From an article published in the journal Environment International and reported in U.S. Right to Know (please see sources below).

Key Points

• Routine decisions about everything from mascara to moisturizer matter when it comes to shaping your chemical exposure and health risks, researchers suggest.
• On average, women use 13 personal care products a day, containing more than 100 unique ingredients, and men use about 11. Roughly 1 in 10 adults uses more than 25 products daily.
• Late last year, the FDA reported that more than 1,700 cosmetic products contain PFAS — so-called “forever chemicals” tied to serious health risks including cancer, birth defects and liver disease.

The findings of this research indicate that switching from conventional personal care products to nontoxic alternatives can rapidly and significantly reduce exposure to harmful chemicals. Even a few changes in only a few days can lower body levels of substances linked to hormone disruption, cancer, developmental problems, and reproductive toxicity, the study shows.

What you can do about it

In our homes, we try to select personal care and cosmetic products that are made from safer alternatives and always try to choose fragrance-free. We also try to avoid antibacterial soaps and toothpaste as well as long-lasting, waterproof make-up that often contains PFAS. We steer clear of imported cosmetics from places like China, India and other countries which may contain lead or other heavy metals. We also look for companies that have products with higher-quality ingredient safety certifications and that are rated as "Recommended" or "Consider" by Hilde.

Jovanovic N, Bright F, Thomsen C, et al. Levers to decrease exposure to harmful chemicals: the case of personal care products and cosmetics. Environment International. 2026;211:110243. doi:10.1016/j.envint.2026.110243

Reported in U.S. Right to Know on April 30, 2026: https://usrtk.org/healthwire/reducing-use-of-personal-care-products-quickly-lowers-toxic-chemicals-in-the-body/