My Chemical Inventory, Or: Why the FDA Should Regulate Cosmetics

We humans expose ourselves to an astonishing number of chemicals. Chemistry is such a part of daily life that we rarely give a second thought to the chemicals surrounding us and in us. In fact, I suspect the average American hardly considers items like soap, toothpaste, hair conditioner to be chemicals. These and other household chemicals, through their everyday use, friendly packaging, and advertising, have become seemingly indispensable and positive additions to daily life.

The Environmental Working Group has been compiling a database of cosmetics and their ingredients since 2004. The database is called Skin Deep and it is partly user generated: website users submit a list of chemical ingredients from cosmetic packaging. Skin Deep cross-references cosmetic ingredients against 50 toxicity and regulatory databases of hazardous chemicals and rates the product with a safety score. Here is more info on Skin Deep.

As an exercise in cosmetic awareness, I submit to you my day in cosmetic chemistry.

Good Morning!

Brush teeth! Crest Baking Soda & Peroxide Whitening Toothpaste with Tartar Protection Fresh Mint

• Skin Deep hazard rating: 5 out of 10 (moderate hazard)
• Potential hazards: cancer, developmental/reproductive toxicity, violations, restrictions & warnings, allergies/immunotoxicity
• Ingredient count: 19
• Unspecified ingredient count: 1 (flavor)
• Chemical ingredients: Active Ingredients: Sodium Fluoride 0.243% (0.16% W/V Fluoride Ion) ; Inactive Ingredients: Glycerin; Hydrated Silica; Water; Propylene Glycol; Sodium Bicarbonate; Tetrasodium Pyrophosphate; Sorbitol; PEG-12; Flavor; Sodium Hydroxide; Sodium Lauryl Sulfate; Sodium Saccharin; Poloxamer 407; Xanthan Gum; Cellulose Gum; Calcium Peroxide; Titanium Dioxide; Blue 1

Rinse mouth with Up & Up Mouth Rinse Antiseptic (the Target house brand)

• Not yet rated in Skin Deep, but the preliminary rating is 4 out of 10 (moderate hazard)
• Potential hazards: cancer, Developmental/reproductive toxicity, Violations, restrictions & warnings, Other concerns for ingredients used in this product:
• Neurotoxicity, Persistence and bioaccumulation, Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive), Miscellaneous, Multiple, additive exposure sources, Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs), Enhanced skin absorption, Occupational hazards
• Ingredient count: 13
• Unspecified ingredient count: 1 (flavor)
• Chemical ingredients: Active ingredients Eucalyptol 0.092%, Menthol 0.042% Methyl salicylate 0.060%, Thymol 0.064% Inactive ingredients water, alcohol 21.6%, sorbitol solution, flavor, poloxamer 407, benzoic acid, sodium saccharin, sodium benzoate, FD&C green no. 3

Cleanliness Is Godliness! Ivory Bar Soap, Simply Ivory

• Skin Deep hazard rating: 3 out of 10 (moderate hazard)
• Potential hazards: allergies/immunotoxicity, Other concerns for ingredients used in this product: neurotoxicity, organ system toxicity (non-reproductive), Miscellaneous, Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs), Enhanced skin absorption, Occupational hazards
• Ingredient count: 13
• Unspecified ingredient count: 1 (fragrance)
• Chemical ingredients: Sodium Tallowate, Sodium Palmate, Water, Sodium Cocoate, Sodium Palm Kernelate, Glycerin, Sodium Chloride, Fragrance - Parfum, Coconut Acid, Palm Kernel Acid, Tallow Acid, Palm Acid, Tetrasodium EDTA

Clean that Mop! Avalon Organics Revitalizing Shampoo Peppermint

• Skin Deep hazard rating: 3 out of 10 (moderate hazard)
• Potential hazards: Allergies/immunotoxicity, Other concerns for ingredients used in this product: Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive), Multiple, additive exposure sources, Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs), Enhanced skin absorption, Contamination concerns
• Ingredient count: 17
• Unspecified ingredient count: 1 ("other essential oils")
• Chemical ingredients: Purified water, cocamidopropyl betaine, disodium cocoamphodiacetate, sodium cocoyl sarcosinate, coconut acid, organic mentha piperita (peppermint) leaf(1), calendula officinalis (calendula) flower(1) and chamomilla recutita (chamomile) flower(2) extracts, organic orbignya oleifera (babassu) seed oil(3), babassuamidopropalkonium chloride, vegetable glycerin, bisabolol (chamomile), ethylhexylglycerin, arginine (amino acid), panthenol (pro-vitamin B5), tocopherol (vitamin E), organic mentha piperita (peppermint) leaf oil(2) and other essential oils. 1) Certified by Quality Assurance International 2) Certified by BCS Öko-Garamtie 3) Certified by Instituto Biodinâmico

