Unilever recalled aerosol dry shampoos in US of brands such as Dove, Nexxus, Suave, Tresemmé, and Tigi after discovering that they contained a cancer-causing chemical called benzene, according to a notice by the US Food & Drug Administration (FDA). Unilever hasn’t revealed the amount of benzene found in the products. The FDA hasn’t set a benzene limit for cosmetic products.
This isn’t the first time spray-on dry shampoo has been identified as a problem
The products that Unilever is recalling were produced before October 2021. Aerosol sunscreens like Johnson & Johnson’s Neutrogena, Edgewell Personal Care Co.’s Banana Boat, and Beiersdorf AG’s Coppertone, as well as spray-on deodorants like Procter & Gamble Co.’s Secret and Old Spice and Unilever’s Suave, have all been removed from store shelves over the past 15 months. Beginning in May 2021, Valisure, a New Haven, Connecticut-based analytical lab, discovered benzene in these products, which led to the recalls.
This isn’t the first time spray-on dry shampoo has been identified as a problem. P&G tested its whole portfolio of aerosol products following Valisure’s findings. The company then recalled its Pantene and Herbal Essences dry shampoos in December, citing benzene contamination.
“Given what we’ve seen, it, unfortunately, makes sense that other consumer-product categories, like aerosol dry shampoos, could be heavily affected by benzene contamination and we are actively investigating this area,” said Valisure Chief Executive Officer David Light.
Exposure to benzene can result in leukemia and other blood cancers
The problem with aerosols has largely appeared to be from the propellants used to spray the personal-care products from the cans. This, according to Unilever, was the reason for the recall of dry shampoo. The company said it was recalling the products out of an excess of caution but did not specify how much benzene was found in the products.
The FDA said, “daily exposure to benzene in the recalled products at the levels detected in testing would not be expected to cause adverse health consequences.” Yet the agency also said exposure to benzene can result in leukemia and other blood cancers.
Propane and butane, which are petroleum distillates produced by refining crude oil, are frequently found in spray-on personal care products like dry shampoo. A recognized petroleum product contaminant is benzene. Propellers are a known potential source of benzene contamination, according to the FDA. (bdconstruction.com)
The FDA has not established benzene limits for cosmetics like dry shampoo, but it has stated that the products shouldn’t contain “any poisonous or deleterious substance.”