cosmetic companies and retailers increasingly aim their sophisticated products and service packages squarely at 6- to 9-year-olds, who are being transformed into savvy beauty consumers before they’re out of elementary school.Read more in Never Too Young for That First Pedicure.
Why would you bring your child into a smelly salon? Why would you deliberately expose your children to toxic chemicals? Why is our society so obsessed with nails that nail salons would pop up in every strip mall? Why do we subject poor women who work in nail salons to the chemicals without a gas mask?
(I know the women know that their job makes them sick. They wear the gauze masks thinking that it offers them protection, but it doesn't do anything against the fumes.)
Look at this winning high school science project.
Michael Ding, 16, a junior at Glen Cove High School in Glen Cove, N.Y., decided on his study topic "after my mother complained about feeling dizzy after using nail polish." Ding found that 59 percent of nail products in three drugstores he canvassed contained ingredients known to be harmful to health. Moreover, one in eight nail products had no list of ingredients, in violation of Food and Drug Administration regulations.Aside:
Ding interviewed 239 girls at his high school and found that a third had experienced dizziness, nausea, allergies or headaches after applying nail polish. He also found that a third began painting their nails before they were 6 years old.
It snowed tonight. At sea level in Virginia Beach! What a time to lose my gloves. Brrr.
Tonight, I sought out a non-smoking restaurant. Last night, I ate in a restaurant that was so smoky, I had to take a shower and wash my hair right away. Because I couldn't stand the offgassing from my clothes, I washed everything I wore except for my coat in the bathroom sink. I put my coat on the balcony to air out. I miss California.
It has been a very productive meeting, though.
I know what you mean about offgassing. I went bowling a while back and was surprised at how much I enjoyed it. I always avoided it because I associated bowling alleys with smoke and the smell afterwards. But in California I would actually consider going bowling again.
ReplyDeleteThe nail polish thing puzzles me. I know a lot of women view a manicure/pedicure as a relaxing treat, but I can't get into it. I've had exactly one pedicure in my life- right before my wedding (which was barefoot). I'm not really tempted to get another.
ReplyDeleteI always get a little shock when I travel to a place that allows smoking in restaurants and bars. I'm totally spoiled by California.
They banned smoking in restaurants here (Victoria, Australia) years ago, and smoking in bars and pubs just under a year ago - it's fantastic. I used to HATE getting home from a bar and finding my clothes reeked and my hair reeked and I felt all icky from the smoke. Now if a friend has birthday drinks or something and we go out, it's wonderful - you have a few drinks, come home, and nothing smells stinky.
ReplyDeleteNot to mention the poor bar staff used to get passive smoke the whole time they were working.