Last December, following the Asean Cosmetics Directive (ACD), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued Circular 2015-2014, which advised personal care and beauty brands to recall products containing parabens.
The FDA memorandum ordered the recall of products containing parabens (isopropylparaben, isobutylparaben, phenylparaben, benzylparaben and pentylparaben) by January 1. Parabens are a type of preservative commonly used in body wash, scrubs, soaps and lotions. Parabens have been linked to endocrine disruption and other health problems.
However, toxics watchdog EcoWaste Coalition recently reported that at least 15 personal-care products containing parabens are still available in the market.
Read the label
Human Nature, the countryās largest genuinely natural personal care, cosmetics and home-care brand, urged consumers to watch out for parabens and other harmful chemicals.
āTaking the time to read the label on the products we use and be mindful of what these chemicals can do to our health is our best protection,ā Human Nature Creative Director Camille Meloto explained. āSince we began, weāve made a stand against using synthetic ingredients, like parabens, triclosan and plastic microbeadsāeven if they are more convenient and cheaper than natural alternatives. As we grew over the years, we found out that these ingredients have been banned one by one.ā
US President Barack Obama signed the Microbead-Free Waters Act of 2015, which prohibits the use of plastic microbeads in personal care products, last December.
Look for the seal
Aside from reading the label, consumers can also look for the Natural Products Association (NPA) seal. Founded in 1936, the Natural Products Association is the oldest and largest nonprofit organization in the US dedicated to the natural products industry.
All NPA seal-bearing products are required to be at least 95-percent natural and made of natural and safe ingredients and processed without harm to the environment. Products must also list all ingredients on the label, must not be tested on animals, and must not pose health risks on users.
At least 32 products from Human Natureās menās care, wellness, home care, hair care, hand and foot care, face Care, kids care, body cleansing, baby care and prestige skin care lines have been certified by the NPA as of January 2016.
āA lot of cosmetics and personal care products contain chemicals that may potentially harm our bodies and our environment as well. Our skin absorbs up to 60 percent of what we put into it. In the same way that we want to eat healthier for our overall health, we should also be as conscious of what we apply on our skin and hair as with what we ingest,ā Meloto added.