One early morning in college, I was putting on makeup and accidentally dropped a bottle of foundation. It exploded into shards of glass and a thick goop that covered the sink. After removing the glass, I scrubbed the porcelain surface for at least 10 minutes, trying unsuccessfully to remove the oily substance and peach-colored stain it left behind. All the while, I kept wondering: What is in this stuff anyway!?

Well, now I have an answer. A research group called the Environmental Working Group has developed the Skin Deep Cosmetics Database, which allows you to search by product to learn what is in your makeup and whether the ingredients are harmful. Skin Deep uses 50 different regulatory and toxicity databases to research the ingredients in common cosmetic products. It then assigns an overall hazard level for the product and for each of its ingredients.

I searched one cosmetic product I use everyday and discovered that it earns a level 4 hazard rating (10 is extremely hazardous). It contains ingredients associated with cancer, toxicity, allergies, and irritation. I couldn’t believe the detailed information I was able to find, and I couldn’t believe I’d been putting this junk on my face for the last five years.

The database will also tell you whether a cosmetics company has signed the Compact for Safer Cosmetics agreement and whether the company does animal testing. 

In addition, the FDA provides helpful articles about cosmetic products. The FDA also provides highlights about recent changes in cosmetics regulations. CosmeticsInfo.org, a site developed by the cosmetics trade industry, is another source of product information.

So, before you hit the makeup aisle, do some research to avoid the really nasty stuff.

With the exception of a weird brand of adhesive bandage and penicillin, I am very lucky that I do not have any allergies—especially considering my family history.

The same can't be said for my poor sister whose entire childhood was severely sleep-deprived due to horrific allergies, particularly in the spring and fall. And who can forget the Thanksgiving when we cleared out nearly the entire extended family, not realizing our new pet rabbit would send them rummaging for inhalers—and out the door? Then there was the road-trip when I spent 6 hours freaked out, thinking my friend had pinkeye. Turned out to be a ragweed flare-up.

Suffice to say, allergies are no fun! They become particularly bad this time of year when new flowers are in bloom and pollen is whirling around. Pollen allergies, also known as hay fever, can often be confused with the common cold. Same sneezing, runny nose, coughing, watery and itchy eyes. While a cold typically clears up in a week or so, allergies can last for weeks. Left untreated, it can lead to more serious issues like ear infections, sinus infections, and asthma.

What can you do if you have these extended symptoms? Obviously, the first step is to see your doctor. Once it is determined what you're allergic to, you can then figure out ways to avoid the allergen. Allergic to plants and trees? Keep your windows shut, and use air-conditioning with a filter. For dust allergies, do your best to minimize clutter—where dust gets trapped. Purchase pillow and mattress covers to form a barrier between you and dust mites.

Your doctor may also prescribe you medication depending on your specific problem. Many nasal sprays or antihistamines can be taken at home. Sometimes allergy shots are recommended. These take place in the doctor's office and continue at weekly or monthly intervals for 3 to 5 years.

Determining the cause of seasonal discomfort is half the battle. Don't let allergies keep you cooped up this spring!

The days are getting longer, temps higher, baseball is in full swing—Summer is just around the corner - I can feel it! Cue Will Smith and DJ Jazzy Jeff!

Summer is my favorite time of year: Phillies games, weekends down the shore, dining alfresco, outdoor concerts, sunshine and swimming—what's not to love?

While having fun in the sun is a priority of mine, there are dangers that cannot be dismissed when preparing for summertime. That big ol' ball of gas in the sky can really do some damage.

Speaking from personal experience, when I was a kid I spent endless summer days at the pool, playing softball, or running amok around the neighborhood with my pals. At the ripe old age of 12, I had my first surgery to remove a questionable mole on my back. With a long Irish lineage, my mom was always adamant about her girls using sunscreen. Even so, I found myself with 10 stitches and a noticeable scar while only in the 6th grade.

In college, while lounging outside on a sunny afternoon, a friend pointed out a dark, oddly shaped mark on the back of my left arm. An area I couldn't see myself, this was the first time it was ever brought to my attention. A biopsy revealed the patch contained pre-cancerous cells and had to be removed immediately. This was before I even hit 21.

Now I see my dermatologist every 6 months for a check-up, and am "that girl" who constantly gives her friends a hard time about their trips to tanning salons and lack of SPF while trying for that perfect tan.

