FDA To Investigate Safety Of Cosmetics

[cari]

FDA to investigate safety of cosmetics
By By Judy Foreman
Special To The Sun
Originally published April 8, 2005

For decades now, the cosmetics industry - a whopping $35 billion-a-year business - has been humming along happily with relatively little oversight from the Food and Drug Administration, which by law is supposed to regulate food, drugs and cosmetics.

But in February, the FDA sent a strongly worded letter to the Cosmetic, Toiletry and Fragrance Association, a trade group that represents 600 manufacturers, putting the industry on notice that the FDA has made cosmetic safety a top priority for 2005.

It's about time, because, startling as it may be, nobody really knows how safe - or dangerous - most cosmetics may be.

Given the paucity of reports of harm from cosmetics, consumers can reasonably assume that cosmetics are safe, said Dr. Barbara Gilchrest, professor and chair of the dermatology department at the Boston University School of Medicine. When cosmetics are put on the skin, she said, "Very little gets into the systemic circulation."

But that's not reassuring enough for a growing coalition of environmentalists, who have banded together as the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, or for Europe, which more tightly regulates cosmetics. In September, the European Union banned the use in cosmetics of any substance that may, at least in animals, cause cancer, mutations in DNA or reproductive problems. Several major companies - Revlon, Unilever and L'Oreal - said their products already conform to the European standards.

In the United States, there are examples of potentially worrisome ingredients in many cosmetic and personal care products, including nail polish, moisturizers and lotions, according to the Environmental Working Group, a watchdog group in Washington.

The group, which includes specialists in toxicology, biology, public health and environmental engineering, is leading the charge against the industry. It recently compared ingredients in 7,500 personal care products against lists of known and suspected chemical health hazards.

It found that one in every 120 cosmetic items, including shampoos, lotions, makeup foundations and lip balms, contains known or probable carcinogens, said spokeswoman Lauren Sucher.

The cosmetics association vehemently denies this charge. "We wouldn't use ingredients like that," said spokeswoman Irene Malbin.

It's unclear whether the concentrations of those ingredients are high enough to cause health problems, or even whether these chemicals can cross the skin barrier. But a citizens' petition that the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics filed last summer has clearly raised enough questions to prompt the FDA's crackdown.

Take hair dyes. Historically, they have been made with ingredients derived from coal tar, a known human carcinogen, according to the National Toxicology Program, part of the National Institutes of Health. Dark dyes made decades ago may have increased the risk of non-Hodgkins lymphoma, particularly when used long-term.

Even so, "Over the years, there have been enough studies of hair dyes to conclude it is unlikely they raise the risk of most cancers," said Eugenia E. Calle, director of analytic epidemiology for the American Cancer Society.

Another concern, according to the environmental group, is phthalates, softeners that are often not listed on product labels because they may be subsumed under the term "fragrance." Some phthalates are banned in Europe but not in the United States.

"The FDA does not have compelling evidence that phthalates, as used in cosmetics, pose a safety risk," said Dr. Linda Katz, director of the FDA office of cosmetics and colors.

But Scott Masten, a toxicologist at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, said that for one phthalate, called DBP, "There is clear evidence of adverse effects on reproductive development in laboratory animals."

Many of the products consumers think of as cosmetics, such as sunscreen and anti-dandruff shampoos, are actually classified as over-the-counter drugs, and therefore must get FDA approval before they are allowed on the market.

Sodium borate, listed as an inactive ingredient in many diaper rash creams, "should not be used on infant skin or on injured skin," according to a panel of experts funded by the cosmetics industry itself. That panel, the Cosmetic Ingredient Review board, which includes an FDA representative, reviews the safety of ingredients in cosmetics. So far, it has reviewed only a small fraction of the thousands on the market.

If the FDA follows through on its tougher scrutiny of personal care products, it's likely that issues like this will increasingly come to light. At the very least, more products will probably carry warning labels saying, "The safety of this product has not been determined."

[Jules Roberts]

I am glad that steps are being made to help make cosmetics safer for everyone!

Did you know that not all cosmetics list their ingredients like the packaged foods we buy in the supermarkets? Its really scarry stuff!

I've been using natural cosmetics for awhile and read in the "Ask the Doctors" section about organic makeup. I've been using Aveda, Origins and Jane Iredale for a long time and after I saw the products at the Organic Makeup Company (www.organicmakeup.ca), I see a big difference when I compared their ingredient list versus the list from Aveda.

I also looked into the Miessence website, but I like what the Organic Makeup Company says and their prices are reasonable enough for me to give it a try when I compare it to the mineral cosmetics I use to buy from Jane Iredale which cost almost double of what Organic Makeup sells their stuff for.

