Skin is permeable. Everything we apply to it is absorbed into the body and research scientists are increasingly concerned about the cumulative health effects of many of the compounds in personal care products. Preservatives found in everything from lipstick to shampoo are toxic and contain compounds that release formaldehyde. According to laboratory tests, chemicals commonly used in cosmetics and body care products such as, phthalates, triclosan, musks, and parabens are capable of disrupting the body’s hormone system.[1]

The FDA has no authority to regulate the personal care products we use every day and Federal health statutes do not require companies to test products or ingredients for safety before they are sold. As a result, the majority of body care products contain ingredients that have not been tested by any federal agency or required to meet uniform safety standards.

A recent report from the Environmental Working Group (EWG) and the Washington Toxics Coalition revealed the presence of 16 chemicals from 4 different chemical groups in the bodies of adolescent American girls from age 14 to 19.[2] The study looked at the levels of synthetic chemical musks, common fragrance ingredients that accumulate in people and act like estrogen in the body, and parabens preservatives that also mimic estrogen.

Teen use of body care products is thought to be far greater than most adults. “Hormone-altering chemicals shouldn’t be in cosmetics, especially in products used by millions of teenage girls,” said Rebecca Sutton, Ph.D, Staff Scientist at EWG and author of the report. “Their bodies are still developing and may be especially vulnerable to risks from these exposures”

According to Erika Schreder, staff scientist at the Washington Toxics Coalition, "The lack of a federal safety net means that teens like the ones in this study have chemicals in their bodies that can mimic hormones—and it's happening at a very sensitive time in development, as they're going through puberty."

 “Most parents don’t know that the eyeliner, lipstick or shampoo they allow their daughters to use probably contains at least one chemical linked to a number of serious health concerns,” said Sutton. “Teenage girls are at a particularly vulnerable age and these exposures could trigger a subtle sequence of damaging effects that leads to health problems later in life.”

For more information on the products you are using or to find those which do not contain toxic ingredients:

http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com EWG searchable database "Skin Deep."  Type the name of a product to find the ingredients on that product's label plus an assessment of the health risks of those ingredients.

http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/special/parentsguide Baby products that avoid troubling chemicals (California Baby, Burt's Bees and Aveeno, etc.

The Natural Products Association established a certification program that defines "natural" and uses a seal to designate skin and hair products that meet the standards. http://www.naturalproductsassoc.org

The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics: For a list of companies that sign a pledge to avoid chemicals known or strongly suspected of causing cancer. http://www.safecosmetics.org