EWG Study Finds That More Beauty Products Marketed To Black Women Are Toxic [VIDEO]

A recent study by researchers at Environmental Working Group (EWG) established that colored women may be exposed to a higher amount of hazardous chemicals in hair care product such as bleachers and relaxers and other beauty products.

The study discovered that beauty product such as lipsticks and concealers specifically marketed to Black women contain hazardous ingredients. An analysis of more than 1,000 hair and beauty products found that Black women have much fewer options for safe products than those marketed to the general public.

 Generally, Black people generally contribute the highest buying power in American. Although they make up only 13% of the country's population, they contribute up 22% of the overall $42 billion annual spending for personal care products, according to Oxygenonline.

EWG maintains a skin deep cosmetics database of personal care products ranked based on the chemicals used and how toxic they are to humans. A study of 1,177 personal care and beauty products marketed to Black women found that one in every 12 product has hazardous tendency.

This is roughly equivalent to the percentage of overall products that have hazardous propensity to human health. However, less toxic products are out of the reach of Black women than any other targeted group. EWG said:

"The disparity in products scored as 'low hazard' automatically suggests that there may be a narrower range of choices for safe scoring products especially marketed to Black women."

Fewer than 25 percent of body care products marketed to Black women prove to have a low concentration of potentially hazardous ingredients. The worst scoring products for black women are hair relaxer, coloring and bleaching products.

According to Miamiherald, hair relaxers and bleachers contain harsh ingredients such as lye, which have the capacity to alter the chemical bonds in human hair, although even no-lye products are also found to be toxic.

 The study discovered that all products in the categories of hair relaxers, hair colors, bleaching products, concealers, lipsticks, foundations and sun protective makeup contained a high concentration of hazardous ingredient. Black targeted hair care products are tagged 'most toxic in the market.'

In conclusion, the study proved that potential health hazards linked to product with hazardous chemicals include allergies, cancer, disruption of hormones, reproductive and developmental damage.