Benzene, hydrofluoric acid, Red No. 24, Yellow No. 14 — if you live in the United States, there’s a good chance these dangerous ingredients are lurking in your cosmetic products. If you live in Europe on the other hand, you can bet that they’re not. The European Union has banned 1,328 chemicals from being put into their cosmetics. In comparison, the U.S. has banned a mere handful.
Of the over 13,000 chemicals used in cosmetics, only 10% have been safety tested — and manufacturers tasked with safety testing do not have to release the testing data to the FDA. To be clear, that means a cosmetic manufacturer can decide they want to test their product for safety and register it with the FDA — or they can choose not to. If that’s not enough to get your blood boiling, consider the fact that the average woman uses 12 personal care products a day, containing more than 160 different chemicals — including chemicals linked to infertility, liver and kidney damage, neurological symptoms, cancer and more. Starting to get angry?
On top of the fact that thousands of unregulated chemicals are being used in cosmetic products in the U.S., a bill that would have banned the use of 20 toxic chemicals in makeup and hair care products was recently crushed. The California bill, called the Toxic-Free Cosmetics Act, didn’t stand a chance against the $70 billion cosmetics industry.
So why does it seem like the EU is so much more concerned with the safety of their consumers? The EU has laws requiring manufacturers to prove to regulators that a product is safe, before it can be used. In the U.S., it’s more of a free-for-all. Similar rules apply for new chemicals entering the market, but not for the thousands of toxins already being added to cosmetics. The EU’s approach is preventative. Instead of requiring proof of safety, the U.S. wants evidence of harm, before implementing regulations.
Considering that new regulations are unlikely, it’s up to you to be an informed consumer. Check labels on every cosmetic product you purchase and stick to brands that are organic, transparent and trustworthy. Some of the most toxic ingredients to avoid include parabens, BHA, BHT, synthetic colors, fragrance, triclosan, toluene, propylene glycol and sodium lauryl sulfate.
The Environmental Working Group has an extensive database that can help you find personal care products that are free of potentially dangerous chemicals. Head on over to their Skin Deep Cosmetics Database to learn more.