Soft and Flowing Locks! American Crew Classic Stimulating Conditioner

• Not yet rated in Skin Deep, but the preliminary rating is 6 out of 10 (moderate hazard)
• Potential hazards:     Developmental/reproductive toxicity, Violations, restrictions & warnings, Allergies/immunotoxicity, Other concerns for ingredients used in this product: Endocrine disruption, Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive), Multiple, additive exposure sources, Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs), Enhanced skin absorption, Contamination concerns, Biochemical or cellular level changes
• Ingredient count: 18
• Unspecified ingredient count: 0
• Chemical ingredients: water; cetyl alcohol; dicetyldimonium chloride; ceteareth-20; rosemary leaf extract; thyme extract; panama bark extract; provitamin B5; stearamidopropyl dimethylamine; propylene glycol; citric acid; menthol; peppermint oil; limonene; methylparaben; propylparaben; methylisothiazolinone; methylchloroisothiazolinone

Postpone the Weekend Grizzle! Kiss My Face Moisture Shave fragrance free

• Skin Deep hazard rating: 5 out of 10 (moderate hazard)
• Potential hazards: cancer, developmental/reproductive toxicity, violations, restrictions & warnings, allergies/immunotoxicity; Other concerns for ingredients used in this product: Endocrine disruption, Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive), Multiple, additive exposure sources, Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs), Enhanced skin absorption, Contamination concerns, Biochemical or cellular level changes
• Ingredient count: 27
• Unspecified ingredient count: 0
• Chemical ingredients: WATER, POTASSIUM MYRISTATE (DERIVED FROM VEGETABLE OILS), SODIUM MYRISTATE (DERIVED FROM VEGETABLE OILS), PROPYLENE GLYCOL, TEA STEARATE, COCONUT OIL, OLIVE OIL, ALOE VERA, VITAMINS A & D, TOCOPHEROL ACETATE (VITAMIN E), ALLANTOIN, LECITHIN, LIME EXTRACT, LADY'S MANTLE EXTRACT, SOAPWORT EXTRACT, PEPPERMINT EXTRACT, HORSETAIL EXTRACT, WATERCRESS EXTRACT, LEMONGRASS EXTRACT, SAGE EXTRACT, GOLDENSEAL EXTRACT, ORANGEFLOWER EXTRACT, HYDROXYETHYLCELLULOSE (PLANT SOURCE), METHYLPARABEN, PROPYLPARABEN, SODIUM BENZOATE

Lube the smackers! Burt's Bees Beeswax Lip Balm

• Skin Deep hazard rating: 2 out of 10 (low hazard)
• Potential hazards: allergies/immunotoxicity, Other concerns for ingredients used in this product: Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive), Enhanced skin absorption, Contamination concerns
• Ingredient count: 9
• Unspecified ingredient count: 0
• Chemical ingredients: COCONUT OIL, BEESWAX, SWEET ALMOND OIL, PEPPERMINT OIL, TOCOPHERYL ACETATE, TOCOPHEROL (VITAMIN E), LANOLIN, COMFREY ROOT EXTRACT, ROSEMARY EXTRACT

