Warnings issued after cancer-causing ASBESTOS is found in Claire’s makeup products
The high street chain removed cosmetics from all stores after US authorities found samples tested positive for tremolite asbestos
WARNINGS have been issued to Claire's customers after cancer-causing ASBESTOS was found in some of its makeup products.
The high street chain has removed the cosmetics from its stores after authorities in the US found samples tested positive for tremolite asbestos.
The products are Claire's Eye Shadows (batch no/lot no: 08/17), Claire's Compact Powder (batch no/lot no: 07/15), and Claire's Contour Palette (batch no/lot no: 04/17).
In a statement, Claire's said it had removed the three products identified by the FDA from its stores "out of an abundance of caution" and had also removed any remaining talc-based cosmetics, adding that there was no evidence that any items it sold were unsafe.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said the testing followed reports of contaminated cosmetics marketed by Claire's and a second US retailer, Justice.
It added that it was not aware of any adverse reactions associated with exposure to the products.
The FDA does not have the authority to force a recall, and so issued the safety alert.
Claire's Europe said in a statement: "At Claire's, customer safety is paramount, and we pride ourselves on providing our customers with the highest quality and safest products.
"We assure customers that our products are safe.
"Out of an abundance of caution, we have removed the three products identified by the FDA from our stores, and are also removing any remaining talc-based cosmetic products.
"We will honour returns of any Claire's talc-based cosmetics.
"There is no evidence that any products sold by Claire's are unsafe.
What is asbestos and how did it end up in talcum powder?
Asbestos is a term for a group of minerals made of microscopic fibres. Before its dangers were known, asbestos was often used in buildings for insulation, flooring and roofing and sprayed on ceilings and walls. It is now banned in the UK, and while it's heavily regulated in the US, it's not banned there yet.
Buildings constructed before the year 2000 may still have asbestos in them. If the asbestos-containing materials inside these buildings remain intact, they pose very little risk.
It’s only when these materials are damaged or disturbed that tiny asbestos fibres can be released into the air and breathed into your lungs.
Many mines that collect talc also contain asbestos as the two minerals are found quite closely together.
The symptoms of asbestos-related disease take many years – even decades – to appear after the original exposure to asbestos, so exposure a long time ago might only be showing up as a disease today.
"In early 2018, the three items identified by the FDA were extensively tested by multiple independent accredited laboratories, and all products were found to be compliant with all relevant cosmetic safety regulations."
It said the FDA's test results had "significant errors" and "mis-characterised fibres in the products as asbestos".
Claire's said: "Despite our efforts to discuss these issues with the FDA, they insisted on moving forward with their release.
"We are disappointed that the FDA has taken this step, and we will continue to work with them to demonstrate the safety of our products."
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The FDA advised that the mineral asbestos is often found near talc, a common ingredient in many cosmetics.
If raw talc is not sufficiently purified before it being put in consumer products, they could be contaminated with asbestos, it said.
Talc is used in cosmetics to prevent caking or to make facial make-up opaque.
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