Olaplex & Fertility: Should You Be Worried?
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On Sunday, TikToker Hasini Kay posted a video captioned: “When you find out Olaplex is going to be banned in the EU + UK next month.” It’s like you could hear Olaplex fans having panic attacks around the world. There are currently a million views on Kay’s video. As she goes on to explain in a follow-up, Olaplex No.3 contains butylphenyl methylpropional, otherwise known as lilial (a fragrance), which has been linked to infertility. And while you can’t believe everything you see or hear on TikTok (or any social media for that matter), there is some truth to the rumors. Let’s get to the bottom of it.
First, it’s important to remember that dosage is extremely important — in everything. We use products every day that have “safe” levels of a certain ingredient that would be toxic at a higher dose. That’s the reality without any fear-mongering. Kay does the work though. She points to Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council as her source for the news, noting that “some sources say it [Olaplex No.3] has already been reformulated but they’re likely to reformulate before the ban comes into effect.”
She’s right in that the EU, and most like the UK next, is banning the use of butylphenyl methylpropional (or lilial) in cosmetics starting March 2022 — yeah, like now.
