What Types Of Products Contain Formaldehyde ?
Formaldehyde is a strong smelling, flammable chemical that's produced for industry. It's used in everything from your everyday household products to building materials.
In personal care products it's used as a preservative helping prevent the growth of microbes, preventing spoilage, fungal and bacterial infections and of course prolonging shelf life. Unfortunately its also a skin irritant and a known carcinogen that is easily absorbed through the skin. And since up to 60% of chemicals that we put on our skin can be absorbed this is an obvious concern.
According to a safecosmetics.org article titled, "Formaldehyde and Formaldehyde-releasing Preservatives", A study done in 2015 found that when people were exposed to a 2.0% formaldehyde patch test 11.9% were allergic. It's also known that a sensitivity can develop over time with even low levels of exposure. I also learned that using expired cosmetics in the sun can increased amounts of formaldehyde to be released. Yikes!
Formaldehyde is banned from beauty products in the EU. In Canada it's listed on the Cosmetic ingredient hotlist as a restricted ingredient. So it's use is strictly regulated in what it's used in and the amount used.
You can find formaldehyde in products such as:
Nail polish and nail polish removers.
Shampoo, hair gel, hair smoothing products.
Soaps and body wash.
Colour cosmetics.
Clothing and dish detergents.
Furniture.
Building supplies.
Gas stoves.
Other known names for Formaldehyde include:
quaternium-15, DMDM hydantoin, imidazolidinyl urea, diazolidinyl urea, polyoxymethylene urea, sodium hydroxymethylglycinate, 2-bromo-2-nitropropane-1, 3-diol (bromopol) glyoxal
Formaldehyde releasing chemicals include:
quaternium-15 - Found in products such as mascara, blush, shampoo, and lotions. One of the most sensitizing.
DMDM hydantoin - Found in makeup removers, sunscreen, and lotions. One of the least sensitizing.
imidazolidinyl urea - Found in blush, eye shadow, lotions, shampoo, and conditioner. A known allergen that is the most common of the antimicrobial agents. It's generally combined with parabens.
diazolidinyl urea - Found in blush, eye shadow, lotions, shampoo, and conditioner. A known Allergen.
polyoxymethylene urea - Found in blush, eye shadow, lotions, shampoo, and conditioner. This is the most potent of the Formaldehyde releasers, meaning it releases the most formaldehyde.
sodium hydroxymethylglycinate - Found in body wash, moisturizers, and shampoo. It has a potential for dermatitis and sensitivity.
bromopol - Found in body wash, moisturizers, nail polish and makeup removers.
glyoxa - Found in lotions, conditioners, nail polish and other nail treatments, It is a known skin allergen.
The Environmental Working Group (EWG) has lists of products containing both formaldehyde and Formaldehyde producers which is extremely helpful. You can check out the database here EWG cosmetic database
I also found a website that lists safe products including formaldehyde free ones. You can check this website out here skinsafeproducts.com
These days finding products without these ingredients is getting easier and easier every year. This includes the items you might have in your home.
Because new construction often use synthetic materials formaldehyde levels tend to be higher than in older builds. Off gassing from items such as glues, paints, some types of furniture, fiberboard, particleboard, flooring, some wallpapers, cardboard, permanent press drapery, some gas and oil appliances, smoke from wood burning stoves are all a concern. And did you know that vehicle emissions and tobacco smoke also contain formaldehyde.
There are ways we can all reduce or help with formaldehyde levels in our homes. Ensuring proper ventilation and using low emission products whenever possible can be a great first step. There are also some air purifiers that can remove formaldehyde from the air, not all of them do, so make sure you do your research.
You can find formaldehyde free building materials almost everywhere these days. Doing a simple search for "formaldehyde free building materials" turns up an incredible amount of information. So if your interested try checking out what's available to you locally. You might be surprised at what you find.
DMDM hydantoin - Found in makeup removers, sunscreen, and lotions. One of the least sensitizing.
imidazolidinyl urea - Found in blush, eye shadow, lotions, shampoo, and conditioner. A known allergen that is the most common of the antimicrobial agents. It's generally combined with parabens.
diazolidinyl urea - Found in blush, eye shadow, lotions, shampoo, and conditioner. A known Allergen.
polyoxymethylene urea - Found in blush, eye shadow, lotions, shampoo, and conditioner. This is the most potent of the Formaldehyde releasers, meaning it releases the most formaldehyde.
sodium hydroxymethylglycinate - Found in body wash, moisturizers, and shampoo. It has a potential for dermatitis and sensitivity.
bromopol - Found in body wash, moisturizers, nail polish and makeup removers.
glyoxa - Found in lotions, conditioners, nail polish and other nail treatments, It is a known skin allergen.
The Environmental Working Group (EWG) has lists of products containing both formaldehyde and Formaldehyde producers which is extremely helpful. You can check out the database here EWG cosmetic database
I also found a website that lists safe products including formaldehyde free ones. You can check this website out here skinsafeproducts.com
These days finding products without these ingredients is getting easier and easier every year. This includes the items you might have in your home.
Because new construction often use synthetic materials formaldehyde levels tend to be higher than in older builds. Off gassing from items such as glues, paints, some types of furniture, fiberboard, particleboard, flooring, some wallpapers, cardboard, permanent press drapery, some gas and oil appliances, smoke from wood burning stoves are all a concern. And did you know that vehicle emissions and tobacco smoke also contain formaldehyde.
There are ways we can all reduce or help with formaldehyde levels in our homes. Ensuring proper ventilation and using low emission products whenever possible can be a great first step. There are also some air purifiers that can remove formaldehyde from the air, not all of them do, so make sure you do your research.
You can find formaldehyde free building materials almost everywhere these days. Doing a simple search for "formaldehyde free building materials" turns up an incredible amount of information. So if your interested try checking out what's available to you locally. You might be surprised at what you find.
Sources:
safecosmetics.org/get-the-facts/chemicals-of-concern/formaldehyde/
canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/environmental-workplace-health/reports-publications/air-quality/formaldehyde-indoor-air-environment-workplace-health.html
bustle.com/p/7-household-products-that-may-contain-formaldehyde-how-to-avoid-them-9690519
skinsafeproducts.com/search/products?products_by_ingredient=201&includes_ingredient=false
canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/consumer-product-safety/cosmetics/cosmetic-ingredient-hotlist-prohibited-restricted-ingredients.html
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