Do you try to avoid purchasing soap, lotions or cosmetics made in China?

Not at all.

When I worked at a big cat conservation organization, we had these two elderly gentleman bring us (dead) chickens from the local Purdue plant. As they went around the compound feeding the cats, they’d throw the random fat in a bucket in the back of the truck. That bucket would sit in the back of the truck all week, sometimes two, summer and winter. I finally asked what they did with the rancid stuff and they said it got used to make makeup.

I wear a moisturizer, and I buy ‘artisanal’ soap made with plant based oils.

Not at all. There are far more important things to worry about than who made my soap.

Nah, only plates, I get mine from Greece, smashing bargains.

Yes. I have no faith in mainland Chinese quality control.

Yes, to some extent I do. My mom especially tries to stay away from those products made in China. Pretty much she tries to avoid anything made in China or caught (seafood) in China, for fear of poisons.

I hadn’t considered this in regards to personal care products. Now I am curious to read the labels more closely to see if they indicate location of the processing plant.

Somewhat, but I do not avoid purchasing these items from China alone. I generally dislike the ingredients in skincare. I have sensitive skin and the detergents commonly found in most cleansers and shampoos send my system out of whack. I switched to the no shampoo method and cleansing with clay and oil and am so much the better for it.

I do dislike China’s mandatory animal testing, but I don’t have an out-and-out ban on purchasing items made there. It’s too difficult to trace where every item comes from.

I try to buy domestic (U.S.) version of anything, but there are some product categories where there is no domestic manufacturer. If I can’t find U.S.-made I’ll opt for European next, because it’s fairly likely that the folks who made it were paid and treated reasonably for their work.

But for lotions and cosmetics there are tons of alternatives to Chinese. The possibly sketchy ingredients is only one reason to avoid them.

I don’t buy any products from China that are designed to go in or on my body. No foodstuffs, no cosmetics, not toothpaste, no deodorant. There is a great lack of oversight, and too much coming into the US to be inspected and/or tested.

I only buy well known brands.

I generally don’t buy stuff like that, but when I do, it’s never from China.

@snowberry You don’t normally buy soap?

Rarely (the stuff I buy lasts a really long time). When I get it, it’s always a local brand or hand made.

I have never noticed where mine is made. I just checked a few products and the labels all say “Made in the EU”. I don’t think we get much from China here; because it’s such a long way to ship stuff, by the time it gets here it’s no cheaper than local products. It tends to be just toys and electronics that are Chinese here.

Technically, yes. My mom lives abroad so she always sends boxes of lotions, soaps, and cosmetics from Germany. No worries there. When it comes to skin care, I have used China-made products before and can attest to their potency. So if you’re thinking of using them – do so with caution as these ingredients are active and might harm sensitive skin. I don’t use them now though, only because I hardly wear cosmetics these days.