The strong allergen formaldehyde is prohibited from use as an ingredient in cosmetic products. However, certain so-called formaldehyde releasers, which are preserva-tives that release formaldehyde, are permitted.
Scientific studies have found free formaldehyde in cosmetic products that didn’t have a formaldehyde releaser on the list of ingredients. The studies question the origin of this formaldehyde.
Therefore, the Danish Environmental Protection Agency wanted to acquire knowledge on formaldehyde in cosmetics products, and to investigate whether there can be a risk to the consumers.
In the project, a mapping of sources of free formaldehyde in cosmetic products was conducted. Based on this, a number of product types were selected for further inves-tigation. The focus was on leave-on products, for example lotions.
150 cosmetic products were purchased and analyzed for free formaldehyde. Addi-tionally, for chosen products, a risk assessment was performed.
By analysis, free formaldehyde was identified in 23 products that didn’t have a for-maldehyde releaser on the list of ingredients. The assessment was that 16 of these products could elicit an allergic reaction in formaldehyde allergic individuals with ec-zema skin.
Due to the magnitude of the concentration of free formaldehyde, five of the products were assessed to pose a risk of induction of formaldehyde allergy in non-allergic con-sumers.
It was found that the ingredient dihydroxyacetone (DHA), that are used in self tan-ners, can be a cause of free formaldehyde. 14 of the 23 products, which contained free formaldehyde, but didn’t have a formaldehyde releaser on the list of ingredients, were self tanners.