In September 2015 Ethical Consumer searched the L'Oreal website for a policy on toxic chemicals.
Ethical Consumer would expect any company operating in this sector to have a policy that covers at least parabens and phthalates, and pledges to either eliminate their use outright or have a roadmap for them phasing out over a quantified period of time.
The L'Oreal site stated: Parabens have been used for several decades in certain categories of our cosmetic products and only when indispensable to ensure effective microbiological protection. It made no mention of phasing out their use.
The company also used phthalates which it deemed safe.
Both ingredients are prevalent in cosmetics despite evidence that they can have a negative impact on human health and the wider environment.
For example the Skin Deep website stated that Diethyl phthalate, a solvent used to bind together different chemicals within cosmetics and fragrances, can disrupt hormone production in humans, have a negative impact on organ function and that there are current gaps in the research into further impacts on human health.
In addition the paraben family of preservatives, widely used in cosmetics, can mimic oestrogen and can act as a potential hormone (endocrine) system disruptor..