Report Finds 80% of Beauty Products for Black Women Contain Harmful Ingredients
For Black women, beauty is more than skin deep—it’s a form of self-expression, a cultural statement, and often, a necessity in professional and social settings. Yet, the products marketed specifically to them may be doing more harm than good. A new report from the Environmental Working Group (EWG) has revealed that nearly 80% of beauty and personal care products designed for Black women contain hazardous chemicals, some of which are linked to serious health risks.
Despite years of advocacy pushing for cleaner, safer alternatives, the report highlights persistent disparities between the safety of products marketed to Black consumers versus those sold to the general public. From hair relaxers to foundations, the exposure to toxic ingredients remains disproportionately high, raising concerns about long-term health consequences for Black women who have few alternatives.
Decades of Disparities in Beauty Products
The EWG’s latest analysis builds on a 2016 report that first exposed the toxic load in beauty products targeting Black women. While some of the most hazardous ingredients—such as parabens and formaldehyde—have decreased in use over the past decade, one dangerous trend has risen: the increase in undisclosed chemical fragrances.
Dr. Alexa Friedman, a senior scientist at EWG, acknowledges some progress but warns that the battle is far from over. “The good news is that between 2016 and 2025, we saw a decline in use for eight out of nine of the most hazardous ingredients. But we’re still seeing some harmful ingredients today.”
Working alongside BLK + GRN, a nonprofit dedicated to promoting non-toxic products for Black women, EWG evaluated over 4,000 beauty products, analyzing ingredient toxicity levels. The results were cataloged in the Skin Deep database, an online tool designed to help consumers make informed choices about their personal care items.
The Invisible Threat: Fragrance Chemicals and Preservatives
One of the most concerning findings of the report is the increasing use of undisclosed fragrances in beauty products marketed to Black women. Unlike other ingredients that must be explicitly listed on labels, the term “fragrance” serves as a loophole, allowing manufacturers to hide a cocktail of potentially harmful chemicals.
“One of my concerns is the increased use of fragrances,” says Dr. Kristian Edwards, CEO of BLK + GRN. “You can use the word ‘fragrance,’ and that includes a lot of different chemicals that consumers aren’t aware of.”
In the U.S., companies are not required to disclose the specific chemicals in their fragrance blends, leaving consumers in the dark about what they are exposing themselves to daily. Some of these chemicals, like Lilial—a fragrance ingredient linked to reproductive harm—have already been banned in the European Union and will soon be outlawed in California by 2027.
Dr. Friedman emphasizes the need for transparency. “We don’t say all fragrance is bad, but we do believe that consumers should know what is in their products. It’s really about understanding exactly what’s in that fragrance blend.”
Hair Relaxers: A Lingering Risk
The battle over hair relaxers has been ongoing for years, with growing evidence linking their use to health issues, including hormonal disruptions and even cancer. While the EWG report shows a slight improvement—hair relaxers have moved from “highly hazardous” to “moderately hazardous” since 2016—they remain among the most toxic products in the Skin Deep database.
Of the 27 at-home hair relaxers analyzed, nearly 26% still contain formaldehyde-releasing preservatives, a known carcinogen. Though some brands have removed the most harmful ingredients, the fact remains: relaxers and straighteners marketed to Black women still carry significant health risks.
The Need for Change: Limited Options for Black Women
Black women already face a tougher time finding beauty products that match their skin tones and hair textures. Now, they are also navigating a marketplace where safe options are scarce. The report found that only 21% of the beauty and personal care products marketed to Black women have a low-hazard rating, compared to 27% of products not specifically targeted toward Black consumers.
The disparities don’t stop at hair relaxers. The report shows that makeup products—particularly blush, eyeshadow, and lip gloss marketed to Black women—contain higher levels of toxins than their general-market counterparts.
For many Black women, these findings reinforce a long-standing truth: the beauty industry has not prioritized their safety. While mainstream brands are moving toward cleaner formulas and non-toxic alternatives, many of the products marketed to Black consumers remain laden with questionable ingredients.
A Push for Safer Beauty
The EWG’s findings serve as another urgent reminder that Black women deserve better. Organizations like BLK + GRN are leading the charge by supporting Black-owned beauty brands that prioritize safe, non-toxic ingredients. Their marketplace highlights products made without harmful chemicals, offering a much-needed alternative for consumers looking to protect their health without compromising beauty.
But consumer action alone isn’t enough. Advocates are calling for stronger regulations that require full transparency in ingredient labeling and eliminate hazardous chemicals from beauty products altogether. While California has taken steps to ban certain toxins, federal oversight remains lacking, leaving millions of Black women vulnerable to exposure.
The beauty industry has long relied on Black consumers to drive trends and sales—now, it’s time for accountability. Until systemic change happens, the responsibility of avoiding toxic products unfairly falls on the shoulders of Black women themselves. But one thing is clear: the demand for safer beauty is growing, and the industry can no longer afford to ignore it.
Original reporting by: Jennifer Porter Gore | The Seattle Medium