Today, Explained Chems in your cosmetics
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May 10, 2026 
Ami Zoda, a Columbia environmental health professor who studies regulation and injustice in beauty, and Mariah Blake, an investigative reporter on toxic chemicals, discuss harmful ingredients in personal care. They cover why PFAS and phthalates appear in products, how wartime science shaped synthetics, weak regulation, cumulative exposures from braids and layering, and reading labels and safer choices.
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Hair Extensions Contain Harmful Chemicals
- Silent Spring Institute tested 43 hair extension products and found dozens of chemicals linked to cancer, birth defects, and reproductive harm.
- Researchers detected flame retardants, organotin compounds, and phthalates in synthetic braiding hair and eyelashes sold online and in beauty supply stores.
Why Phthalates Are In Synthetic Hair
- Phthalates in braiding hair act as plasticizers and are endocrine disruptors that can mimic hormones and cause obesity, cancer, and reproductive issues.
- Phthalates make synthetic hair malleable so it moves like real hair, explaining why they're added to extensions.
Long Wear Raises Exposure Risk
- Braids and extensions can cause chronic exposure because they remain in contact with the scalp for weeks, unlike daily-wash cosmetics.
- Continuous 24/7 contact increases cumulative exposures, especially for people who wear braids as their primary hairstyle.
