title: Safety Assessment of Talc as Used in Cosmetics.
abstract: The Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel (Panel) assessed the safety of talc for use in cosmetics. The safety of talc has been the subject of much debate through the years, partly because the relationship between talc and asbestos is commonly misunderstood. Industry specifications state that cosmetic-grade talc must contain no detectable fibrous, asbestos minerals. Therefore, the large amount of available animal and clinical data the Panel relied on in assessing the safety of talc only included those studies on talc that did not contain asbestos. The Panel concluded that talc is safe for use in cosmetics in the present practices of use and concentration (some cosmetic products are entirely composed of talc). Talc should not be applied to the skin when the epidermal barrier is missing or significantly disrupted.
authors.affiliation: Cosmetic Ingredient Review Senior Scientific Analyst/Writer, Washington, DC, USA.
authors.forename: Monice M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Fiume
authors.affiliation: Cosmetic Ingredient Review Senior Toxicologist, Washington, DC, USA.
authors.forename: Ivan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Boyer
authors.affiliation: Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel Member, Washington, DC, USA.
authors.forename: Wilma F
authors.initials: WF
authors.lastname: Bergfeld
authors.affiliation: Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel Member, Washington, DC, USA.
authors.forename: Donald V
authors.initials: DV
authors.lastname: Belsito
authors.affiliation: Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel Member, Washington, DC, USA.
authors.forename: Ronald A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Hill
authors.affiliation: Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel Member, Washington, DC, USA.
authors.forename: Curtis D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Klaassen
authors.affiliation: Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel Member, Washington, DC, USA.
authors.forename: Daniel C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Liebler
authors.affiliation: Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel Member, Washington, DC, USA.
authors.forename: James G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Marks
authors.affiliation: Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel Member, Washington, DC, USA.
authors.forename: Ronald C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Shank
authors.affiliation: Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel Member, Washington, DC, USA.
authors.forename: Thomas J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Slaga
authors.affiliation: Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel Member, Washington, DC, USA.
authors.forename: Paul W
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Snyder
authors.affiliation: Former Director, Cosmetic Ingredient Review, Washington, DC, USA.
authors.forename: F Alan
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Andersen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015197:Carcinogenicity Tests; D003257:Consumer Product Safety; D003358:Cosmetics / Q000633:toxicity*; D006801:Humans; D007509:Irritants / Q000633:toxicity; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D012098:Reproduction / Q000187:drug effects; D013627:Talc / Q000737:chemistry / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D003358:Cosmetics; D007509:Irritants; D013627:Talc
keywords: cosmetics; safety; talc