Criticism of cosmetics has come from a variety of sources including some feminists, Islamists, Christianists, animal rights activists, authors and public interest groups. There is a growing awareness and preference for cosmetics that are without any supposedly toxic ingredients, especially those derived from petroleum, sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), and parabens.
Numerous published reports have raised concern over the safety of a few surfactants. SLS causes a number of skin issues including dermatitis.
Parabens can cause skin irritation and contact dermatitis in individuals with paraben allergies, a small percentage of the general population. Animal experiments have shown that parabens have a weak estrogenic activity, acting as xenoestrogens.
Prolonged use of makeup has also been linked to thinning eyelashes.
Synthetic fragrances are widely used in consumer products. Studies concluded from patch testing show synthetic fragrances are made of many ingredients which cause allergic reactions.
Cosmetics companies have been criticised for making pseudoscientific claims about their products which are misleading or unsupported by scientific evidence.