When you were little, your parents probably told you not to put certain things in your mouth, like cookies that fell on the ground or electrical cords. But would you put car wash soaps or engine degreasers in your mouth?
But you are. In fact, you probably have your entire life, three times a day, after every meal. Anionic surfactants, a common chemical in toothpaste and garage floor cleaners, are used in “90% of cosmetics that foam”: bubble baths, shampoos, shaving creams, laundry detergents, and liquid soaps. Long-term exposure to anionic surfactants can cause an allergic reaction, like swelling of the skin. In fact, its inflaming properties are so well-known that scientists often deliberately use it for clinical studies on skin irritation! Anionic surfactants also aggravate the eye and the mucosa tissue of the mouth. A study done with the retina cells of embryonic chicks showed that once exposed to an anionic surfactant, retinal development was permanently stunted. Anionic surfactants in shampoos can also induce hair loss if used for a prolonged period of time. Scientists are also now performing studies to see if anionic surfactants can promote skin tumors. Think about that the next time you brush your teeth.

Another issue raised by anionic surfactants is not an argument usually brought up by cosmetics. What are the environmental effects? When you brush your teeth that bubbly foam just goes down the drain and…what disappears? A Danish environmental group conducted a study in 2001 entitled “Environmental and Health Assessment of Substances in Household Detergents and Cosmetic Detergent Products”. They found that in 1998 alone, Europe consumed about 780,000 tons of anionic surfactants. The study mostly focused on the biodegradability of anionic surfactants and its effect on the surrounding ecosystem. When you hear about the horrors of side-effects caused by anionic surfactants, I’m sure your first thought isn’t “What about the poor fish who live in the anionic surfactant-filled waters? What about the aquatic life?” This study joins the growing debate on the environmental repercussions of chemicals in everyday products.