Photograph Courtesy Shutterstock Images

Although many people assume that every cosmetic product on American shelves has been thoroughly tested for safety by government regulators, the truth is that there is no ivory tower filled with scientists in lab coats conducting blind trials on every ingredient. This should be a concern, because the average American is exposed to 126 different cosmetic chemicals every day, according to the EWG. Since 1938, Congress has passed laws that offer limited consumer protection on cosmetics, and in 1975 the FDA was directed to require the text "Warning: The safety of this product has not been determined" on any cosmetic that contains an ingredient that has not been proven safe before sale (the testing itself is not legally required).

"No one I know has seen any cosmetic product that carries this label," points out Lauren Sucher, a spokesperson for the EWG. Sucher says that an industry-funded expert, The Cosmetic Ingredient Review, has reviewed just 11 percent of the FDA's 10,500 catalogued cosmetic ingredients, and that the other 89 percent of ingredients can be found in 99 percent of products on the market. In June 2004, the EWG petitioned the FDA on this issue, and in February the agency sent a letter to the Cosmetic, Toiletry and Fragrance Association warning it that the agency is serious about enforcing the labeling law.

The FDA's letter also stated that the agency will work on developing definitive guidelines for companies to use to demonstrate product safety. As Sucher explains, there is no current definition of "safe" when it comes to personal products, and there is "no requirement that a company prove a product won't cause cancer, birth defects and so on." Europe's laws are now stricter on this point. An FDA spokesperson told The Green Guide that her agency is working on a formal response to the EWG, but that she can't comment on what actions, if any, will be taken.

Sucher says her group is focusing its attention on 20 products—including Desitin Diaper Rash Ointment and Stridex Triple Action Pads—containing ingredients that industry assessments have already revealed may cause harm when used as directed, as well as on 356 personal-care products containing ingredients that, according to the industry's review panel, lack sufficient data to support their safe use. The EWG also developed a list of nine common cosmetic ingredients that are especially toxic (and, in most cases, known or suspected carcinogens), including coal tar, parabens, talc with asbestiform fibers, progesterone, lead acetate, phenol, resorcinol, carrageenan and crystalline silica.

In the meantime, consumers may opt to avoid products with the most questionable ingredients, and may seek out more natural alternatives.

Resources

FDA, www.fda.gov, 888-INFO-FDA

EWG, www.ewg.org, 202-667-6982