The Ugly Side of Cosmetics & Personal Care Products

Everyday, most of us use personal care products like moisturizers, lotions, shampoos, and make-up. But would we still use these products if we knew what Health Canada, the FDA and the Cosmetics & Personal Care industry has know for years: that these products contain hazardous, toxic and cancer causing ingredients?

The cosmetics and personal care products industry is a $34-billion-a-year plus business in North America. Health Canada and the FDA regulate these products so how bad can they actually be. There is an ongoing heated debate with a growing number of scientists saying the chemicals in these personal care products may give us cancer over time.

Dr. Sam Epstein, author of, "The Politics of Cancer" and "Cancer-Gate: How to Win the Losing Cancer War" a recognized cancer expert and a cancer scientist at the University of Illinois in Chicago, who’s 40 years of research have convinced him many personal care products may be giving us cancer says, “Mainstream cosmetics produced by mainstream industries are literally a witch’s brew of carcinogenic ingredients.”

It’s A Chemical World

The 10,000 or more chemical ingredients present in the marketplace, with many of them found in the products we use every day to clean and beautify our bodies are increasingly becoming a concern as we learn that long-term low-level exposures to these chemicals create a variety of health risks. Scientists are increasingly concerned that we do not yet know the full impact of living with the cocktail of chemicals found in personal care products.

Most of us mistakenly assume that if something were bad for us, the government wouldn’t allow it to be sold or used as an ingredient in the products we purchase. However, we all know that governments and their agencies are as a rule slow to act. Our experience in the regulation of tobacco, pest control products and lead in gasoline should teach us that regulation is slow and the companies that produce these products won’t take attempts to limit their use sitting down. Health Canada and the FDA have been slow to restrict many chemicals currently in use, including identified or suspected carcinogens, hormone disrupters and reproductive toxins. When you then include the lengthy process of evaluating these chemicals prior to them even being considered for regulation or restriction, it’s as if we were all being used as human guinea pigs in an ongoing toxic chemical experiment.

The amount of potentially harmful chemicals used in most products is small, but critics say the danger lies in using these products repeatedly. The toxic chemical overload to our bodies worries scientists.

People used to think mercury was safe. People used to think lead was safe. People used to think using phosphorous was safe. However, they were not.

A recent study out of California found that women who use dark permanent hair dyes double their chances of getting bladder cancer. The hair dye and cancer debate isn’t new. When Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis died, many scientists suspected her cancer came from her frequent hair colouring.

The California study prompted European scientists to call for an urgent review, while in Canada there seems to be little interest. The industry says there is no problem.

The European Union has already banned some 400 plus chemicals suspected of causing cancer, but most of these chemicals are still permitted in Canada and the United States.

As well, Europe and the United States require cosmetic companies to list their ingredients but Health Canada doesn't yet. Mandatory labelling for cosmetics and personal care products takes effect in Canada on November 16, 2006.

We Can All Benefit From Less Toxicity

For people with chemical sensitivities, allergies, asthma and other diseases who become ill when exposed to the ingredients in many of these products, locating less toxic alternatives can be a matter of life and death. But as studies continue to reveal shocking information on the long-term health hazards associated with commonly used chemicals, including cancers and reproductive problems, many more people are looking to make healthy lifestyle choices when selecting personal care products.

Identifying safe personal care products from among the thousands lining the shelves of grocery stores, pharmacies and health food stores can be challenging.

In choosing the products we use on our bodies, we are the ones in control. We can make informed choices for the sake of our own health and the health of our families. Moreover, whether you make changes in only a few of the products you use or in all of them, you will be making a positive choice for you and your health.

Making Healthy Choices For Personal Care

Be Careful of Green-Washing

When you look at products lining the shelves of stores you will find many labels promoting their product as All Natural, Green, Eco-friendly, and Botanical. When in fact there is no legal definition or standard for the use of these words. Manufacturers will disguise their hazardous products with pretty pictures of flowers or fruit to play on our desire for a more natural lifestyle. Many companies will promote one healthy sounding ingredient such as “With Vitamin E” or “With Jojoba” in a product that is anything but healthy.

