Their representative wanted my help in spreading the word about “Promise Me,” the pink perfume released earlier this year by Susan G. Komen for the Cure, the nation’s largest breast cancer foundation. The bottle has a pink glow and a pink ribbon, but as I mentioned before, it also has several potentially harmful chemicals, including synthetic fragrance, benzyl salicylate, and oxybenzone.

More Chemicals Than We Thought

What I learned from BCAction is that the perfume apparently contains even more chemicals than I thought—chemicals not listed on the ingredient deck. The organization performed an independent chemical analysis of the perfume, and found a number of chemicals not listed on the packaging. Two of the most serious were:

• Galaxolide (HHCB): a synthetic musk, this ingredient has weak estrogenic activity, meaning that it has the capability of disrupting hormones.¹ In an Environmental Working Group study, researchers found that 7 out of the 10 babies tested had galaxolide or another synthetic musk (tonalide) in their blood.² Studies in the 1990s also indicated that these types of musks may break down the body’s defenses against other toxic exposures.³
• Toluene: a liquid hydrocarbon present in coal tar and petroleum, toluene is used as a solvent in products, as well as an ingredient in degreasers, lacquers, glues, and nail polishes. It’s one of my ingredients to avoid because of its potential harmful health effects. Inhalation can cause hearing and color vision loss, memory loss, light-headedness, nausea, eye and nose irritation, and tiredness. Toluene may also harm an unborn fetus.

Komen’s Reaction

BCAction contacted Komen about theses results, asking them to pull the product from the shelves. They didn’t agree to do that, stating that their research concluded the product did not elevate risk of breast cancer in humans, but they did agree to reformulate to “remove any doubt about the ingredients.” The original perfume has been discontinued, and a new one is due out in early 2012. Bottles of the old one are still available for sale, however.

Whether or not the new perfume will be safer than the old, we don’t know. The problem is that some of these questionable ingredients are still used by companies because they believe that the small amounts present in the formulation present no danger. That may be true, but we’re lacking studies on the cumulative results of daily exposure, and that’s what concerns me. Studies have shown these ingredients can remain in our bodies for unknown periods of time. Why take the risk? Why include these ingredients in a product specifically made for those who’ve been touched by breast cancer and are potentially even more susceptible to harm from toxic exposure?

The Pinkwashing Point

Think Before You Pink also points out that this product is a pink product, meant to pull on our heartstrings along with our pocketbooks so that we’ll buy more to support breast cancer research. That makes it even more disturbing that this product contains potentially harmful ingredients. As such, it’s become a part of “pinkwashing“—the practice of producing products for breast cancer that could potentially be harmful for those with breast cancer.

You can help me do something about it by joining BCAction’s “Raise a Stink!” movement to urge Komen to immediately recall Promise Me, and to pledge to prevent pinkwashing in the future. Go to BCAction’s “Take Action” center and add your letter to those that have already been sent on this issue.

Together, our voices are powerful!

Did you participate in BCAction’s “Take Action” campaign? Please share your thoughts.

Sources

1. Seinen W, Lemmen JG, Pieters RH, Verbruggen EM, Van der Burg B. (1999). AHTN and HHCB show weak estrogenic but no uterotrophic activity. Toxicol. Lett. 111, 161–168.
2. Environmental Working Group (EWG) 2009. Pollution in Minority Newborns. Available: http://www.ewg.org/minoritycordblood.
3. Luckenbach, Till; Epel, David (January 2005). “Nitromusk and Polycyclic Musk Compounds as Long-Term Inhibitors of Cellular Xenobiotic Defense Systems Mediated by Multidrug Transporters.” Environmental Health Perspectives 113 (1): 17–24.

I think this says a lot for our country, that we’re all so willing to help eradicate pain and suffering. Most of us have been touched by breast cancer in some way, after all. But are all those pink products really helping us make progress on this disease?

Watch Where Your Money is Going

What I want to remind everyone of is to be careful where you put your hard-earned money. Companies may say that they’re donating a certain percentage of each purchase, but many actually stop after a certain amount, say $10,000. When they reach their quota they seldom tell consumers, who continue to buy thinking their money is going toward a good cause.

Another question many people are asking is—are all these events and campaigns really getting us anywhere? It’s true that we’ve seen advances in care for breast cancer, including new drugs, digital mammography, and the discovery of genetic markers for the disease. But when companies spend thousands on walks, races, rallies, marketing campaigns, and more, how much good does that actually do research?

The unfortunate truth is that for some businesses, October Breast Cancer Awareness month is just another way to make money. “There’s a lot of deception that goes on with breast cancer groups,” said Daniel Borochoff, president of the American Institute of Philanthropy.

An Unbalanced Approach to Disease

Some people also feel that with so much attention paid to pink profits, other diseases get shortchanged. Pinkwashing and pink ribbons have taken over in many ways, and it seems as if people aren’t paying as much attention to other serious diseases like cardiovascular disease, the number-one killer in this nation.

The best approach to really make sure your dollars are going to breast cancer research is to follow these tips:

1. If you want to make a pink purchase, find out where the money is going, and be sure you’re buying from a reputable business.
2. Better yet, go to websites like the Breast Cancer.org or the American Cancer Society and make a direct donation.
3. Volunteer at your local breast cancer organization.

In this economy, donation dollars are scarce and you want to know that if you’re choosing to donate X amount of money, it’s going where you want it to go.

Of course, I also need to remind everyone—if you’re buying pink personal care products, check the ingredient list. Many of these products that claim to support breast cancer actually contain potentially carcinogenic ingredients. It doesn’t make sense. We must educate ourselves in a world where everyone is competing for our dollars, especially where a pink ribbon is used to get our attention.

