[Heifzilla]

I've read a couple of threads here where posters say they won't use a product that contains talc but I am not sure why exactly.

I do know that talc isn't great to inhale because it can cause respiratory issues, but that's when you are using something that is almost pure talc, like the old talc baby powders.

Is this the reason some people do not want to use a product that contains talc? I'm curious because I don't think that any MMU would contain enough to cause an issue while applying it.

Thanks for any info.

[Princess6828]

Not a clue.

[tinktink22]

wow you read my mind!!! i was just looking at a wall full of mmu that was talc free and i didnt get why it made a difference!! we'll see what the masters of mmu have to say lol!! btw welcome to mut!!

[silveria]

from Jane Irelade Make-up - Aesthetics - Dukehealth.org
Why is talc so bad?

It is a known carcinogenic, irritant, lung asphyxiater, and linked to uterine cancer! So, why are educated cosmetics companies still producing make-up composed of talc? It is cheap. They can make a great profit on a very poor performing cosmetic ingredient. Not only is talc unhealthy for our skin, but it doesn’t even look good. It creases and wears off, clogs pores, and causes acne.

[princessmich]

You might find these website helpful.
Talcum Powder can cause cancer

Environmental Working Group || Public Interest Watchdog

[Heifzilla]

Interesting, thanks!

[LisaLu]

Talc is cheap filler. Aside from the things already mentioned it also reduces the coverage imparted. I NEED all the coverage I can get!

[citre]

So I guess I got my Ocean Mist cosmetics for nothing. They have talc in them, and I didn't know that when I ordered them. At least I only paid about 4 bucks for them. I won't be wearing them now.

Thanks for the info! =)

[periwinkle_sky]

Well, Ocean Mist DID say on their website that the talc they use is safe and that there are no confirmed studies of it causing cancer. Brendal (co-owner) is a member of MUT and I think we shall be hearing from her pretty soon.

[citre]

Originally Posted by periwinkle_sky

Well, Ocean Mist DID say on their website that the talc they use is safe and that there are no confirmed studies of it causing cancer. Brendal (co-owner) is a member of MUT and I think we shall be hearing from her pretty soon.

Oh, that's good to hear. I hope she has something positive to say about it. Cause I was really hoping the Ocean Mist cosmetics would work for me.

[brewgrl]

what i hate most about talc as a main ingredient, has nothing to do with my health. it's that it keeps the pigments from being true... it gives off a VERY chalky effect if there is too much in your prducts. I hate that.

[Tabitha]

Personally, I think talc gets a lot of bad hype. In my opinion, any powder with particles small enough to create a dust cloud could be harmful if purposely inhaled (think lines on a mirror) and that would include most mineral makeup along with the talc.

[periwinkle_sky]

I think the issue here is the toxicity. Talc is an issue because of some studies that it is a toxic substance that can cause cancer. Other minerals don't have this toxicity issue, and although they are small particles that can be inhaled, they are not toxic as to cause death.

[oceanmist]

Yep! Here I am!

I'm going to copy paste an email that was posted here on the boards that I typed up before to make it a bit easier.

Thank you for your question! It’s going to have a loooong answer because I get it a lot. J There is a scale out there on called the Fulton’s Scale regarding comedogenicity (clogging pores and breaking out your skin) and irritancy. A partial chart of it can be found here. The scale is rated from 0 (Least) to 5 (Most). Talc is rated with a 1 for comedogenicity and a 0 for irritancy. Zinc Oxide is rated the same as talc and many mineral makeup companies use it in their products yet, they will say how bad talc is for you. This chart was devised by Dr. James Edwin Fulton, Jr. who is a dermatologist and cosmetic surgeon in Miami.

Generally, when we use an ingredient, I personally research it to see what is said by the medical community and what kind of proven studies are out there. I have not seen any conclusive evidence that talc is “bad” for the skin, but I will say that there are people whose skin is irritated by it. This is with any ingredient though! No ingredient, (in my opinion) is completely non-comedogenic because there are a variety of people in this world with a variety of skin types.

