Cosmetics are substances used to enhance the appearance or odor of the human body.
Cosmetics include skin-care creams, lotions, powders, perfumes, lipsticks, fingernail and toe nail polish, eye and facial makeup, permanent waves, colored contact lenses, hair colors, hair sprays and gels, deodorants, baby products, bath oils, bubble baths, bath salts, butters and many other types of products.
The ingredients of these products usually include fragrances, preservatives, colors/dyes, detergents, and surfactants. Fragrances and preservatives are the main constituents in cosmetics.
Preservatives in cosmetics prevent bacteria and fungus from growing in the product and protect products from damage caused by air or light. But preservatives can also cause the skin to become irritated and infected in addition to causing other health problems.
Below are some of the ingredients in cosmetics, their function and health hazards:
- Paraben - most widely used preservatives in cosmetic products to protect them against microbial growth, both to protect consumers and to maintain product integrity. A study published in 2004 (Darbre, in the Journal of Applied Toxicology) detected parabens in breast tumors. The study also discussed this information in the context of the weak estrogen-like properties of parabens and the influence of estrogen on breast cancer. However, the study left several questions unanswered. For example, the study did not show that parabens cause cancer, or that they are harmful in any way, and the study did not look at possible paraben levels in normal tissue.
- DMDM hydantoin & Imidazolidinyl urea - antimicrobial formaldehyde releaser preservative. Used in the cosmetics industry and found in products like shampoos, hair conditioners, hair gels and skin care products. Might cause eye, skin, respiratory system irritation.
- Formaldehyde - used as a preservative. Although the short-term health effects of formaldehyde exposure are well known, less is known about its potential long-term health effects. In 1980, laboratory studies showed that exposure to formaldehyde could cause nasal cancer in rats. This finding raised the question of whether formaldehyde exposure could also cause cancer in humans. In 1987, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) classified formaldehyde as a probable human carcinogen under conditions of unusually high or prolonged exposure. Since that time, some studies of humans have suggested that formaldehyde exposure is associated with certain types of cancer. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classifies formaldehyde as a human carcinogen.
- Phthalates - primarily used as plasticizers in products such as nail polishes (to reduce cracking by making them less brittle) and hair sprays (to help avoid stiffness by allowing them to form a flexible film on the hair) and as solvents and perfume fixatives in various other products.
- Talc - is the main ingredient in baby powder, medicated powders, perfumed powders and designer perfumed body powders. Cosmetic grade talc is carcinogenic in experimental animals. Also, frequent genital dusting with talc, routinely practiced by some 17% of premenopausal women, increases risks of ovarian cancer.
- Sodium laureth sulfate, or sodium lauryl ether sulfate (SLES) - detergent and surfactant found in many personal care products (soaps, shampoos, toothpaste etc.). SLES is an inexpensive and very effective foaming agent.Although SLES is considered safe at the concentrations used in cosmetic products, it is an irritant similar to other detergents, with the irritation increasing with concentration. SLES has been shown to produce eye or skin irritation in experimental animals and in some human test subjects. The related surfactant SLS is a known irritant, and research suggests that SLES can also cause irritation after extended exposure in some people. Toxicology research by the OSHA, NTP, and IARC supports the conclusions of the Cosmetic, Toiletry, and Fragrance Association (CTFA) and the American Cancer Society that SLES is not a carcinogen. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency classifies 1,4-dioxane to be a probable human carcinogen (having observed an increased incidence of cancer in controlled animal studies, but not in epidemiological studies of workers using the compound), and a known irritant (with a no-observed-adverse-effects level of 400 milligrams per cubic meter) at concentrations significantly higher than those found in commercial products. Under Proposition 65, 1,4-dioxane is classified in the U.S. state of California to cause cancer.
- DEA (diethanolamine) - another widely used detergent, has been known since 1975 to combine with nitrite preservatives or contaminants in cosmetic/personal care products to form a highly carcinogenic nitrosamine. Furthermore, in 1997, DEA itself was shown to be carcinogenic following application to mouse skin.
Sources: http://www.fda.gov, http://www.womenshealth.gov, http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/, http://www.cancer.gov, http://www.preventcancer.com, http://www.wikipedia.org/
