Back in 2022, the European Union conducted a study that highlighted the real risks UV filters pose to the environment, notably through seawater contamination. These controversial chemical compounds designed to disperse UV light are ubiquitous in sunscreens and lotions but are increasingly found in other personal care and cosmetic products. There are growing concerns about their effects on public health.
The omnipresence of sunscreen products in our daily lives has meant their ingredients have long been the subject of intense scrutiny due to their potential risks, including the negative effects of UV filters. Concerns have been growing for some time, especially regarding how these chemicals may be interfering with our bodies’ hormone systems due to the presence of endocrine disruptors. While sunscreens have long been in the spotlight, an equally significant issue is the growing presence of UV filters in everyday cosmetic products. These filters, initially intended for sun protection, have quietly infiltrated a wide range of items that we use daily.
The use of UV filters has become so widespread that it is difficult to find a cosmetic product on the market that doesn’t contain some form of sun protection. While the most obvious inclusion is sunscreens, the presence of UV filters in other products – ranging from anti-aging creams to lip balms and even perfumes – is growing rapidly. As consumers, we may not associate these products with sun protection, but they often contain chemical compounds such as avobenzone and octinoxate, which have been signaled as endocrine disruptors. These ingredients, initially designed to absorb or block ultraviolet rays, are now standard components in many non-sunscreen products.
Health risks and public pushback
Endocrine disruptors are chemicals that can interfere with the body’s hormonal systems, leading to various health issues, including fertility problems, developmental disorders, and certain cancers. These risks are well-documented. Over the years, numerous studies and public campaigns have raised awareness about the harmful effects of sunscreen ingredients on human health. For example, in 2021 a study by Valisure, an independent laboratory, detected benzene—a known human carcinogen—in 27% of the sunscreen products they tested, with some batches containing up to triple the FDA’s conditionally restricted limit of 2 parts per million (ppm). This discovery prompted voluntary recalls by major sunscreen brands implicated in the testing.
These substances, which were originally formulated to block UV rays, now pose a silent and pervasive threat to consumers who may be unaware of the risks. Moreover, the incorporation of these filters into a wider range of cosmetic products is often overlooked or not sufficiently labeled, leaving consumers unknowingly exposed to harmful chemicals.
One common endocrine disruptor found in cosmetic products is avobenzone. Research has shown that, when absorbed into the skin, this can lead to systemic exposure, meaning the chemical enters the bloodstream and spreads throughout the body. This poses significant health risks, especially when used regularly. Octinoxate, another common UV filter, has also been shown to disrupt thyroid function and interfere with hormone production. Studies on the direct impact of avobenzone on human health are still few and far between, one study on zebrafish larvae has indicated that exposure to the chemical led to significant changes in thyroid hormone levels and the expression of genes associated with the hypothalamus-pituitary-thyroid (HPT) axis, suggesting potential thyroid endocrine disruption. There is a growing body of evidence underlining the dangers of these ingredients, many consumers continue to use products containing them without realizing the potential harm they may be causing.
Indeed, the raising of public awareness about such issues has led to the creation of groups like the PASS Coalition—a group comprising public health organizations, dermatologists, and sunscreen product companies—advocates for more efficient regulatory pathways. Around the world, the media is beginning to highlight the pervasive effects of endocrine disruptors on things like fertility, or the threats they may be posing to child development. Films like the 2019 American Canadian documentary Toxic Beauty have helped raise awareness about malpractice within the cosmetics industry and the health risks associated with cosmetic products. This has led to public pressure, which has achieved some regulatory evolution in the United States, with the FDA reclassifying oxybenzone in 2021, stating that it is no longer generally recognized as safe and effective (GRASE) due to insufficient safety data. Since 2021, for the FDA, 11 other UV filters are no longer GRASE. These include octinoxate and avobenzone.
UV filters in perfumes
But there is another category of cosmetics where UV filters/endocrine disruptors are present, and their more frequent use compared to sunscreens may make them even more harmful to public health: perfumes. The overwhelming majority of perfumes (over 80%) contain UV filters like avobenzone. This chemical filter absorbs UVA rays and has long been considered a necessary ingredient in many sunscreen formulations. But its inclusion in perfumes highlights a much larger problem: consumers who use perfumes regularly are unknowingly exposed to a substance that can disrupt their endocrine system and lead to long-term health effects.
While we typically associate perfumes with fragrance and not with sun protection, this pervasive inclusion of UV filters, added to protect the product itself from UV rays and often without adequate consumer awareness, also raises significant concerns. Perfumes are often used multiple times a day, and their chemical content is absorbed directly into the skin and through the respiratory system. This frequent, low-level exposure amplifies the risks associated with UV filter usage, due to bioaccumulation in the body.
The regulatory landscape and the urgent need to go further
The regulation of UV filters in cosmetics is inconsistent, with the U.S. lagging behind the European Union. While the EU mandates full ingredient disclosure under Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009, the U.S. FDA classifies sunscreens as OTC drugs, requiring labeling for active ingredients but not for UV filters in other cosmetics. This lack of transparency leaves consumers unaware of potential endocrine disruptors. The FDA has approved only 17 UV filters, compared to 27 in the EU, highlighting the need for stricter, more harmonized regulations to protect public health.
Fortunately, while regulatory bodies are still lagging in defending public health, and struggling to take initiatives, concerted actions by organizations like the Women’s Voices for the Earth (WVE) have led to significant positive developments in the regulation of endocrine disruptors in cosmetics. For instance, in 2020, California enacted the Cosmetic Fragrance and Flavor Ingredient Right to Know Act, making it the first government worldwide to require public disclosure of hazardous fragrance and flavor ingredients. Similarly, in 2019, New York passed a bill mandating that manufacturers disclose ingredients in menstrual products, marking the first such requirement in the United States. Concrete action can therefore be effective in driving regulatory changes for the benefit of consumers.
