Asbestos is a mineral contaminant known to cause certain types of cancer, including mesothelioma, lung cancer and ovarian cancer.
“Unnecessarily exposing people to asbestos in personal care products will not make Americans healthy again,” Faber said.
What is talc? What is it for?
These qualities explain why talc is an ingredient in a wide range of beauty products. “It’s found in eye shadow, foundation, bronzer, blush, face powder, concealer, and more. Unless you’ve been shopping specifically to avoid it, it’s probably in the cosmetics in your makeup drawer,” says Tasha Stoiber, PhD, senior scientist at the Environmental Working Group (EWG).
Asbestos is also a mineral and can eventually contaminate talc as they often coexist in adjacent mineral deposits. “There is no safe level of exposure to asbestos,” says Dr. Stoiber.
Beyond makeup, manufacturers use talc in pharmaceutical and industrial applications as well as in gums, powdered foods, and cereals. But it is becoming less common in foods, replaced by cornstarch or cellulose, Stoiber says.
FDA withdrawal means manufacturers don’t have to test their products for asbestos – for now
The lack of testing and monitoring of talc in makeup is a problem, Stoiber says.
“Consumers need a greater level of transparency and required testing to know that the products they buy are not contaminated,” she says.
The safety of talc depends on its purity; Asbestos contamination is the main concern, Stoiber says.
“Even brief exposures to asbestos can increase disease risk, especially for products applied to the face, where they can be inhaled, which is why improved testing standards are warranted,” she says.
Should you be concerned about the health risks of talc?
Joellen Schildkraut, PhD, MPH, professor of epidemiology and researcher at the Winship Cancer Institute at Emory University in Atlanta, says that it is not known whether talc in makeup poses a cancer risk.
“I think if it’s inhalation, the concern is that it would induce an inflammatory response that could have health consequences, including cancer risk,” says Dr. Schildkraut.
But at present, the evidence is weak regarding the potential negative health effects of exposure to cosmetic talc, she adds.
When it comes to talc found in gum, foods or medications, evidence suggests that it doesn’t have much of an effect on health because the gastrointestinal tract doesn’t absorb it, says Schildkraut.
Talcum powder may not be worth the risk if you can avoid it
Schildkraut was co-author of a monograph on talc and cancer risk published in 2024 by the International Agency for Research on Cancer.
Schildkraut says it’s best to avoid using talcum powder if possible, “but I think it would be difficult to avoid it completely.”
List of Talc Ingredients to Avoid
Stoiber and EWG recommend avoiding cosmetic products, including eye shadow, blush, and powder, that contain these ingredients:
- Talc
- Talc
- Magnesium silicate (the chemical name of talc)
Instead, look for cream-based blush, eyeshadow, and other products that are talc-free, says Stoiber.
Avoiding talc is “especially important for children, because makeup in powder form can be easily inhaled into small lungs,” says Stoiber.
She also says you shouldn’t buy “toy” makeup kits, which are often made with cheap and potentially dangerous ingredients, including asbestos-contaminated talc, lead and other chemicals linked to serious health risks.
Consumers are left to their own devices until the FDA sets testing standards
Stoiber points out that a law passed in 2022 – the Cosmetic Regulatory Modernization Act of 2022 (MoCRA) – requires manufacturers of cosmetic products containing talc to test for asbestos. But that requirement can’t be implemented until the FDA establishes a standardized testing method, she says.
Until testing is required and the supply chain is more transparent, consumers will have to do the heavy lifting to find out if their cosmetics contain talc.Stoiber said.
EWG reviews products and offers a searchable product directory called Skin Deep to help you choose makeup and other personal care products with safer ingredients.
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