I know laws will take a few years to pass for this, but so long as steps are being made and products are made safer for people, then that is good for everyone.

JR

[ksmithsonfamily]

Hello Jules

I certainly agree how important it is to use natural products on the face. I really do like Miessence (using it now) but have also ordered some make-up from Organic Makeup Company to try. I want to use the best.

Problem is that for those of us in the US it takes quite a while to get the product. It has been over a week (almost 2 weeks) and I still don't have my product. Definitely something to consider.

Kara

[Jules Roberts]

Hi,

I heard from a friend in NYC that www.bewellstaywell.com, which is based out of Ohio will have available products from the Organic Makeup Company in a few weeks. They'll be selling it at their stores and online from what I understand.

Perhaps you can send them an email to holisticbeauty@yahoo.com to ask about this so we "the demanding female consumers" can push them to act a bit quicker.

They have some pretty good lines, but I still prefer the stuff from The Organic Makeup Company.

You should check out their Exfoliant cleanser and face oils! My friend can't get enough of their lipstick. I was surprised she switched as she was a hardcore Estee Lauder fan, but switched after she found the products work as well and she's itching to try their new Dead Sea Mud Mask.

JR

[searching_finding]

I have been using The Organic Make-up Company's stuff and when I go through the ordering process I noticed that I selected the Delivery Agreement. I checked that agreement and found out that because the products are made fresh to order they require a 2-4 week turn around.

Can you believe that! They make our orders fresh!

Anyways I haven't had to wait very long for my orders 2 weeks seems to be the longest.

Give them a call and find out what's up.

see ya!

[ksmithsonfamily]

Hi Jules,

I don't think I should have to give them a call...especially since they are in Canada! Too expensive.

Even if they are making it fresh, then I think 2 weeks is a very long time as I am sure that they make it in batches of hundreds at a time. I have some natural-product manufacturing experience and when you say you make it "fresh", it shouldn't mean that it takes longer to get to the customer. That's a cop-out. Experience in marketing will tell you that customers do take into consideration the "time" it takes to get product. Freshness is certainly important but should not be used as an excuse in delay of product as there are ways to get around this.

Are you a distributor for them or do you work for them?

I have done tons of research on natural makeup and there are just none out there better than Miessense and The Organic Make-up Company---not even the ones that you mentioned. I wish that Miessense was not multi-level. That's the only thing I don't like about them and then Organic Make-Up is located in Canada so that is not good---especially for distributors of their products.

I am anxious to get my product so that I can determine which I like the best. I will be a heavy promotor of whichever one I feel is most healthy, cost effective (although health is much more important than cost), looks good and is easiest to get.

Have a grand day!

Kara

[Jules Roberts]

Hi Kara,

I'm afraid I don't work for the make up company. Just a mom trying to create a healthy environment for me, my husband and kids - and gossiping with the gals!

Not too crazy about Miessence's pyramid sales as well. My sister was caught up in the Amway craze for awhile. Can't figure out why companies would not offer their brands through mass retailing if it performs very well.

JR

[ksmithsonfamily]

Hi Jules,

One reason companies choose the MLM route is because it is a fast and inexpensive way to market. Most of the work is done by the distributors and not the company itself.

One thing I will say about Miessence is if you order enough and are in the healthcare industry (professional) they offer pretty good percentages off of their products. That is almost unheard of in MLM because most want you to continually "sign-up" people and that is about the only way you can make any money as usually their percentages are not more than 15-20% if you sell the products individually. Not very good for marketing the products themselves.

Kara

[searching_finding]

Hi Kara!

Are you saying you agreed to the 2 week delivery and didn't know it?

Also what's your experience in the natural manufacturing field maybe you can give us some pointers on what to look out for when we buy products the next time?

I am not to fond of miessence myself MLM is one thing but their false promotioin is another. I didn't like it when they claimed to have JAS and IFOAM certification and then finding out that 1) their certifications were expired 2) JAS and IFOAM don't even certify personal care items. They had the gall to tell me their products were food!

I would prefer to have anything else so long as it is all natural rather then something that is certified organic. What gets me about that certification is the 5-25% of the product that can be chemicals and still be certified organic.

Of the things I think are important to a healthy skin care regime is an exfoliant, face oil for the night, moisturizer for the day and lots and lots of lip balm.

As for make-up I am an au natural kind of person. I would rather excentuate beauty then try to recreate or fake it. That is why I like The Organic Make-up Company. I have seen transformations in myself and others.

I was at the Women's National Show up in Ottawa and I saw this very fair skinned woman get a makeover. It was night and day.