What do you think of October pinkwashing? How will you use your donation dollars?

Sources:

Lea Goldman, “The Big Business of Breast Cancer,” Marie Claire September 14, 2011. http://www.marieclaire.com/world-reports/news/breast-cancer-business-scams-3

Photo courtesy Milton Leite via Flickr.com.

All right, I’m just going to say it—I’m tired of companies painting all their products pink just to enjoy the increased profits. I wrote about this last year, and every year it seems to be getting worse. Every October it happens, and every October I get a little annoyed about it. I mean, not only do we have pink hair dryers, pink blankets, and pink football helmets, we have pink makeup and skin care products that contain carcinogenic ingredients pretending to support breast cancer research, and we have companies that say they’re donating a part of each sale, when actually they stop after a certain amount, unbeknownst to the consumer.

Of course we all want to find a cure for breast cancer, and of course we’re all willing to do our part to contribute to research that may lead to a cure. But do we all want to line the pockets of corporations with our well-meaning donations? I don’t think so.

The problem is that though many companies actually donate a lot to breast cancer research, some make a ton of money during October Breast Cancer Awareness month and carve little of those profits away to actually support breast cancer research.

Then we have products that contain potentially harmful or carcinogenic ingredients plastered with innocent-looking pink labels. (The video above from the Campaign for Cosmetics talks about this.) Like Campbell’s soup, here. No doubt chicken noodle can be good for you, especially if you’re fighting a cold, but in a can lined with BPA? Research continues to reveal the danger in this plasticizing chemical, and yet companies are still lining their canned food containers with it. I’d rather see Campbell’s change the inside of their cans rather than the outside.

Even Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC), which to its credit, is donating significant sums to breast cancer research (50 cents of every bucket sold), colors pink their October buckets of fried chicken. Makes it look good for you, but that doesn’t hide the fact that the food inside the bucket—if you choose the fried version—is full of fat, saturated fat, and salt. So not dinner items on the top of anyone’s list trying to avoid breast cancer. If KFC is truly that concerned about women’s health, shouldn’t they be changing the items on their menu?

What’s really sad in all this is that what originally stood for the honorable intention of supporting women around the world in improved health has become a marketing symbol proven to pull in the profits. We see that pink ribbon and it taps into our heart center—that place inside each of us that wants a healthy, full life free of pain and hardship for all the women we love. So we buy the product. And depending on the company, our money goes either to research, or to someone’s new BMW. Worse, as in the case of KFC, we could be supporting companies that actually contribute to breast cancer by encouraging unhealthy food consumption.

When making your decisions this year about how to support breast cancer research, please—be aware. Some companies are counting on your emotional response to pad their bottom lines. Make sure your money is going where you want it to go. Better yet, just write a check to the foundations that started it all in the first place—places like the Breast Cancer Fund, Susan Komen for the Cure, and the American Cancer Society, or even your local cancer centers. If you know someone fighting the disease, consider a personal donation. Doesn’t have to be money. Could be a few bags of groceries, a gift certificate, or an appointment for a massage.

That way, there’s no question where the money is going.

And you won’t be stuck with a pink hair dryer the rest of your life.

How do you make sure your donations go to the right place during breast cancer awareness month? Please share any tips.

Photo courtesy soapywater via Flickr.com.

You need to be more careful than you may think. According to the organization Think Before You Pink, there have been a few instances where either a product used to raise money for breast cancer contained ingredients linked with breast cancer (what’s called “pinkwashing,”) or a company marketed pink-ribbon sales, but little-to-no money ever went to breast cancer.

For example, last year, Yoplait was raising money for the fight against cancer, but the product itself was made with the hormone rBGH, which has been linked with breast cancer. (Fortunately, after being asked to stop the hypocrisy, parent company General Mills announced it was going rBGH-free.) Another example: a pink Chapstick costs $2.99, but only 20 cents goes to research—not the best bang for your charity buck.

“If a company is donating 5 cents on a $10 purchase,” says “Bangor Daily News” writer Kristen Andersen, “that’s not exactly reason to go out of your way to buy its BCA [Breast Cancer Awareness] products.”

Think Before You Pink suggests you ask more questions to find out more about how much of your money is going to breast cancer. Robbie Finke, director of marketing for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF), says, “We often come across companies that just say, ‘A percentage of this product is going to breast cancer research,’ without specifying the amount or which organization will benefit.” Pink Knot wine is one of those. It costs $10 a bottle, but it doesn’t say how much of that will go to breast cancer.

“It must be really good for business because so many businesses are picking up on the pink-ribbon thing,” said Kasha Ho, program director of California-based Breast Cancer Action, “but not making a huge difference in the breast-cancer world.”

Another thing to think about: the caps. Many companies will place a cap on the amount they will donate, say $10,000. After that amount has been earned, they are no longer under any obligation to donate money from your purchase, but that doesn’t mean they won’t still sell you the product with the pink ribbon on it. According to the “New York Times” (Oct 16, 2002), “Breast cancer has become the poster child of corporate cause-related marketing campaigns, as companies try to boost their image and their profits by connecting themselves to a good cause.”

Fortunately, there are a lot of companies and organizations doing great things during the month of October. Suke Pure is donating 100 percent of sale proceeds of two of their best-selling products to the Think Before You Pink campaign. Target is selling pink pens, t-shirts, and more, with all of the proceeds going to charity. Pick up something from one of these companies, or donate directly to the charity of your choice.

Do you have a favorite safe, top-donating pink product? Let us know!

Photo courtesy Sweet-Vanilla via Flickr.com.