Teens who follow influencers and tutorial videos use significantly more personal care products containing hormone-disrupting chemicals, reports infohub.kz.
A study by researchers at Rutgers University, published in the Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology, found a link between social media engagement and increased exposure to chemicals among adolescents. The authors surveyed 143 students at Princeton High School in New Jersey.
They found that students subscribed to bloggers with their own product lines used 30% more hygiene and cosmetic products in the past 24 hours. Watching hair and makeup tutorials increased that figure by 40%.
According to lead author Emily Barrett, personal care products and cosmetics remain the largest source of endocrine disruptors—phthalates, parabens, and phenols—that affect hormonal balance and cancer risk. On average, girls used 14 products per day, and 57% of participants used fragrances with undisclosed phthalates.
However, only 19% of students regularly read ingredient lists on packaging, and 5% use apps to check safety.