Behind every woman are abundant products that help her come alive. Body lotions, concealers, foundations, perfumes, etc., have all played an active role in putting her together. Our beauty routine is embedded in our everyday lives. For most of us, these routines keep us grounded—perfecting signature makeup looks and fragrances that help us align with ourselves before we take on our everyday roles.
For many women, becoming a mother is one of the most important roles we will ever take on. However, if we’re not careful, our beauty routines can impact our chances of having children. Over the past few years, there has been an increase in broad conversation about the toxins in beauty products. This NIH study suggests part of the problem with toxic ingredients is that they can hinder fertility in women and men depending on product use. “These toxicants are causing men to experience relentlessly decreasing sperm count and function while women are suffering progressively worse anovulation, impaired implantation, and loss of fetal viability,” the study claims.
As the beauty industry continues to be a billion-dollar business, an increase in infertility is bound to occur for women of color. Black women have higher infertility rates than white women, by 7.2%, according to the National Institute of Health. While BIPOC women have similar infertility rates and are more likely to struggle mentally with the term “infertility.” Combining the use of toxic beauty products will more than likely increase these percentages as Black and BIPOC women are already at a disadvantage.
Dr. Tendai Chiware— a Black fertility doctor at Genesis Reproductive and Medicine Clinic— knows firsthand how beauty products can impact our fertility journey. “I believe chronic use of beauty products is having an impact on fertility in women because brands aren’t always being a hundred percent honest about what’s in them,” says Dr Chiware. Dishonesty in some brands is due to ingredients and labeling not needing approval by the FDA. This includes makeup, lotions, perfumes, shampoos, facial and body cleansers, etc.
“Unfortunately, an ‘acceptable amount’ of toxins can be used in beauty products. The irony is that chronic use of these products can greatly impact the reproductive system,” says Dr. Chiware. A few toxins Dr.Chiware warns against are fragrances, heavy metals, LEDs found in lipsticks, and parabens. “Parabens are tricky because they help with the lifespan of products. However, they also cause hormonal imbalance, which affects fertility,” mentions Dr. Chiware. Ingredients in nail polish can also cause reproductive issues if not careful.
The most alarming hard truth about the use of these toxic ingredients is that they can affect us from early childhood. Dr. Chiware mentions that mass use of these products can cause early puberty in young girls. In addition, she notes that women are naturally born with several eggs, which can hinder them the moment they begin using these products, regardless of age. With most of these products being part of our everyday routines, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and helpless by the idea of fertility.
Sites like Skin Deep provide vital insight into what toxins our beloved beauty brands use. This also leaves room for us to discover clean, safe beauty brands in the long term. In addition to this, the most crucial step BlPOC women can take is visiting a fertility doctor. Dr. Chiware says, “I always encourage women to get their eggs checked. Sooner is always better than later.”
Please visit Broken Brown Egg for more information on fertility, resources, and support.