Another common practise is to list ingredients as being derived from plants, like coconut or lavender, when in truth the plant has gone through so many chemical processes, many times involving toxic solvents, that the final ingredient will have very little similarity to the original plant material.

Read Labels & Make Healthy Choices

With over 10,000 chemical ingredients present in the marketplace it is important to know how to read a label. If you know the risks of some popular personal care product ingredients, you are then better able to evaluate for yourself the hazards of products on store shelf.

In Canada and the United States, ingredients are listed in order of quantity. The first ingredient in the list makes up the greatest amount of the product, the last ingredient is the least in quantity.

It is also important to note that ingredient lists may not contain all of the ingredients within the product. On some product labels only the “active” ingredients may be listed and ingredients which make up less than 1% of a product are not required to be listed at all. Most often these missing ingredients can have harmful health effects.

Common Hazardous Ingredients in Personal Care Products

There are more than 5,000 ingredients that are allowed for use in personal care products. Many of these ingredients that are allowed are known to be hazardous to our health and many others remain untested with unknown risks. There are a number of known health hazards which are common ingredients in personal care products, and these can be found in both conventional products and alternative products.

Below is a list of the more common hazardous ingredients that are found in personal care products and are known health hazards:

DEA, TEA, MEA - Diethanolamine (DEA), triethanolamine (TEA), and monoethanolamine (MEA) are hormone disruptors. They are also known to combine with nitrates to form cancer-causing nitrosamines. If a product contains nitrites (used as a preservative or present as a contaminant not listed on labels) a chemical reaction can occur either during manufacturing or after a product is made. There is no way to know which products contain nitrosamines because government does not require manufacturers to disclose this information on the label.

A 1997 study by the U.S. National Toxicology Program found that these compounds themselves might also be carcinogenic. Repeated skin application of DEA was found to cause liver and kidney damage in animals. The study also discovered that when absorbed through the skin, DEA accumulated in organs. TEA may also cause contact dermatitis in some individuals.

Dioxins - You won't find dioxin listed on any label. It's formed as an accidental by-product of some manufacturing processes using chlorine, especially paper bleaching and the creation of plastic. Dioxin is one of the most powerful carcinogens known and accumulates in body fat. Mainstream deodorants and anti-bacterial soaps are suspect. Chlorine bleached tissues, toilet paper and cotton balls can contain dioxin. Plastic bottles may leach dioxin into creams, shampoos and other products we use daily.\

DMDM Hydantoin, Diazolidinyl Urea and Imidazolidinyl Urea - DMDM hydantoin, diazolidinyl urea and imidazolidinyl urea are preservatives that release formaldehyde. It is estimated that 20 per cent of people exposed to this chemical will experience an allergic reaction. Exposure to formaldehyde may cause joint pain, depression, headaches, chest pains, ear infections, chronic fatigue, dizziness and loss of sleep. In lab tests, formaldehyde has caused cancer and damaged DNA. Formaldehyde is a known sensitizer. Imidazolidinyl urea may cause contact dermatitis in some individuals.

FD&C Colours - Used extensively in personal care products, FD&C colours are made from coal. Coal tar colours have been found to cause cancer in animals and many people experience allergic reactions like skin irritation and contact dermatitis. They are listed as FD&C or D&C, followed by a colour and a number. Example: FD&C Red No. 6, or D&C Green No. 6.