Why do we use this talc? The particular talc that we use is obtained by a processing method known as delamination. This gives a sheer, translucent talc that imparts a soft focus optical effect to our makeup. It’s also water resistant which helps in hot, humid climates. We can’t get this with conventionally ground talcs or other “fillers” (such as serecite mica) that are typically used in mineral applications. With this, we’re able to create a high coverage mineral makeup that does not give a chalky appearance on darker skin tones. It also helps give a silky elegant after feel. And our makeup gives a more natural look than some mineral makeups that have a very high titanium dioxide content which can cause a “mask” like appearance. Talc a platy mineral (Magnesium Silicate) which means it will be less scratchy and irritating to the skin.

The Cosmetic, Toiletry, and Fragrance Association, the United States Pharmacopeia, and the Food Chemical Codex have established talc quality assurance specifications followed by U.S. cosmetic, pharmaceutical, and food companies that use talc to ensure the purity of their products. We follow these guidelines and we wear this makeup. If it has asbestos in it, it will not be used in our products. The manufacturers we purchase from (for any ingredient) give us what’s called a technical data sheet. Our talc is tested using the CTFA J-4-1 method and is asbestos free. It passes the CTFA (Cosmetic, Toiletry, and Fragrance Association) and USP (United States Pharmacopeia) monographs for talc and confirms in all respects.

Talc is a naturally-occurring mineral that is a silicate (any group of substances containing negative ions composed of silicon and oxygen) of magnesium. Current, extensive research indicates there is no increased risk of lung cancer when using talc-based products or for those involved in the manufacture of talc products (Source: Occupational and Environmental Medicine, January 2006, pages 4-9), although there is epidemiological evidence that frequent use of pure talc over the female genital area may increase the risk of ovarian cancer (Sources: International Journal of Cancer, November 2004, pages 458-464; and Anticancer Research, March-April 2003, pages 1955-1960). However, a study review in Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology (August 2002, pages 40-50) stated that “Talc is not genotoxic, [it] is not carcinogenic when injected into ovaries of rats… There is no credible evidence of a cancer risk from inhalation of cosmetic talc by humans.” (From the Cosmetics Cop Paula Begoun)

There is a lot of information and misinformation about cosmetic ingredients in general. I always recommend to my customers (and we get nothing from this) to visit Paula Begoun - The Cosmetics Cop - Paula's Choice. Paula Begoun has a lot of very useful information about any cosmetic ingredient. I love to learn about and research ingredients. She was one of my first sources. In her books and on her website she cites medical studies that are double blind and have used placebos. She also tells you how cosmetic companies can mislead with false advertising and get away with it. I don’t agree with everything that she states, but her research is very good and she always has some kind of evidence to back up her statements. She doesn't believe in a lot of "natural" stuff that I definately believe in.

The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (Cosmetic Ingredient Review - Homepage) is also a good source of information about cosmetic ingredients.

I would also visit the American Cancer Society.They have some articles about talc and it’s possible link to ovarian cancer, but it also states that studies are inconsistent. It does cite many medical references for your review if you have interest in reading them.

Cancer Research UK is another place where I have gone to research talc.

And of course, I have visited the FDA (www.fda.gov).

I research all of our ingredients and my background is in cancer research and dermatology as a histology technologist. We here at Ocean Mist use these products ourselves and we’re a pretty healthy bunch in terms of taking care of ourselves. None of us here want cancer and I don’t believe (from my extensive research) that talc is a factor in causing cancer if it is asbestos free. The FDA also considers non-asbestiform talc, that is talc which does not contain potentially carcinogenic asbestiform amphibole fibers, to be Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) for use in cosmetics.

It is very important to be an informed consumer and I hope these links help you. I will tell you that we are working on an alternative talc free formula for our mineral makeup for people who still do not want to use talc in their products. I have found an ingredient that comes very close to having the same properties as the particular talc that we use. What is amazing is that some people (and I was included in that group until I began researching ingredients) don’t realize that talc is everywhere (in medicine, paper, paint, cosmetics, lotions, etc.) and asbestos (which is dangerous) occurs in our air and water supplies. If you would like, wikipedia.com is also a pretty decent source of information on talc and asbestos.

I'll also add to this that talc does give coverage, is the same price or more as sericite mica (depending upon the grade and manufacturer), and is known as a "functional filler" in the cosmetic industry. It does offer things like slip, adhesion, and water-resistance to makeup.

I'm always happy to answer questions about any cosmetic ingredient. If I don't know it, I'll sure try to find it!