Reduce your risk

Use fewer cosmetics and personal care

products, and less often;

Avoid fragranced products, which may

include numerous ingredients;

Avoid skin creams and other products which

contain UV filters, unless for use as

sunscreens;

Avoid using aerosols (e.g. deodorants, hair

sprays) that can be inhaled or leave

deposits on domestic surfaces;

Use toiletries low in additives and avoid

chlorinated items; and,

Check the list of ingredients and try to avoid

products which contain any of the chemicals

listed in this leaflet.

What are we calling for?

Breast Cancer UK is calling for the tougher

regulation of chemicals to help protect public

health; the revision of the EU cosmetics

regulation to restrict EDCs from use in products;

and, the use of UV filters be restricted to

sunscreens and not permitted for use as a

preservative in everyday cosmetics products,

such as skin lotion.

s. We recommend to anyone who will listen

to us.

Guide to cosmetics and personal care products

© Breast Cancer UK (2015)

BM Box 7767

London

WC1N 3XX

Breast Cancer UK is a registered charity in England and

Wales (1138866) Registered company number (7348408)

Registered address: BCUK Ltd, Solva, Southwick Road,

Denmead, Waterlooville, Hants PO7 6LA

Breast Cancer UK works to save lives and reduce breast cancer rates by tackling the environmental and chemicals causes of the disease.

For more information on how to reduce your

risk or how harmful chemicals are linked to

breast cancer please visit our website

www.breastcanceruk.org.uk

Selected references

Konduracka, E. et al. (2014). Relationship between everyday use cosmetics and female breast cancer. Polish Archives of Internal Medicine 124 (5): 264-269.

UNEP/WHO (2013). State of the science of endocrine disrupting chemicals 2012: full report.

Myers, S. L. et al. (2015). Estrogenic and anti-estrogenic activity of off-the-shelf hair and skin care products. Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology 25(3): 271-277.

Scranton, A. (2014). Beauty and its Beast. Unmasking the Impacts of toxic chemicals on salon workers. Women’s voices for Earth, November, 2014.

Darbre, P. D. and Charles, A. K. (2010). Environmental Oestrogens and Breast Cancer: Evidence for Combined Involvement of Dietary, Household and Cosmetic Xenoestrogens. Anticancer Research 30: 815-828.

A complete list of references and a more detailed

Information Sheet on Cosmetics and Personal

Hygiene Products can be found on our website at

www.breastcanceruk.org.uk

Disclaimer: This work in no way claims to be a comprehensive treatment of the subject of all chemicals associated with breast cancers. Breast Cancer UK has used all reasonable endeavours to ensure that the content of this leaflet is correct at the time of publishing, but no warranty is given to that effect nor any liability accepted for any loss or damage arising from the use of this leaflet.

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Cosmetic ingredients with links to other health problems

UV filters

UV filters such as benzophenones, ethylhexyl

methoxycinnamate and homosalate are added

to sunscreen products to protect skin against the

damaging effects of UV light. They are also added

to other products to protect from UV damage during

storage. They are oestrogenic and build up in fat tissue

(bioaccumulate). They can increase skin penetration of

certain chemicals including those that are toxic.

Siloxanes

Siloxanes are inactive ingredients used in sun

lotions and creams. One of the most commonly

used, octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane, is a weak

oestrogen mimic, linked with reproductive

disorders in animal studies. It also bioaccumulates

and is toxic.

Ethanolamines

These include triethanolamine (TEA) and

monoethanolamine (MEA) and are used to raise

pH (control acidity) and as emulsifiers. TEA is used

in makeup, fragrances, hair care, skin care and

shaving products and sunscreens. MEA is used in

hair dyes. TEA is mildly toxic. The EU prohibits

diethanolamine (DEA) in cosmetics and restricts the

use of MEA and TEA due to potential cancer risk.

What to look out for?

Parabens

Used as preservatives (e.g in shampoo, face

creams and body lotions) to lengthen shelf life but

have no specific cosmetic purpose. Look for:

butylparaben, methylparaben, ethylparaben and

propylparaben on ingredients lists. Parabens

are known EDCs and may be linked to breast cancer.

Phthalates

Used as solvents for fragrance, to hold colour and

to make the alcohol in perfumes undrinkable. Only

Diethyl phthalate (DEP) is used in the EU.

Found in perfume, nail polish and hair spray, DEP

is an EDC and may be linked to breast cancer.

Triclosan

Used in antibacterial soaps, deodorants and

toothpastes as a preservative and to reduce

bacterial growth. It’s an oestrogen mimic which

may be linked to breast cancer.

Synthetic musks

Used as fragrances in perfumes, cosmetics and

aftershave. Polycyclic musks, galaxolide (HHBC)

and tonalide (AHTN) are EDCs and nitro musk,

musk ketone is oestrogenic and may be linked

to breast cancer.

Aluminium

Used in antiperspirants and deodorants, lipstick

and some toothpastes. Aluminium chloride and

aluminium chlorohydrate are oestrogen mimics

and limited scientific evidence suggests they may

be associated with increased breast cancer risk.

Formaldehyde

Used at restricted concentrations as a nail

hardener, in soaps and make-up in the form of

formaldehyde-releasing preservatives (e.g.

DMDM hydantoin, diazolidinyl urea,

imidazolidinyl urea and Quaternium-15).

Formaldehyde is a known carcinogen and has

been linked to increased breast cancer risk.

Cosmetic regulations in the EU

The EU has some of the best chemicals

regulations in the world. Despite this, many

cosmetics and personal care products can still

contain chemicals, including endocrine disrupting

chemicals (EDCs), which can cause adverse

health effects, and some are potentially linked to

breast cancer.

What are EDCs?

EDCs can affect the body’s hormones. They may

be harmful even at very low concentrations, or

may interact with other chemicals to cause harm.

Most chemicals on the market have not been

tested for their endocrine disrupting properties.

Some ingredients used in cosmetics are known or

suspected EDCs that mimic oestrogens.

Oestrogens stimulate breast cell growth and

proliferation. They also contribute to the

proliferation of damaged cells and potentially

increase the likelihood of mutations which may

lead to breast cancer. Certain chemicals found in

cosmetics interfere with oestrogen levels in the

body and may lead to changes in breast tissue,

which have been associated with an increased

risk of breast cancer.

Look carefully at ingredients lists on cosmetics

Some personal care products can contain chemicals

which can have adverse health effects.

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