Environmental Working Group
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FDA finds intentionally added PFAS in nearly 1,700 personal care products

Should personal care products with intentionally added PFAS be required to undergo safety testing?
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Dear friend,

Hundreds of personal care products people use every day may contain intentionally added “forever chemicals,” according to a new Food and Drug Administration report.

The FDA identified nearly 1,700 cosmetics sold in the U.S. that list PFAS as ingredients – chemicals known for their persistence in the environment and the human body. Yet the agency says there is limited publicly available safety data for many PFAS used in cosmetics.

Some scientific studies have linked certain PFAS to serious health concerns, even at low levels of exposure, including effects on the immune system and fetal development, and increased cancer risk. These findings raise important questions about how cosmetic ingredients are evaluated before products reach store shelves.

Here’s what the FDA report found:

* 51 individual PFAS were used as cosmetic ingredients.
* PFAS were most commonly used in eye shadow, face and neck skin care, eyeliner, face powder and foundation.
* Polytetrafluoroethylene, commonly known as PTFE, was the most frequently reported PFAS, appearing in 490 products – nearly 30% of cosmetics containing PFAS.


Unlike food additives and drugs, cosmetic ingredients – including PFAS – generally are not required to undergo safety testing before they’re used in products sold to consumers. That gap leaves consumers with little insight into the safety of ingredients they apply directly to their skin.

EWG believes people deserve transparency – and products made with ingredients that have been appropriately tested for safety.

We’re asking a small group of EWG supporters to weigh in. Your response helps inform our work and advocacy. Will you take our quick survey by midnight tonight?
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Should personal care products with intentionally added PFAS be required to undergo safety testing?<br />
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Thanks for your feedback, friend.

– EWG


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