New Semester, New News, New Blog Entry

Ah yes, it is that time of year. The leaves in the beautiful trees of the finger lakes are beginning to hint at traces of gold and yellow. The students are carrying their towels down to 2nd Dam to go frolic in the majesty of the gorges (be careful!). The professors are beginning to make us regret taking on so many credits in one semester. *Deep sigh* ... can you sense it? A new semester has begun.

I cannot explain to you how excited I am to begin blogging this semester. There are so so so many things I want to talk about/share/learn from this bloggination. I highly encourage comments to discuss topics touched upon in blog entries, general feedback, and suggestions for future topics to blog about.

To start things off, I am pleased to cordially invite you to our first meeting of IC Feminists for the 2009 Fall Semester! Our meeting is Tuesday, September 8th at 8:00 in Friends 207. People of all sexes and genders are super duper welcome to come! Bring a friend! Bring ideas! Bring joy and joyness!

With that said, now that it's a new semester, we have a new E-board! I am proud to introduce the always lovely members of this semester's Executive Board:

Co-President Kimberly LaReau
Co-President Emma Tanner
Secretary Mary Ryan
Treasurer Alaine Blessman
Publicist Laura Kathrein
Event Manager Joy Kucinkas
Webmistress Matt Worhach (me!)

These fabulous gals and I will try our darnedest to be awesome E-board members. I think I can speak on behalf of everyone to say that we are psyched to see new and returning members this semester.

Anywayz, time to get down to blogging-business. I hardcore want to bring a website to everyone's attention: Skin Deep, a Cosmetic Safety Review Board which strives to research current cosmetic products currently on the market and determine just how hazardous they are to our health.
I spent a good 2 hours on that site today looking up various products I use, and it successfully scared the crap out of me. Now, I'm not one to endorse resources that seem to thrive off of fear/insecurities *cough* the Cosmetic Industry *cough*, but I like to look at it this way: Cosmetic companies profit off of making you feel like you need their products. Skin Deep is not trying to get people to purchase a product, they are in fact doing the opposite. Their database serves to educate consumers on products, not to produce body insecurity. What surprised me the most about the site was that various companies that advertise themselves as "Natural" apparently throw that word around like a hot potato. The USDA does not regulate the phrase of "Natutal" in cosmetics, so companies could theoretically bottle used grease from KFC and call it "Natural Hair Oil". Ew.
Looking at this website is a good idea for at least this reason: it caused me to think about just how many beauty products I use myself... which, after careful calculation, I figured out is a crapload. I don't consider myself to be someone who uses a lot of beauty products, but think about it: toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner, hair gel, deodorant, cologne, shaving cream, hand lotion, body lotion, face moisturizer, hand soap, body wash, face wash, mouthwash, teeth whitening strips, acne treatment, chap stick, etc. etc. etc. It freaked me out to think about how much money the Cosmetic Industry is making from me in just a week. Plus, I'm a man! All of the things I listed are just the tip of the ice berg for what products women are expected/encouraged to buy.



I've decided to keep my Grocery receipts and highlight anything that could be considered a Cosmetic/beauty product. At the end of the week, I'll make a tally as to just how much money I did spend on those products. There's certainly a chance that being conscious of my weekly purchases could affect what I actually buy, but I suppose that's at least a start to understanding my own consumer-habits.

I will keep y'all posted on my little project. I know you are probably super excited to find out whether or not I floss. For now, I will keep you on the edge of your seat.


-Matt