Pretty in Pink Ribbons: Health and Cosmetics

This time last year, I was in South Korea on business.  While there, I had the pleasure of attending the International Women's Film Festival in Seoul, where I watched an eye-opening documentary about cause marketing, called Pink Ribbons, Inc. (2011, Dir. Léa Pool).

From the film's website:

The ubiquitous pink ribbons of breast cancer philanthropy – and the hand-in-hand marketing of brands and products associated with that philanthropy – permeates our culture, providing assurance that we are engaged in a successful battle against this insidious disease. But the campaign obscures the reality and facts of breast cancer – more and more women are diagnosed with breast cancer every year, and face the same treatment options they did 40 years ago. Yet women are also the most influential market group, buying 80 percent of consumer products and making most major household purchasing decisions. So then who really benefits from the pink ribbon campaigns – the cause or the company? And what if the very companies and products that profit from their association have actually contributed to the problem?

In showing the real story of breast cancer and the lives of those who fight it, Pink Ribbons, Inc. reveals the co-opting of what marketing experts have labeled a "dream cause."

Trailer

Needless to say, my mind was blown after watching this.  That's not to say that I was completely ignorant of the subject matter.  I've been aware of various online databases that list and rate carcinogens in cosmetics for several years now.  I know many (most, I should say) cosmetics and skin care products contain various chemicals that are suspected to be carcinogens (at the time of this writing) and that many of these same cosmetics companies promote breast cancer awareness and research.  The hypocrisy of it all is pretty obvious, but I just never cared enough nor was skeptical enough to connect the dots and put it all together the way this documentary did for me.

It isn't hard to find all natural cosmetics and skin care products these days.  Many companies have jumped on the "natural" and "organic" bandwagons in the last few years (cue buzzword "paraben-free"), making these products more accessible to a wider market.  Walk into any CVS or Target, and you'll find entire shelves in the beauty section devoted to natural products.  Many are still a bit pricier than your run-of-the-mill drugstore brands, but I would say that it's similar to the difference of buying organic vs. non-organic food.  Whether the extra cost is worth it to you financially, and personally, is for you to decide.

Online cosmetics safety databases:

• Cosmeticsinfo.org - "Your source for safety information about cosmetic and personal care products, their ingredients and how they are tested and regulated."
• Environmental Working Group's Skin Deep® - A database that "provides easy-to-navigate safety ratings for tens of thousands of personal care products."

Where you can watch Pink Ribbons, Inc.:

• Netflix
• Buy the DVD
• Download (Canada only)
• Rent for 48 hours (Canada only)