How Risky Is Hair Dye?
What’s really in hair dye, and is it safe to use? Some research on hair dye safety dates back decades, so one might assume it’s out of date; however, the main ingredients are unchanged. Younger women are particularly vulnerable to harm from exposure to chemicals in hair dye that mimic or block estrogen. This comprehensive…
Asbestos in Makeup
On November 28, 2025, the US Food & Drug Administration announced that it would withdraw its proposed rule to require the testing of asbestos in talc-containing products. An article by Audrey Noble in Vogue provides a valuable perspective on the issue. The article provides a link to an app from Environmental Working Group designed to…
Who Cares if You’re Healthy?
Tessie McMillan Cottom, University of North Carolina professor and frequent New York Times opinion writer, contributed a recent piece about beauty products and the MAHA movement. She noted how “almost any attractive person can hawk a wellness product as clean or natural, as if to suggest that organic products with shorter ingredient lists are inherently…
Scent linked to early puberty
“A search for chemicals that could inadvertently activate parts of the brain responsible for reproductive functions has identified compounds many of us may encounter in our environment, highlighting a potential trigger for early puberty in women.” https://www.sciencealert.com/fragrance-in-care-products-could-be-triggering-early-puberty-in-girls
Toxic Tampons
An article published in August 2024 reported the first study to measure toxic metals in tampons. Arsenic and lead, among other contaminants, were found in 24 tampon brands purchased in the US, UK, and Europe.
FDA to conduct study evaluating heavy metals in tampons
Announced September 10, 2024 “The FDA is aware of concerns about tampon safety after a 2024 study found metals in tampons during laboratory testing. We want the public to know that before tampons can be legally sold in the U.S., they must meet FDA requirements for safety and effectiveness. Manufacturers must test the product and…
Continue FDA to conduct study evaluating heavy metals in tampons
Salon Workers and Toxic Chemical Exposure
Salon worker health is addressed in this video by Women’s Voices of the Earth.
Racialized Hygiene
The Instagram post accompanying this photo illustration references a seminal manuscript dealing with racialized hygiene, Tidy Whiteness: A Genealogy of Race, Purity, and Hygiene, by Dana Berthold. Books that address race and the social construction of hygiene practices and language include: Clean and White: A History of Environmental Racism in the United States, by Carl A. Zimring.…
Breast Cancer Prevention Partners
Breast Cancer Prevention Partners, a national organization working to eliminate toxic chemicals and other environmental exposures that lead to breast cancer. (bcpp.org)
Black Women for Wellness
Black Women for Wellness, an environmental justice organization committed to the health and well-being of Black women and girls via health education, empowerment and advocacy. (bwwla.org)