Asbestos, a toxic mineral linked to cancer, has been found in eye shadow, face powder, and children’s makeup kits

cosmetics makeup powder eye shadow

  • Common powder-based cosmetics contain traces of asbestos, a dangerous cancer-causing mineral, according to a new report. 
  • One in seven samples tested positive for asbestos, including eye shadow and a makeup kit marketed to children. 
  • Current federal regulations don't require companies to test for asbestos or label products with a warning, so advocates and experts recommend avoiding talc-based products as a safety precaution. 
  • Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

Common cosmetics, particularly in powder form, could contain dangerous levels of a mineral linked to cancer, lung disease, and other health issues. 

One in seven cosmetics that contain the benign mineral talc also had a measurable amount of asbestos, according to an analysis published last month in Environmental Health Insights. 

Researchers from the Environmental Working Group (a nonprofit research and advocacy organization) analyzed samples of 21 different cosmetic products made from talc. These included eye shadow, face and body powder, and children's makeup kits. 

They found that three out of the 21 samples contained asbestos, a fibrous mineral linked to serious health risks including cancer and lung disease. 

While the sample size was relatively small, these findings are consistent with other research done by the FDA on cosmetics. They could also have major consequences for public health, since there is no safe level of asbestos exposure, according to Nneka Leiba, vice president of Healthy Living Science for the Environmental Working Group and one of the authors of the analysis. 

"I think people should be quite concerned. One in seven is no small number — I use more than seven personal care products," Leiba told Insider. "I definitely took a hard look at my products after we did this study."

Powder-based cosmetics in particular can provided a pathway for asbestos exposure in the lungs, as powder disperses into the air and is potentially breathed in during use. 

"If you visualize putting on a face powder, there's a lot of inhalable particles that can get into the lungs," Leiba said. 

One of the products found to contain asbestos was also marketed toward children, who may be especially at risk from the health consequences, since their lungs and other organs are still developing. 

Asbestos is linked to serious health risks

Extensive research has linked asbestos exposure to scarring of the lungs and thickening of the lung tissue, which can cause difficulty breathing and impaired lung function, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

The mineral is also associated with a higher risk of multiple types of cancer, including lung cancer, and a rare type of tumors known as mesothelioma, which can affect the lungs, heart, and other organs. 

There's good evidence that documented cases of these illnesses are directly linked to the use of contaminated cosmetics, according to Dr. Ron Gordon, a research pathologist at Mount Sinai Hospital who has published studies on the health risks of asbestos-containing products.

"I do believe it's a critical issue. I'm not saying everyone gets cancer, I'm not saying cosmetics are the cause of every tumor, but I do think it's a cause," Gordon told Insider. "Most of these people I've looked at have had no other potential exposures."

Current regulation doesn't require companies to test for potential asbestos or label products accordingly 

Contamination can be a problem for talc products because of how the mineral is produced. It's most commonly obtained from mining, but the same rocks from which talc is derived often contain asbestos. That makes it easy for the minerals to mix during the production process, potentially causing dangerous contamination. 

That's a difficult problem to fix. What groups like the EWG are pushing for, though, is a better screening system to prevent the asbestos-laced product from getting to consumers.

Companies that use talc aren't require to test it for asbestos, or warn of the possible contamination under current laws. And if products are found to contain asbestos, the FDA lacks the authority to mandate a recall, although companies can do so voluntarily (and sometimes have). 

"There is no possible way for anyone to know unless the company is doing routine testing. And no company is going to use an ingredient label that says 'talc with a touch of asbestos,'" Leiba said. 

For this reason, public health experts and consumer advocates are pushing for stricter legislation that would include a uniform system of testing requirements and more transparent labeling. 

Until then, however, both Gordan and Leiba recommend avoiding talc-based cosmetics whenever possible, or purchasing from companies that have rigorous and well-documented testing practices. Most of the items included in the analysis had talc-free versions available on the market, which would make for a safer alternative.

"I would 100% recommend that people stop using products with talc," Leiba said. 

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