Are the products you’re putting on your face safe?  That’s is the question being addressed on Capitol Hill this week.

The FDA told Congress last year it frequently finds contamination, illegal ingredients, and other issues in imported cosmetics.

Now, the conversation is once again re-emerging in Congress.

Reality TV star Kourtney Kardashian traveled to Capitol Hill, Tuesday to lobby for reforms to the outdated cosmetics laws in the United States.  Some of the laws monitoring safety practices in beauty were written 80-years ago.

The beauty business from cosmetic to personal care products rakes in a lot of money each year.  They were all marketed through the years to enhance the way people look.

“As soon as it’s on your skin, then it’s absorbed,” said Charlotte Williams, Education Director at the Cosmetology Institute of Las Vegas.

However, the same products used to enhance appearance could also harm the very same people using them.

“Some of the products being used now are not good for our skin, said Ramona Rodgers, an instructor at the Cosmetology Institute of Las Vegas.  “There’s a lot of things that’s changed from years ago.”

“There was a time makeup was heavier, now they’re making it lighter, but sometimes in making it lighter, they’re adding a lot of different chemicals that can be unsafe for the skin,” Williams said.

Williams says in her more than 30 years in this business she’s noticed some scary trends. 

“We are finding lead is really showing up a lot in the makeup, lipsticks and once the lipstick is on your teeth, now you’ve ingested the lead.” 

The Food and Drug Administration passed the last cosmetics legislation 80 years ago.  Beauty guru Heather Marianna of Beauty Kitchen, a Las Vegas cosmetics company focusing on natural ingredients  says “under current law cosmetic companies can put just about anything in cosmetics and personal care products.”

“Under current law, cosmetics companies can put just about anything in cosmetics and personal care products,” Marianna said. “There are few if any restrictions on the kinds of ingredients that can be added to personal care products or the amount of those chemicals and that is quite scary. As the owner of Beauty Kitchen I often wonder how these “all natural products have such a long shelf life.” Its quite scary the preservatives that people are putting into their products to extend shelf lives and make more well lets face it money. All of our products are made fresh and we source only 100% natural ingredients. My motto is if you cannot pronounce it dont use it in or on your body. The skin absorbs anything you put on it IN 5 SECONDS. “

Williams agrees with Marianna’s theory. 

“Being a beauty professional, I don’t recommend drugstore products; I recommend professional products,” Williams said.

According to Williams, and others the use of natural products is best. 

“Just trade that high-end toner for some regular old natural witch hazel,” Williams said.  “Our society is changing; even with the pollution and all the things going on in our atmosphere, we need those regulations to change.”

Here’s a list of toxic additives you need to avoid.