Don't Believe the Label: Toxic Chemicals Hide Inside

That "fragrance" on your shampoo label may be hiding a lot more than you think. A new peer-reviewed study of 113 everyday products—from baby lotion and toothpaste to feminine hygiene items—found 98% contained at least one unlabeled ingredient and roughly 85% contained toxic chemicals, Gizmodo reports. On average, the tested personal care and cleaning products had more than triple the number of chemicals disclosed on their labels, including hormone disruptors and carcinogens like phthalates, parabens, PFAS, and formaldehyde.

Even marketing buzzwords offered shaky protection: 26% of products billed as "eco," "green," "natural," "phthalate-free," "hypoallergenic," or "non-toxic," contained chemicals that clashed with those claims, according to the study published this month in Environment & Health. Many undisclosed substances were buried under the catchall term "fragrance" or leached from plastic packaging, per the Guardian. Researchers say the shocking findings expose a regulatory gap and argue for mandatory testing and stronger disclosure rules. They plan to release a list of tested products and ingredients in a later report.