Valisure’s investigation into aerosolized cosmetic products uncovered high levels of benzene in a broad range of dry shampoo brands, raising concerns over the safety of personal care products routinely used near the scalp and face.

Using industry-standard GC-MS analysis, Valisure tested 148 batches from 34 brands and found significant variability not only across batches, but even between individual sprays from the same bottle—indicating unstable and inconsistent product formulations. This volatility underscores the risks of aerosol consumer products and the importance of analyzing multiple points within a single unit.

Key findings included:

• 3 lots with over 100 ppm of benzene
• 11 lots from 3 brands with levels over 20 ppm
• 18 lots from 10 brands with levels between 2–20 ppm
• 71 lots from 20 brands with benzene between 0.18–2.0 ppm
• 45 lots from 23 brands with no detectable benzene or levels below quantitation limits

The results led Valisure to submit a detailed FDA Citizen Petition and issue guidance on the safe disposal of potentially contaminated products. This study added to the growing list of aerosol-based items—like sunscreens, body sprays, and hand sanitizers—found to be contaminated with benzene, highlighting the broader industry problem.

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Full Petition & Supporting Materials:

• Press Release - Valisure Detects Benzene in Dry Shampoo
• FDA Citizen Petition – Contains lists of products and levels of benzene detected, if any
• Please read about Responsible Disposal of Potentially Contaminated Products
• Summary Timeline of consumer product recalls due to benzene

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Media Coverage Highlights:

• Bloomberg: Even More Dry Shampoos Found to Have Cancer-Causing Agent
• Bloomberg: Is My Dry Shampoo Safe? Try These Alternative Brands
• Bloomberg: How to Read Your Dry Shampoo Label to Spot Dangerous Chemicals
• Business Insider: Popular dry shampoos contain elevated levels of a chemical linked to cancer, report says
• C&EN: Valisure finds benzene in more dry shampoos
• CNN: Independent lab finds ‘troubling’ levels of cancer-causing chemical in more types of dry shampoo products, report alleges
• CBS News: Dry shampoos containing benzene remain on store shelves, study finds
• Dermatology Times: Warning: Concerning Levels of Benzene Detected in Dry Shampoo Product
• ‍MedPage: Dry Shampoo Added to List of Products Contaminated With Benzene
• New York Magazine - The Cut: ‘Should I Stop Using Dry Shampoo?’
• The Washington Post: Aerosol hair products tainted by benzene may still be on store shelves
• The Hill: Study finds benzene in many dry shampoos
• TIME: Popular Dry Shampoos Found to Have Cancer-Causing Chemical
• Los Angeles Times: Is your dry shampoo safe? Even more brands found to have cancer-causing agent

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Valisure’s investigation into aerosolized cosmetic products uncovered high levels of benzene in a broad range of dry shampoo brands, raising concerns over the safety of personal care products routinely used near the scalp and face.

Using industry-standard GC-MS analysis, Valisure tested 148 batches from 34 brands and found significant variability not only across batches, but even between individual sprays from the same bottle—indicating unstable and inconsistent product formulations. This volatility underscores the risks of aerosol consumer products and the importance of analyzing multiple points within a single unit.

Key findings included:

• 3 lots with over 100 ppm of benzene
• 11 lots from 3 brands with levels over 20 ppm
• 18 lots from 10 brands with levels between 2–20 ppm
• 71 lots from 20 brands with benzene between 0.18–2.0 ppm
• 45 lots from 23 brands with no detectable benzene or levels below quantitation limits

The results led Valisure to submit a detailed FDA Citizen Petition and issue guidance on the safe disposal of potentially contaminated products. This study added to the growing list of aerosol-based items—like sunscreens, body sprays, and hand sanitizers—found to be contaminated with benzene, highlighting the broader industry problem.

‍

Full Petition & Supporting Materials:

• Press Release - Valisure Detects Benzene in Dry Shampoo
• FDA Citizen Petition – Contains lists of products and levels of benzene detected, if any
• Please read about Responsible Disposal of Potentially Contaminated Products
• Summary Timeline of consumer product recalls due to benzene

‍

Media Coverage Highlights:

• Bloomberg: Even More Dry Shampoos Found to Have Cancer-Causing Agent
• Bloomberg: Is My Dry Shampoo Safe? Try These Alternative Brands
• Bloomberg: How to Read Your Dry Shampoo Label to Spot Dangerous Chemicals
• Business Insider: Popular dry shampoos contain elevated levels of a chemical linked to cancer, report says
• C&EN: Valisure finds benzene in more dry shampoos
• CNN: Independent lab finds ‘troubling’ levels of cancer-causing chemical in more types of dry shampoo products, report alleges
• CBS News: Dry shampoos containing benzene remain on store shelves, study finds
• Dermatology Times: Warning: Concerning Levels of Benzene Detected in Dry Shampoo Product
• ‍MedPage: Dry Shampoo Added to List of Products Contaminated With Benzene
• New York Magazine - The Cut: ‘Should I Stop Using Dry Shampoo?’
• The Washington Post: Aerosol hair products tainted by benzene may still be on store shelves
• The Hill: Study finds benzene in many dry shampoos
• TIME: Popular Dry Shampoos Found to Have Cancer-Causing Chemical
• Los Angeles Times: Is your dry shampoo safe? Even more brands found to have cancer-causing agent

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