I began by researching a safe cosmetic “starter kit,” focusing on the body, shower, skin care, and makeup products I use on a daily basis. The FDA has shockingly little authority over cosmetics (more on that later), and my research taught me that terms like organic, eco, natural, and nontoxic have no legal or regulatory meaning when it comes to cosmetics. Luckily, there are helpful online resources and apps like Think Dirty (available on iPhone) that help consumers understand what exactly goes into the products they use.
