What do these heavy metals have in common?
They may all be lurking in your lipstick, eyeliner, nail polish, foundation, or whitening toothpaste.
In small amounts some of these heavy metals may be harmless and have a function in our biological systems (such as iron). But in larger quantities or upon consistent, they raise health concerns.
In Which Cosmetic or Skin Care Products Are These Heavy Metals Present?
Chromium is used in a small number of products as a colorant, and iron (iron oxides) are commonly used as colorants in eye shadows, concealers, and blushes. Aluminum compounds and derivatives are also often used as colorants in lipsticks, glosses, and nail polishes. Lead, mercury, and arsenic are not directly used as colorants, but color additives such as FD&C Red 6, may be contaminated by these heavy metals.
Arsenic is a contaminant in about 2.5 percent of products tested.
Zinc is used in a relatively small number of cosmetics and skin care products, including moisturizers, shampoos, conditioners, and foundations.
Mercury is present in a very small number of mascaras and eye drops.
How Do These Heavy Metals Find Their Way Into Personal Care and Cosmetic Products?
As noted above, in some instances these metals are added as ingredients and, in other cases, they are a component of dyes used in cosmetics or personal care products.
What Are The Potential Health Hazards?
Cancerous breast tissues have shown higher accumulations of iron, nickel, chromium, zinc, cadmium, mercury and lead than non-cancerous breast tissues. In addition, several metals act like estrogen in the presence of some breast cancer cells.
According to the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep database, some metals or metal compounds, such as titanium dioxide and zinc oxide (which are often used as physical blockers in sunscreen), show little, if any, evidence of toxicity. But if these mineral ingredients are micronized into so-called nanoparticles, they can be toxic when inhaled or absorbed the skin.
Lead, on the other hand, is a known neurotoxin, linked to behavioral, learning, and language delays and developmental problems. In addition, lead is suspected of reducing fertility in both men and women, and of causing hormonal changes, menstrual irregularities and delays in puberty onset in girls. Pregnant women and unborn children are also vulnerable as lead can cross the placenta.
Mercury is linked to toxicity of the nervous system and to toxicity of the reproductive, immune and respiratory systems.
Zinc is an immune and respiratory toxicant. Aluminum-based compounds are linked to neurotoxicity, developmental reproductive toxicity, as well as cancer.
Perhaps it is time to revisit the rules governing cosmetic ingredients…
Read more from other sources here.
