I’m a lawyer… These are the beauty products I wouldn’t buy due to lawsuits against them

A lawyer has revealed the best beauty items she would never buy again due to the growing pile of lawsuits against them over health issues.

Angela, a Harvard graduate and mother of two, follows beauty product cases and shares what she finds to help others stay clear.

In a TikTok videoshe tells how lawsuits against big names like Neutrogena, L’Oréal and Batiste have turned her away from the products she once loved.

The lawsuits allege that the goods forever contain toxic chemicals, may cause cancer or were developed with hormone-disrupting ingredients.

A 2021 study warned that more than half of the popular cosmetics sold in the US and Canada likely contain high levels of toxic chemicals called polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).

Researchers at Notre Dame University tested more than 200 products, including concealers, foundations, eye and brow products, and lip products, and found evidence of PFAS in about half (52 percent) of them.

Concerningly, previous research has linked certain PFAS to several health problems, including kidney cancer, testicular cancer, hypertension, thyroid disease, low birth weight, and childhood immunotoxicity.

Waterproof mascara

The number one product Angela has her back on is waterproof mascara.

She said: “It turns out that to make mascara waterproof, companies often have to add PFAS – forever toxic chemicals linked to impaired immune function, diabetes, obesity, hormone dysfunction and cancer.

Of the 11 waterproof mascaras that Notre Dame University researchers tested, 82 percent had high levels of fluorine.

Seeger Weiss LLP listed popular makeup brands that may contain PFAS, such as L’Oréal, Maybelline, Cover Girl, and Sephora.

dry shampoo

Angela said, “I wish I had never used dry shampoo. I used to use it every other day.’

She showed a list of brands she will stay away from: DryBar, Redken, IGK, Batiste, Paul Mitchell, Not Your Mother’s, Pantene, OGX, Herbal Essences.

Angela said, ‘I’ve used many on this list that have been found to contain benzene, a known carcinogen that even low levels of which can be linked to an increased risk of cancer.

“We’ve seen a lot of recalls and lawsuits arise,” she added.

“Also horrifyingly enough, the benzene apparently stays in the air after you spray it, and I used to get ready in the bathroom with my toddlers by my side.

Last year, Unilever recalled more than 1.5 million dry shampoo products because they may contain elevated levels of benzene, a human carcinogen strongly linked to leukemia and other blood disorders.

Unilever said it had received no reports of ‘side effects’ related to exposure to benzene in the products and insisted the recall was ‘precautionary’.

An internal investigation concluded that the benzene concentrations in the affected products would not be high enough to cause health problems.

Chemical hair straightener

Angela said, “I wouldn’t chemically straighten my hair again. I used to do it, I like the clean look.

“But it turns out that women who chemically style their hair at least four times a year have more than double the risk of uterine cancer as well as ovarian and breast cancer, probably because these things (parabens, bisphenol A, metals, and formaldehyde) go straight into the skin.” scalp are absorbed.’

An official study suggested that chemical hair straighteners used by millions of Americans can double the risk of uterine cancer.

Research by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) looked at 33,000 women in the US over more than a decade.

The rate of uterine cancer was 4.05 percent in women who used straightening products four or more times a year, compared to 1.64 percent in those who did not.

Spray sunscreen

Angela said she always used this for her kids.

“As a tired mom, I would spray this on my little kids five times a day,” she said.

“They’d spray it on each other in their eyeballs, in their mouths.”

But she said, “Big brands like Neutrogena, Aveeno, Banana Boat, Coppertone, CVS Health and Elta MD found benzene in their cans.”

She added: “While probably not a death sentence, it is a known carcinogen and no one seems to know exactly how benzene got into it.”

Sunscreen lotions, on the other hand, appeared to have none, Angela said.

Benzene is a known carcinogen and is strongly associated with leukemia and other blood disorders.

Long-lasting makeup

Makeup often claims to be sweat resistant and last more than 24 hours. But there is a reason why the products do not melt off the face.

As with waterproof mascara, Angela said, “Usually it’s because companies have added PFAS… which I’d rather not lick my lips and eat all day.”

Makeup testers in stores

Angela said, “While the lawsuits linking them to ill health have failed, they have shed light on a number of studies that have found all sorts of germs.”

In addition to E. coli – which causes stomach cramps and diarrhea and can be fatal in severe cases – studies have found staphylococcal and streptococcal bacteria that can cause infections.

One study found germs in 100 percent of in-store makeup items tested.

Clean Beauty Products

Clean Beauty describes non-toxic products that are free of harmful chemicals, such as parabens, phthalates, sulfates, and synthetic fragrances.

Angela said, “The next tidal wave in cosmetics litigation is companies labeling ‘clean’ without actually meeting consumers’ reasonable expectations of what is clean.”

Neon eyeshadow

Angela said, “Multiple companies have filed class actions in recent years alleging that neon color additives are not FDA-approved for use around the eyes.”

The Food & Drug Administration website reads: ‘There are eight fluorescent colors approved for cosmetics, and like other colors there are limits to how they can be used. None of them should be used near the eyes.”

Eyelash growth serum

Angela said she will not use eyelash serum without consulting a doctor.

She said, “Latisse is the only one approved by the FDA and it must be prescribed under a doctor’s supervision.

“Other companies started selling these ingredients in their own over-the-counter serum and people are suing.

“There can be really scary side effects.”

Australian entrepreneur Kasey Giarratana launched her natural eyelash growth serum company in 2021.

She said: “Some of the toxic ingredients used in commercial pharmaceutical eyelash serums use known carcinogenic and endocrine disrupting ingredients, such as Bitmaprost.

“This prostaglandin is a chemical compound with hormone-like effects.”

UV gel nails

Angela said, “Those gel dryers are literally tanning beds for your hands. You know they’re related to skin cancer.’

Dermatologists have previously warned that gel manicures can cause permanent damage to the nails and even increase the risk of skin cancer.

A gel manicure uses three coats of a special type of nail polish from brands such as Shellac or OPI.

Each layer is applied using UV light – and experts say this can have dangerous side effects.

Dr. Chris Adigun, of New York University School of Medicine, said the UV lamps damage skin cells like tanning beds.

“Women who regularly receive gel manicures should be aware of the risk of skin cancer,” he said.

Dr. Writing in the American Academy of Dermatology, Adigun is so concerned about the risk that he advises women to slather sunscreen on their hands before getting a gel manicure.

The added concern is that the machines are unregulated, meaning consumers don’t know how much exposure they’re getting to the rays.

It follows a 2009 study that found two middle-aged women developed tumors on their hands after exposure to UV nail lamps.

Neither had a family history of skin cancer, and both worked indoors and had moderate exposure to sunlight, according to the research published in JAMA Dermatology.