A groundbreaking study published in the journal Environmental Justice reveals that Black and Latina women in South Los Angeles who consciously select personal care products based on ingredient awareness can significantly reduce their exposure to harmful chemicals linked with chronic health conditions. This research sheds light on the complex interplay between consumer behavior, environmental justice, and public health, highlighting how targeted product choices can decrease internal doses of toxic compounds such as phthalates and oxybenzone. However, despite these promising findings, the study underscores systemic flaws in regulatory frameworks and market practices that continue to place the burden of protection squarely on consumers, particularly women of color in underserved communities.
The Taking Stock Study, a collaborative community-academic initiative involving Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, University of California Santa Barbara, Silent Spring Institute, LA Grit Media, and the advocacy group Black Women for Wellness, represents one of the few in-depth investigations into the chemical exposures faced by marginalized women through commonly used beauty and personal care products. This partnership is notable for including populations profoundly impacted by systemic environmental health disparities, emphasizing the urgency to understand exposures in populations historically underrepresented in research.
The investigative team interviewed 70 women, equally split between Black and Latina participants, from South Los Angeles—a region characterized by significant environmental challenges and social inequities. In addition to detailed surveys on personal care purchasing behaviors, the researchers collected and analyzed urine samples for biomarkers of 28 chemicals frequently found in cosmetics, hair products, intimate care items, and both leave-on and rinse-off formulations such as lotions and soaps. These chemicals included endocrine-disrupting phthalates, antimicrobial parabens, ultraviolet filters like oxybenzone, and bisphenol A (BPA).
Strikingly, all Black women and approximately two-thirds of Latina women reported actively seeking out products that avoid harmful ingredients. A majority preferred unscented formulations, a consumer choice linked to notably reduced exposure to fragrance-related chemicals. For Black women who chose fragrance-free products, levels of a diethyl phthalate metabolite were less than half of those found in women who did not avoid scented items. Given that phthalates interfere with hormone signaling pathways and have associations with metabolic disorders including obesity and diabetes, this finding is significant in illustrating the tangible impact of ingredient-conscious shopping.
Similarly, Latina participants who avoided products containing oxybenzone exhibited significantly lower urinary concentrations of this UV-filter chemical, known for its potential endocrine-disrupting effects. Oxybenzone (BP-3) is commonly used in sunscreens and cosmetic products but has raised concerns about its biological activity in humans, particularly regarding hormonal function and environmental persistence.
When investigating parabens—preservatives widely used to inhibit microbial growth in personal care items—the study found that women avoiding paraben-containing products showed about half the urinary levels of methyl and propyl parabens. Although this trend did not reach statistical significance, it nonetheless suggests that consumer choices can influence internal chemical burdens, albeit with nuances that warrant further examination.
One of the profound takeaways from this study is the heavy cognitive and practical load placed on women, particularly Black and Latina shoppers, who must navigate complex ingredient landscapes without adequate regulatory or industry support. “To fill a regulatory gap, Black women and Latinas have had to become chemistry experts simply to shop for beauty products,” explains Dr. Lariah Edwards, associate research scientist at Columbia’s Department of Environmental Health Sciences and co-first author of the study. This points to the disproportionate responsibility on consumers to protect themselves in the absence of stringent labeling and ingredient disclosure standards.
Dr. Ami Zota, co-senior author and associate professor at Columbia Mailman School, emphasizes the systemic issues underlying the health risks, arguing that “marketplace changes and policy reforms are urgently needed to create equitable protections for consumers.” She points to the vague labeling of fragrance components, typically aggregated under umbrella terms like “fragrance” or “parfum,” which masks the complexity and potential hazards of numerous scent chemicals. The lack of an industry-accepted definition of “clean” beauty further exacerbates confusion, allowing for marketing claims that lack legal or scientific foundation.
The study also calls attention to socioeconomic and linguistic barriers that limit access to safer personal care options. In low-income neighborhoods, affordability and product availability pose persistent challenges, while language differences may prevent many from reading and understanding ingredient labels effectively. This multifaceted problem underlines the intersection of environmental health, social justice, and consumer rights.
Although women reported lower exposure to certain chemicals by avoiding products with those ingredients, the research highlighted a general unfamiliarity with the chemicals themselves among participants. This knowledge gap underscores the critical need for consumer education campaigns to improve chemical literacy and empower communities to make healthier choices confidently. Organizations like Black Women for Wellness (BWW) actively facilitate such efforts through workshops like Curls & Conversations, which provide culturally resonant educational resources and promote safer hair care practices.
Furthermore, community-driven initiatives by groups such as WE ACT in New York and LA Grit Media in Los Angeles exemplify how training community health promoters and hosting targeted events can build capacity for environmental health advocacy. Their work aims to dismantle barriers to information and promote systemic changes in product regulations and marketplace transparency.
Through this participatory research design, the Taking Stock Study fosters inclusion of populations often sidelined in environmental health research, delivering nuanced insights into the trade-offs women face daily in navigating exposure risks. Dr. Bhavna Shamasunder, co-senior author from UC Santa Barbara, remarks that these findings reveal how “women living in environmentally overburdened communities confront difficult decisions and face major informational barriers when selecting personal care products.” Yet, the study also demonstrates the tangible benefits of strategic product selection supported by community education.
The research team includes key contributors from Columbia University, Silent Spring Institute, Black Women for Wellness, and LA Grit Media, highlighting a collaborative model that merges scientific rigor with community engagement. Funding for the study was provided by several institutions including the California Breast Cancer Research Program, Passport Foundation, Forsythia Foundation, and the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.
This study adds to a growing body of evidence connecting personal care product ingredients — from formaldehyde-releasing preservatives to chemical hair straighteners and skin lighteners — with disproportionate health burdens in communities of color. Prior publications from the Taking Stock Study and related research at Columbia have highlighted how racialized beauty norms amplify exposure to toxic chemicals, contributing to adverse health outcomes including cancer risk.
While “shopping clean” has demonstrable benefits in reducing exposure to select chemicals, this strategy alone is insufficient to address entrenched environmental injustices in product safety. Comprehensive policy reforms prioritizing transparent labeling, scientifically sound definitions of clean products, and industry-wide incentives for safer formulations must be pursued. Only through coordinated action spanning consumer education, community empowerment, industry accountability, and regulatory overhaul can meaningful progress be achieved to protect the health of all populations, especially those historically overburdened by toxic exposures.
Subject of Research: People
Article Title: Examining the Role of Self-Reported Product Selection Strategies in Shifting Chemical Exposures Among Black Women and Latinas: Lessons from the Taking Stock Study
News Publication Date: 16-Sep-2025
Web References:
https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1177/19394071251376441
References: Information based on the Taking Stock Study and additional publications referenced within the original article.
Keywords: Environmental health, Public health, Racial inequality
