Cosmetics

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Contents

Summary

Anti-chemical activists are trying to scare consumers about the safety of cosmetics and other personal care products.

Faulty Science

The activists' basic line of attack is that various chemicals can be detected in cosmetics and personal care products and that the mere presence of these chemicals is dangerous to health and/or the environment.

While it's true that some chemicals may be detected in some cosmetics and personal care products, their mere detection does not mean that the products are dangerous:

  • Detection/exposure does not equal toxicity. A fundamental rule of toxicology is that "the dose makes the poison." All substances can be toxic at sufficiently high doses. The trace levels of chemicals detected in cosmetics and personal care products are substantially below exposures known to cause toxic effects.
  • No FDA standards violated. Safe levels for ingredients in cosmetics and personal care products are set by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). There is no evidence that any FDA standards have been violated.

Agenda

  • Anti-chemical/anti-business activists. The activists attacking cosmetics are politically-driven groups who tend to oppose chemicals and business.
  • Targeting women. By attacking products near-and-dear to women, the activists hope to scare women into boycotting products and to enlist them as unwitting activists in campaigns against business/chemicals. The activist attack is predatory and demeaning in nature as it is based on the presumption that it is easy to scare women.

What You Can Do

Additional Resources

Scares and Scams

Notable and Notorious

Articles

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