Back to All NewsMore than Half of US Cosmetics May Contain "Forever Chemicals"
Posted By American Med Spa Association, Wednesday, June 23, 2021
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More than half of the make-up products sold in the United States and Canada may contain toxic chemicals, a new study suggests.
When researchers out of the University of Notre Dame tested 231 commonly used cosmetics, they found that 56 percent of foundations and eye products, 48 percent of lip products and 47 percent of mascaras contained high levels of fluorine, which suggests the possible presence of PFAS or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances. These are often called "forever chemicals" because they bioaccumulate and don't break down.
“The manufacture, use, and disposal of cosmetics containing PFAS are all potential opportunities for health and ecosystem harm,” the study authors conclude. “Given their direct exposure routes into people, better regulation is needed to limit the widespread use of PFAS in cosmetics.”
Some of the highest PFAS levels were found in waterproof mascara (82 percent) and long-lasting lipstick (62 percent), according to the study which appears in the Environmental Science & Technology Letters. When 29 products with high fluorine concentrations were tested further, they were found to contain between four and 13 specific PFAS chemicals.
Read more at Practical Dermatology >>
When researchers out of the University of Notre Dame tested 231 commonly used cosmetics, they found that 56 percent of foundations and eye products, 48 percent of lip products and 47 percent of mascaras contained high levels of fluorine, which suggests the possible presence of PFAS or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances. These are often called "forever chemicals" because they bioaccumulate and don't break down.
“The manufacture, use, and disposal of cosmetics containing PFAS are all potential opportunities for health and ecosystem harm,” the study authors conclude. “Given their direct exposure routes into people, better regulation is needed to limit the widespread use of PFAS in cosmetics.”
Some of the highest PFAS levels were found in waterproof mascara (82 percent) and long-lasting lipstick (62 percent), according to the study which appears in the Environmental Science & Technology Letters. When 29 products with high fluorine concentrations were tested further, they were found to contain between four and 13 specific PFAS chemicals.
Read more at Practical Dermatology >>
