There are many beauty products on the market today, many of which claim to smooth your skin or defrizz your hair. It can be so overwhelming trying to find products that work for you. However, products that cause cancers are not for anyone. Don’t be swayed by good advertising and fancy packaging — be swayed by science. I don’t want to scare you; I just want to provide you with some information that will help you avoid a threat that you might not have even known was there.
Unilever has recently voluntarily recalled 19 popular dry shampoo aerosol products produced before October 2021 in the United States. For some context, Unilever is a British multinational consumer goods company that owns many popular beauty brands including Dove, Suave, Tresume, Nexxus, and Bed Head. These products were recalled due to the presence of Benzene, which is a human carcinogen and has been declared by the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to cause cancers including leukemia. There is also research being done on the effects Benzene can have on fetal development. According to the CDC, studies have shown that when pregnant animals have breathed benzene their offspring had low birth weights, delayed bone formation, and bone marrow damage.
You won’t see Benzene listed as an ingredient in these products — instead, you’ll see the ingredient Butane, which is used as a propellant. Butane is a petroleum-based product that, when refined improperly, forms the gas Benzene. So when you use these aerosol products, Benzene can be inhaled or even absorbed through the skin.
Additionally, there are many other aerosol products that are being either recalled or discontinued, including aerosol deodorants. The Procter & Gamble Company is voluntarily recalling all lots of specific Old Spice and Secret aerosol spray antiperspirants whose expiry ran through September 2023.
Other products to be aware of are hair straightening chemicals. According to an epidemiologic study published in October 2022 by the Journal of the National Institutes of Health, women who reported using chemical hair straightening products were at higher risk for uterine cancer. Several chemicals could be to blame, including parabens, bisphenol A, and cyclosiloxanes, along with other carcinogens including diethanolamine, metals, and formaldehyde. The scalp shows increased permeability to such chemicals after hair straightening product use.
So, before you go to try a new product at the store, whether it be skincare or haircare, do your research. This can be very time-consuming, so I recommend using the EWG’s Skin Deep® cosmetic database. This database aims to educate consumers on the ingredients of their products, some of which include human carcinogens coal tar and formaldehyde, and lead acetate, a developmental toxin. On their website, you can type in an ingredient, product, or brand to get information on the potential hazard. According to this database, Acure and Wellness are both safe dry shampoo brands listed as low hazards. These products are both in a powder form, eliminating the risk of Butane contamination. Enjoy your beauty products and stay safe!
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