Clean Beauty Win: Shampoo Without 1,4-Dioxane
Have you ever heard of 1,4-dioxane? Not listed on ingredient labels, 1,4-dioxane has been linked to cancer and can sometimes be found in products that create suds, such as shampoo and liquid soap. In early March, CEH achieved legal settlement agreements with two companies Ecolab and CONOPCO, INC requiring that they reformulate their shampoo products to eliminate this probable carcinogen.
An analysis by Environmental Working Group’s showed 97 percent of hair relaxers, 57 percent of baby soaps and 22 percent of all products in the Skin Deep database may be contaminated with 1,4-dioxane. Independent lab tests by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics in 2007 showed that popular brands of children’s bubble bath and body wash contained 1,4-dioxane.
Research shows that 1,4-dioxane readily penetrates the skin and is considered a probable human carcinogen by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. It is included on California’s Proposition 65 list of chemicals known or suspected to cause cancer or birth defects.
Learn more about how Prop 65 has improved our health.
Learn more about safer cosmetics.
The Washington Post: How everyday beauty products could pose a toxic health threat
