Gentle Touches: Personal Care

UPDATED MAY 17, 2005
Although many women spend a lifetime wearing makeup, the products they use are monitored minimally at best. "Neither cosmetic products nor cosmetic ingredients are reviewed or approved by the FDA before they are sold to the public," the agency states. This may be changing. Federal regulation requires products containing untested ingredients to include the warning "the safety of this product has not yet been determined." Unfortunately, the FDA has left it up to manufacturers to comply. In February, though, FDA officials notified the Cosmetic, Toiletry and Fragrance Association that they will begin enforcing the regulation.

However, many of the ingredients already approved by the FDA are the ones causing the greatest concern. Conventional personal-care products, based on petrochemicals and other problematic synthetics, contain ingredients, such as phthalates, that are readily absorbed by the skin. A growing number of studies indicate that some of these ingredients pose health risks to users and unborn children. This has led to a recent ban by the EU of two phthalates: diethylhexylphthalate (DEHP) and dibutyl phthalate (DBP).

In the US, mounting evidence, new EU regulations and sustained pressure from groups like the Breast Cancer Fund have prompted three large cosmetics manufacturers to cease using the two chemicals in their products. Revlon, Unilever and L'Oreal have made public statements that all of their products conform to EU standards, without regard to what country the products are sold. According to The Wall Street Journal, Proctor & Gamble and Estee Lauder have stated they will reformulate some of their nail polish to conform with EU standards in the US, but stop short of claiming they will ban the ingredients entirely.

Here are some ingredients to look for on labels and avoid:

Coal-Tar Dyes: These coloring agents can be carcinogens. Avoid cosmetics containing FD&C Blue 1, FD&C Green 3, D&C Red 33, FD&C Yellow 5, FC&C Yellow 6.

Glycol Ethers: Some glycol ethers have been linked to reproductive-system harm or birth defects, and overexposure can also result in kidney damage and liver abnormalities. Propylene glycol is a common skin irritant.

Fragrance: This blanket term generally covers synthetic fragrance using phthalates, a family of chemical plasticizers that have been shown to cause birth defects, reproductive impairments and liver damage in lab animals. And, according to the American Academy of Dermatology, fragrance is the number-one cause of allergic reactions from cosmetics.

Petrolatum: Although studies confirm that petroleum jelly, or Vaseline, is safe, it is derived from a non-renewable resource and can cause allergic skin reactions. And if you accidentally eat too much—not an impossibility if you are slathering it on your lips—you may wind up with diarrhea.

Preservatives: Parabens, including methyl-, butyl-, ethyl- and propyl-, often cause skin irritation and have been found in tissue samples from human breast tumors. Consumers should also avoid bronopol (often listed as 2-brono-2-nitropropane-1, 3-diol), diazolidinyl urea, DMDM hydantion, imidazolidinyl urea and quaternium 15, all of which can release formaldehyde, a probable human carcinogen.

Hypoallergenic: Don't be seduced by this meaningless term. The FDA states that "there are no federal standards or definitions that govern the use of the term 'hypoallergenic.'" Some products labeled "hypoallergenic," for example, contain known allergens, such as quaternium 15 and propylene glycol.

For more info, see the Dirty Dozen ingredients shopper's card, (see sidebar).

Better Choices:

Lotions/Oils

Mad Gabs Body and Massage Oils use only essential oils, such as those of tangerine, pink grapefruit and basil ($20, madgabs.com). Kathy's Family's Shea Butter Balm is 97 percent organic and perfect for dry, chapped skin on heels, hands, cuticles ($9.95, kathys-family.com, 866-634-0008). Aveda Personal Blends Hydrating Formula is a lightweight moisturizer that is also fragrance-free ($18.00, aveda.com, 866-823-1425). Aubrey Organics Evening Primrose Soothing Hand & Body Lotion uses the safe preservatives citrus seed extract and vitamins A, C and E ($13.95, aubrey-organics.com, 800-282-7394). L'Occitane 100 percent pure shea butter ($35, usa.loccitane.com).

Lips and Eyes

Burt's Bees cosmetics are free of synthetic preservatives and petrochemicals. Eye shadows, eyeliner/eyebrow pencils and lipsticks ($9-$9.50, burtsbees.com). Aveda Uruku Cheek-Lip Creme can be a blusher or a lipstick and contains no synthetic pigments or preservatives ($14.00, aveda.com, 866-823-1425). Jess' Bee Natural Lip Balm, in peppermint and tangerine flavors, contains only beeswax, soybean, almond and other plant oils ($3, beenaturallipbalm.com, 614-784-8565). Mad Gabs lip lube is a blend of beeswax, vitamin E and essential oils ($3, madgabs.com). Also try L'Occitane's Lavender Mini Pure Shea Butter for chapped lips ($6) and sumptuous balm in tints like Wild Blackberry ($13). Burt's Bees new Lip Shimmer balms ($3.50). Kathy's Family's Simple Sunny Citrus Lip Treatment in a tube refreshes as it soothes with coconut, sunflower, jojoba and almond oils ($3.50).

For more products, see GG#94 (Jan/Feb '03) in Archives and the Lip and Eye Makeup Product Report at thegreenguide.com.