Even ‘Non-Toxic’ Nail Polish May Contain Harmful Chemicals, Study Says

Cosmetics are subject to very few regulations in the U.S. While they fall under Food and Drug Administration (FDA) purview, current laws do not require beauty products and their ingredients to be FDA-approved before hitting shelves. Even laws that pertain to cosmetic labeling are somewhat loose; many buzzwords that show up on product packaging mean, effectively, nothing. That’s also the case for many nail polishes. And even brands that tout safe formulations may be substituting some toxic chemicals for equally dangerous alternatives, suggests a new study published Wednesday in the journal Environmental Science & Technology. “It’s sort of like playing a game of chemical Whac-A-Mole, where one toxic chemical is removed and you end up chasing down the next potentially harmful chemical substituted in,” says study co-author Anna Young, a doctoral student at Harvard University. In the early 2000s, many nail polish companies began labeling their products “three-free,” to signify that they were made without dibutyl phthalate (a plasticizer used to enhance a polish’s texture and function, but that is linked to potential reproductive and developmental problems), toluene (a nervous system and developmental disruptor) and formaldehyde (a carcinogen). Since then, many brands have eliminated even more chemicals commonly used in nail polish, labeling their products “five-free,” “10-free” and even “13-free.” ...
Source: TIME: Health - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Uncategorized healthytime toxins Source Type: news