Asbestos in Makeup: How it Gets There & How to Avoid it

Talc is added to makeup because it creates a soft, silky texture, and it dilutes pigmented products and acts as filler. It is a common ingredient in powder ... 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WhoAmICalling? CallingthisnumberconnectsyouwithaPatientAdvocateatTheMesotheliomaCenter,thenation'smosttrustedmesotheliomaresource. OurPatientAdvocatescanhelpguideyouoryourlovedonethroughthestepstotakeafteramesotheliomadiagnosis.Ourteamhasacombinedexperienceofmorethan30yearsinassistingcancerpatients,andincludesamedicaldoctor,anoncologyregisterednurseandaU.​S.​Navyveteran. CallNow(855)404-4592 Home / AsbestosExposure/AsbestosProducts/AsbestosinMakeup WhatMakeupHasAsbestos-ContaminatedTalc? Talcisapopularingredientinmakeup,butithasalongdocumentedhistoryofasbestoscontamination.Certainbrandsofchildren’sandadultmakeuphavetestedpositiveforasbestosinrecentyears.Becausetalcumpowderincosmeticscanbecontaminatedwithasbestos,theseproductscanposeserioushealthrisksforconsumers.Talcinmakeupmaycausecancerasaresultofasbestosexposure. InNovember2020,theEnvironmentalWorkingGroupcommissionedastudyof21cosmeticssamplesandfoundasbestosinthreeofthesamples. TheU.S.FoodandDrugAdministrationin2019foundasbestosinnearly20%of52cosmeticsamplescollectedaroundthecountry. InMarch2018,theU.S.PublicInterestResearchGroupsaiditfoundasbestosinmakeupproductsClaire’ssold.ThegroupconductedtestsonfourClaire’smakeupproductsanddiscoveredhighlevelsofasbestosinthreeofthem. Testsconductedin2017foundasbestosinchildren’smakeupsoldbyretailersClaire’sandJustice. TheEnvironmentalWorkingGroupcommissionedthegovernment-licensedScientificAnalyticalInstituteinGreensboro,NorthCarolina,toconductthe2020tests. "IcouldgoacrossthestreetrightnowtothemallandpickuptalcpowderthatIknowfromprevioustesting,morelikelythannot,willcontainsomeamountofasbestos." SeanFitzgerald DirectorofResearchandAnalyticalServicesatSAI Cosmeticproductsandbrandsthattestedpositiveforasbestosinclude: Johnson’sBabyPowder Jmkcoz120ColorsEyeshadowPalette BeautyGlazedGorgeousMeEyeShadowTrayPalette BeautyPlusGlobalCityColor Children’smakeupsoldbyClaire’s JustShineShimmerPowdersoldbyJustice WhyIsTalcinMakeup? CityColormakeupproductsthattestedpositiveforasbestos. Talcisaddedtomakeupbecauseitcreatesasoft,silkytexture,anditdilutespigmentedproductsandactsasfiller.Itisacommoningredientinpowdercompacts,finishingpowders,eyeshadows,blushes,foundationsandcreams. ItisthesoftestmineralonEarthandisknownforitsabilitytoabsorbmoistureandreducetheappearanceofoilyskin.Forexample,talc-basedfacepowdersarecommonlyusedontopofcreamfoundationsto“set”thefoundationsothatitstaysinplaceandlooksnaturallydryinsteadofoilyandshiny. Chanel,RevlonandL’Orealhavechosentoremovetalcfromsome,butnotall,oftheirproducts.Noothermakeupbrandshaveannouncedplanstoremovetalcfromtheircosmetics. In2019,retailersJusticeandClaire’srecalledtheirchildren’smakeupproductsthattestedpositiveforasbestos.BeautyPlusGlobalrecalleditsCityColorproductsthattestedpositiveforasbestosin2019aswell.Noneoftheseentitieshaveannouncedplanstostopusingtalcorstopsellingtalc-basedcosmetics. Talcisaddedtomanyconsumerproductsinadditiontocosmetics,includingdeodorants,powders,soap,femininehygieneproducts,contraceptiondevices,pills,textiles,chalk,children’sballoons,clayandcrayons. HowAsbestosEndsUpinMakeup JojoSiwaMakeupSettestedpositiveforasbestos. Asbestosendsupinmakeupbecauseofpoorregulationsinvolvingcosmetic-gradetalc,whichisalsoknownastalcumpowder.Talcandasbestosaremineralsthatformtogether.Thatmeanstalcminedforcommercialusescanbecontaminatedwithasbestos—aknowncauseoflungcancerandmesothelioma. Thereisalonghistoryofasbestosremainingintalcthatiscertifiedasbestos-free.Manufacturersdon’tpurposelyaddasbestostocosmetics,butthereisalackofregulationaroundcosmetic-gradetalc.Becauseofthatrelaxedoversight,nooneischeckingforthepresenceofasbestos.Thatmeanscompaniescangetawaywithnottestingtheirtalcforasbestosbeforeputtingitintotheirproducts—possiblyharmingconsumers. TheU.S.FoodandDrugAdministrationdoesnotregulatecosmetic-gradetalc.ThefederalFood,DrugandCosmeticActof1938doesnotrequiretheFDAtoreviewcosmeticproductsandtheiringredients,withtheexceptionofcoloradditives. In1976,theCosmetic,ToiletryandFragranceAssociation(nowknownasthePersonalCareProductsCouncil)askeditsmemberstouseasbestos-freetalcintheirproducts.WhiletheFDAsaysthatit“considersitunacceptableforcosmetictalctobecontaminatedwithasbestos,”therearenoU.S.lawsorregulationsthatstrictlyprohibittalcusedinconsumerproductsfromcontainingasbestos. AsbestosinChildren’sMakeup Asbestosinchildren’smakeupwasfoundasrecentlyas2019bytheU.S.FoodandDrugAdministration.Thefirstreportsofasbestosinchildren’smakeupwerereleasedin2017.In2015,asbestoswasdetectedinchildren’stoys,includingcrayonsandatoyfingerprintkit. Brandsofchildren’smakeupthattestedpositiveforasbestosinclude: JustShineShimmerPowder,Justice Claire’sCompactPowderstyle#83915-9 Claire’sContourPalettestyle#40194-3 JoJoSiwaMakeupSet,Claire’s MintGlitterMakeupSet,Claire’s PinkGlitterPalettewithEyeshadow&LipGloss,Claire’s BedazzledRainbowHeartMakeupSet,Claire’s PinkGlitterCellphoneMakeupCompact,Claire’s ProfessionalEyeMakeupKit,Claire’s RainbowBedazzledStarMakeupSet,Claire’s RainbowBedazzledRectangleMakeupSet,Claire’s UltimateMegaMakeupSet,Claire’s MetallicHotPinkGlitter48PieceMakeupSet,Claire’s RainbowGlitterHeartShapedMakeupSet,Claire’s Claire’sandJusticerecalledtheseproducts,buttheretailershavenotannouncedplanstodiscontinuesalesofalltalc-basedmakeupproducts. WhyIsAsbestosinCosmeticsDangerous? Long-termexposuretoasbestosthroughtalcumpowderisknowntocausemesotheliomaandovariancancer.Whileasbestos-contaminatedmakeuphasn’tyetbeenassociatedwiththedevelopmentofdiseases,theriskremainsaslongastalcgoesunregulatedintheU.S. Thegreatestriskcomesfromloosepowderproductssuchasbabypowder,finishingpowderandcompactfoundation.Whentheseproductsarecontaminatedwithasbestos,theyposeaninhalationriskthatcouldleadtolungcancerormesothelioma. Asbestosinmakeupdoesnotcauseanyimmediatesideeffectsbecausethehealthconsequencesofasbestosexposuretakedecadestodevelop.Thelatencyperiodassociatedwithmesotheliomaisbetween20and60yearsafterapersonisfirstexposedtoasbestos. TipsforAvoidingAsbestosinCosmetics Beawareofandavoidbrandsthattestpositiveforasbestos. Buytalc-freebrands. Don’tassumebrandsthatclaimtobeasbestos-free,organicornaturalaretotallyfreeofasbestos. Simplylookingfor“allnatural”ororganiccosmeticsisn’tenoughtoavoidasbestos-contaminatedtalc.That’sbecausetalcisanall-naturalsubstance.There’snofoolproofwaytoknowifthetalcinaproductistrulyasbestos-freewithoutextensivetestingoftheindividualproduct.Consumersmustlookattheproductlabeltoseeifitcontainstalcandavoiditifitdoes. Certaincosmeticproductsandbrandsmaketalc-freemakeupandcosmetics.Onlineresourcesareavailabletofindthesebrandsandproducts.Forexample,youcanusethewebsitesSkinDeepandMadeSafetofindtalc-freecosmetics. It’sprobablywisetoavoidtalcingeneral.Somescientificresearchindicatestalcmayincreasetheriskofuterineandovariancancerinwomenandlungcanceramongminers.TheAmericanAcademyofPediatricsadvisesagainsttheuseofbabypowder,whichispredominatelymadeoftalc,becauseinfantscaneasilybreatheinthepowder. Parentscanprotecttheirchildrenfromasbestosinmakeupbybuyingonlycosmeticsfreeoftalc.It’suptoconsumerstoprotectthemselvesandtheirchildrenfromthisriskbecausethegovernmentisn’tdoingenoughtoregulateasbestos. WhatDoesAsbestos-FreeActuallyMean? TheU.S.governmentdecidedthatproductsmaycontainupto1%asbestosandbelabeledasbestos-free.Asaresult,hundredstothousandsofasbestosfibersremaininproductsthataren’tconsideredasbestos-containingmaterialsintheeyesofthelaw. TheEPAtriedtobanasbestosin1989,butpro-asbestoslobbyinggroupsfoughthardtosuccessfullyoverturnthebanin1991.TheGeorgeH.W.BushadministrationrefusedtoallowtheEPAtoappeal.Asaresult,numerousproductsonthemarketcontainasbestos,especiallybuildingmaterialssuchasroofingandflooringsupplies. Asbestosinmakeupfallsinagreyareaofthelaw.Thereisnolawthatregulatesasbestosintalc,andtheFDAcan’tdoanythingaboutitunlessscientificdatashowsitisharmfulunderitsintendeduse.Thisishardtoprovegiventhelonglatencyperiodassociatedwithasbestos-relateddiseases. HowtoKnowifYourMakeupHasAsbestos