Gel the doo! Matrix Amplify Volumizing System Thick Boost gel

• Not yet rated in Skin Deep, but the preliminary hazard rating is 10 out of 10 (high hazard)
• Potential hazards: developmental/reproductive toxicity, violations, restrictions & warnings, allergies/immunotoxicity, Other concerns for ingredients used in this product: Neurotoxicity, Endocrine disruption, Persistence and bioaccumulation, Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive), Miscellaneous, Multiple, additive exposure sources, Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs), Enhanced skin absorption, Contamination concerns, Occupational hazards, Biochemical or cellular level changes
• Ingredient count: 31
• Unspecified ingredient count: 1 (fragrance)
• Chemical ingredients: water; amp-acrylates/allyl methacrylate copolymer; pvp; peg-14 dimethicone; acrylates/C10-30 alkyl acrylate crosspolymer; propylene glycol; aminomethyl propanol; peg-40 hydrogenated castor oil; phenoxyethanol; polysorbate 80; peg-40; methylparaben; parfum/fragrance; ethylparaben; alpha-isomethyl ionone; ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate; hexyl cinnamal; butylphenyl methylpropional; linalool; benzyl salicylate; limonene; benzyl benzoate; citronellol; oleth-10; geraniol; disodium cocoamphodipropionate; octylacrylamide/acrylates/butylaminoethyl methacrylate copolymer; lecithin; phosphoric acid; polyquaternium-10; disodium edta;

Avoid stinky pits! Tom's of Maine original natural care odor protection aluminum-free deodorant stick

• Not yet rated in Skin Deep, but the preliminary rating is 3 out of 10 (moderate hazard)
• Potential hazards: Violations, restrictions & warnings, Allergies/immunotoxicity, Other concerns for ingredients used in this product: Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive), Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs), Enhanced skin absorption, Occupational hazards
• Ingredient count: 11
• Unspecified ingredient count: 0
• Chemical ingredients: propylene glycol; water; sodium stearate; aloe barbadensis; witch hazel; glyceryl laurate; matricaria flower aqueous extract; hops; caprylic/capric triglyceride; ascorbic acid; cymbopogon schoenanthus oil

Banish scaly skin! Eucerin Dry Skin Therapy Daily Replenishing Lotion

• Not yet rated in Skin Deep, but the preliminary rating is 6 out of 10 (moderate hazard)
• Potential hazards: developmental/reproductive toxicity, violations, restrictions & warnings, allergies/immunotoxicity, Other concerns for ingredients used in this product: Neurotoxicity, Endocrine disruption, Persistence and bioaccumulation, Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive), Multiple, additive exposure sources, Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs), Enhanced skin absorption, Contamination concerns, Occupational hazards, Biochemical or cellular level changes
• Ingredient count: 24
• Unspecified ingredient count: 0
• Chemical ingredients: water; sunflower seed oil; petrolatum; glycerin; glyceryl stearate SE; octyldodecanol; caprylic/capric triglyceride; stearic acid; dimethicone; cetearyl alcohol; lanolin alcohol; panthenol; tocopheryl acetate; cholesterol; carbomer; disodium EDTA; sodium hydroxide; phenoxyethenol; methylparaben; ethylparaben; propylparaben; butylparaben; isobutylparaben; bht

That's 182 chemicals in 10 cosmetic products (with some duplicate chemicals, of course), not including common chemicals in the municipal water supply like chlorine, flouride, pesticides, fertilizers, heavy metals, petrochemicals, dioxins, radioactive materials, bacteria or viruses, pharmaceuticals, and antibiotics. So mix those into my shower along with any residues that persisted on my skin overnight from the previous day.

And I haven't even left my own bathroom yet!

There are thousands of other daily chemicals to add to the stew:

• flame retardants in furniture and carpets
• formaldehyde in plywood, particleboard, paneling, fiberboard, furniture, cabinets, etc.
• radon from your foundation
• phthalates in plastics, cosmetics, toys
• bisphenol A in type 7 plastics, can liners, and credit card receipts
• lead paints
• PFOA in non-stick surfaces like Teflon
• car exhaust: carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide, breathable particles, benzene, formaldehyde, polycyclic hydrocarbons
• diesel exhaust: includes 40 carcinogens according to the EPA
• household cleaners
• hand soaps, dish soaps, laundry detergents, fabric softeners

No one knows how much of these chemicals it takes to cause problems over a lifetime. There is little known about how much of these chemicals enter and stay in the body. And no one knows how these hundreds of chemicals might interact in the body.
 

There are many things individuals can't control about our environment, but it's certainly possible to reduce the number, amount, and toxicity of chemicals in our cosmetics and households. I will definitely be pitching my hair gel, for example, and I'll look for alternative products that have a lower and more pronounceable ingredient list.

Take your own chemical inventory at Skin Deep. Then think about the fact that the American cosmetics industry is totally unregulated. 

Photo by Horia Varlan.