How Safe Are Cosmetics and Personal Care Products?

Have you ever wondered if your cosmetic and personal care products are safe? Your moisturizer, hair color product and your makeup brand, do you out efforts in knowing and checking all about the safety of those products?

Mascara and foundation, face and body lotion, hairstyling products, soaps and shampoos, deodorant, toothpaste, hair dyes, and nail polish are all included in your cosmetics and personal skin care products. They are considered safe but if you don’t use them correctly, there are risks associated with using these products.

Safety concerns

Here are some of the safety concerns that are associated with cosmetics and personal care products:

●Eye infections
●Irritation and scratches on the eye
●Spreading bacteria on the skin
●Allergic reactions or sensitivity to ingredients
●Fire hazards, in the case of aerosol products such as hairspray
●Contamination in products that are not manufactured in the U.S

You should use your cosmetics and personal care products in the right way so that it can help reduce many risks. Washing off cosmetics before you go to sleep and not sharing any personal products to prevent the spread of the bacteria should be included.

Safety testing

To keep cosmetics and personal care products as safe as possible, the FDA ensures that the companies will follow the rules and regulations of having a cosmetic and personal care product. But even the FDA recommends that the cosmetic manufacturers test their products, they aren’t required to do so. There is a “WARNING- The safety of this product has not been determined” sign and that is what you can tell that the product label is not tested by having that display label.

These are examples of color additives.’ external D&C,” “D&C”, or “FD&C” followed by the name of a color, for example, “D&C red No. 36.” In drugs that are applied to the skin, External D&C is only approved for use in cosmetics. D&C color is only approved for use in drugs and cosmetics, but FD&C color is approved for use in foods, drugs, and cosmetics.

There are also chemicals used in cosmetics that have been scrutinized for their safety. It is paraben and phthalates. Based on one study, parabens have been linked to possible breast cancer but further studies have not reached the same conclusion. Parabens are used in cosmetics and it is a preservative that prevents the growth of bacteria in personal care and cosmetics. Paraben levels used in personal care products are considered safe but it may cause irritation on an allergic reaction in some people.

Phthalates are used in cosmetics such as shampoo to hair spray to nail polish. Although it has been extensively studied and reviewed, it is agreed that the phthalates in these products are safe.

The FDA’s role

All of the ingredients in a product must be approved by the FDA. Antidandruff shampoos and medicated lip balm are considered drugs that is why it is being regulated by the FDA.

The FDA can take legal action against companies that don’t follow safety regulations. That is why the companies must make sure that their products are safe before they can be sold.

Cover Photo Credits: eoffersindia.com