Personal Care Products
Cosmetics contain hundreds of different ingredients. Some can cause serious health effects such as cancer or reproductive problems. Government regulation of cosmetics is virtually non-existent.
Why be Concerned?
Everyone uses cosmetics and personal care products. They include all the products you put on your body, such as haircolor, shampoo, hand soap, deodorant, suntan lotion, and perfume, not just makeup. Cosmetics contain hundreds of different ingredients. Some can cause serious health effects such as cancer or reproductive problems. Government regulation of cosmetics is virtually non-existent. No safety testing of cosmetics is required, and only nine chemicals are prohibited or highly restricted.
Read our fact sheet, Cosmetics and Personal Care Products (69kb PDF file).
What You Can Do
- Choose safer cosmetics and personal care products: read our FAQs, general guidelines, and recommendations on products for children.
Learn More
- How safe are the cosmetics products you use? Search a database of over 25,000 products. (Environmental Working Group's Skin Deep Database)
- Learn which companies have promised not to use chemicals that cause cancer, mutations, or birth defects. (The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics)
- Find out what toxic chemicals are turning up in Washingtonians. (Pollution in People report)
Disposal of Cosmetic Products
Some cosmetic products are considered hazardous waste when they are no longer wanted. In general, these are flammable products such as aerosol deodorants, hairspray, nail polish, and nail polish remover. Some other bottles in your medicine cabinet may contain hazardous materials, such as rubbing alcohol or certain drugs. Check with your solid waste agency or health department for local disposal guidelines, or visit the Earth 911 website.
Still Can't Find the Information You Need?
See our Toxics Hotline page for tips on navigating our website and contacting us for more information.
