Heavy metal in children’s cosmetics? Study flags gender and ethnic disparities
13 Feb 2023 --- A US-based study has found that most kids up to 12 in America use children’s makeup and body products (CMBP) and almost half of the proportion use it for play. The study underscores that with increasing evidence of harmful ingredients found in adult cosmetics, it is vital to find how CMBPs are used and identify their risks to protect children’s biological susceptibility to the effects of potential toxins.
The researchers also found that CMBP use differed according to the child’s gender and the parent or guardian’s ethnicity. Children of Hispanic/Latinx parents/guardians used more lip, fragrance and hair products than other ethnicities, facing a higher risk of exposure to cosmetic chemicals.
“Older, female, White and non-Hispanic children used CMBPs at higher rates than younger, male, Black and Hispanic/Latinx children…A lower proportion of male children used eye, lip and nail products than female children,” share the authors.
“Children of Hispanic/Latinx parents/guardians used CMBPs more often (but for shorter durations) and were more likely to use lip, hair and fragrance products than children of non-Hispanic parents/guardians.”
Natural rubber, fragrances, preservatives, dyes and metals are classes of allergens commonly found in cosmetics.
“Ingredients of concern have been found in adult cosmetics and CMBPs. For example, heavy metals such as lead, cadmium and chromium have been found in children’s face paints. Endocrine disruptors such as phthalates, parabens and perfluorochemicals are also widely used in adult cosmetics and CMBPs,” flag the authors.
Concerning effects
The researchers note that due to the understudy of children’s exposure to CMBPs, their study is a “good preface” for larger-scale studies to address children’s use of adult cosmetics and CMPBs while uncovering toxicity and environmental justice issues.
Female children are disproportionately exposed to makeup and body product ingredients.
Body products such as face paint were the most commonly used (60%). “A considerable proportion of children also used hair (44%), face (41%), nail (32%), lip (30%), fragrance (30%) and eye products (18%),” find the researchers.
“Even when concentrations of individual chemicals are low in products, the potential for interactive effects from multiple toxicants is important to consider. Allergic reactions, such as contact dermatitis, are some of the most frequently cited negative health outcomes associated with the use of cosmetics.”
Gender differences and motivation
Female children were more likely to use CMPB than male children. However, its use varied by gender depending on the product type.
Both genders were found to use body, face, fragrance and hair products at similar frequencies, though female children used more eye, lip and nail products. This shows that female children are disproportionately exposed to makeup and body product ingredients.
Moreover, the motivation of CMBP is different from beautification that informs adult cosmetics; very little is known about how and why children use CMBP despite it being widely marketed.
The survey revealed that 51% of children reported using CMBPs in group or solo play, with group play being more common. Additionally, 45% of children were reported to use CMBPs in celebrations.
Children of Hispanic/Latinx parents also reported more play motivation for CMBP.
The authors flag that as children use makeup to play, they are more vulnerable to health risks due to behavioral patterns such as hand-to-mouth activities and ingestion. Their small body size and growth and development rate make them susceptible to the effects of toxicants.
“Over one-third (37%) of children were reported to wear CMBPs for day-to-day activities. Two-thirds (65%) of children were reported to wear CMBPs outside of their home ‘never,’ ‘rarely’ or ‘sometimes,’ while 35% of children were reported to wear CMBPs outside of their home ‘often’ or ‘always,’” share the authors.
Ethnic disparity
The recent survey found that White children used more CMBPs than Black children; however, the authors note that previous studies have found the opposite.
This might be because the patterns of cosmetic use by race differs between children’s products and adult ones. Also, the sample size of Black children in the recent study was small and might not be representative. Moreover, the study did not include products such as hair relaxers and skin-lightening creams in their definition of CMBPs.
“A significantly greater proportion of children of Hispanic/Latinx parents/guardians used lip, fragrance and hair products than children of non-Hispanic parents/guardians. Fragrances, in particular, may contain ingredients such as phthalates that can exert toxicity yet are not disclosed on their labels,” warn the authors.
Children of Hispanic/Latinx parents reported more play motivation for CMBP.
“Childhood exposure to harmful makeup and body product ingredients can also be considered an environmental justice issue, as communities of color may be more likely to use these products.”
Commercializing children’s makeup as toys
Although cosmetics are associated with adult use, similar products are marketed for children.
Body products like face paint, glitter, nail polish, hair gel and perfume or cologne may be used by children, including face makeup such as eyeshadow and lipstick.
“CMBPs incorporate bright colors, animals and cartoon characters to attract children’s attention. Social media platforms that children may use are also being increasingly utilized for advertising these products,” flag the authors.
CMBPs are regulated by the US Federal Drug Administration (FDA) under the 1938 Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetics Act and the 1967 Fair Packaging and Labeling Act.
“However, current safety regulations have been widely criticized as inadequate. Major regulatory gaps include a lack of mandatory pre-market safety approvals for products and ingredients other than color additives, lack of transparency in fragrance ingredients, limited recall of products and under-reporting of adverse events,” critique the authors.
“Additionally, cosmetics are often marketed with vague terms such as ‘natural,’ ‘organic,’ ‘non-toxic’ and ‘hypoallergenic,’ which are not defined by the FDA for cosmetic products.”
Nation-wide survey
The survey was sent to parents/guardians of children aged 12 years and younger in the US on CMBP use. Out of all the 312 children, 219 (70%) used CMBPs in their lifetime.
“Regarding the frequency of CMBP use, 43% of children rarely used CMBPs (a few times a year or less) while 54% of children used CMBPs at least monthly and 12% used CMBPs daily, indicating more regular exposure to ingredients,” detail the authors.
“CMBPs were most commonly reported to be applied by a parent or another adult (91%). The child themself or another child was reported to apply CMBPs for 62% of children. Finally, almost half of parents/guardians (46%) reported reading ingredients of CMBPs ‘often’ or ‘always’ before purchasing.”
The respondents resided in 32 states – the most common state of residency being New York, followed by California, Alaska, Massachusetts and New Jersey.
“Of respondents, 54% resided in urban areas, followed by 29% in suburban areas, and 14% in rural communities. Most parents/guardians were younger than 50, with the majority (54%) being 30–39 years old. The majority of respondents identified as female (75%) and White (53%),” share the authors.
By Venya Patel
