As quarantine restrictions are gradually eased in many countries, shops and beauty salons are reopening. A bill has been introduced in the U.S. Congress to ban the use of chemicals known as PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) in cosmetic products that pose a health risk.
In a study published Tuesday in Environmental Science & Technology Letters, a group of experts found that PFASs are present in 52% of more than two hundred and thirty-one (231) different cosmetic products from 80 leading manufacturers purchased in the United States and Canada. The authors do not specify which specific companies’ products contain the hazardous substances, but the experts examined products from leading global brands.
These include lotions, cleansers, nail polishes, shaving creams, foundations, lipsticks, mascaras, and eye shadows. The highest concentration of PFAS was found in waterproof eye shadows (82% of products), foundations (63%) and long-lasting lipsticks (62%).
PFAS are a group of more than 4700 man-made substances, the best known of which is polytetrafluoroethylene, or Teflon for short. They are also called “forever chemicals” because they do not break down under natural conditions. “In fact, scientists cannot even estimate the half-life of PFAS in the environment, which is the time it takes for 50% of the chemical to disappear,” according to the U.S. National Institute of Environmental Sciences.
They are widely used to dye clothing, carpets and food packaging, and to coat kitchen utensils to make them water- and dirt-repellent. They make cosmetics more durable, help them adhere better to the skin, and add shine.
Once in the human body, doctors say PFAS increase the risk of cancer, congenital developmental defects in infants, liver and thyroid disease, weakened immunity, and endocrine disruption. “The danger of PFAS is that they are absorbed through the pores and tear ducts. In addition, women often lick their painted lips,” the CNN website quotes dermatology professor Whitney Bow.
The Environmental Working Group, a consumer advocacy group that compiles lists of toxic products, was particularly concerned that 88% of the products it tested did not have any information on the packaging about the presence of PFAS in their composition. However, they emphasize that supply chains can be long and that final cosmetic manufacturers, including large companies, may not have been aware of the presence of harmful ingredients in their products.
“This is the first study of its kind, so we didn’t know what we were going to find,” said Tom Brutton, one of the study’s co-authors. “Considering the daily use of these cosmetics, people are exposing themselves to significant risks.”
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“In addition, the types of products that have shown positive results for high fluoride content, and therefore are likely to contain PFAS, are often applied to the lips and around the eyes,” says Professor Bow. “We did not expect so many cosmetic products to ‘glow’ in this way,” said Graham Peaseley, Professor of Biochemistry. “A shocking result that should be a wake-up call for the cosmetics industry,” says his colleague David Andrews.
“Americans have the right to be confident that the products they put on their hair and skin every day are safe,” said a letter from one of the bill’s authors, Michigan Representative Debbie Dingell. As Tom Brutton noted, nearly half of the products tested did not contain PFAS, proving that it is possible to make cosmetics without them.
The American Cosmetic Manufacturers Association, which represents about 600 companies, said it would await the results of its own investigation before commenting. Two of the most harmful PFASs – perfluorooctanoic acid and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) – were banned in the United States in the 2000s. But chemists are constantly synthesizing new substances that, according to leading U.S. toxicologist Linda Birnbaum, are no less harmful. The 2015 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study found PFAS in the blood of 97% of Americans. Experts advise people concerned about their health to start by avoiding cosmetics that are advertised as “waterproof” or “designed for long-term use.” But the presence of the “natural product” marker does not always guarantee safety, says Professor Bow.