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Look Past the Pink Ribbon: What Your Products Aren't Telling You About Breast Cancer
- Lika Torline
- Oct 15
- 7 min read
A personal story about early detection, ingredient transparency, and why what we put on our skin matters more than we think.
When the Phone Rings
Earlier this year, I got the call that changed everything. My mom had been diagnosed with breast cancer.
But here's the thing - and I'm grateful for this every single day - it was caught early. A routine mammogram. Just another appointment on the calendar that turned out to be anything but routine. Thanks to early detection and treatment, my mom is doing great. And true to her character, she didn't hide behind the diagnosis. She became vocal about awareness, about screening, about the importance of catching it early.
My mom's courage inspired me to have a conversation I've been wanting to have with you for a while now. Because October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and while pink ribbons are everywhere, there's something we're not talking about enough.
What's actually inside the products wearing those ribbons?
The Pink Ribbon Paradox
There's a documentary called Pink Ribbons, Inc. that everyone should watch. It exposes something that honestly made my blood boil as both a product formulator and someone with a high personal risk for breast cancer.
Companies slap pink ribbons on their products. They promise that proceeds go to breast cancer research. Consumers feel good about their purchase, thinking they're helping the cause.
Then you flip the product over and read the ingredients list.
Parabens. Phthalates. Synthetic fragrances with undisclosed chemical compounds. Ingredients that research has linked to hormone disruption and increased cancer risk.
Let that sink in for a moment. Products claiming to support breast cancer research while potentially containing ingredients that could contribute to the very disease they claim to fight.
It's not just misleading. It's dangerous.
"your skin absorbs approximately 60% of what you put on it in just 28 seconds"
Why I'm an Ingredient Nerd (And You Should Be Too)
I'll admit it - I'm obsessed with ingredients. Some people collect shoes. I collect research studies on cosmetic chemistry and endocrine disruptors.
But this isn't just intellectual curiosity. This is personal.
With my family history, mammograms aren't optional for me - they're non-negotiable. And while I can't control my genetic risk, I can control what I put on my skin every single day.
Here's what many people don't know: your skin absorbs approximately 60% of what you put on it in just 28 seconds. That face cream, that body lotion, that "miracle" anti-aging serum - it's not just sitting on top of your skin. It's going into your body.
The Chemicals Hiding in Plain Sight
Let's talk about some common ingredients found in everyday products that research has linked to hormone disruption and increased health risks:
Parabens (methylparaben, propylparaben, butylparaben)
Used as preservatives in countless beauty products
Studies show they mimic estrogen in the body
Found in breast cancer tumor tissue samples
Yet they're still in products marketed to women every single day
Phthalates (often hidden under "fragrance")
Make products smell good and help lotions absorb
Known endocrine disruptors
Linked to reproductive issues and developmental problems
Companies aren't required to disclose them if they're part of "fragrance"
Synthetic Fragrances
Can contain dozens or even hundreds of undisclosed chemicals
"Fragrance" on a label can legally hide trade secrets
Common triggers for allergies, headaches, and hormonal disruption
The cosmetic industry's best-kept loophole
Triclosan
Antibacterial agent in soaps and sanitizers
Disrupts thyroid function
Contributes to antibiotic resistance
Banned in some products but still lurking in others
These aren't fringe conspiracy theories. These are legitimate concerns backed by peer-reviewed research. And yet, they're in products we use every day without a second thought.
It's Not Just About Cancer
While my mom's diagnosis brought breast cancer to the forefront of my mind, the conversation is bigger than that.
I'm not a mother to humans, but I care deeply about those who want to be. So many people are struggling with fertility, having difficulty conceiving, or facing complications during pregnancy. And while there are many factors at play, we can't ignore the elephant in the room: The average woman uses 12 personal care products daily, exposing herself to over 168 unique chemical ingredients before she even leaves the house.
Endocrine disruptors don't just increase cancer risk. They interfere with hormones that regulate:
Fertility and reproductive health
Fetal development
Metabolism and weight
Mood and mental health
Immune system function
For someone trying to conceive or carry a healthy pregnancy, exposure to these chemicals isn't just concerning - it could be heartbreaking.
What "Clean" Really Means (And Doesn't Mean)
Here's where it gets tricky. The beauty industry loves buzzwords. "Clean." "Natural." "Non-toxic." "Green."
None of these terms are regulated.
