A new study has confirmed what many health advocates have feared for years: cancer-causing chemicals are hiding in plain sight—in the beauty products millions of women use daily.
Researchers found that more than half of Black and Latina women in Los Angeles used personal-care products containing formaldehyde or formaldehyde-releasing preservatives. These substances are classified as human carcinogens. Yet, they remain legal in U.S. cosmetics, from shampoos and soaps to eyelash glue and leave-in conditioners.
The study, published in Environmental Science & Technology Letters, tracked the real-world habits of 64 women who photographed every product they used in one week. In total, they used over 1,100 products—an average of 17 per day. One participant used three formaldehyde-laced products just in her hair care routine.
“These chemicals are in products we apply directly to our skin—sometimes multiple times a day,” warned Dr. Robin Dodson of the Silent Spring Institute. “And they aren’t clearly labeled.”
Formaldehyde doesn’t always appear by name. It hides behind scientific terms like DMDM hydantoin—making it nearly impossible for the average consumer to detect. That’s especially troubling when the gas not only causes cancer but can also irritate skin and lungs.
Despite being banned in the European Union and restricted in several U.S. states, the FDA has yet to take definitive action. A proposed ban on formaldehyde in hair straighteners has been stalled since 2023.
This is more than a beauty issue— it is a health equity crisis. Black and Latina women are disproportionately exposed to these toxins due to societal pressure to conform to Eurocentric beauty standards.
Experts agree that regulatory reform is overdue. Until then, consumers must read labels carefully and demand better. Our health shouldn’t be the cost of “looking good.”
