One Out of Five Cosmetics May be Contaminated With Cancer-Causing Impurity


Although companies are required by law to list all chemical ingredients in a personal care product, a loophole allows them to list "fragrance" as a general category instead of a specific one.

"Fragrance" can actually include complex mixtures of hundreds of chemicals -- some of which have been linked to allergies, skin reactions, endocrine and hormone disruption, and possibly even birth defects.

Companies are not required to test cosmetics for safety before they are sold, and the FDA does not systematically review the safety of fragrances. Instead, the fragrance industry regulates itself, a practice that has led to widespread use of chemicals that can cause health problems, including:

Phthalates: These plasticizing ingredients have been linked to birth defects in the reproductive system of boys and lower sperm-motility in adult men, among other problems. Phthalates were present in nearly three-quarters of 72 products tested by the Environmental Working Group, although the word "phthalate" never appeared on any label.

Musks: Artificial musks accumulate in the body, and have been linked to skin irritation, hormone disruption, and cancer in laboratory studies.

Allergic reactions: Fragrances are among the top five known allergens, and can cause asthma and trigger asthma attacks.

Environmental Working Group

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Dr. Mercola's Comment:

This past Valentine's Day you might have expressed your loving thoughts with gifts such as scented perfumes, colognes or toiletries. But because loopholes in federal law allow cosmetic manufacturers to hide potentially dangerous chemicals, most of these products are actually very unsafe.

Protected under the umbrella of federal law, companies can hide health-harming combinations of chemicals in their cosmetics that may harm, among others, your unborn baby -- and you'd never know it, even after carefully reviewing product labels.

Just a reminder, only a miniscule portion of cosmetics and toiletries have ever had all of their ingredients tested for safety, and the toothless FDA doesn't review the safety of fragrances either.

And one of those primary ingredients hidden in fragrances -- phthalates -- is among the more common poisons you're exposed to every day. In experiments on rats, phthalates have demonstrably blocked the action of fetal androgens, which affects gender development in male offspring, with results including undescended testes at birth, low sperm counts, and testicular tumors later in life.

On Vital Votes, Lifestyle Coach Josh Rubin from San Marcos, California says:

"In my opinion, this is one of the top causes of women's hormonal imbalances, besides plastics and the pill. A great book to buy is the Consumers' Guide to Cosmetics by Ruth Winter. You can look up any ingredient and its effects on the body.

"You would be amazed!

"Some other alternatives I recommend to clients are other high quality organic make up (you can find them usually in your local organic health food store, [and] they can recommend other companies) and Young Living Essential Oils. These are great because they can be used as perfumes, as well as for other ailments or for just an uplifting experience."