Do you know what's in your make-up? That's the question that the Campaign for Safe Beauty is asking. The Campaign for Safe Beauty is a group of public health, consumer rights and women's groups that work to call attention to the toxicity of ingredients used in everyday make-up and skin care products. Their goal is to convince the beauty industry to stop using chemicals that have been linked to health problems and birth defects. The Campaign hopes that the beauty industry will replace the chemicals with safer alternatives.

You may have heard of the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics after their test on red lipstick received widespread attention. According to their tests, 61% of the 33 types of red lipstick purchased at drugstores and department stores tested positive for lead. The report received massive media attention and put the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics and the issue of make-up safety in the public eye.

The centerpiece of the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics' mission is the Compact for Safe Cosmetics. According the Campaign's web site, women apply twenty-five different skin care products daily and expose themselves to over 200 chemicals. The companies who have signed the Compact for Safe Cosmetics have promised to only use ingredients that are not linked to health disorders, birth defects, genetic mutations or cancer.

As of August 2007, over 600 cosmetic and personal care companies have signed the Compact, but of those 600 companies, none are major brands like Cover Girl, Revlon, OPI, Unilever or Clinique. Companies that have signed the Compact include Bella Pierre Cosmetics, Aubrey Nicole, Crush Groove Cosmetics and Burt's Bees.