M2.4 Toxics in Personal Care Products
The video presented by Jane Hoolihan, creator of the Skindeep database was fascinating. The first question posed of how many personal care products I personally use was one that really got me thinking. Moreover Hoolihan continues by stating that there are over 12,500 chemicals used in personal care products, with less than 20% of chemicals that have been assessed for safety. The alarming statistic of an average of 12 products for adult women, and 17 products for teenage women brings up the question of why we need so many products and what are we exposing our bodies to?
Hoolihan also mentions the proposal of the Safe Cosmetics Act. This is something that I am surprised we do not already have in place, and the proposal of mandating ingredient disclosure, safety information and pre-market safety assessments are all so important in maintaining the overall health of our community. Moreover, the call on cosmetic companies to take carcinogens out of products, such as the commitment that Johnson & Johnson made. Pressure from us as consumers upon retailers and cosmetic companies has the ability to make these important changes to help protect our bodies.
I was surprised as well about the lack of disclosure when it comes to consumer product ingredients. It is disturbing how cryptic companies are allowed to be with their ingredient lists. You make a good point about the consumer responsibility to advocate for transparency as it appears many companies are not motivated to make the change independently.
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