The CAPABLE (Chemicals and Personal Care: Asian, Black, and Latina Exposure) Project

The CAPABLE Project is a collaboration among a diverse group of community partners and researchers. We examined personal care product use by Vietnamese, African American/Black women, and Latinas, and found out:

• What chemicals of concern (CoCs) are listed on the labels
  
• What CoCs are in products but are not on labels
  

Cosmetics & Chemicals: What's in Personal Care Products Used by California Women of Color? 

​What we did	​What we found
​We looked at the ingredients listed on the labels of 546 personal care products chosen by women in communities of color: makeup, perfumes, deodorants, and products for hair, skin care, intimate care, and nails.	​Over half of the labels listed CoCs linked to cancer, reproductive and developmental harm, or hormone disruption. Parabens (chemicals used as preservatives that can also affect hormones) were the most common CoC listed on product labels. 403 out of 546 products listed "fragrance" as an ingredient rather than the actual chemical ingredients that make up the fragrance.
​We had 31 of these products analyzed by a lab to find other chemicals they contain and compared that information to what was on the label.	​Out of 31 products analyzed, 30 had CoCs that weren't listed on the label. Most of the CoCs revealed by the lab analysis were fragrance ingredients.

What are Chemicals of Concern (CoCs)?

Any chemical linked to cancer, reproductive toxicity, or hormone disruption.

What is "Fragrance" or "Parfum?"

When listed on a product label, "fragrance" or "parfum" refers to one or more chemicals the company has chosen not to identify to the consumers, some of which maybe CoCs.

Why Cosmetics?

• Cosmetics or personal care products contain chemicals that are linked to cancer and other health harm.
• Some chemicals, particularly those used in fragrance, do not have to be listed on labels.

Why Women of Color?

• Women of color are disproportionately exposed to chemicals from personal care products, which may increase risk of breast cancer and other health problems. 

What can I do to protect my health?

You can avoid many of the chemicals found in these products:

• Learn to read labels [PDF] and choose products that say "paraben-free" and "fragrance-free" on the label.
• Promote natural beauty by using fewer products or by making your own products [PDF].
• Before you buy, check product ingredients using online tools that make it easy, such as the California Safe Cosmetics Product Database.

Learn more about CAPABLE results

 Articles published in the Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology:

• December 2021 - Collins HN, Johnson PI, Calderon NM, Clark PY, Gillis AD, Le AM, Nguyen D, Nguyen C, Fu L, O'Dwyer T, Harley KG. Differences in personal care product use by race/ethnicity among women in California: implications for chemical exposures. J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol. 2021 Dec 24. doi: 10.1038/s41370-021-00404-7. PMID: 34952926.
  
• November 2022 - Johnson PI, Favela K, Jarin J, Le A, Clark P, Fu L, Gillis A, Morga N, Nguyen C, Harley K. Chemicals of concern in personal care products used by women of color in three communities of California. J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41370-022-00485-y