One study in 2021 found that more than half of the 231 cosmetic products purchased in the US and Canada had undisclosed high fluorine content, with 29 of them detected to contain PFAS. 1.
What is PFAS? Why do you need to know about it?
PFAS stands for per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances, also called the forever chemicals. They perpetually stay as they are, unable to be degraded nor transformed, like the immortal vampires, haunting the realms of organic and inorganic chemistry worlds. PFAS are however, man-made chemicals. They are rich with fluorine atoms, bound to chain of carbon atoms. Very stable molecules because of the extremely strong C-F bonding. These chemicals have been widely used since 1940s in the industrial and consumer products, due to their usefulness in creating stain-resistant, water-resistant and non-stick properties to the end products.
PFAS are now linked to health risks, causing problems in fertility, child growth development, affecting our immune system and hormones in addition to causing cancers and increased cholesterol and obesity. More researches and study are still needed to understand how different levels of PFAS can cause long-term health effects.
This recent and grave realisation that these chemicals are like vampires, they stay forever in the environment and in our body, travel freely in the water, air, dust, soil and through our food chain, has sent shivers of fear into the world of scientists.
In 2015, the Madrid Statement was signed in Madrid, Spain by more than 250 scientists from 38 countries to address this PFAS problem. Alarms were raised, we need to stop creating more chemical vampires and further harm to the environment and to humankind.
Notwithstanding, PFAS are still important in some applications where currently there is no other non-fluorinated alternative such as in some medical devices and occupational protective clothing. However the use of PFAS should only be done when it is truly necessary and essential.
Although currently there is no regulation in the banning PFAS, X’Factor supports the Madrid Statement to reject PFAS entirely. We ensure that no unintentional PFAS is present in our skincare products. We voluntarily send our products to be tested by third party laboratory for verification to be PFAS-free.
We are proud to state that in July 2024, the Green Science Policy Institute in Berkeley, California, an environmentalist advocacy organisation, has approved our laboratory analytical report and certified X’Factor Skincare By Pharmacists into their endorsed list of producers of PFAS-free products.
- Fluorinated Compounds in North American Cosmetics. Heather D. Whitehead, Marta Venier, Yan Wu et al. Ecotoxicology and Public Health, June 15, 2021
