A recent study published in Environmental Science & Technology Letters has uncovered alarming levels of exposure to cancer-causing carcinogenic chemicals in personal care products used by Black and Latina women in Los Angeles. Out of 64 women surveyed, 53% were found to use items containing formaldehyde or formaldehyde-releasing preservatives—chemicals classified as human carcinogens.
Participants in the study photographed the ingredient lists of all their beauty and hygiene products over a week. These included shampoos, lotions, soaps, conditioners, skin lighteners, and makeup products like eyeliner and eyelash glue. Robin Dodson, lead author and research director at the Silent Spring Institute, expressed concern over the intentional inclusion of such toxins. “Formaldehyde is a great preservative,” she said, “but it’s also the same chemical used in embalming fluid—and it’s a known carcinogen.”
Health Inequities and Cultural Pressures of Carcinogenic Chemicals
The study focused specifically on Black and Latina women, groups historically more exposed to hazardous beauty chemicals than their white counterparts. Prior research has linked products like chemical hair straighteners, often used by African American women, to disproportionately high rates of breast, uterine, and ovarian cancers. Despite formaldehyde being classified as a carcinogen over a decade ago, regulatory action in the U.S. remains stalled. The FDA, which had previously planned to propose a ban on the chemical in hair relaxers, has yet to implement any formal restrictions.
Researchers also highlighted the social pressures that drive excessive product use. On average, the women in the study used 17 different products daily—some using as many as 43. “It speaks to the pressure women have to look a certain way,” said Dr. Tracey Woodruff of the University of California, San Francisco. Co-author Janette Robinson Flint from Black Women for Wellness added that cultural beauty norms rooted in Eurocentric standards have forced many women of color to rely on potentially harmful products. “We shouldn’t have to be chemists to figure out what will make us sick,” she said.
Regulatory Gaps and Consumer Challenges of Carcinogenic Chemicals
One of the biggest challenges for consumers is the lack of transparent labeling. Formaldehyde isn’t always explicitly listed on product labels; instead, it hides behind chemical names such as DMDM hydantoin. This makes it difficult for the average shopper to recognize dangerous ingredients. While the European Union banned formaldehyde in cosmetics in 2009 and mandates warnings for products with even trace amounts of formaldehyde-releasing agents, the U.S. has lagged behind.
Some states, including California and Washington, have begun implementing their own regulations, and reports suggest a decrease in formaldehyde-containing products since 2009. However, experts stress that a national regulatory framework is essential. “Consumers should do their best to read labels,” said Dodson. “But long-term protection has to come from regulation—ideally through ingredient bans at the state or federal level.”
The study underscores the urgent need for systemic change in cosmetic safety oversight, particularly to address racial health disparities in product exposure.
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