Of course, skin protection is not a summer-only issue. But, here are some tips to get you ready for the most outdoorsy time of the year.

• Sunscreen has a shelf-life of only about 6 months. So, your leftovers from last year? Chuck them. Exposure to oxygen and light cause the chemicals to oxidize and are less effective in protecting you.
• Be sure to slick on the 'screen everywhere. Two of the most common areas to find skin cancer are on the lips and tops of feet, which are often overlooked.
• Wear sunglasses that are 100% UVA and UVB protective—prevents crow's feet down the road!
• The bulk of skin damage comes from everyday exposure—running out to your car, walking to the mailbox, etc. Wear moisturizer with SPF every day for added protection.
• Check your skin regularly. Make note of any changes in color or shape of moles and report them to your doctor. Make a yearly appointment for a mole check inspection of areas you can't see yourself.
• Wear SPF of at least 15 or higher, and re-apply regularly (every 2 hours or so).

Any other tips to safely enjoy the sunshine?

In the spring, a young woman’s fancy lightly turns to thoughts of ... motorcycling.

Apologies to Alfred, Lord Tennyson, but I can’t help having that altered poetry in my head right now. The warm April weather prompts me and my husband to finally take the winter tarp off our motorcycle and head out down the road. There are some great national parks, trails, and wildlife refuges that we can bike to. And we'll join many other bikers on the road, apparently: motorcycles are the fastest growing form of personal transportation in the United States. Even the head of the U.S. Department of Transportation rides a hog.

But we don't take our motorcycle into the street without first inspecting it, digging our helmets out of storage, and finding our armor jackets and boots. May is Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) offers motorcycle safety information, plus has some sobering stats on motorcycle-related deaths. For example, motorcycle fatalities now account for 11 percent of total road fatalities, and have more than doubled in a decade.

As part of our safety education, my husband and I took a course with the Motorcycle Safety Foundation, a nonprofit that works with NHTSA and offers more than 1,500 rider education and training courses across the country. The organization offers basic rules for motorcyclists, including riding within one's limits and wearing protective gear. NHTSA estimates that helmets saved the lives of 1,546 motorcyclists in 2005. If all motorcyclists had worn helmets, 728 more people could have been saved.

Car drivers also can do their part to make motorcycling a safer pursuit—including giving two-wheelers some room, looking out for motorcyclists, and using turn signals. NHTSA offers humorous posters for car drivers to educate them about motorcycles on the road, such as the "Tough on the Outside. Soft and Squishy on the Inside" poster. Not terribly poetic, either. But it just might save a life.

A recent study announced that pharmaceuticals like sex hormones, mood stabilizers, and acetaminophen were found in the U.S. drinking water supply. YIKES! When I read the article, it didn’t really strike close to home, until…

A couple weeks ago when my nesting instinct took me on a trip to the top shelf of my linen closet to a basket full of expired medications and first aid supplies.

So, this was my dilemma; do I contribute further to the problem by just cavalierly tossing the stuff in the trash like I had originally planned? Not if I can help it! But, what do I do? I’ve heard of some prescription drug take back programs but in my search I couldn’t find one in my local area. (I wish I lived in the Great Lakes Region – they’re collecting old pharmaceuticals to commemorate Earth Day – how cool!)

While there's lots of advice on taking meds, from what I could find, there's a lack of clear info about what to do if you no longer need the medicine and have to dispose of it. And, I don’t know about anyone else, but I’m a little confused by the guidance on proper disposal – I’ve read, “Crush Don’t Flush” from the SmaRxt Disposal campaign but the ONDCP says that flushing is appropriate in certain circumstances.

I don’t feel fully comfortable that the instructions I found will completely protect the environment, but I guess it’s better than doing nothing. Here’s how I’ll dispose of my pills:

1. Remove them from their original containers
2. Crush the pills and put them in a sealable container – probably a plastic zipper bag
3. I’ll add coffee grounds to the bag (they recommend mixing the crushed pills with an “undesirable substance”)
4. Then I’ll throw the bag in the trash.

I’ll also be sure to remove any identifying information from prescription drug containers before I recycle them (if they’re recyclable, of course).

Here are some other resources I found:

• EPA’s Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products page
• Disposal of Unwanted Medicines: A Resource for Action in Your Community
• Check with your local waste collection agency since they often have information specific to your local area.