A company can slap "clean beauty" on a product filled with questionable ingredients, and there's no legal consequence. The FDA doesn't require safety testing before cosmetics hit the market. Companies police themselves.
Let that sink in. The products you trust on your bathroom shelf? Nobody verified they were safe before they got there.
This is why ingredient literacy matters. This is why you need to be your own advocate.
Transparency: The Only Real Standard
At In The Weeds, we've built our entire business on one principle: radical transparency.
Every ingredient we use is chosen intentionally. Every product is tested on my own sensitive, reactive skin first. If I wouldn't put it on my body - especially knowing my breast cancer risk - it doesn't go into our products. Period.
We don't hide behind "fragrance". We list every essential oil and botanical extract.
We don't use parabens, phthalates, synthetic fragrances, sulfates, aluminum, or baking soda.
We don't put a pink ribbon on our packaging during October and call it advocacy.
Real advocacy is formulating products that don't contribute to the problem in the first place.
What You Can Do Right Now
I know this feels overwhelming. Trust me, when I first started researching ingredients over a decade ago, I felt paralyzed. Everything seemed dangerous. But knowledge is power, and small changes make a real difference.
Start Here:
Schedule your mammogram. Early detection saved my mom. It could save you too. If you're high-risk like me, talk to your doctor about when you should start screening.
Read the ingredients, not the marketing. That pink ribbon means nothing if the product contains hormone disruptors. Flip it over. Read the back. Google what you don't recognize.
Look for companies that list everything. True transparency means no hidden "fragrance" ingredients. No vague "natural flavors." Everything spelled out.
Reduce your toxic load gradually. You don't have to throw everything out today. Start with products you use daily - deodorant, face wash, moisturizer, shampoo. Replace them one at a time with cleaner alternatives.
Support brands that walk the walk. Companies that actually care about ingredient safety don't just talk about it in October. They live it year-round.
Share what you learn. My mom didn't hide her diagnosis - she used it to educate others. You can do the same with ingredient awareness.
The Bigger Picture
My mom's diagnosis was a wake-up call, but it was also a gift in disguise. It reminded me why I started In The Weeds in the first place.
Twelve years ago, I was recovering from a back injury, dealing with medication-induced weight gain, and struggling with sensitive skin that reacted to everything. I was broke, living with my parents, and researching ingredients obsessively because I was desperate for products that wouldn't hurt me.
That desperation turned into a mission: create products so clean, so transparent, so genuinely safe that people like me - people with sensitive skin, people with health concerns, people trying to conceive, people with family histories of cancer - could use them without fear.
Because choosing what goes on your body shouldn't require a chemistry degree or a leap of faith.
A Promise
This October, as you see pink ribbons everywhere, I want you to remember something:
Real awareness isn't about a color. It's about action.
It's about scheduling that mammogram. It's about reading ingredient lists. It's about asking questions. It's about demanding better from the companies that profit from your trust.
My mom is thriving because she caught her cancer early and took action. You can take action too - not just in screening for disease, but in preventing exposure to the things that might contribute to it in the first place.
You deserve products that support your health, not compromise it.
You deserve transparency, not marketing tricks.
You deserve to make informed choices about what touches your skin every single day.
In Gratitude
To my mom: Thank you for your courage, your openness, and your commitment to helping others through your own journey. You inspire me every day.
To you, reading this: Thank you for caring enough to learn. Thank you for asking questions. Thank you for being part of a community that values health, transparency, and genuine advocacy over pink-washed marketing.
Let's make this October about more than ribbons. Let's make it about real change.
With love and transparency,
Lika, Owner & Ingredient Nerd
In The Weeds Premium Botanical Products
P.S. - If you want to learn more about ingredient safety, I recommend checking out the Environmental Working Group's Skin Deep Database and the Think Dirty app. They're free resources that rate products based on ingredient safety. Knowledge is power.
Resources for Breast Cancer Screening:
Talk to your doctor about when you should start screening based on your personal and family history
The American Cancer Society offers guidelines and resources at cancer.org
Many communities offer free or low-cost mammogram programs
Early detection saves lives. Schedule your screening today.
About the Author
Lika Torline is the founder of In The Weeds Premium Botanical Products, a lesbian- and woman-owned botanical skincare line. It is committed to natural, intentional, and inclusive self-care. Her products are available online and at local Texas markets.
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