Is it safe to use? – As the article states, we don’t recommend using Batiste as the safest dry shampoo. Since it’s an aerosol, it’s more likely to contain benzene, but even more than that, it contains fragrance and several other ingredients (listed above) that aren’t entirely safe. This has many readers asking us: what about Batiste?! Is this popular dry shampoo brand a part of the recall? Does Batiste contain benzene? Is it safe to use? Alcohol denatured: When used in the right quantities, this is a safe ingredient. Some people might find that alcohols are a little harsh on their skin, though. If this is the case for you, you may want to consider choosing a non-toxic, alcohol-free dry shampoo brand. Benzene is a known carcinogen, most specifically linked to leukemia. P&G sums it up pretty well in their statement:

Hey Riley! Not sure if you read the article thoroughly, but here is the summary of our answers to those questions: Valisure has asked the FDA to clarify that there isn’t an acceptable level of benzene in cosmetic products and to develop guidelines for benzene testing in cosmetics. Valisure, a New Haven, Connecticut-based analytical laboratory, tested 148 batches from 34 brands of spray-on dry shampoo and found that 70% contained benzene. The chemical can cause certain blood cancers, such as leukemia. The company filed a petition Monday with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration seeking to have the products that contain the substance recalled. Well, here are the ingredients listed in Batiste’s “Original Classic Clean” dry shampoo: Butane, Isobutane, Propane, Oryza sativa starch, Alcohol denat., Parfum (Fragrance), Limonene, Linalool, Geraniol, Benzyl benzoate, Distearyldimonium chloride, Cetrimonium chloride. Are These Ingredients Bad for You?Batiste is owned by Church & Dwight Co. Other brands you might know of owned by Church & Dwight Co. include Arm & Hammer, Oxi Clean, Orajel, Trojan, First Response, Nair, and Kaboom. What to Use Instead of Batiste

It’s important to keep in mind that benzene has not been added to these products intentionally; rather, it is a contaminant. This is why it’s practically impossible to tell whether or not a certain product contains benzene without someone actually testing it. In general, though, there is increasing concern about aerosol products of all kinds containing benzene—not just dry shampoo but also other things like spray sunscreen and deodorant. Batiste Ingredient Investigation There is also an ongoing voluntary recall for certain dry shampoo products like Dove, Tresemme, Suave, Nexxus, and other dry shampoos and conditioners produced by Unilever that may contain benzene. The EWG scores for these ingredients range from 3 to 5. On MADE SAFE’s Banned List, they are listed as banned “when not a naturally-occurring component of whole plant oil.” Benzyl benzoate: Often used as a fragrance ingredient and solvent, benzyl benzoate is a known irritant and allergen. This one is also on MADE SAFE’s Banned List and gets a score of 4-5 in EWG’s database.

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However, now that we have the test results from the Valisure independent lab testing, we now know that Batiste does indeed contain benzene. At this time, Batiste still has not been recalled, even though the Valisure petition is calling on the FDA to do a mandatory recall.

A similar situation resulted in a massive national product recall. The consumer recall was issued by Proctor and Gamble in 2022 over the same ingredient, known as benzene, over certain P&G shampoos and conditioners such as Pantene, Aussie, Herbal Essences, HairFood, Old Spice, and Waterless. Distearyldimonium chloride: This ingredient is a known irritant. According to the Association of Occupational and Environmental Clinics, it is an asthmatic sensitizer, which means it can actually cause (not just exacerbate) asthma. Top-selling dry shampoos including Not Your Mother’s and Church & Dwight Co.’s Batiste contain high levels of benzene, the cancer-causing chemical that led Unilever to yank its product from shelves in October, according to a new independent study. The supply chains that bring consumers their grooming products are complex, globe-spanning endeavors, making it difficult to determine precisely where the toxins are introduced.Valisure has been testing for benzene in personal-care products for some time, but with its dry-shampoo probe, the researchers took a deeper approach. The lab partnered with Syft Technologies, a company that designs and sells trace gas analysis equipment, to conduct direct air-measurement tests, which can more precisely capture benzene levels. Syft is headquartered in New Zealand, with an office in Pittsburgh.