A recent study has unveiled a troubling reality in the beauty industry: many everyday personal care products used by Black and Latina women contain harmful chemicals, including formaldehyde and its releasers—known carcinogens.
These substances are commonly found in items like shampoos, lotions, hair treatments, and makeup, posing significant long-term health risks.
A Closer Look at Harmful Ingredients
The research, conducted on a group of 70 Black and Latina women in Los Angeles, documented the use of over 1,100 personal care products. Alarmingly, 53% of the participants reported using products that contained formaldehyde-releasing preservatives, with DMDM hydantoin being the most frequently encountered.
These chemicals are prevalent in hair relaxers, skin lightening products, and various cosmetics, and have been linked to an increased risk of hormone-related illnesses, respiratory issues, and cancers—especially with regular, prolonged use.
Systemic Beauty Standards and Health Inequities
This issue isn’t just about individual products—it’s part of a larger pattern. The overexposure of women of colour to toxic ingredients reflects a broader systemic problem: targeted marketing and entrenched beauty standards that encourage the use of potentially harmful products.
The study underscores how women of colour are often pressured to conform to Eurocentric beauty ideals, which can drive the use of chemical-heavy products that promise to lighten, straighten, or “correct” natural features.
This contributes to a public health crisis disproportionately affecting Black and Latina communities.
What You Can Do to Stay Safe
To protect yourself and your loved ones from the hidden dangers in beauty products, consider these practical steps:
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Read Product Labels: Avoid ingredients like DMDM hydantoin, imidazolidinyl urea, diazolidinyl urea, and quaternium-15.
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Opt for Fragrance-Free Options: Fragrance formulas often hide a cocktail of undisclosed chemicals.
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Support Transparent, Inclusive Brands: Choose companies that are open about their ingredients and that design products with diverse consumers in mind.
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Stay Informed and Advocate for Change: Push for greater accountability and regulation in the beauty industry.
Championing Safe, Inclusive Beauty
Organizations and initiatives are rising to address these injustices. Campaigns like the Non-Toxic Black Beauty Projectare working to identify safer, toxin-free alternatives and empower women with knowledge and resources to make healthier choices.
At Safety in Beauty, we believe that everyone deserves access to products that are both effective and safe—regardless of skin tone or background.
Sources:
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Silent Spring Institute and Columbia University study on personal care products
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NY Post
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Times of India
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People Magazine
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Campaign for Safe Cosmetics – Non-Toxic Black Beauty Project