Hazardous chemicals discovered in everyday personal care products

A study has detected dangerous chemicals in 140 personal care products across 20 cosmetic categories. The compounds found are genotoxic, cytotoxic, antibacterial, neurotoxic, and may significantly impact hormonal balance. 

Products found containing these harmful substances included skin care, perfumes, nipple creams, and makeup. According to the researchers, the hazardous compounds are currently not regulated. 

Personal Care Insights speaks with Gertrud Morlock, the study’s lead researcher and professor at Justus Liebig University Giessen, Germany, about the harm these chemicals cause to the human body, differences between products, and how the findings impact the cosmetics industry. 

She says that aromatase inhibition was very strong in perfumes. “The aromatase converts testosterone into 17β-estradiol [a type of estrogen] inside the body, but can be strongly inhibited by perfumes.” 

This disrupts the body’s hormone levels and regulation and can cause menopausal-like symptoms, cardiovascular issues, joint pain, and more.

Morlock says that only one 100-µL (100 microliters) spray shot of perfume on the skin exceeded the EC50 (half maximal effective genotoxicity dose) for aromatase inhibition 9,090-fold, meaning it is 9,090 times more potent than the reference compound.

“In cosmetics, it was striking that so many compounds in so many products indicated mutagenicity, genotoxicity, and cytotoxicity,” says Morlock.

Morlock says the compounds detailed are “to mention a few.” Beauty’s bodily damage

The study found compounds in mineral oils — commonly used in skin care and lip makeup — which are potentially carcinogenic. It also found monochloropropanediol esters — contaminants that can potentially form during oil processing.

Industrial chemicals, chlorinated paraffins, were also found. This chemical family may be toxic or hormone-disrupting and potentially hazardous.

The researchers detected oxidized sterols and oxidized oils, fats, and derivatives, which may cause inflammation and damage to cells. 

Morlock says the compounds mentioned above are only a few of those discovered. 

“The tested references paraffinum liquidum and petrolatum showed strong genotoxic compound signals comparable to the genotoxicants detected in lipsticks and skin care products labeled to contain cera microcristallina,” she explains.

Strong genotoxic signals mean they have the potential to damage DNA, which may lead to mutations or increase the risk of cancer. 

Morlock highlights differences between formulations containing higher lipophilic (fat-soluble) or hydrophilic (water-soluble) levels. She notes that fat-soluble nipple creams used to treat micro-injuries to the nipples contain mineral oil-derived genotoxic compounds. In a water-soluble compress formulation, those genotoxic signals in the creams were lower. 

“It is claimed on nipple cream products and internet platforms that they do not need to be washed off before breastfeeding. Given the detected genotoxicants in the products and infants’ not yet fully developed defense system, this should be rethought.”

Strong genotoxic signals mean they have the potential to damage DNA, which may lead to mutations or cancer. Skin microbiome harm

The scientists tested perfumes and creams, finding that they may pose a risk to consumers — especially those containing petroleum-based ingredients such as paraffins. 

“Planar bacterial or cytotoxicity bioassays detected antibacterial or cytotoxic compounds in perfume, which can impair, destroy, or alter the microbiome. One perfume pump spray shot of 100 µL on the naked skin exceeded the observed antibacterial effect by a factor of 2,000. This is a lot,” says Morlock. 

The study also found that using perfume or body lotion after shaving could increase the exposure to these chemicals, beyond the set safety limits. 

“Planar mutagenicity or genotoxicity bioassays detected mutagens or genotoxicants, which can stress the skin cells, or even worse, cause mutations,” Morlock says.

“We found that the EC50 is exceeded by a factor of over 100,000 times for the application of six grams of wound-healing cream (labeled to contain paraffin subfractions) on a wound with open channels to the blood circuit.”

“Shaving body hair usually also causes micro-injuries, [and often] treated with 12 grams of skin care creams. According to our latest results, the EC50 of mutagenicity was exceeded by a factor above 15,000,” she continues.

The study tested beauty products in low to high price categories, for all genders, and used on all continents. 

“There is a general worldwide need for safety screening of lifestyle products. The new methodology closes the current analytical gap,” says Morlock.

“The new methodology provides important information on the chemical safety of products. It closes a current analytical gap, is fast and cost-efficient, and can be used for product screening.”