History has proven us how the adoption of hygienic measures with
personal care and asepsis are vital for the human life maintenance. Along time,
R&D institutions fostered a sophistication of the toiletries and enabled
the creation of cosmetics. For women, in particular, the variety of such
products in the shelves has a mesmerizing effect. There is nothing wrong about
the desire of being cleaner and beautiful, but it is important to have in mind
that the load of ingredients brought by these products can (or cannot) be
harmful healthwise.
The presence of these items in the formulation is
fundamental to assure product stability, efficacy, preservation,
fungicide/bactericide action, among other attributes of the final product as we
know it. However, many are considered controversial because the magnitude of their
aggregate exposure can (or cannot) cause health problems. It is important to
highlight that an ingredient is considered controversial when the scientific
community can’t reach a consensus regarding its
negative effects. Some experts assure it is 100% safe, while others condemn it
and associate it with unfavorable outcomes. Hence the controversy. Some
raw-materials are also considered polemic given their critical sourcing chain,
since the extraction can (or cannot) be directly associated to environmental
impacts (ecosystem contamination, deforestation, biodiversity damage, etc) as
well as social ones (mostly related to child labor, slave-like labor and
conflict zones linkage).
Some of the ingredients considered controversial nowadays
(among many others) are: triclosan, paraben, phthalate, toluene, benzene,
bisphenol, formaldehyde, phenoxiethanol, aluminum, mercury, lead,
nanoparticles, camphor, GMO, palm oil, mica, and the list goes on. Some of the
associated problems are (very important to recall the controversy aspect): endocrine,
hormone, neurological, sexual and reproductive disruptions; birth defects;
cancers; allergies; dermatitis; bioaccumulation (environment) among others.
There are market regulations that control the dosage of
these products within acceptable levels, but one of the main arguments among
scientists who advocate the negative consequences is that the aggregate
exposure is harmful. What does it mean? It means that these components are
present in almost every product we consume in a daily basis, such as
toothpastes, deodorants, shampoos, moisturizing, perfumes, cosmetics in
general, make-ups, plastic objects, cleaning products, textiles, furniture, kitchen
utensils, dye, paints, foods, etc. Therefore the aggregate exposure.
A special warn must be given to women, because a greater
percentage of some of these ingredients is in personal care and cosmetics
products. A research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has
shown that women presented levels significantly higher of chemicals in their
organism than men submitted to the same investigation.
It is known that running away from such components seems
impossible. Some companies are already taking the lead when it comes to
eliminating some of them from products’ formulation. The problem
is that some substitutes are not necessarily better taking into consideration
their value-chain and they can even happen to be another controversial item. To
be considered a substitute, it is mandatory to fulfill the technical features
previously mentioned.
No despair needed, because there is not much one can do from
a consumer’s point of view. Hopefully, engaged regulatory organs
along with countless researchers are working in our favor around the world. Let
us wait for good news, responsible business and safe products.
Sources:
My own professional experience
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