Tumor Risk A variety of lip balms contain cancer-causing ingredients

Lip care with carcinogenic petroleum hydrocarbons

In the cold season, it is often due to the weather to dry or cracked lips. To prevent, many people resort to lip balm. However, some of these products pose health hazards.

Harmful substances in lip care

For many people, it goes without saying that they always have a care stick for their lips at hand. Research has shown, however, that many of these pens pose a major health hazard because they contain substances that may be carcinogenic. For example, in an older study conducted for the North Rhine-Westphalian Ministry of Consumer Protection, mineral oils were found in lip care. And even today, problematic mineral oil components can be found in lip care products, as a recent study by the consumer magazine "Öko-Test" shows.

A recent study by the consumer magazine "Öko-Test" has shown that several lip care products contain harmful ingredients. (Image: steinerpicture / fotolia.com)

Brittle and chapped lips

Currently, the lips are quickly brittle and cracked due to the dry heating air and the cold.

Because our lips have no sweat and hardly any sebaceous glands, they can not protect themselves from dehydration.

That's why many people help with greasy lip balms in the fall and winter.

But be careful here. As it says in a report of "eco-test", has repeatedly shown in tests that some lip balms contain questionable ingredients.

Almost half of these products are saturated petroleum hydrocarbons (MOSH / POSH).

Aromatic petroleum hydrocarbons

According to the experts, MOSH accumulate in human adipose tissue and the liver and have led to organ damage in animal experiments.

In addition, petroleum-based ingredients can contain aromatic mineral oil hydrocarbons (MOAHs), which in turn can contain components that can be carcinogenic even in the smallest amounts.

According to the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), taking MOSH over the skin is considered harmless, but lip balms do not stay on the skin.

In the course of a long winter we take - without wishing - a lot of lip care to us.

According to a calculation of the scientific advisory committee of the European Commission (SCCS), we ingest four whole pens per year.

So it makes perfect sense to pay attention to the ingredients.

Some ingredients should be better avoided

According to "eco-test" lip care should not contain the following ingredients:

• Cera microcristallina
• ceresin
• Mineral oil
• ozocerites
• paraffin
• Paraffinum llaiquidum
• petrolatum

Which care substances are in the lip products, is declared in each case. The further above these substances are listed, the higher their share in the product.

Improvement of the classic

The latest test from January 2019 shows that some of the most well-known brands such as Eucerin, Blistex and Neutrogena Norwegian Formula continue to rely on mineral oil-based main ingredients.

According to the information, MOAH was also present in almost all paraffin-containing products. Among other things, mineral oil round and some other shortcomings ensure that two products with "poor" and six even "insufficient" cut off.

After all, six lip balmers are "very good", two cut off "good". Good to know: Mineral oils are not allowed in natural cosmetics.

In the last test of lip care (June 2018) was found in the classic Labello mineral oil. Now comes the lip care from Beiersdorf without mineral oil. "0% mineral oil, 100% good feeling," announces the company accordingly proudly on the website of Labello.

Natural alternatives

In the "eco-test" report it is pointed out that it goes without a care stick - nature has there so some miracle remedies ready.

According to the experts, the best care ingredients are natural substances such as castor, jojoba and olive oil or shea butter.

Quark and honey also help to make brittle lips soft and supple.

The experts have another tip: On gray winter days, a lip care without protection factor is perfect.

However, "eco-test" editor Svenja Markert advises: "Winter athletes and tourists in the sun pack better lip care with a UV filter, since the lips have no self-protection. Since some of the chemical filters are suspected of having hormonal effects, they are more effective in finding pins with mineral filters. "(Ad)