Beauty Bold

Synthetics in Cosmetics

Question:
Are certain synthetic chemicals in cosmetics not just adding to the undesirable bio accumulation of such chemicals in the environment, food chains and humans?

Answer:
'No, that's not the case.The cosmetics industry is well aware of the issues such as bioaccumulation and also of how the term can tend to be misused.

Bioaccumulation is where there is evidence of a substance remaining present and building up over time. The presence of a substance, whether it be in human or in the environment, is not evidence of bioaccumulation, though the ability to detect such small levels does demonstrate the advances made in chemical analysis in recent years.  

Levels of substances maybe falling over time (and therefore cannot be described as bioaccumulation), may be static or maybe increasing. The key indicators are the rate of change, the anticipated steady-state level and the safe level.

Only if any substance is accumulating to a point where it may exceed safe levels is there any need to take action, and this goes for all of the substances used in commerce. In fact, levels of cosmetic ingredients sometimes claimed to be bioaccumulating have actually been shown to have fallen.'

Dr Christopher Flower, director-general, the cosmetic, Toiletry and Perfumery Association (CTPA)

Reference: Toxic Beauty : Dawn Mellowship