Many people long for soft and shiny hair, and the convenient and easy-to-use rinse-off hair mask came into being.
The latest issue of the Consumer Council's "Choice" monthly magazine selected 50 rinse-off hair masks on the market for testing. The results showed that many brands commonly used by Hong Kong people were found to be allergenic substances. Among them, "amika" was found to be allergenic and antiseptic in excess. The CMIT/MIT mixture was used as an agent, and "OPAL", "KOSE Je L'aime", "TSUBAKI" and "THANN" were detected as fragrance substances banned in the EU.
The Consumer Council pointed out that frequent use of products containing allergenic substances and prolonged contact with the skin may increase the risk of allergic reactions on the skin, which may cause itching, burning, and even hair loss. Consumers are reminded to carefully choose the one that suits them. product.
The Council selected 50 rinse-off hair mask samples from department stores, personal care stores, supermarkets, beauty products chain stores, cosmetics counters and online stores for testing.
Random inspection of 50 rinse-off hair masks and five types of preservatives exceed EU standards
The results showed that the allergenic preservative CMIT/MIT mixture was detected in a rinse-off hair mask sample, involving five brands including "amika", "Leonor Greyl", "PANTENE", "BOTANIST" and "Opal".
Among them, the "Lifesaver Treatment Mask" of "amika" has a total CMIT/MIT mixture of 0.00315%, which exceeds the upper limit (0.0015%) of the allowable concentration in the Mainland and the EU. It is also the highest content of allergenic preservatives among all brands, but Its packaging does not indicate the relevant preservative ingredients, and its official price is 580 yuan.
"Leonor Greyl"'s "Jasmine Essence Baked Oil" followed closely, recording 0.00146%. Although its content did not exceed the standard, it was very close to the upper limit of concentration. The official price was 500 yuan.
As for the rinse-off hair masks of "PANTENE", "BOTANIST" and "Opal", CMIT was detected respectively, and the content ranged from 0.00055% to 0.00083%. The total amount of the MIT mixture complies with the regulations of the Mainland and the EU, but neither "BOTANIST" nor "Opal" have detailed product ingredient information in Chinese or English.
"Watsons" and "Naturals by watsons" detected free formaldehyde at 0.021% and 0.020% respectively (equivalent to 210ppm and 200ppm), all of which met the upper limit of the total amount in the Mainland.
However, the EU SCCS submission cites a study that, for normal skin, the concentration of formaldehyde (calculated as free formaldehyde) released by exposure to formaldehyde-releasing ingredients reaches 130ppm to 370ppm, which is enough to make the People allergic to formaldehyde can cause allergic contact dermatitis (allergic contact dermatitis). If the product is used according to the sample recommendations, it may increase the chance of skin allergy for some people.
In addition, "Naturals by watsons" emphasizes that the product contains certified organic ingredients, and also advertises that it is "gentle and worry-free" and does not contain a variety of chemical ingredients. However, a small amount of free formaldehyde is still detected in the sample, and the amount released is also the same as other products under the same brand. A sample that does not make a natural, organic claim is comparable.
Four samples detected highly allergenic fragrance substances banned in Mainland and EU
In addition to the ingredients, the source of the fragrance of the rinse-off hair mask is also worthy of attention. The Consumer Council found that four samples were found to contain highly allergenic fragrance substances banned in the Mainland and the European Union. ” detected “HICC” with a content of 0.009%.
"KOSE Je L'aime", "TSUBAKI" and "THANN" detected trace amounts of "BMHCA", ranging from 0.0012% to 0.0047%, which failed to meet the latest EU regulations, and their official prices ranged from 108 yuan to 280 yuan Yuan.
Eight samples were found to contain 6 to 9 fragrance allergens
In addition, more than half of the samples were detected with various fragrance allergens, among which as many as 27 samples were detected with three or more fragrance allergens, and eight samples were detected with 6 to 9 species.
In terms of fragrance allergens detected at a concentration of more than 0.01%, "CHRISTOPHE ROBIN", "ORIBE", "john masters organics", "OUAI", "A Yuan", "JimmBENNY" and "JOSERISTINE" all detected three to Four spice allergens at higher levels.
can cause dermatitis
The Consumer Council reminds that the sensitizing preservative CMIT/MIT mixture can cause contact dermatitis, which can cause itching, skin burning, and in severe cases, hair loss; free formaldehyde can cause allergic contact skin inflammation (allergic contact dermatitis).
As for fragrance allergens including "HICC" and "BMHCA", which are banned fragrance ingredients, the Consumer Council recommends avoiding the use of personal care products containing related fragrance substances.
The Consumer Council also stated that for hair that has undergone chemical treatments such as dyeing and perming, proper use of hair care or conditioner products can improve the condition and health of the hair.
However, you need to pay attention to the quality of your hair, the degree of damage to your hair, and the active ingredients contained in the product when choosing a product.
For hair that has not been specially chemically treated, and those with finer hair, the repeated use of deep conditioning hair mask products may cause the hair to look sticky due to the accumulation of conditioners on the hair. Greasy, but more difficult to sort out.
For people with severely damaged hair (for example, after bleaching and dyeing), it is suitable to use deep repair products to reduce the chance of further damage to the hair and make the hair color last longer.
The manufacturer of "KOSE Je L'aime" replied to the Consumer Council that the levels of fragrance allergens detected in the hair mask samples tested this time were all lower than the level required to be declared in the EU.
As for the detection of BMHCA in the samples, the company believes that the relevant fragrance substances are not banned in Hong Kong at present, and emphasizes that the fragrances used in the products meet the relevant safety standards of the International Fragrance and Fragrances Association (IFRA).
In addition, the company believes that the parabens detected in the samples are in compliance with relevant Mainland and EU regulations.
Opal: Recipe changed last July
The manufacturer of "Opal" said that the samples tested this time were batches produced in May 2021, and the company has switched to a formula that does not contain new lily of the valley aldehyde (HICC) since July last year to ensure that the product complies with the Mainland and EU regulations.
The company also believes that the batches currently supplied to the market are all newly formulated products.
The day before the gym reopened, 4ward Fitness closed Consumer Council Received 7 Complaints Involving Over 240,000 Money Received 240 cases of online shopping quick test kits and complained that the online store was delayed in delivery and refused a refund JapanHome’s harmful formamide is 9 times higher than the standard Consumer Council｜1000 yuan bath towels are not as good as medium and low-priced ones
