Campaign for Safe Cosmetics: Carcinogens in Children’s Bath Products

Carcinogens in children's personal care products

A report called “No More Toxic Tub” released today by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics has revealed that, far from being safe and gentle, dozens of best-selling children’s bath products are contaminated with the cancer-causing chemicals formaldehyde and 1,4-dioxane. 

The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics commissioned an independent laboratory to test 48 products for 1,4-dioxane and formaldehyde. Findings included:
  
17 out of 28 (61 percent) products tested contained formaldehyde and 1,4-dioxane.

23 out of 28 products (82 percent) contained formaldehyde at levels ranging from 54 to 610 parts per million.

32 out of 48 products (67 percent) contained 1,4-dioxane at levels ranging from 0.27 to 35 parts per million.

Products found to contain 1,4-dioxane included: CVS baby shampoo, Johnson’s Baby Shampoo, L’Oreal Kids Extra Gentle 2-in-1 Fast Dry Shampoo, Suave Kids 2-in-1 Shampoo, American Girl Hopes and Dreams Glistening Shower and Bath Wash, Gentle Naturals Eczema Baby Wash, Johnson’s Oatmeal Baby Wash - Vanilla, Dora the Explorer Bubble Bath, Sesame Street Bubble Bath, Pampers Kandoo Foaming Handsoap and No-Ad Sun Pals  SPF45. 

Products found to formaldehyde included: American Girl Hopes and Dreams Shimmer Body Lotion, Baby Magic “Soft Baby Scent” Baby Lotion, Tinker Bell Body Lotion, Johnson’s Baby Shampoo, L’Oreal Kids Extra Gentle 2-in-1 Fast Dry Shampoo, American Girl Real Beauty Inside and Out Shower Gel - Apple Blossom, CVS Kids Body Wash - Blueberry Blast, Equate Tearless Baby Wash and Barbie Berry Sweet Bubble Bath.

Click here for a full list of the products that were found to contain 1,4-dioxane and formaldehyde. 

The chemicals were not disclosed on the ingredients labels because impurities are exempt from labelling laws. Common ingredients likely to be contaminated with 1,4-dioxane include PEG-100 stearate, sodium laureth sulphate, polyethylene and ceteareth compounds (e.g. cetereath-20).

Ingredients likely to contaminate products with formaldehyde include quaternium-15, DMDM hydantoin, diazolidinyl urea and imidazolidinyl urea.

There are no regulatory standards limiting formaldehyde and 1,4-dioxane in cosmetic products sold in the US.  According to the report, the federal  Consumer Product Safety Commission states that “the presence of 1,4-dioxane, even as a trace contaminant, is cause for concern.” 1,4-dioxane can easily be removed from products by vacuum stripping but most manufacturers don’t bother. As well as being a probable carcinogen according to the US Environmental Protection Agency, formaldehyde can also trigger adverse skin reactions. 

Click here to read the Campaign for Safe Cosmetic’s full report