These particles are 80 times thinner than a human hair and can be poisonous. The size allows them to overcome all protective barriers of the body and reach the brain or fetus in the womb. The small value also makes their interactions with other substances unpredictable.
Which? sent a letter to 67 large and small cosmetic companies, in which they inquired about the use of nanotechnology in the production of cosmetics, the benefits of these technologies for the end consumer and guarantees of safety for health. The answer came from only 17 organizations, of which only 8 were ready to provide all information on the use of nanotechnology in production, including The Body Shop, Boots, Nivea, Avon, L’Oréal, and The Green People, which, in particular, use nanoparticles in sunscreens.
In addition to sunscreens, nanotechnology is often used in the production of skin care cosmetics. Anti-aging and nourishing emulsions contain droplets of oils and water, reduced to nanoscale and used for better preservation of active ingredients – vitamins and antioxidants, as well as for their more effective penetration into the skin.
Representatives of Which? believe that all cosmetic products produced with the use of nanotechnology must undergo a mandatory independent examination. Experts emphasize that nanotechnology can lead to the formation of a new revolutionary era in the history of the cosmetic industry, however, due to the too short period of use of nanomaterials, science does not have accurate information about their complete safety for health.
Based on materials
и
.