News clip alerts viewers to cosmetic dangers, fails to inform on better choices.

(Correction 3/25/10: This media review incorrectly attributed many comments in the video report to Sara Snow when in fact they were said by reporter Angela Ganote.)

In a March 10th video on the Hartford Courant website, Angela Ganote discusses the hidden hazards of beauty products with author and TV host Sara Snow.  In the video story, Snow Ganote alerts viewers to several toxic chemicals widely used in beauty products, but she doesn’t adequately equip viewers to make smarter consumer choices.

Snow correctly points to common personal care product ingredients such as parabens, xenoestrogens and phthalates as being linked to negative health effects ranging from cancers to neurotoxicity.  Yet her Ganote's assertion that it’s “simple” to figure out exactly what’s in your products by looking at the ingredient list is misleading. 

Many of the offending chemicals hide under different names.  For instance, phthalates, a group of chemicals known to disrupt hormonal pathways, are widely used to make fragrances last longer.  In personal care product ingredient lists, they are generally disguised under the umbrella category “fragrance,” which is exempt from further ingredient disclosure as a trade secret.  In fact, recent product testing by the non-profit Environmental Working Group (EWG) revealed that of 72 products tested – including deodorants, cosmetics, nail polishes, lotions, hair sprays, shampoos, and more – nearly 75 percent contained phthalates, but not one listed phthalates on the ingredient label. 

Similarly, the “xenoestrogen” that Snow Ganote mentions will never be found on an ingredient list, as the word refers to a broad range of industrial chemicals that act as estrogens in the body.  A consumer would need to know the names of specific xenoestrogens, such as 4-Methylbenzylidene camphor (in sunscreens) or methylparaben (in skin and face products) in order to know which products to avoid. 

For most consumers, navigating the ingredient list can prove daunting, unless, as Snow suggests, you specifically look for products that are labeled as “paraben-free” or “phthalate-free.” 

Concerned consumers can find more information on the ingredients in their personal care products through EWG's cosmetic safety database, Skin Deep. With thousands of brand name products in their registry, the Skin Deep database can help consumers uncover the potential health hazards in the products they choose as well as find safer alternatives. The U.S. Food and Drug Association web site includes regulatory and ingredients information about cosmetics.

Ultimately, as Snow suggests, one of the best ways to reduce exposure to potentially toxic chemicals is simply to reduce the number of personal care products used.