The idiocy of a regulated beauty industry + when to toss products

  The essentials 
  Originally uploaded by dynamist.

Paula Begoun:

The European Union recently mandated PAO dates on all products (PAO stands for Period After Opening) to let you know when you should throw it away. Yet there are no studies or standards developed to determine what constitutes an appropriate PAO date. Not to mention that the way a product is used affects its microbial contamination. Clearly, a jar product is more of a problem than a product you can’t touch with your fingers. Leaving a product in your hot car or opened in your steamy, hot bathroom would have an impact, but no one knows what that is, so everyone in the industry is just guessing. If Estee Lauder puts a PAO date of six months on a product and everyone else follows suit, why not? It makes the regulators happy and it fosters more sales. That’s the reality.

What is far more risky than your 12-year-old blush are the tester units at cosmetics counters worldwide. These products are used by hordes of women and who knows whether or not they had infections, diseases, sores, and other gross things I don’t want to think about. There have been studies showing how tester units of cosmetics are teeming with all sorts of bacteria, mold, and the like, but no one is making the cosmetics companies throw those away and the consumer doesn’t seem to mind in the least, in fact I think there would be a female backlash if they took those displays off the counter.

Comments

[Alice Bachini-Smith]

I am SO glad to hear this, as I have an eyeshadow kit with amazing shades that I can't actually find anywhere anymore, which I can date precisely from the memory of a very early indeed boyfriend's splutter upon hearing how much it cost. (Ha to him, anyway!)

[barbara gerbasi]

How right you are! I always have a fleeting feeling of'I probably shouldn't' as I dab the cotton swab on that new lip gloss that's just shouting my name. Alas, the craving to try a new beauty product always wins out over common sence.
Cheers,
Barb

[margo benoit]

I have always thought those display counters at dept stores are loaded w/ germs etc. I don't believe they do a good job of cleaning those makeup brushes before they use them on someone else. Just a few quick sprays & they are sanitized-NO WAY!!! I try to be careful when asking about a product w/ MA and also see how clean the MA is herself. I am the "anti-germ" LOL!!!

[Lily]

I highly recommend asking for a trial-sized sample of whatever you want to buy (instead of using the testers) and never use their brushes. I've watched reps (at the most prestigious counters) use a brush on one woman and then dust it off and use it on another customer two minutes later. Eww.

[Gina]

Having worked at various cosmetics counters, I can assure you that testers are replaced with some regularity, however, it's not regular enough. Brushes are to be cleaned (with spray cleanser) after every use, but things get lax when a counter gets busy. I've watched as mothers make no attempt to stop their germy-handed children from digging into the testers or sneezing on them. If you're going in for a makeover -- bring your own brushes, or ask the Beauty Advisor to clean them in front of you. Also, you can ask that the BA use a tissue to wipe off the top layer of the blush and eyeshadow shades that s/he plans to use on you.