Chemical Safe Skincare Campaign

Today’s Telegraph reports that our bodies are absorbing 5lb of make-up chemicals each year.

Our own, Chemicalsafeskincare research highlighted the fact that the average woman uses 12 toiletries each day containing up to 175 chemical compounds. With up to 60% of skincare ingredients being absorbed into the body, it comes as no shock to us that our growing dependence on make-up and a multitude of scented, coloured and harsh skincare products increases our annual absorption is increasing.

Among the chemicals highlighted in today’s article include parabens which can appear on ingredient lists prefixed by terms like isobutyl, butyl, propyl and methyl. The parabens family of preservatives are harsh and can irritate sensitive skin and eczema. There is a growing awareness of parabens and fears over its safety in skincare products since they have been found in samples of breast tumours, which have not been fully explained. We believe, if it is in question, why not avoid it and choose skincare products free from parabens.

The article also identified the harsh and drying foaming agent Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) as an irritant to the skin. This ingredient is found in most household cleaning products, washing-up liquids, shampoos, shower gels and bubble baths even those for very sensitive skin!

The controversial REACH law has come into effect this month. The long debated EU law aims to protect consumers and the environment from harmful and unsafe chemicals.

REACH - Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals - will demand that cosmetic manufacturers will have to ensure that over 30,000 chemicals have been tested and reviewed by the European Chemicals Agency (EChA). The EChA will ban those that pose a significant threat and ensure that cosmetic companies use alternative and safer ingredients in their products.

While we welcome the introduction of the new REACH law, the timeline to register chemicals is very long - 11 years and many loopholes exist. For example, if a shampoo or moisturiser was manufactured outside the EU - they are not regulated under the REACH law as it only applies to products made in the EU.