How Safe Are Cosmetics and Personal Care Products?

You may be choosy about your moisturizer, hair color product, and makeup brand—but how much time do you spend checking out the safety of those products?

Cosmetics and personal care items include foundation and mascara, face and body lotion, soaps and shampoos, hair styling products, deodorant, toothpaste, hair dyes, and nail polish. They are considered safe, but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t risks associated with their use, particularly if you don’t use them correctly.

Some of the safety concerns that may be associated with cosmetics and personal care products include:
Eye infections
Spreading bacteria on the skin
Irritation and scratches on the eye
Fire hazards, in the case of aerosol products such as hairspray
Allergic reactions or sensitivity to ingredients
Contaminants in products not manufactured in the U.S.