English Version | The forbidden fruit

If you buy cosmetics in the European Union, know that you are protected by a blacklist. Ergocalciferol. Nitrosodipropylamine. Octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane. This is not a contest of the longest and the most complex words of the English language. These are some of the substances that are banished from our Beauty products.

The forbidden fruit is always the sweetest, but if there is one area where that does not apply, that should be the Beauty industry. Because, here, the consequences are not just ethical. There will not be an expulsion from the Paradise Garden nor a serpent ready to question our values. In Beauty, the forbidden fruit puts our health at risk - and that is never a joke. But let’s leave our metaphors aside, because no one wins when we talk in circles. What is, after all, this forbidden fruit? The truth is that the cosmetic industry in the European Union has its own version of a blacklist. However, there are no books nor movies to be found here. In this case, the blue pencil came to censor the labels of the products that, for many years, had a place on our shelves. One by one, the most various ingredients were slowly banished in order to give place to a more clean, healthy, and above all, trustworthy Beauty. 

When the regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on cosmetic products was released, in November of 2009, its goals was to “standardise the legislation of the member states”, told Dra. Paula Quirino to Vogue. The dermatologist of DentalDerme Essential Aesthetics, in Figueira da Foz, helped us understand what actually hides behind the complex names that compose this regulation. A regulation where now rest the ingredients once used by the cosmetic industry, but not only. Here, there can be found three distinct listings: the list of substances completely prohibited by the European Union, the list of substances that have been subjected to restrictions (which means that there is a maximum value regarding the quantity in which they can be used) and there is still the list of allowed substances, regarding the categories of preservatives, colourings and solar filtres. Now, even though it is not my taste, I admit that we might need a short (therefore, not so painful) math moment. From the prohibited substances there are 1328 examples, followed by 256 substances of limited usage and, still, “in July of 2015, came out a briefing summarising the additions that had been annexed to this list since 2010, where 254 more prohibited substances were added”, highlights Paula Quirino. All in all, if the calculator does not fail, we are talking about 1838 substances banished or limited by the European Union. And if these numbers are not enough to calm the reader, may the words of our specialist do: “We can say that the cosmetic products sold in the European Community are safe.” However, that is mainly due to the strict control that Portuguese entities, such as Infarmed, as the European ones, led by the European Commission, guarantee in regards to the European Beauty industry.

“The European regulation determines that cosmetic products must be safe to the consumer and, in that sense, every single one of them must be analysed by a safety assessor”, states Isabel Martins, professor of the Faculty of Pharmacy from the University of Porto, and also one of the authors of Portal Infocosméticos. From that analysis is released a report that, according to the specialist, gathers the “bibliographic, laboratory and clinic tests relevant to justify the safety of a cosmetic product”. All this information is obtained through a rigid testing process, guided by the Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety, which, in the European Union, is done with ‘in silico tests’ (computer simulation) and ‘in vitro tests’. The professor of the Faculty of Pharmacy clarifies that these are the “alternatives” to animal testing, because these experimentations “are forbidden in ingredients and cosmetics products sold in the European Union”. Also the tests included in this process are subjected to their own method of evaluation, being chosen according to the cosmetic product that will be tested, to then be able to establish a safety margin for all ingredients. Isabel Martins explains that the “calculation of the safety margin includes the evaluation of the organism exposure to each substance as also its toxicologic profile.” This long and complex process is, therefore, a summary of how the European Union guarantees the safety of its Beauty consumers. But it is important to remember that this is just applied to the products sold within the European Union. That means that if you are an European consumer that buys cosmetic products in the United States, those products were tested following the rules corresponding to the American government (which, by the way, are very different from the European ones).

