What is an endocrine disruptor?
An endocrine disruptor is a substance – or a mixture of substances – that interacts with the hormonal system and through this mechanism causes adverse health effects.
The World Health Organization (WHO) defines them as “chemical substances of natural or artificial origin foreign to the body which can interfere with the functioning of the endocrine system and thus induce deleterious effects on this organism or on its descendants “.
However, endocrine disruption, which is the subject of a very large mobilization of scientific research, is a subject of controversy. Some stakeholders (NGOs, media or consumer associations) insist that even substances whose impact on health has not been proven to be subject to a regulatory ban in application of the precautionary principle. But none of the substances incriminated yet meets the definition of the WHO.
Certain substances found in cosmetic products, such as parabens, are repeatedly attacked simply on the basis of an interaction with certain hormone receptors in cell culture models. But no well-founded scientific study has yet confirmed that these hormonal interactions are at the origin of a harmful effect on human health.
Do L’Oréal Paris skincare products contain endocrine disruptors?
No, L’Oréal Paris skincare does not contain endocrine disruptors according to the official WHO definition.
How does the L’Oréal Paris brand ensure the safety of its ingredients in its face care products?
Because the safety of its consumers is the top priority, the issue of endocrine disruptors has been integrated very seriously and rigorously for 15 years at the heart of L’Oréal’s product safety assessment process.
The substances used in face care have a safety assessment showing that they do not have the characteristics of endocrine disruptors as defined by the WHO. Based on the intensity and relevance of weak scientific and societal signals on certain ingredients, L’Oréal may however decide to no longer use them in its products or to limit their use while international regulations in force allow them to be used freely.
For the selection of its new ingredients, the group has also set up a major platform for predictive tests. Their innovation dynamic incorporates a fundamental principle of anticipation in which no risk, whether scientifically proven or not, or whether it is only perceived by society, is not overlooked in the assessment of safety. This guarantees its consumers a confident use of the products.