde
• Fragrance
• Hydroquinone
• Mercury and lead
• Nanoparticles
• Parabens (chemicals with prefixes like methyl-, ethyl-, propyl-, butyl-, isobutyl-}
• Petroleum distillates
• Phenylenediamine (PPD)

I got this list from The Green Guide, a new magazine published by National Geographic.

If you use nail polish, and want to live green, give your particular brand of nail polish a second look.

Conventional nail products contain toluene, dibutyl phthalate, and formaldehyde—three ingredients on California’s Proposition 65 list of chemicals known to cause cancer and/or reproductive disorders. Even safer nail polishes contain ingredients like acrylic polymers and polyurethane binding agents that should not be ingested.

Green alternatives exist. One worth a try is Honeybee Gardens WaterColors Peel-Off Polish ($6 from honeybeegardens.com), a water-based enamel that contains neither the “toxic trio” nor synthetic FD&C dyes. Like the name says, it’s even designed to be peeled off—though with fingers, never teeth.

Since my definition of green includes the entire life cycle—manufacture, use, and disposal--I choose not to use nail polish at all anymore. I treat myself to the occasional pedicure, but opt for nail buffing instead of polish. It gives a subtle shine that lasts a long time, and suits me just fine. It’s $10 cheaper, too.

From Green Guide, spring ‘08

Kids’ makeup sold at toy and discount stores are usually full of synthetic ingredients. And those products are not regulated by the FDA. If you buy healthy makeup for yourself, then letting your kids play with your collection or even splurging on adult cosmetics for them may be better for their health in the long run.

When buying makeup you might share with your kids, look for products with plant-based dyes and petroleum-free alternatives, such as beeswax, castor oil, or shea butter.

Burt’s Bees flavored Lip Glosses are relatively green and free of colors made from minerals. But avoid Burt’s Bees Lip Shimmers, which have high lead content.

Glitter sticks are another matter. While they may not contain lead, they often do contain other potentially harmful chemicals, including parabens and glycol ethers, and the powders pose inhalation risk.

My advice? Encourage your kids to go natural.

From Green Guide, spring ‘08

Ever wonder what’s in that deep red lipstick your girl friend uses to color her lips? There’s a good chance it contains lead, a proven neurotoxin that’s also been linked to infertility and miscarriage. There is no known safe level of exposure.

Last year the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics tested 33 brand-name lipsticks, and more than half tested positive for lead, with levels exceeding the FDA standard for lead in candy, a standard established to protect children from directly ingesting lead. Like candy, lipstick is directly ingested into the body. It’s believed women eat four pounds of lipstick over the course of a lifetime, yet it’s an entirely self-regulated industry motivated by the bottom line.

Among the top brands testing positive for lead were colors marketed by L’Oreal, Cover Girl, and Christian Dior.

What’s the wise consumer to do?

• Read up on misleading labels so you won't be duped at the checkout counter. Use products containing no more than ten ingredients. The fewer the ingredients, the less likely you are to be exposed to a potentially irritating or harmful chemical.