Fragrance - Synthetic fragrance is the most common ingredient found in personal care products. "Fragrance on a label can indicate the presence of up to 4,000 separate ingredients. Most or all of them are synthetic. Symptoms reported to the FDA have included headaches, dizziness, rashes, skin discoloration, violent coughing and vomiting, and allergic skin irritation. Clinical observations by medical doctors have shown that exposure to fragrances can affect the central nervous system, causing depression, hyperactivity, irritability, inability to cope, and other behavioural changes." (Home Safe Home, Debra Lynn Dadd). Fragrance is a known trigger of asthma. Many of the compounds in fragrance are suspected or proven carcinogens. Phthalates in perfumes are known hormone disruptors. In 1989 the US National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health evaluated 2,983 fragrance chemicals for health effects. They identified 884 of them as toxic substances. The US Environmental Protection Agency found that 100% of perfumes contain toluene, which can cause liver, kidney and brain damage as well as damage to a developing fetus.

Lanolin - Lanolin is a common allergen and because of this has been replaced in many products. But there is another reason to be cautious about lanolin. Lanolin is derived from sheep’s wool. It may contain residues of insecticides into which sheep are dipped to control external parasites. These insecticides are fat-soluble. Dr. Samuel Epstein, chairman of the Cancer Prevention Coalition, says these chemicals are likely to migrate through the skin and into the bloodstream. However, some sheep producers now control parasites by injecting sheep with insecticides, which work by circulating through the animal’s bloodstream. The best way to know if the lanolin in a personal care product is free of insecticide is to look for a certified organic product. Uncontaminated lanolin is perfectly safe, although it can cause contact dermatitis in some people. Lanolin oil, a more refined product, has been found to have little insecticide residue. Purified lanolin oil is a healthy product, as long as you aren't allergic to it.

Lead - Lead is a known carcinogen and hormone disruptor. It is readily absorbed through the skin, and accumulates in the bones. It causes neurological damage and behaviour abnormalities, and large accumulations can result in leg cramps, muscle weakness, numbness and depression. Lead is found in some hair dyes.

Nonylphenols - This estrogen-mimicking chemical is a surfactant used for its detergent properties. It can be found in some plastics, as well as shaving creams, shampoos and hair colours. It can be created when certain chemicals commonly found in personal care products break down. Nonylphenols can be a component in polyvinyl chloride (PVC), a compound often found in acrylic nails. They are persistent in the environment and of such concern that many European countries are phasing them out. Some manufacturers have voluntarily discontinued their use.

Parabens - An estrogen mimic, parabens are preservatives with antibacterial properties. Widely used in all kinds of personal care products, paraben is usually preceded by the prefixes methyl-, ethyl-, butyl-, or propyl-. Parabens can cause allergic reactions or contact dermatitis in some people. Preservatives are one of the leading causes of contact dermatitis. There are safer practical alternatives to parabens, including vitamin E, vitamin C and grapefruit seed extract.

PEG - Polyethylene glycol (PEG) is used in cleaners and some oven cleaners to dissolve oil and grease. It can also be found in many personal care products. PEG may be contaminated with 1,4-dioxane, a carcinogen. Dioxane readily penetrates the skin. While dioxane can be removed from products easily and economically by vacuum stripping during the manufacturing process, there is no way to determine which products have undergone this process. Labels are not required to list this information.

Phenylenediamine - Used in permanent hair dyes, phenylenediamine can cause eczema, bronchial asthma, gastritis, skin irritation and even death. It is also a carcinogen. It can react with other chemicals to cause photosensitivity. The US Food and Drug Administration proposed legislation which would have required warning labels on products, advising that this ingredient can penetrate skin and has been determined to cause cancer in lab animals. If passed, beauty salons would have had to post warnings for their customers. Cosmetic industry lobbyists defeated the proposal.

