Diane MacEachern, author of Big Green Purse, suggests a fun little exercise: Gather all those products in one place and take a count. You won’t be alone if the number hits 12 or 15.

“People are amazed,” she said. “Someone has convinced us we need to use all these products every day.” Eco-groups and environmental researchers have raised alarms about the cumulative health effects of many of the compounds found in personal-care products. While many industry experts say the products are safe, some scientists and others outside the industry disagree.