Common Myths about some Ingredients
From time to time, scare stories circulate about cosmetic products that are not based on scientific facts.
Safety is the overriding priority of the cosmetics industry. This is underpinned by legislation—the EU Cosmetics Directive requires every cosmetic product made available in Europe to be safe for the public to use.
Safety assessment, product information, labelling and inspections by designated authorities in EU Member States all ensure that the safety requirement is met.
Lead
One totally unfounded scare story suggested that lipsticks contain lead and therefore could cause cancer.
The Cosmetics Directive specifically bans the use of lead in cosmetics. The cosmetics industry is in full support of the Directive’s measures. In addition, controls on compliance with the Directive ensure that banned substances are not being used.
Lead is an element that occurs naturally in the environment. Everyone is exposed daily to small amounts of lead in food, water and the air we breathe.
Equally, therefore, minute traces of lead can be carried from the environment into cosmetic products or their ingredients during manufacture or storage.
Manufacturers strictly control the presence of traces of lead in line with EU regulations. These traces are kept very low and pose no risk to human health.
The amount of lead potentially ingested from traces found in lipsticks is more than one thousand times less than the amount ingested through drinking water or eating food containing permitted colorants.
SLS and SLES
An old internet rumour is routinely re-circulated—and often repeated in media articles—that Sodium lauryl sulphate/sodium laureth sulphate (SLS/SLES) can cause irritation and possibly even cancer.
SLS is a surfactant which enables a liquid to foam. It is used in many cosmetic products for its cleansing and emulsifying properties.
Neither the European Commission, nor its scientific advisory committee, SCCP (the Scientific Committee on Consumer Products), nor any individual Member State has questioned the safety of SLS.
SLS has an excellent safety record. It has never been found to be carcinogenic despite many investigations around the world. It is widely used in low concentrations in cosmetics because it combines safety with efficacy.
Consumers can continue to use their products with confidence.
Web links
Cancer research UK about lead in lipstick
Canadian Cancer Society about lead in lipstick
American Cancer Society about SLS and SLES
CTPA about SLS