Test: Cosmetics for kids

Kids love to dress up and sometimes this includes colorful and fun makeup sets and lip balm.

However, these products can contain perfume, other allergenic chemicals or suspected endocrine disrupters – chemicals children should not be exposed to.

This is the findings of a new test performed by the Danish Consumer Council THINK Chemicals in cooperation with consumer organizations in Sweden and Norway.

Ingredient lists are missing

The test shows that many of the products (12 of 40 products on the Danish market) do not have the mandatory list of ingredients on the packaging.

These 12 products were bought online via Amazon, Wish and AliExpress.

It is illegal to sell products without a list of ingredients and therefore the the products have been reported to the Danish authorities.

Suspected endocrine disrupters in 33 percent of the products

One in three products with an ingredient list contain suspected endocrine disrupters e.g. BHA, BHT, parabener or ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate.

These products all receive the lowest rating – C.

Perfume in most of the products

75 percent of the products with an ingredient list contain perfume. In Denmark, the authorities recommend not to expose children to perfume, since worst-case scenario is that they will develop lifelong perfume allergy.

These products also all receive the lowest rating – C.

On the lips: Avoid mineral oils and Titanium dioxide

In addition to containing suspected endocrine disrupters and perfume, many of the products also contain mineral and synthetic oils and titanium dioxide.

Mineral and synthetic oils can pose a health risk in food. Lip balm inevitably is eaten, when you smear it on your lips. As a precaution, it is our recommendation that you avoid mineral and synthetic oils in your lip balm.

The same goes for titanium dioxide (CI 77891). EFSA, the food scientific committee of the EU) has concluded that titanium is not safe when used in food.

Only one good choice

Only one product in the test receive the best rating – A: A lip balm, which does not contain unwanted chemicals.

Only one makeup set receive the second best rating – B, because it contains oils and titanium dioxide.

Danish Consumer Council THINK Chemicals: Children should not be exposed to unwanted chemicals

”It is worrying that products marketed for kids contain suspected endocrine disrupters and other unwanted substances. Moreover, one wonders why the producers choose these substances for products for kids, when many cosmetic products without these substances are available for adults. Children are more vulnerable to the negative effects of chemicals when exposed. Suspected endocrine disrupters and perfume should not be a part of products for kids”.

Claus Jørgensen, head of project, Danish Consumer Council THINK Chemicals