But why are we so concerned about our cosmetic products? To what extent can these interfere with our well-being? As Paula Quirino defines, “cosmetic products are health products intended to contact with external parts of the human body, teeth and mouth.” Because of that, it is essential to understand the different ways how these can reach our inner parts, whether it may be by ingestion (like lipstick and tooth paste), body absorption (where a big part of make-up and skincare can serve as an example), or simple inhalation (with powders or perfumes). Therefore, in the words of the dermatologist, “some cosmetics require the special attention of the regulators”,  having in mind that they can end up representing “potential high risk for consumers”. Among those risks, the specialist highlights endocrine disruptors, that are “chemicals that may interfere with our hormonal system, producing damaging effects for our bodies as well as for the environment”, or even hair paints, since “there is a strong suspicion that its long-term use may increase the risk for women to develop breast cancer”. Following that same line of thought, there is a bigger concern with photo-protection, mainly because “it is necessary to certify its efficacy in preventing skin cancer and its safety for the body and the environment”, as well as nano materials, preservatives and borderline products that, in the Beauty industry, are the “anti-ageing lotions, anti-cellulite products, under-eye creams, depigmenting substances, toothpastes, essential oils, massage oils”, among many others. Lastly, Paula Quirino focuses CMR substances (Carcinogenic, Mutagenic or toxic to Reproduction), which are “those with a high risk of toxicity, mutation and carcinogenic” and that are “obviously forbidden”. Still, all previously mentioned substances represent cases that have already been followed for a while. How is the cosmetic industry at the present moment? “There are several substances under evaluation for which a decision will be taken by the European Union during 2021”, and Paula Quirino helped us with their technical names, in case you are in the mood to review the ingredient list of your products. These are “benzophenone-3, kojic acid, 4-methylbenzylidene-camphor, propylparaben, triclosan, resorcinol, octocrylene, triclocarban, butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), benzophenone, homosalate, benzyl salicylate, genistein and daidzein.” Actually because the EU regulation on cosmetic products is not static. Isabel Martins clarifies that the regulatory bodies “analyse the scientific evidence available and emit recommendations on the safety of a certain ingredient”, like the Cosmetic Ingredient Review or the Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety, that do it on a regular basis “as a way to reflect the most recent scientific data”. This mechanism then translates into “regulatory alterations regarding the removal, limitation or even cancellation of the prohibition that was given to a certain product”, continues the investigator. Paula Quirino raises the example of probiotics, “products that can interfere with our skin microbiome adding biotechnological cosmetics derived from micro-organism to formules”, explains the dermatologist. We are talking about ingredients that, in the words of Isabel Martins, may trigger “toxic reactions” but only for a “very small part of the population”. That is why many times we can see potential allergenic components mentioned on the labels of products, since the goal is to enable a conscious decision for consumers, with the information they need for such. 

An example that helps portraying those mentioned allergy cases is also related to another problematic that has made a lot of headlines on Beauty magazines. Parabens must be familiar to most of the readers, and many may have a negative outlook on them, but the truth is that these are essential for the Beauty industry. “Cosmetic products, specially liquid formulas, need preservatives in order not to degrade and suffer microbial contamination”, and the dermatologist explains that, among those main conservatives, are the parabens, since they “prevent the growth of bacteria and fungi whether it is in cosmetic products as well as in medicine and food”. From the 80s we have noticed an increase in allergic reactions associated with these preservatives and, more recently, one of the types of parabens - butylparaben - has created, according to Paula Quirino, “some concern regarding potential side effects for our organism after systemic use”. However, as it was already mentioned, parabens cannot simply be removed from cosmetic product’s composition, so its reduction had to be followed by a increasing bet on another preservative, the Kathon CG, also known as methylisothiazolinone. “The increase for 100ppm (parts per million) resulted in an exponential growth of allergic eczema after contacting with ordinary day to day products, like dish soap, body wash, shampoo, wipes and cosmetic lotions, including photoprotection”, explains the dermatologist, declaring that, considering such situation, “the European regulator limited its concentration in rinse-off products for 15 ppm and prohibited its use on leave-on products”. Deep down, this example represents the types of situations that appear to be more common every single year. And every time the consumer well-being is called into question (and notice that we did not use the word “safety”, because that was never even the issue), the system reacts.

For the majority of times, the system does not only react as it also acts. However, we asked Paula Quirino if there is still any ingredient that must raise the particular attention of consumers. For the dermatologist, two names must be considered. “Currently, the biggest concern is related to endocrine disruptors”, explains the specialist by saying that it is known that these might have damaging effects, “but it is still not exactly clear which effects and through which mechanism does the relationship between the chemical and the triggering of a disease, whether it is thyroid, frontal alopecia, fibrosing, or even breast cancer, is established.” Besides, and even though it is regulated on an European level, it is important to mention formaldehyde. It is proven that this component has a “carcinogenic potential, mainly for respiratory systems”, but Paula Quirino states that “it continues to be used by many professionals on quantities above what is allowed (0,2%), for example in hair straightening treatments”. In reality, formaldehyde is still present in several cosmetic products, like nail polishes, and it has been responsible for causing some allergic reactions among the general population. 

At the end of day, even though nothing can be considered perfect or infallible, there are enough guarantees for being able to say that consumers are protected every time they buy cosmetic products within the European Union. Paula Quirino concludes “the European legislation works well” and she is not the only specialist that shares this opinion. “There are thousands of ingredients that can be used in cosmetic products, so any doubts from the consumer are understandable”, states Isabel Martins. Therefore, the investigator lists reliable sources of information, like the website cosmeticsinfo.org or portalinfocosmeticos.pt (this last one in Portuguese), where consumers can go every time they need to find an answer. But, overall, Isabel Martins does not hesitate to that the present regulation in the European Union “safeguards the safety of the consumer regarding the use of cosmetic products”. As we said, when it comes to the Beauty industry, the forbidden fruit is really not the sweetest. 

Originally translated from The Underground Issue, published October 2021.Full credits and stories on the print issue.