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Asthma and Cosmetic Ingredients

Persulfate bleaches used in hair-care products have been linked to asthma in hairdressers. The ingredients are:
Ammonium Persulfate
Potassium Persulfate
Sodium Persulfate

There is mounting evidence that some food additives can be dangerous to asthmatics, eczema sufferers, and people who are sensitive to aspirin.

These people are advised to avoid sulfur dioxide, sulfite, nitrite, benzonate anf hydroxybenzonate preservatives; BHA, BHt and gallate antioxidants; flavour enhancers including glutamates such as monosodium glutamate (MSG); and certain azo and coal tar dyes.

Several of these additives are used as cosmetic ingredients but there is no scientific evidence that they are dangerous to asthmatics or linked to asthma.

But there is also no scientific evidence that they are safe. many of these ingredients have restrictions on their use and several have been linked to adverse effects such as contact allergies and dermatitis. These ingredients are easily identified:

9 sulfites are commonly used in cosmetics as preservatives. They have names ending with "sulfite," "hydrosulfite," "bisulfite", and "metabisulfite."

40 benzoates are used in cosmetics. many of these are preservatives and they all contain the name "benzoate."

23 hydroxybenzoate preservatives are used and these all end with "paraben." Methylparaben, Ethylparaben, Propylparaben, and Butlparaben are by far the most common. In fact they are so widely used it is difficult to avoid them.

The three commonly used gallate antioxidants are:
Dodecyl Gallate
Octyl Gallate
Propyl gallate

Finally, BHT and BHA are also commonly used antioxidants.

Reference:Cosmetics Unmasked: Dr Stephen & Gina Antczak