HARMFUL CHEMICAL ADDITIVE "MI" IN BEAUTY PRODUCTS

Reports suggest that the additive chemical MI used by brand companies like Johnson & Johnson, Unilever, Kimberly-Clark in lotions and wipes has resulted in skin allergies among some consumers. These companies are therefore removing MI from their skin care products.

MI is a preservative which the dermatitis society named as “allergen of the year” in 2013. That same year, the Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety, a European advisory group, said that MI should be used only in limited quantities for rinse-off products, like soaps and shampoos.

In US, MI can be found in Unilever’s Dove shampoo, Beiersdorf’s Nivea moisturizer, some of Johnson & Johnson’s Neutrogena sunscreens and dozens of other personal care items that line drugstore shelves. Between 2007 and 2010, the number of products that used it more than doubled to about 2,400 items, according to an estimate from the dermatitis society.

Efforts to reduce the use of MI underscore a broader challenge for consumer product manufacturers, which are under increasing pressure to respond to public concerns about potentially harmful or synthetic chemicals.

Often, companies say, there is little if any scientific evidence to prove that a particular ingredient targeted by upset consumers is actually dangerous. Some guidelines suggest a very limited quantity, and many companies say their use of MI falls within those guidelines.

Johnson & Johnson finished removing two potentially harmful chemicals, formaldehyde and 1,4-dioxane, from its baby products by the end of 2013. Unilever, maker of Dove and St. Ives moisturizer, says it began phasing out  MI in leave-on products in 2013, and that all new leave-on skin care products are being made without it.

Based on tests carried out byHerbally Radiant, the makers of herbal organic skin care products, there are safe and effective natural preservatives which also improve skin’s health and appearance. Its anti-aging formulations (Rejuvenating and Radiant range) contain natural preservatives in the form of essential oils, and with their unique fragrance, create an amazingly cool and relaxing effect. Consumers, therefore, need to be aware of the potentially harmful chemical additives in their beauty products.