are any cosmetic products or their containers harmful to the environment?

Answer 1

Any manufacutred, pacakaged and transported product has an impact on the environment, from raw materials from wild plants & animals or intensive agriculture to non-renewable/recyclable materials in packaging.

Most cosmetics are sold on the basis of exclusivity, ie rare/expensive and not essential (like a 4x4 chelsea tractor) so sustainability and environmental credentials are low on the buyers list of importance.

the cosmetics that are OK are those you can easily make yourself from garden plants, eg Rosemary for hair wash or creams from marigolds.
This has the added benifit of needing to establish a relationship with the real world, and all sorts of enjoyment that come from that.

Answer 2

Any sort of plastic that doesnt biodegenerate is harmful to the environment, so basically almost everything, and i dont't think the products themselves are harmful as u wear them on your face and such so they can't be toxic but theyre might be something like hairsprays that aren't good for the environment. =D