Scientists from the Million Marker Research Institute have discovered that 98 per cent of popular personal care products contain unlabelled chemicals with potential health risks.
The researchers tested 113 consumer items, including suncreams, baby lotions, shampoos, and soaps, finding unlisted chemical compounds in almost every sample.
According to the study, 85 per cent of the tested products contained an unlabelled chemical with known or suspected health risks.
The unlabelled chemicals detected during testing included fragrance chemicals, silicone contaminants, butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), and endocrine-disrupting compounds such as phthalates.
Phthalates are synthetic industrial chemicals commonly used as plasticisers to increase flexibility in materials, while BHT is a synthetic antioxidant preservative used to extend product shelf life. Endocrine-disrupting compounds are chemical agents that interfere with natural hormone regulation in the human body.
Exposure to these unlabelled chemicals has been linked to serious health problems, including infertility, miscarriage, obesity, diabetes, and severe allergies. Some of the products tested were also found to contain chemical compounds identified as potential carcinogens.
Senior author Dr Jenna Hua, founder of the Million Marker Research Institute, warned that standard product labeling fails to inform consumers about hidden chemical hazards.
"The label can't protect you when it doesn't show what's really in the bottle," Dr Hua said.
Advanced Laboratory Chemical Analysis
To examine what was hiding inside popular personal care and cleaning products, researchers put samples through an advanced laboratory process called nontargeted analysis.
Nontargeted analysis is a high-resolution screening technique that enables analytical scientists to search for thousands of different unknown chemical compounds simultaneously within a single product sample.
The tests revealed that the products contained an average of 51 chemicals per item. That figure was over three times higher than the average of 16 chemicals listed on product labels.
Researchers assigned each product a pass or fail rating based on the unlabelled chemicals discovered, how concentrated they were, and how dangerous they might be.
Overall, more than half of the tested products failed the safety tests, including items explicitly marked as non-toxic.
Product Categories and Failure Rates
Shampoos and ingredient oils performed worst in the study, with almost 80 per cent of products in both categories failing due to high concentrations of unlabelled chemicals.
Likewise, over 60 per cent of body oils, hair styling products, intimate products, moisturisers, and sunscreens failed the researchers' safety tests.
The study ranked personal care product types by their contamination levels, from most contaminated to least contaminated:
- Shampoo
- Ingredient Oils
- Hair Styling
- Body Oil
- Intimate Products
- Lotion/Moisturiser
- Sunscreen
- Sensitive Area Care
- House Cleaning Products
- Hand/Body Wash
- Baby Care
- Oral Care
None of the oral care products tested contained sufficient harmful chemicals to warrant a fail rating.
Following the publication of the study, the Daily Mail asked the researchers to provide a full list of the individual products tested.
False Claims on Product Packaging
Researchers discovered that one in four products tested contained chemicals that directly contradicted claims printed on their packaging.
Items labelled as phthalate-free were found to contain phthalates, a group of synthetic chemicals that cause hormone disruption in humans.
The research team also discovered synthetic chemicals in products marketed as 100 per cent natural, non-toxic, or organic.
Fragrance, parabens, silicones, and oxybenzone were frequently detected in products specifically claiming to be free of those chemicals.
Parabens are synthetic preservative chemicals used to prevent microbial growth, while oxybenzone is an organic compound commonly used in chemical sunscreens to absorb ultraviolet radiation.
Of the products making false packaging claims, 40 per cent claimed to be natural, and 23 per cent specifically stated they were chemical-free.
"We found undisclosed harmful chemicals in products claiming to be free of them," Dr Hua said.
"That means someone can carefully read ingredient lists, choose 'clean' products, and still end up exposed to the very chemicals they were trying to avoid," she added.
Legal Loopholes and Chemical Contamination
Under United Kingdom, European Union, and United States law, companies are generally required by regulatory authorities to report every ingredient contained in a personal care product on its packaging.
Cosmetics regulations enforced by bodies such as the US Food and Drug Administration and the European Commission aim to protect public health, but statutory exemptions remain in place.
Broad legal loopholes and regulatory exceptions allow companies to avoid full ingredient disclosure. Many individual chemicals can simply be grouped together and listed under the umbrella term fragrance, while chemicals present in very low or trace amounts do not need to be recorded.
Co-author Michael Lathrop told the Daily Mail that consumers with sensitive skin should exercise extra caution when shopping.
"People with sensitive skin should be especially cautious with fragranced products, including products labelled with 'fragrance' or 'parfum,'" Mr Lathrop said.
"Fragrance mixtures can include many individual compounds, some of which may be irritating or sensitising for certain people. They should also avoid products with lots of ingredients," Mr Lathrop added.
The researchers noted that some chemicals end up in finished products without the manufacturer's knowledge. A shampoo, for example, can become contaminated by raw materials, processing equipment, storage containers, packaging materials, or chemical reactions during manufacturing.
"People should be concerned, but this information is not intended to promote fear," Mr Lathrop said. "We hope to raise awareness and help consumers make practical choices to reduce potential exposure to chemicals of concern."
How to Avoid Harmful Household Chemicals
The Million Marker Research Institute provided a series of practical guidelines for consumers seeking to reduce chemical exposure in daily life:
- Avoid products listing fragrance or parfum on the label, as these terms can represent complex chemical mixtures.
- Choose fragrance-free rather than unscented products, because unscented does not necessarily mean a product contains no fragrance-related chemicals.
- When practical, choose glass, metal, unbleached paper, or cardboard packaging over plastic containers.
- Avoid using products after their expiration date, since ageing packaging may degrade and allow chemicals to migrate into the product.
- Consult an established chemical glossary to check any unfamiliar ingredients listed on packaging.
