Brands of lip balms contain mineral oils that may become toxic on contact with mucous membranes, according to a consumers’ association.
It is a widespread habit: to pass a little moisturizing balm on your lips. Wrongly! According to a test carried out by a Belgian consumers’ association, most lip balms on the market contain toxic substances which, applied to the mucous membranes, pose a health problem.
“Many cosmetics contain mineral oils. For skin care products, no problem. But it is quite different if part of the product can be ingested, as is the case with lip balms. Indeed, mineral oils are the source of substances which, once ingested, are potentially harmful to health, ”Test-Achats alert in a press release published on Monday.
Hidden substances
These substances are MOSH (Mineral Oil Saturated Hydrocarbons) and MOAH (Mineral Oil Aromatic Hydrocarbons). “Their precise risk is not yet well established, but there is a strong suspicion that MOAHs are carcinogenic, and MOSHs accumulate in organs and lead to the formation of tumors in the lymphatic glands, the liver or the liver. the spleen, ”points out the organization.
However, Test-Achats notes that the presence of these substances is not indicated either on the packaging or on the list of ingredients. No safety threshold has also been set for these substances by the competent European body, the association still regrets.
Labello, Yves Rocher, Le Petit Marseillais …
“In the absence of safety limits, we must refer to the recommendations of institutions such as Cosmetics Europe and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). Test-Achats noted that the limits indicated by these authorities were exceeded for 15 of the 21 products selected for the test ”.
The 15 lip balms to avoid according to Test-Achats are: Aptonia, Avène, Carmex, Eucerin, La Roche-Posay, Labello Original, Labello Sun protect, Le Petit Marseillais, Louis Widmer, Maybelline BabyLips Dr. Rescue, Maybelline BabyLips hydrate, Neutrogena, Vaseline, Vichy and Yves Rocher.
In Belgium, Test-Achats challenged the Ministers of Public Health and Consumer Affairs on the results of its test and demands, along with other organizations, new European standards.
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