Unilever U.S. and Canada Recalls Several Dry Shampoos From Dove, Suave and Other Brands
Unilever U.S. and Canada issued a voluntary recall on several aerosol-based dry shampoo products produced before October 2021, as they could contain high levels of benzene.
Benzene is a highly flammable human carcinogen that is amongst the top 20 chemicals for production volume in the U.S. according to the CDC. Exposure to benzene is common, as it is found in gasoline, cigarette smoke and some waxes and glues. However, according to the CDC, heavy exposure to benzene whether orally, via inhalation or through the skin, could lead to cancer and blood disorders.
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Retailers have been notified to pull any of the recalled shampoos produced before Oct. 2021 off shelves.
In a public announcement, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said that “based on an independent health hazard evaluation, daily exposure to benzene in the recalled products at the levels detected in testing would not be expected to cause adverse health consequences. Unilever U.S. is recalling these products out of an abundance of caution. According to the brand’s internal investigation, the elevated levels was caused by the propellant and has been addressed for future production. Unilever has received no reports of adverse events to date relating to this recall.”
Unilever released the following statement: “Unilever does not use benzene as an ingredient and has strict quality controls in place to limit trace amounts that could occur due to its natural presence in certain raw materials. An internal investigation identified the propellant as the source, and Unilever has worked with its propellant suppliers to address this issue.”
Brands included in the dry shampoo recall are Dove, Nexxus, Suave, Tresemmé and Bed Head. Specific products in the recall can be found at UnileverRecall.com.
