《福布斯》提醒慎用5類化妝品大綱
Chemicals, heavy metals, bacteria, and other hazardous ingredients are turning up in makeup, skin creams, and hair styling products. Here, the latest and most dangerous beauty alerts, and how to protect yourself without compromising your beauty routine.
《福布斯》雜誌近日提醒，有些化妝品、護膚霜、美髮產品中含有化學物質、重金屬、細菌等危險成分。以下是最新發布的最危險美容產品提醒，以及如何在不妨礙日常美容護理的同時保護自己。
Mercury in Skin Creams?
面霜含汞？
That was the headline-grabber last week, when an FDA investigation found imported skin creams may contain toxic levels of mercury and other heavy metals. The risk is serious; people are actually getting sick from mercury contamination from these products. The creams are intended primarily for "skin lightening" and anti-aging.
美國食品和藥物管理局（FDA)上週公佈的一份調查吸引了人們的注意，調查稱，一些進口面霜可能含有汞等重金屬成分，可以致毒。這種危險非常嚴重，一些消費者因所用化妝品含汞而患病。含汞面霜的功效通常集中於“亮膚”和“抗衰老”。
Symptoms of mercury poisoning include tremors, memory problems, irritability, and changes in vision or hearing. The creams have turned up in seven states so far, and several cases of serious mercury poisoning have been reported.
汞中毒的症狀包括顫抖、記憶喪失、易怒、視力聽力下降。含汞面霜迄今已在美國七個州有售，而且已報告數起嚴重汞中毒病例。
Lead in Lipstick?
口紅含鉛？
Once considered an "urban legend," the rumor that some lipsticks contain lead turned out to be deadly true when the FDA tested hundreds of lipsticks following an alert issued by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics.
某些品牌的口紅含鉛一度被認爲只是“坊間傳說”，但在FDA檢測了數百種口紅後，這一傳聞得到了證實。此前，“安全化妝品運動”組織曾對此發佈警告。
The brands that tested positive for lead levels included well-respected national brands including L'Oreal, Revlon, Avon, and Cover Girl. And high-end brands like Dior and M.A.C. weren't exempt either. Five of the ten most contaminated lipsticks were manufactured by L'Oreal USA.
不少在全美廣受尊重的品牌口紅都檢出含鉛，包括歐萊雅、露華濃、雅芳和封面女郎。迪奧、M.A.C.等高端品牌也未能倖免。含鉛量最高的十款口紅中，有五款是美國歐萊雅製造的。
Bacteria in Mascara?
睫毛膏帶菌？
Yes, this can happen too, but it's the result of keeping mascara too long. The microbes don't arrive in the mascara itself. According to a study in Optometry, bacteria that are naturally present in the eyes can be transferred into mascara via the wand. When the researchers tested mascaras, microbes were present in 33 percent of the products tested.
是的，睫毛膏可能帶菌，但這是在保存期限過長的情況下。細菌並非睫毛膏自帶的。根據驗光科的一項研究，眼部細菌可通過睫毛膏的毛刷進入膏體。研究人員在33%的接受檢測的睫毛膏中發現了微生物。
Formaldehyde in Hair Straighteners
美髮產品含甲醛
Despite label claims of being "formaldehyde-free", many keratin-based hair straighteners, when tested, were found to contain formaldehyde, a known carcinogen. The levels of formaldehyde found were fairly low, and shouldn't pose a hazard if you're only straightening your hair a few times a year, but more often than that isn't a great idea. And stylists, who use the products on their customers regularly, are at risk.
儘管標註“無甲醛”，但一些角蛋白直髮產品經過檢測之後都被發現含有甲醛成份，甲醛是一種致癌物質。美國市場直髮產品的甲醛含量並不高，如果每年直髮幾次，不會產生太大危害，但並不提倡更頻繁地直髮。經常爲客人直髮的美髮師受危害的風險較高。
Mineral Makeup
含有礦物質的化妝品
Often considered a natural alternative to makeup, mineral-based products often come in the form of powders. The problem results because the particles of minerals such as mica are so small, they float through the air and can be inhaled into the lungs. (Consider this: When construction workers use spackle and other products containing mica, they wear masks to avoid breathing them in.) There hasn't been any warning issued for mineral makeup yet, but some experts, such as pulmonologists, are warning women that lung damage could result from frequent use.
一些基於礦物研製的化妝品通常以粉末形式存在，而且被認爲是更天然的選擇。問題在於雲母等礦物質的微粒非常微小，可以漂浮到空氣中並吸入肺部。（試想建築工人使用抹牆粉和其它含有云母的材料時通常戴口罩以防吸入。）目前還沒有任何針對礦物質化妝品的警告發布，但胸腔醫學等學科的專家提醒女性，頻繁使用此類化妝品可能損傷肺部。
詞彙點津：
urban legend: 來源不明、缺少或無證據，但自然地以各種形式出現的當代故事或傳說
formaldehyde: 甲醛
carcinogen: 致癌物質
mica: （礦物）雲母
pulmonologist: 胸腔內科醫生