CheckforupdatesfromTheMesotheliomaCenteratAsbestos.comonthispage,ourblogandinournewsstoriesforinformationoncosmeticproductsthathavetestedpositiveforasbestos. Theonlywaytoknowifthemakeuporcosmeticsyouowncontainasbestosistohaveeachproducttested.Ifyoualreadyowntalc-basedmakeupandyou’reconcernedthatitcouldbecontaminated,it’scheapertoreplaceitwithatalc-freebrandthanhaveittestedforasbestos. ShopTalc-Free Thefollowingcosmeticbrandsaremadefreeoftalc: Pacifica SheaMoisture Smashbox HonestBeauty AffordableMineralMakeup EverydayMinerals EccoBella JuiceBeauty HowDoExpertsTestforAsbestosinMakeup? Fitzgerald,oftheScientificAnalyticalInstitute,stressestheimportanceofusingthemostadvancedtestingavailabletofindasbestosinmakeup. Heusesatransmissionelectronmicroscope(TEM)todetectasbestos.TheU.S.EnvironmentalProtectionAgencyrecommendstheuseofTEMtotestforasbestosbecauseitisexceedinglybetterthanothermethods,suchasX-raydiffraction(XRD)andpolarizedlightmicroscopy(PLM). “Whenotherlaboratoriestested,perhapsthey’reusinglightmicroscopyorXRD,whichisnotsensitiveenough,”Fitzgeraldsaid.“IfIonlyusePLMorXRDonmysamples,morelikelythannot,onlyacoupleofthemwouldbehavebeenpositive,ifany.” AreAsbestosorTalcumPowderRegulated? Asbestosisregulatedatfederal,stateandlocallevels.Talcisnotregulatedbyanygovernmentagency.Thecosmeticindustryregulatesitsownuseoftalcandclaimsthatitattemptstosourceasbestos-freetalc.Ithasfailedtopreventasbestosfromenteringconsumerproducts,whichiswhytheU.S.FoodandDrugAdministrationconductedareviewthatbeganin2019. FEDERALAGENCIESTHATDEFINEDTHELAWSANDREGULATIONSPERTAININGTOASBESTOS: U.S.EnvironmentalProtectionAgency(EPA) OccupationalSafetyandHealthAdministration(OSHA) ConsumerProductSafetyCommission(CPSC) MineSafetyandHealthAdministration(MSHA) TheFDA’sreviewtested43cosmeticsamplesin2019andfoundthatnineofthemcontainedasbestos.Itnotifiedthepublicoftheresultsandannounceditwouldtest50morecosmeticsamplesin2020.TheFDAexpectedtoreleasetheresultsinearly2021buthasnotannouncedanynewupdates. InJune2021,theEPAannounceditwouldinitiatestricterrulesforasbestosdatacollectiontoeffectivelyeliminateexemptionsthatcurrentlyallowforuseofcertainasbestosproducts.ThedecisioncamefromaDecember2020rulingfromaNorthernDistrictofCaliforniajudgewhoorderedtheEPAtocloseasbestosreportingloopholesinitsChemicalDataReportingRule. AU.S.EnvironmentalProtectionAgencyriskevaluationofchrysotileasbestosbeganin2019.Partoneofthereviewpreviouslyfoundthatchrysotileposesanunreasonablerisktohumanhealth.Thesecondandfinalpartofthereview,whichwillinvolveassessinglegacyusesanddisposalofasbestos,wassupposedtobepublishedmid-2021.AlawsuithealthandenvironmentalgroupsfiledagainsttheagencyinMay2021requestsadeadlinefortheriskevaluation.Theagencyissuedafinalrulein2019thatpreventsnewusesofasbestosfrombeingmanufacturedintheU.S.orimportedwithoutareview. Legislationtofurtherregulateasbestoswaspresentedin2019.InMarch2019,U.S.Rep.DebbieDingellpresentedabillknownastheChildren’sProductWarningLabelActthatwouldrequirewarninglabelsonchildren’scosmeticsthatcouldcontainasbestos.ThelegislationstalledafterreviewintheSubcommitteeonHealth.InNovember2019,theAlanReinsteinBanAsbestosNowActof2019,presentedbyRep.FrankPallone,passedincommitteebutstalledthereafter. Onlyinafewcaseshavemesotheliomalawyerswoncompensationforpatientswhoclaimedtheydevelopedmesotheliomaasaresultofasbestos-contaminatedtalc.Theselawsuitswerebasedonindividualproductsnolongeronthemarket.TheFDAdidn’thavetotakeanyactionbecausethescientificdatawasbasedonproductsthataren’tavailabletoday,includingCashmereBouquettalcumpowderandproductsmadefromtalcsuppliedbyWhittaker,Clark&Daniels. 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