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A posting from safecosmetics.org...

Hazardous Chemicals in Holiday Cosmetics Stink

The holidays are upon us and the scent of cosmetic gift baskets is in the air--especially at Bath & Body Works. The retailer's holiday Sugar & Spice, Glittery Gumdrop and Twisted Peppermint products contain a lot of "fragrance," a mystery ingredient often made from dozens--even hundreds--of individual chemicals that don't appear on ingredient labels and that may be more naughty than nice for your health.

The Skin Deep cosmetic safety database lists "fragrance" as a cosmetic ingredient to avoid whenever possible. Because of a giant loophole in federal law, companies are not required to list on product labels any of the chemicals in a "fragrance" mixture. Fragrances can contain neurotoxins, allergens and phthalates, chemicals that have been linked to reproductive problems, testicular cancer and early puberty in girls--which is, in turn, a risk factor for breast cancer.

"Fragrance", as your nose knows, is a major ingredient in these Bath & Body Works holiday wares. But it's not the only ingredient we're checking twice: Sodium Laureth Sulfate, a main ingredient in the Sugar & Spice 3-in-1 Body Wash, is often contaminated with a hidden carcinogen called 1,4-Dioxane; and the Glittery Gumdrop lotion contains at least two parabens, chemicals that act like estrogen in the body and have been found in breast cancer tumors.

If young girls are on your holiday shopping list, steer clear of Bath & Body Works' American Girl line, marketed to tweens. The American Girl Truly Me Glistening Shower and Bath Wash warns on its back label: "Excessive use or prolonged exposure may cause irritation to skin and urinary tract." No surprise, then, that this bath wash and American Girl Shimmer roll-on fragrance contain skin irritants, organ sensitizers and suspected carcinogens. Exposure to these chemicals at critical windows of development, like pre-puberty, can be especially harmful.

The 1,500+ Bath & Body Works stores nationwide will be bustling this season with holiday shoppers buying fragrant lotion or soaps.