Phthalates - Everyone in the general population is exposed to phthalates from one source or another. They are found in many products from plastics to shampoo. These hormone-disrupting chemicals are suspected of contaminating breast milk and causing damage to the kidneys, liver, lungs and reproductive organs. One type of phthalate, diethyl phthalate (DEP) is commonly found in fragrances and other personal care products. Phthalates are used to enhance fragrances, as solvents, and to denature alcohol. A study published in Environmental Health Perspectives (December 2002) found that DEP is damaging to the DNA of sperm in adult men at current levels of exposure. DNA damage to sperm can lead to infertility and may also be linked to miscarriages, birth defects, infertility and cancer in offspring. DEP is the phthalate found in the highest levels in humans. Recent product tests found the chemical in every fragrance tested in the United States. Manufacturers are not required to list phthalates on product labels, so they are difficult to avoid.

Polysorbate 60 and Polysorbate 80 - Polysorbate 60 and polysorbate 80 may be contaminated with 1,4-dioxane, a carcinogen. Dioxane readily penetrates the skin. While dioxane can be removed from products easily and economically by vacuum stripping during the manufacturing process, there is no way to determine which products have undergone this process. Labels are not required to list this information.

Propylene Glycol - Propylene glycol is recognized as a neurotoxin by the National Institute for Occupational Health and Safety in the U.S. It is known to cause contact dermatitis, kidney damage and liver abnormalities. It is widely used as a moisture-carrying ingredient in place of glycerine because it is cheaper and more readily absorbed through the skin. The Material Safety Data Sheet for propylene glycol warns workers handling this chemical to avoid skin contact.

Quaternary Ammonium Compounds (Quats) - Listed on labels as benzalkonium chloride, cetrimonium bromide, quaternium-15 and quaternium 1-29, these compounds are caustic and can irritate the eyes. Quaternium-15 is a formaldehyde releaser and the number one cause of preservative-related contact dermatitis. There is concern about their potential as sensitizers. For about 5% of people, quats are an extreme sensitizer and can cause a variety of asthma-like symptoms, even respiratory arrest. When they are used with hot running water, steam increases the inhalation of vapours. These compounds are used in a wide range of products as preservatives, surfactants and germicides. They make hair and skin feel softer immediately after use but long-term use will cause dryness.

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Sodium Laureth Sulfate - This chemical is a known skin irritant and enhances allergic response to other toxins and allergens. The U.S. government has warned manufacturers of unacceptable levels of dioxin formation in some products containing this ingredient. The chemical can react with other ingredients to form cancer-causing nitrosamines. Sodium lauryl sulfate is used as a lathering agent. It is present in ninety per cent of commercial shampoos, as well as skin creams and some brands of toothpaste.

Sodium laureth sulfate may be contaminated with 1,4-dioxane, a carcinogen. Dioxane readily penetrates the skin. While dioxane can be removed from products easily and economically by vacuum stripping during the manufacturing process, there is no way to determine which products have undergone this process. Labels are not required to list this information.

Talc - Talc is a naturally occurring mineral which is carcinogenic when inhaled. In addition, women who regularly use talc in the genital area are at increased risk for ovarian cancer. Airborne talc in body powders and antiperspirant sprays can irritate the lungs. Talcum powder is reported to cause coughing, vomiting, and even pneumonia. Many paediatricians now tell parents to avoid using talc on babies as it can cause respiratory distress, sometimes resulting in death. Talc is found in blushes, face powders, eye shadows, liquid foundation and skin fresheners. Used near the eyes, it can irritate sensitive mucous membranes. Talc in liquid formulations poses minimal risk.

NOTE: The above list is by no means complete. There are many other chemicals currently in use, which are identified or suspected carcinogens, hormone disrupters and reproductive toxins.

How to Buy Personal Care Products

Almost all companies now have Web sites where their products can be viewed. Many companies selling the better and healthier products or hypoallergenic products will list product ingredients on their Web sites. It is important to review these sites, ask questions and research ingredients which you suspect may be hazardous.

If you find a healthy product you like, check the company’s Web site to see what else they make and most importantly make informed choices for the sake of your health and the health of your loved ones.

Be Well & Healthy Shopping!

References:
The above guide was compiled with references and sources from the Cancer Prevention Coalition, Health Canada, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, U.S. Department of Labor.