The Green Beauty Guide

Attorney General of California has filed a major lawsuit against natural personal care manufacturers whose products recently tested highest for the carcinogenic contaminant 1,4-Dioxane. The lawsuits seeks injunction and penalties for companies that failed to “warn consumers that cleaning products such as body washes and gels and liquid dish soaps containing l ,4-dioxane sold by defendants expose consumers to chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer.”

According to the laws of California, these companies “must provide persons with a clear and reasonable warning before exposing them to such chemicals.”

Exactly. Can you imagine an “all-natural organic body wash” with a label saying that “Beware: may cause cancer”? I cannot.

Among the defendants named in the lawsuit are Avalon Naturals, the maker of Alba Botanicals, Whole Foods Market California, makers of their own body washes and shampoos under brand name 365 Naturals, Nutribiotic, the manufacturer of popular shampoos and conditioners, and Beaumont Products, the maker of Citrus Magic dish soap.

It just so happens I purchased Whole Foods body washes and shampoos, Citrus Magic dishwashing liquids, and Alba Botanical face washes when I was pregnant with my baby. I was damn washing my baby’s bottles with the damned Citrus Magic 100% Natural Dish Liquid dish washing soap. How much 1,4-Dioxane has I ingested? What other chemical crap has been left out of the label? If anything happens with my child, whom should I blame? I am not in California. I am not one of lucky “People of California” who are blessed with an eco-conscious governor. And to think, this case can take decades to unfold.

Today scientists warn that maternal exposure to carcinogens may trigger cancer in children long after they have left the womb. The time bomb that could have been triggered by 1,4-Dioxane in products that I used can explode when my baby is five or fifteen or twenty-five. I hope they find cure for cancer by that time. I will pray like mad.

Could it be that these companies were unaware of carcinogenicity of their products? Unlikely. “Defendants manufacture, distribute and/or sell body washes and gels or liquid dish soaps. The body washes and gels and liquid dish soaps contain l,4-dioxane. Each defendant knows that the body washes and gels and liquid dish soaps contain l ,4-dioxane and that persons using these products are exposed to l,4-dioxane. Further, based on information and belief, plaintiff alleges that each defendant has known since at least May 29, 2004 that the body washes and gels and liquid dish soaps contain l,4-dioxane and that persons using these products are exposed to 1,4-dioxan” - this is what the lawsuit says.

And here’s my own information. All of these companies claim to be in the avant-garde of science when it comes to their ingredients. Avalon Naturals amassed quite a lot of ingredient in-depth research on their website, preferring to focus on lavender and olive oil. When I spoke to Avalon Organics representative early this year, when I was working on The Green Beauty Guide, I was surprise how unwilling they were to discuss synthetic ingredients in their products. I was so naïve to focus on my old foes, parabens. But when I started asking detailed questions, my emails went unanswered for no reason. The phone conversation also carefully glided over the dangerous angles. However, the Avalon representative assured me that Alba Botanicals is undergoing major reformulation and will be paraben-free. What a relief. I wonder, will it ever become carcinogen-free?

Should we beware just of the shower gels, cleansers, shampoos and other products made by the defendants named in Californian lawsuit? I wouldn’t think so. Many of the sleek, cheery products lining the shelves of health food stores are toxic as well. Here’s are some of the most popular products that tested highly positive for 1,4-Dioxane:

Method Dish Naturally Derived Ultra Concentrate

Earth Friendly Products Ultra Dishmate

Alba Passion Fruit Body Wash  

Aura Cacia Natural Aromatherapy Bubble Bath

Jason Fragrance Free Satin Soap

Giovanni Cleanse Body Wash

NutriBiotic Super Shower Gel Shampoo with GSE

Planet Ultra Dishwashing Liquid

There will be many, many more, if you take a closer look at the ingredients in your so-called natural shower gel. All of these products are currently sold without any warnings in hundreds of health food stores and online. Someone is buying them at this very moment. Someone is bathing their child, washing the dishes, and massaging the foamy shampoo loaded with 1,4-Dioxane RIGHT NOW!

It’s time for you to defend yourself with knowledge. Anything with detergent containing ethoxylated compounds (look for tell-take ETHs in the ingredient name) must be avoided. Smart marketers will tell you that these ingredients are derived from coconut oil, but don’t be fooled. They can call their products safe and non-toxic, but the facts speak otherwise. Would you really like to participate in a huge science test just to see how bad the outcome may be?

 This lawsuit is a huge blow suffered by the whole organic beauty industry. I wonder whether it will be able to recover and regain public trust. All I can recommend: stick to certified organic products. Look for independent organic certification such as Oregon Tilth, or better yet, for European certification such as Eco-Cert or BDIH. Europe has higher, stricter standards. Don’t be offended but Europe stepped on the organic path decades before the U.S. did.

I will be watching how the case develops and will keep you posted.