Why are chemicals known to cause allergies used in cosmetics?
Substances that cause widespread allergic reactions are not used in cosmetics but each person is different and we might find we are allergic to substances that others use or consume without any problems. For example, many people eat peanuts and yet some cannot, and whilst pollen makes summer miserable for hay fever sufferers the majority have no such problems. It is not possible to avoid all substances in cosmetics that might cause a rare allergic reaction in someone anymore than we could avoid all foods to which someone might be allergic (such a list would include nuts, eggs, wheat and flour, and so all biscuits, cakes etc., shellfish, many fruits and many common vegetables). Of all classes of cosmetic ingredients, preservatives are more likely to cause allergies than the rest. However, preservation is essential for cosmetic safety and quality, and avoiding preservatives completely is not possible. View a short film clip to see why preservatives are so important.
