Talc In Cosmetic Products: Health Risks
Being an avid makeup user, I always wonder what harsh chemicals I’m putting on my face day in and day out. As to be expected, makeup products are packed full of ingredients that I’ve never heard of!
One chemical in particular that had lots of negative claims against being “Talc”, sometimes referred to as “Talcum”. This chemical is said to be found in women’s products in particular, “such as body and shower products, lotions, hygiene products, powders, eyeshadow, foundation, lipstick, deodorants and face masks”.
What is talc? Talc is a chemical (mineral substance) used as an additive in products to “absorb moisture, smooth and soften products, prevent caking, and make makeup opaque”. It’s odorless, not flammable, and doesn’t react with water or air, being the perfect addition to makeup products!
After going through my makeup bag, I was surprised by my findings! All but three of my seven every day makeup routine products had talc in them. Of course, I don’t have the original packaging for each product, and only two of the products actually had the ingredients listed on the label of them (and not just the package we end up throwing away anyway)! Is this due to the fact that makeup companies don’t want people knowing what’s in their products? This very well could be the case. I also realized that when going on the company’s websites, they strategically place the word “ingredients” at the bottom of the page and require the buyer to click “+” to view the list. This is also a strong indicator that these companies might just have something to hide.
What’s so bad about talc anyway? Well Campaign for Safe Cosmetics claims that it can lead to irritation, organ system toxicity, and even cases of cancer! Food Babe has also made claims against talc saying it has been linked to lung cancer from makeup in the form of powder being inhaled, or other types of cancer when certain parts of the body come in contact with any makeup products containing talc. The International Agency for Research on Cancer did a study, and they have yet to find links between the use of talc in makeup products, and lung cancer. Although they did find talc contaminated with asbestos to be in some cases, lethal, especially in cases of babies who ingest or inhale it from baby powders.
Overall no makeup with talc has been linked to cancers but can cause irritation, breathing difficulties, and infections when used in an improper method. Will I stop using these products containing talc? In a perfect world, I’d love to say yes! But that just doesn’t seem realistic. Especially since the risk of cancer is so low. I will however, be more aware when shopping for makeup products, and check labels more often to see what I’m actually putting on my face!
