PFAS, or forever chemicals, have been making their way into all aspects of our lives. From PFAS-contaminated drinking water to cookware, it’s hard to get away from PFAS chemicals. A surprising number of beauty and personal care products contain PFAS. It’s important to know which products contain PFAS and how to reduce exposure from the products you use on a daily basis. Keep reading to learn more about PFAS and how PFAS-free beauty and self-care products can help.
PFAS found in many types of makeup
The same desirable properties that made Teflon commonplace in cooking pans is also the reason why a closely related PFAS chemical, PTFE, is used in cosmetics. PTFE stands for polytetrafluoroethylene, and its non-stick properties provide beauty products with a look and feel that consumers may want in their makeup. PFAS is also used in cosmetics to make them more spreadable, waterproof, and last longer (think of 24-hour lipstick, as one example). Whether it’s foundation, bronzer, and blush, or lip balm and anti-aging lotions, all of these products use a form of PFAS. Other beauty products that contain PFAS include makeup powders, eye shadow and eye liner, and mascara.
A 2023 study by researchers at Notre Dame University found that more than half of the 231 personal care products they tested contained significant amounts of fluorine, a key element of PFAS. The 231 tested products were categorized into eight groups based on the type of product or area of intended use. These categories were the lips, eyes, face, eyebrows, foundation, mascara, concealer, and miscellaneous. In testing for total fluorine, as an initial indicator of PFAS concentration, foundations came out on top as having the most fluorine. In addition to foundations, high fluorine levels were found in products commonly advertised as “wear-resistant” or “long-lasting.” Specific products in this category with high fluorine included foundations, liquid lipsticks, and waterproof mascaras.
In the same study, the researchers went on to further test 29 of the personal care products that had the most fluorine to identify which PFAS chemicals were present and in what quantities. In this more specific test, 100% of the products contained PFAS. The most common PFAS found in the 29 tested beauty products were FTOH (6:2 Fluorotelomer alcohol) and FTMA (6:2-Fluorotelomersulfonic acid), found in all of the 29 products. These newer generation “short chain” PFAS compounds degrade more quickly than the older “long chain” compounds, but are still considered to be major health concerns. What’s interesting is that only 1 out of the 29 products actually listed a PFAS compound in its ingredients. And out of the 231 tested for fluorine, only 18 listed any type of PFAS or fluorine-containing ingredient.
Other everyday living items that contain PFAS
It’s not just cosmetics and makeup that contain PFAS. Everyday self-care and health products like shave gel, dental floss, and bandages contain PFAS. A 2022 study of dental floss showed that about a third of the tested brands contained PFAS. Sadly, none of the brands that actually contain PFAS noted this in their ingredients.
Beyond these products, there’s even PFAS found in contact lenses, toilet paper, deodorants, and condoms & personal lubricants. Aluminum in antiperspirants have been known to potentially cause cancer and Alzheimer’s disease, yet little is known about the presence of PFAS in deodorants. With greater awareness, there is evidence of more PFAS-free and toxin-free products becoming available.
PFAS-free alternatives to reduce negative health impacts
Daily or regular use of the above PFAS-containing beauty and self-care products can pose significant health risks over time. PFAS is linked to all sorts of poor health outcomes. Kidney, uterine, and testicular cancer have been linked to PFAS exposure, as has melanoma (skin cancer). There’s also increased risk of high blood pressure and thyroid (hormone) dysfunction due to PFAS. Children exposed to PFAS during pregnancy or at an early age may experience low birth weight, low immunity, and developmental delays.
Understanding where PFAS is coming from in your makeup or self-care products is a good start. Given that it’s challenging to know which beauty or personal care products contain PFAS, one option is to seek out PFAS-free alternatives. Several organizations provide information about PFAS-free products, including PFAS Central and The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics.
In addition to using PFAS-free alternatives, knowing about your PFAS levels in your body can be helpful. As you start to make these changes, you should see changes in PFAS levels over time. And to track your progress, test your blood for PFAS regularly with Relentless Health’s PFAS test.
