Olaplex Impact on Fertility: Clarifying the Allegations
Let's Talk About Olaplex: The Popular Haircare Brand under Scrutiny
Luv her, trust her, but should we now worry about her?
We're discussing Olaplex, a household name in haircare that gained popularity since its launch in 2014 with its line of "bond-building" products. Recently, the internet has been buzzing with concerns about Olaplex due to the ban of an ingredient by the European Union (EU) associated with potential fertility issues.
TickTok has seen its fair share of hysteria, with videos of loyal fans pitching their Olaplex products in the trash, leaving many users confused about what's fact and what's fear-mongering. To be honest, we were freaked out too - we're big Olaplex fans!
So, should we part ways with our beloved Olaplex products? Let's break it down.
What's the Real Baddie?
The company's award-winning products, such as the beloved No. 3 Hair Perfector, are known for their ability to restore damaged hair and leave it feeling silky soft due to a patented ingredient called bis-aminopropyl diglycol dimaleate. This ingredient dodges the drama.
Instead, we're focusing on butylphenyl methylpropional (aka lilial), a fragrance found in cosmetic products for its lovely floral scent. In the EU, lilial is recognized as a known allergen, and one of the 26 fragrance ingredients required to be listed separately rather than grouped together as "Fragrance/Parfum."
However, the concerns don't arise from lilial being an allergen. Instead, the EU added lilial to their list of banned substances after a 2019 report revealed it can be harmful to reproductive health. The report claimed that the ingredient accumulates in your body over time, particularly concerning for daily-use products and those containing multiple items with lilial.
Zinc pyrithione - the active ingredient in Head and Shoulders shampoos - was also axed for the same reason. Product bans officially took effect on March 1st, and those containing either ingredient must now be withdrawn from European shelves.
(Wanna know a secret?) This ruling doesn't extend to products in the United States because the FDA lacks stringent regulations similar to the EU. In fact, the FDA doesn't require companies to list specific fragrances on their ingredient list because these formulations are classified as "trade secrets," making avoiding specific fragrances a bit tricky.
So, Can I Still Use Olaplex?
Olaplex is on the defensive, asserting they've already phased out the ingredient in compliance with the EU ban. If you check the brand's website, butylphenyl methylpropional is no longer on the ingredient list, though fragrance/parfum may still be present.
It's worth noting that butylphenyl methylpropional isn't considered essential for Olaplex's renowned formula. As for the future of the ingredient in U.S. products, things remain unclear. We've reached out to Olaplex for comment but haven't received a response regarding this matter.
In the meantime, the decision to continue using Olaplex is yours to make, especially as we await further information regarding reformulations in the U.S. And if you opt to try new anti-dandruff shampoos, remember to perform a patch test before a full application for safety purposes.
- The EU added butylphenyl methylpropional (also known as lilial) to their list of banned substances after a report claimed it can be harmful to reproductive health, which is an ingredient found in Olaplex products.
- The concerns about Olaplex don't arise from butylphenyl methylpropional being an allergen, but rather its potential impact on fertility, as it accumulates in the body over time, particularly concerning for daily-use products and those containing multiple items with lilial.
- The FDA lacks stringent regulations similar to the EU, meaning they don't require companies to list specific fragrances on their ingredient list, making avoiding specific fragrances like lilial a bit tricky in the United States.
