Shower gels, foundations, creams… Too many cosmetic products are toxic to health, according to a new survey of 60 million consumers.
- Of all the 160 cosmetics reviewed, only one in three (50) is “preferred”.
- However, it is possible to find healthy products on all shelves, and they do not necessarily cost more.
To assess their toxicity, 60 million consumers analyzed the ingredients of more than a dozen families of cosmetics, i.e. 12 shower creams and gels, 12 soaps, 12 shampoos, 12 face moisturizers, 12 body moisturizers, 12 hand creams, 12 lip sticks, 12 toothpastes, 12 deodorants, 12 foundations, 12 nail polishes, 12 solid shampoos, 6 solid deodorants and 6 solid toothpastes.
Foundations are the most problematic commodities
“Of all the cosmetics reviewed, one in three (50) is “preferred”, that’s too few! Manufacturers still have to make efforts to substitute undesirable, irritating or allergenic compounds with others , healthier”, consider the authors of the survey in their special issue.
Shower gels and creams are mostly to be avoided, because “they contain far too many allergens and irritating and polluting surfactants”, specifies 60 million consumers. The same goes for toothpaste, lip sticks and face creams. Foundations are the most problematic commodities: 7 out of 12 products tested are classified as “to forbid”. In particular, “the presence of substances suspected of disrupting the hormonal system (BHT, ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate UV filter, etc.) present in low prices (Arcancil, Bourjois) as in luxury brands (Guerlain, Estée Lauder)”, underlines the association.
Ten “suspected” endocrine disruptors
In the 160 products studied, 60 million consumers also report too many allergens, ten of which are present in Mixa’s allantoin hand cream alone.
Endocrine disruptors – molecules likely to cause precocious puberty, infertility and obesity – are also too present for the taste of the consumer protection association. “In our selection, we find ten “suspected” endocrine disruptors, for which we are still awaiting studies with a high level of evidence: propylbaraben, methylparaben, phenoxyethanol… Some cosmetics contain no less than three, such as the product Dove original body care, a Tahiti Vanilla shower gel, Eucerine lipsticks or even products from the Uriage brand”, deplore the authors of the survey.
However, it is possible to find healthy products on all shelves, and they do not necessarily cost more. “Monoprix is doing particularly well with its organic make-up ranges”, concludes 60 million consumers.
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