Toxic Beauty

This screening took place on Monday, October 7, 2019 at 6:00 pmYukon Arts Centre

In 1982, world renowned epidemiologist, Dr. Daniel Cramer, linked Johnson & Johnson’s baby powder to ovarian cancer. Since the 1960’s, J&J allegedly knew the risks and did nothing. In 2004, Dr. Philippa Darbre, a UK scientist, found parabens, a chemical preservative in many cosmetics, in breast tissue. In 2018, the National Institute of Health’s sister study linked breast cancer to personal care product use.

Links to hormonal disruption in baby boys, developmental delays, low sperm count in men, infertility, cancer, diabetes, obesity and skin disease – the cosmetic industry isn’t pretty.

Each morning we slather with 1000’s of chemicals hidden inside cosmetics and personal care products, many of which are toxic. In the United States, the Cosmetic and Personal Care Industry regulates itself. Links to hormonal disruption in baby boys, developmental delays, low sperm count in men. Infertility, cancer, diabetes, obesity and skin disease - the cosmetic industry isn’t pretty. Top researchers worldwide have the hard science to answer the question ‘Are cosmetics and personal care products making us sick?’

Toxic Beauty is a compellingly produced documentary feature with exclusive access to scientists, lawyers, advocates, regulators, politicians, a dynamic whistle blower, survivors and women who have lost their lives. It follows the class action lawsuit against J&J and the plaintiffs, personal stories of women fighting for justice in a race against time with this deadly disease.

"Ellis’s film blows the lid off the issue with the precision of a Tomahawk missile." - Dorothy Woodend, The Tyee

"Powerful, alarming and will almost certainly send at least a few people straight to their bathrooms to dump the contents of their makeup bags." Christine Sismondo, Toronto Star