Is the Skin Deep Database a useful guide to Dr.Hauschka products?
Dr.Hauschka Skin Care respects the spirit in which the Environmental Working Group compiles its research with the intent of ensuring safe cosmetics. However Dr.Hauschka UK and WALA GmbH (the manufacturers of Dr.Hauschka Skin Care) wholly contest the misinformation given on the Skin Deep database (cosmeticdatabase.com). Dr.Hauschka has been providing its customers for over 45 years with the highest quality, rigorously tested, natural and effective face and body care preparations. The Dr.Hauschka products exceed Government legislation around the world.
Dr.Hauschka Skin Care
- All Dr.Hauschka products are manufactured in accordance with EU Cosmetics Directive 76/768/EEC
- Accordingly, all products are tested for safety and skin tolerability prior to being launched on the market
- The carefully selected ingredients are well known, authorised for cosmetic products in the concentrations used, and are classified as being safe for use in skin care products
- Dermatological tests are also conducted to ascertain the tolerability of the cosmetic products
Skin Deep Database
- Does not consider ingredients in the context of a cosmetic product and so makes irrelevant and misleading assertions of risk.
- risks are included when the worker place operative is exposed to the ingredient as a part of their occupation, even though these risks are non-existent when the ingredient is part of a cosmetic product.
- risks that my occur when the ingredient is inhaled, even though the cosmetic ingredient will not be and can not be inhaled.
- Theoretical risks that arise when the ingredient is ingested, even though it is in a cosmetic product that will never be eaten, and anyway, the ingredient is approved for human consumption.
- Conflicting data
- Lavender Oil shown as having a rating of 0 or 2 (low) in one situation, and in another, where it is listed as "Parfum" giving it a rating of 8 (high).
- Intentionally alarmist, for example:
- Putting incredibly bold statements of toxicity even though their disclaimer small print clearly states that they are working with data that is incomplete for the analysis they are trying to do with it.
- Use European regulations as a benchmark yet ignore positive safety assessments where inconvenient to their argument.
- Use ingestion data where negative yet ignore GRAS (Generally recognized as safe - an American Food and Drug Administration designation that a chemical or substance added to food is considered safe by experts) and approved food additive status as support for safety.
- Provide data on cancer that has been discounted, e.g., Talc was at one time associated with ovarian cancer yet even though it has been removed from the International Agency on Research into Cancer (IARC) list of carcinogens is still listed as a risk.
Answering Specific Ingredient Concerns
The Environmental Working Group assesses ingredients according to the ingredient declaration on the packaging. Dr.Hauschka Skin Care declarations comply with EU and US Cosmetics Regulations. To allay concerns consumers may have regarding some of the ingredients noted in the Skin Deep database, we'd like to offer the following clarifications:
Fragrance
We are required by EU law to label essential oils "Fragrance". Many ingredients are covered by this word.
- The labelling of ingredients on our product packaging complies with US and EU cosmetics regulations
- EWG rate products labelled "Fragrance" with a score of "8," indicating "high hazard"
- All "fragrance" in Dr.Hauschka products is 100% pure, safe, natural, essential oils
- Under the Skin Deep rating system they receive the same score as a synthetic fragrance.
- In other preparations, essential oils such as lavender oil are individually declared and scored with "0" or "2". Hence, the same substances (only differently labelled) are evaluated differently
- This example demonstrates that the evaluation carried out, and claims made by Skin Deep cannot be regarded as objectively informed or justified
Benzyl Alcohol, Eugenol, Citral, Limonene, Coumarin, Geraniol, Linolool
- In Dr.Hauschka products these compounds are part of complex, naturally-occurring essential oils
- Isolated or synthetic forms of these compounds are never used
- Each is declared separately on Dr.Hauschka ingredient lists in compliance with EU regulations and are intended to assist people with allergies to these compounds
Lecithin
- In the Skin Deep database, Lecithin is rated as a 6-a "moderate hazard"
- Lecithin as an allergy risk is a potential concern, but only for those allergic to soy or eggs
- Skin Deep reports lecithin is a "respiratory toxicant," referring to occupational exposure to airborne lecithin
- This situation is not relevant to lecithin's usage as an emulsifier in cosmetic creams and lotions
- Dr.Hauschka products do not contain animal-derived lecithin - another distinction the Skin Deep site fails to make
Silica
- In powder products, Skin Deep scores Silica as a 7, a "high hazard"
- The most abundant mineral on earth, found in many plants and almost every organ of the human body
- This negative rating is based on studies designed to mimic occupational exposure to silica dust
- When large quantities are inhaled for extended periods, Silica, like any other dust, irritates the lungs and can lead to cancer
- Silica used in Dr.Hauschka products is always bound with oils and extracts to prevent inhalation of dust
In summary, it must be re-iterated that all Dr.Hauschka products have been subject to comprehensive safety testing, during which all cosmetics regulations and scientific literature have been evaluated. This demonstrates the concrete safety of the Dr.Hauschka products.
If you have any further questions, please contact us at: enquiries@drhauschka.co.uk
