If you used Mitchum coupons in the Manhattan area last month, you might have seen the handiwork of an inventive and opinionated young activist who is determined to warn consumers that, when they buy deodorants, chemicals, or cleaning supplies, they may be getting more than they bargained for.
The activist’s name is Jessica Assaf, and she’s a New York University student who believes that consumers are uninformed about the potentially harmful chemicals that are present in many common household products.
Yassaf printed and placed toxicity warning labels on hundreds of sticks of Secret deodorant at NY drugstores to draw attention to the presence of chemicals like butane (linked to allergies) and aluminum chlorohydrate (linked to reproductive toxicity) in this and other brands.
Yassaf said she targeted Secret because it is one of the best-selling deodorant brands among young women, and because, according to Environmental Working Group's Skin Deep, Secret ranks relatively high for chemical content among other deodorant brands.
"I believe that consumers should know the truth about the ingredients in their everyday products. This is a completely unregulated industry, and most people do not know that cosmetic companies can put any chemical in their products and with no labeling requirements or safety testing, sell these toxic products to the public. I'm not going to wait for legislation to protect our health because we don't have any time to wait. These chemicals are accumulating in our bodies and no one is stepping up to stop it," says Assaf.
Despite being caught and incurring the anger of the retailers she targeted, Assaf says she will continue this project until the FDA steps up to regulate the personal care products industry. I have to admit that I’ve never thought twice when using Mitchum coupons, but this news item sparked my interest enough that I’ve begun paying attention to the products I buy. Her methods may not be legal, but I think Jessica is effectively getting her message across!
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