When Valisure tests a product, it uses a standard procedure that requires putting a sample into a vial. This means some chemicals may escape before they’re measured. Syft uses a method that detects chemical levels in the air, including whatever is sprayed from an aerosol can. Using Syft’s data, Valisure determined it’s possible the actual benzene levels in spray-on dry shampoo could be 10 times to 50 times higher than what standard testing reveals. the individual using the product (some people are much more sensitive to these ingredients than others)

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. Limonene, Linalool, Geraniol: These are iffy ingredients. They’re found naturally in many plants (mostly citrus), but they can also be extracted and made synthetically. These ingredients are classified as irritants, allergens, and sensitizers, but their potential to cause damage depends a lot on: Some companies have pointed to propellants as the problem. Spray personal-care products, including dry shampoos, often contain propellants like propane and butane that are petroleum distillates made by refining crude oil. Benzene is a known contaminant of petroleum products. The propane and butane used in personal-care products are supposed to be purified so that no benzene is present. The FDA has confirmed propellants are a potential source of benzene contamination. 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, which is at the center of the Batiste Dry Shampoo Class Action Settlement, is a well known odorless, and colorless chemical. Prolonged exposure to benzene carries serious health risks and consequences. Thus, the CDC and FDA recommend that consumers be aware of ingesting or consuming benzene in products, as well as the environment. For more about benzene, read the CDC's fact sheet on the chemical here.

We’ve reached out to Batiste to ask about this issue, and we’ll update this article if and when they give us an answer! Does Batiste Dry Shampoo Have Aluminum? Propane: Propane is the last of the ingredients used as a propellant for aerosol sprays. It’s not as bad as the previous two ingredients, but it’s not great either, as it is also a known irritant. Propane is NOT on MADE SAFE’s banned list (although many similar ingredients are). It gets a score of 3 in EWG’s database, which is considered the low end of moderate. Dry shampoo is not a product you use one time and are done with it,” said David Light, CEO of Valisure. “A lot of people use it once a day, or a few times a week.” No, Batiste was not part of the December 2021 P&G recall, nor the October 2022 Unilever recall. Batiste is not owned by P&G or Unilever (it’s owned by Church & Dwight Co., Inc.) and therefore was not tested for benzene for these recalls.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