Fears over asbestos contamination have shifted from just talcum powder to the talc that is widely used in face powder, eyeshadow, bronzer and blusher – and with good reason.
When it comes to beauty products, it’s not unusual for certain ingredients to receive their fair share of scaremongering – you only have to scan the packaging to see ‘free from’ stamps emblazoned across the front. And while you’d be right in thinking that there are rules and regulations with regards to what can and can’t go into our products, right now, talc is once again in the firing line after more court cases appearing in the US, citing asbestos cross contamination.
What is mesothelioma and why is it hitting the headlines?
Mesothelioma is a cancer of the lining of the stomach or lungs. This week, it was reported that a British woman is taking on cosmetics companies in a US court case after being diagnosed with the disease. Believed to have been caused by asbestos, the only exposure she could find to the source was after using American make-up containing talc – and therefore potentially asbestos. She is now calling for companies to ban the ingredient altogether.
It isn’t the first time talc has been linked to cancer claims, and while scientific studies have not been conclusive, baby powder (containing talc) has been cited as a possible factor in ovarian cysts and endometrial cancer in thousands of court cases in the US.
In fact, Johnson&Johnson stated in a press release, as part of LTL Management's (a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson, responsible for managing the legal claims related to the company's cosmetic talc in North America) Chapter 11 refiling, that "the Company has agreed to contribute up to a present value of $8.9 billion, payable over 25 years, to resolve all the current and future talc claims.”
Johnson&Johnson has said this was not an admission of wrongdoing and its position on the safety of its cosmetic talc remains unchanged. But to fight all of the tens of thousands of claimants would be timely and extremely costly to resolve.
Although, despite insisting that the pharmaceutical grade talc in its baby powder is safe and asbestos-free, it’s worth noting that Johnson&Johnson is discontinuing global sales of the product this year and will be switching to a formula based on corn starch.
After GLAMOUR reached out, Johnson&Johnson responded: “We continuously evaluate and optimize our portfolio to best position the business for long-term growth. This transition will help simplify our product offerings, deliver sustainable innovation, and meet the needs of our consumers, customers and evolving global trends. Our position on the safety of our cosmetic talc remains unchanged. We stand firmly behind the decades of independent scientific analysis by medical experts around the world that confirms talc-based JOHNSON’S® Baby Powder is safe, does not contain asbestos, and does not cause cancer.”
At the start of this year, the Netherlands also submitted a proposal for a harmonised classification for talc (which requires manufacturers, importers and formulators to label and package their chemicals appropriately), calling for it to be recognised as Carcinogenic Category 2. If the law is passed and adopted at European level, it means the use of talc in cosmetic products would be banned in the EU.
What is talc and why is it in your make-up?
A naturally occurring mineral – and the softest on earth – talc is a hydrated magnesium silicate (it’s easy to find as talc or talcum on ingredient lists) that is added to makeup because it creates a silky texture, helps to absorb moisture, prevents caking, makes pigments more translucent and also acts as a filler ingredient.
It is most often found in powder compacts but talc is also sometimes added to foundations and cream formulas to give that blendable, smooth finish. You could say it’s an all-round multitasker.
The grey area comes with the fact that asbestos occurs naturally in close proximity to talc (it’s also a hydrated magnesium silicate but with a different fibrous structure), which means cross contamination when the minerals are mined is possible and that some talc could potentially contain traces of the carcinogen. And therein lies the problem.
So how much are you really at risk?
Before you smash up all of your makeup compacts in a flurry of fear, you should know that there are different grades of talc, varying from industrial talc to cosmetic talc – the latter being the one that is blended into the makeup products you use on your face.
“Cosmetic grade talc is the purest form and it’s prepared by milling talc from mines that have been specifically selected for cosmetic use,” explains Cigdem Kemal Yilmax, chemical engineer and skincare formulator.
In the UK, the manufacture and supply of all cosmetic products is overseen by the UK Cosmetics Regulation (UKCR). As such, all cosmetic products, including talcum power and colour cosmetics that use talc as an ingredient, have to be safe in order to be placed on the UK market.
“I can understand the concern people have on reading suggestions that cosmetic products containing talc could also contain asbestos and so could cause harm, but strict safety laws in the UK and EU require every cosmetic product to undergo a rigorous safety assessment,” explains Dr Emma Meredith, pharmacist and Director-General of CTPA (Cosmetic, Toiletry and Perfume Association). "These are carried out by an expert scientist who will ensure all the ingredients used are safe. In addition, many detailed tests are carried out on cosmetic talc to confirm that it is not contaminated by asbestos before it is allowed to be used.”
These tests include X-ray diffraction, Polarised Light Microscopy and Transmission Electron Microscopy, which all check for the presence of asbestos fibres. It’s a three-fold vetting process that should fill you with confidence your cosmetics are of the purest form.
Supply chains to ensure quality, and mining and manufacturing processes are also investigated regularly by the UKCR. Ergo, you can feel safe in the knowledge that the make-up you buy in the UK has been put through its paces.
In America, they also use cosmetic grade talc in their products, but it’s worth flagging that where 1372 ingredients are banned in Europe, there are only 10 banned in the US. So it’s fair to say regulation is not as stringent and you may want to think twice before shipping certain makeup products from the US. If the brands are available in the UK, they will be subject to UK regulations.
It’s also worth remembering that skin’s primary purpose is to act as a barrier. “So it doesn’t soak makeup into your blood stream,” explains Cigdem, adding: "There are many layers to skin and cosmetics are created to sit on your skin.”
Cancer Research UK also says there is no science linking cosmetics to cancer but does acknowledge some studies that suggest a possible increase in ovarian cancer risk in women who use talcum powder.
The bottom line
There is no denying that there’s a definite nerviness around talc, but within the industry it’s still largely considered an acceptable ingredient, although some brands have erred on the side of caution. In 2020 Chanel, Revlon and L’Oréal announced they would be removing talc from some, but not all of their products.
Meanwhile, the FDA (US Food and Drug Administration) has admitted that there is the possibility of talc being contaminated with a recognised carcinogenic. As recently as 2020, a study found that 14% of talc-containing makeup products also contained asbestos, although more recent tests last year, which looked at 25 samples, found no contamination. Which could explain why, regardless of the earlier findings, they haven’t legally restricted or banned it.
“Unfortunately, due to the bad press on talc, brands will shy away from using it but it is possible to guarantee ingredients are safe, and have all the necessary documentation that shows the purity, quality and traceability of its mining,” says Anne Onwusowulu, cosmetic chemist and co-founder of the Skin & Hair Manufacturing Hub. “A good number of manufacturers have also obtained COSMOS/Ecocert accreditation for their talc.”
Like all of these things, it’s a case of transparency and trust between consumer and brand. However, with more and more brands using viable alternatives such as silica, zinc oxide, kaolin clay, arrowroot, and rice powder, alongside the continued court cases calling for a ban on the ingredient, it could propel the removal of talc from our products sooner rather than later. Watch this space.
