Your Health and Safety: How Safe Are Your Cosmetics?
Whether it’s shampoo, body wash or moisturizer, cosmetic and personal care products are supposed to make us beautiful – to help us strike a balance between inner and outer beauty. But have you read the ingredients list on the label of your favorite shampoo or lotion? You might encounter chemical names like phthalates, triclosan, paraben or the ever-elusive term, “fragrance.” What are these substances and what are they doing on your skin?
Recent research shows us the links between common ingredients in commercial products and harmful side effects.
Watchdog groups such as the Environmental Working Group (EWG) and researchers at Vassar College are finding that common culprits causing illness are found in the following chemical  groups: phthalates, triclosan, paraben and musks. Byproducts of these substances such as sodium laureth sulfate and 1,4-dioxide are suspected carcinogens.
In particular, teens have high incidences of chemical exposure since they tend to experiment with different kinds of cosmetics and personal care products. According to a recent report published by the EWG, 16 different chemicals were found in the blood and urine samples of 20 adolescent girls aged 14 to 19. Research links these chemicals to health effects such as cancer and hormone disruption.1
Many personal care products contain phthalates. What are they? Phthalates are agents that help deliver moisture and allow chemicals to absorb into the skin. They help bind fragrance in body care products. Phthalates are also used to soften plastics used for toys, disposable plastic bottles and containers and medical equipment. Side effects include kidney, lung and liver damage, and female reproductive illnesses such as the early onset of puberty in girls, polycystic ovarian disorder and infertility. Continued phthalate exposure can trigger miscarriage and could be a cause of birth defects. Studies show prolonged use of products containing phthalates can increase the risk of asthma, allergies and type-2 diabetes.2
There are phthalate-free body care alternatives available, so exposure to this chemical group can be avoided. Purchase products in safer recyclable plastic containers marked with the numbers 1, 2 and 5 and avoid those labeled 3, 6 and 7.3
In addition to phthalates, some personal care products may contain mercury, toluene, petroleum distillates, parabens and any number of other chemicals that can cause cancer, harm the reproductive system and retard human development.4
 Triclosan is an antimicrobial agent used to kill bacteria on the skin and other surfaces. It is found in a variety of personal care products frequently used on a daily basis such as bar and liquid hand soaps and toothpaste. Despite its widespread use in these products, triclosan is no better at killing germs than regular soap and water. Long-term use of triclosan has been linked to thyroid disorders. Moreover, triclosan can form toxic byproducts in tap water, endangering not only the local water quality but also the environment at large. The run-off of triclosan into local lakes and streams poses a toxic threat to fish and other aquatic life. Exposure to this chemical is widespread, as it has been detected in the blood, breast-milk and urine of over 75% of the American population.5
Aside from triclosan, parabens are a group of artificial preservatives found in various cosmetic and body care products. Parabens are chemicals used to extend the shelf life of products such as moisturizers, shampoos, conditioners, sunscreens, deodorants, antiperspirants and mascaras because they inhibit the growth of bacteria and mold.
So, you might ask, what are the potential risks associated with long-term exposure to parabens? Parabens have been known to cause allergic reactions and are known hormonal disruptors. In various studies performed in the EU and the US, parabens have been linked to incidences of breast cancer and estrogen disruption in women.
Parabens are also known contaminants. When parabens are combined with chlorinated tap water, paraben byproducts can form that create unsafe water known to kill aquatic life, in particular, coral.
 The term “fragrance” conjures the fresh scent of fields of wildflowers, the crisp smell of clean linen, the deep, rich notes of cedar and sandalwood. But do you know the average perfume or cologne contains somewhere between 400 and 600 synthetic chemicals? Musks are the artificial chemicals used in products such as air fresheners, fabric softeners and personal care soaps and lotions. Long-term use of products containing musks can lead to hormone and reproductive disruption in women and can interfere with proper immune function.6
As with products containing no phthalates and triclosan, paraben-free and fragrance-free alternatives are available and switching to them can reduce long-term exposure. If fragrances appeal to you, look for products containing natural, essential oils instead of synthetic perfumes.
While the EU has banned the use of phthalates, paraben, triclosan and musk in commercial products, the use of these chemicals in cosmetics and body care products in the US lags behind and remains largely unchecked and unregulated. According to the EWG, the FDA has assessed for safety only 11% of the 10,500 ingredients found in hair and body care products.
If we used just one personal care product a day, we might not have to worry too much. But on a daily basis, Americans use an average of anywhere between 10 and 15 personal care products. Based on the EWG’s recent statistics, people apply an average of 126 to 178 different ingredients to their skin daily, making the cumulative impact of these chemicals particularly hazardous.7 Parents and teens should be especially careful in their selection and use of body care products to protect themselves against avoidable contaminants.
You can take steps to protect yourself and your loved ones from exposure to these chemicals. Here are some suggestions and resources to help you stay healthy and safe.
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Stay away from the “Dirty Dozen” in cosmetics and personal care products. In addition to the health concerns posed by the products discussed in this article, other additives pose similar health risks and should be avoided: coal tar, diethanolamine (DEA), formaldehyde, lead and mercury, nanoparticles, petroleum distillates, p-phenylenediamine and hydroquinone. See National Geographic’s “The Green Guide” for further information.
- To learn more about cosmetic safety and the health concerns associated with certain ingredients in beauty care products, please consult the following resources:
References:
3 In addition to phthalates, containers using plastics labeled 3, 6 and 7 contain bisphenol-A (known as BPA). Long-term exposure to BPA has been linked to endocrine and hormonal disruption in laboratory animals. The use of BPA has rightly raised a good deal of controversy. It has been recently removed from many products such as baby and water bottles as a result of consumer action and activism. For further information, see http://www.pbs.org/newshour/updates/science/july-dec08/bpa_09-19.html
7 Rebecca Sutton, “Adolescent exposures to cosmetic chemicals of concern,” September 2008, Environmental Working Group, http://www.ewg.org/reports/teens |
