The Risks of Using Fake Makeup

The beauty industry is a billion-dollar industry. The beauty products industry is a flouring industry where the manufacturers of these beautification products benefit from the massive profits gained. It is no wonder the industry has attracted the high volumes of counterfeit makeup flooding the market as people who are focused on making money at the expense of the consumers produce low quality and toxic products. The products have been tested by the FDA and found to contain high levels of known cadmium, beryllium, and other carcinogens, not to mention the high number of infectious bacteria (Roediger, 2018). Therefore, this experiment aims at determining the levels of mercury in a sample of lipstick purchased from the streets using a simple test that can be replicated to save the masses from the effects of contact with hazardous compounds. Makeup is meant to be manufactured within highly sanitized environments to avoid contamination of the products. However, counterfeit makeup is prepared in unsanitized areas, mostly back rooms. The manufacturers of these fake are people who have no qualifications to perform such laboratory tests as the production of these beauty products involves numerous chemical reactions to determine safe levels of various chemicals. Moreover, beauty products include the use of substances that are incredibly toxic to human health. Such chemicals comprise Butylated compounds, phthalates, formaldehyde-releasing preservatives, and parabens, to name but a few (Roediger, 2018). Therefore, it is critical to ensure that makeups have been tested and approved as safe for human use. Scientific investigation is vital as fake makeup has been reported to be associated with health conditions such as skin rashes, inflammation of body parts like lips, and itchiness or burning sensation. Most of these health conditions need to be treated immediately when they are noticed. Delays might lead to the accumulation of the chemicals in the body, which could lead to long term illnesses such as cancer. Apart from the counterfeit makeup to have been established with high levels of metals such as zinc, mercury, and lead, among other toxic compounds, the products have also been found to contain high levels of pathogenic bacteria (De Cuyper, 2008). Most of the consumers of fake beauty products are attracted to the products by their cheap discounts. Most of the counterfeit has been confiscated by the law enforcement agencies and many people associated with the counterfeit prosecuted for trademark violations. For instance, the famous Kylie Jenner brand is profoundly affected by the fake products which are mostly imported from either China or Hong Kong (Lei, 2019). This research is hugely significant as anybody at any place can perform it. Therefore, it will help consumers avoid the use of toxic and hazardous products by performing simple tests on the products before consumption: this experiment can, thus, be replicated anywhere to verify whether the places where the product has been purchased sales authentic merchandise. 

The objective of this experiment is to determine the quantity of mercury present in a presumed counterfeit lipstick purchased from the streets. What impact do high levels of mercury have on consumers? 

To perform this simple experiment, a 250ml beaker will be required, a stirring rod, one liter distilled water, and a mercury water test kit. The procedure involves add 200 ml of the distilled water into the beaker or any transparent container that has calibrations. A piece of the counterfeit lipstick was then dissolved in the distilled water by stirring with the stirring rod until complete dissolution is achieved. From the mercury water test kit, a single test strip was inserted into the solution while taking caution to ensure that the piece was moved in random motion within the solution for 60 seconds. The strip was then removed from the water solution and shook vigorously to remove the excess water. After approximately 30 seconds, the piece was matched with the nearest color from the mercury water test kit. 

Outcomes 

The recommended levels authorized to be used in beauty products is 1000 parts per million (Zhu et al., 2014). But, from the lipstick solution, the levels of mercury present were 4,000 ppm, which leads to the conclusion that the product is a counterfeit, and therefore, purchases should not be made from those streets as the products are incredibly toxic and a health hazard. Mercury is a threat to the development of a fetus in pregnant women who use beauty products and, thus, may affect the growth (Withum & Locke, 2006). Furthermore, mercury is known to impair the nervous system, and depending on the toxicity levels may affect the immune as well as the digestive system. Hence, the findings in this study could be instrumental in saving the lives of numerous consumers who use counterfeit products unaware of the health implications or how to determine the fake products. 

Budget 

References  

De Cuyper, C. (2008). Permanent makeup: indications and complications.  Clinics in dermatology ,  26 (1), 30-34. 

Lei, J. (2019). Makeup or Fakeup: The Need to Regulate Counterfeit Cosmetics through Improved Chinese Intellectual Property Enforcement.  Fordham L. Rev. ,  88 , 309. 

Roediger, R. (2018). The Culture of Counterfeiting: the Interplay of Social Norms in the Regulation and Creation of Counterfeit Goods. 

Withum, J. A., & Locke, J. E. (2006).  Evaluation of mercury emissions from coal-fired facilities with SCR and FGD systems . Consol Energy Inc. 

Zhu, Y., Li, H., Shi, B., Qu, W., Zhang, Y., Lin, Q., ... & Wei, T. (2014). A reversible fluorescent chemosensor for the rapid detection of mercury ions (II) in water with high sensitivity and selectivity.  Rsc Advances ,  4 (106), 61320-61323.