The Problem
Use of intimate wipes is on the rise largely due to stepped up marketing by brands like Summer’s Eve, which promotes wipes as a ‘must-have’ for both health and self-image. The chemicals used in their wipes products, however, belie marketing messages that tell women they need wipes in order to feel fresh, clean and confident.
Summer’s Eve wipes contain many ingredients that put people’s health at risk, including:
- Octoxynol-9 is a potent contraceptive drug that effectively kills sperm. However, wipes containing octoxynol-9 are not considered contraceptives, nor are they required to have any caution labeling to their potential effect on fertility.
- 2-Bromo-2-Nitropropane-1,3-Diol and Iodopropynyl butylcarbamate (IPBC) are preservatives used in several Summer’s Eve wipes, including one product labeled ‘Simply Sensitive.’ 2-Bromo-2-Nitropropane-1,3-Diol releases formaldehyde, a human carcinogen. Exposure to formaldehyde can cause allergic reactions for those who are sensitized to it. IPBC is also a well-known skin allergen, making the use of wipes containing these chemicals a painful experience for many women. (UPDATE 7.11.2019: because thousands of you took action, Summer’s Eve has reformulated and have removed these preservatives from their new products! But read labels: Products on the shelves may still contain 2-Bromo-2-Nitropropane-1,3-Diol and Iodopropynyl butylcarbamate (IPBC))
- Fragrance is used in all Summer’s Eve wipes, but labels offer no fragrance ingredient information. Instead their website only lists ‘Clinically Tested Safe Scents’ as one of the benefits to using their wipes products. And now they are marketing a “fragrance-free” product that actually contains a number of fragrance chemicals. This is vague marketing language that fails to provide people the ingredient information they need to make their own purchasing choices — and in the case of their “fragrance-free” products, this marking is at best misleading and at worst, deceiving. Fragrance can be made up of potentially hundreds of different ingredients, many of which are linked to serious health problems from skin irritation to hormone disruption and breast cancer.
- Neutresse®, a trademarked odor-control technology used in many Summer’s Eve wipes. It is the only wipes brand that has such technology, and like fragrance, the ingredients in Neutresse are also withheld from consumers.
Women of color are disproportionately impacted by the harmful and unwanted chemicals in wipes. Data compiled by the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) indicate that Black and Latina women use wipes, douches, washes, and sprays at higher rates than white women. Companies continue to market products like washes, wipes, douches, powders and sprays more aggressively to women of color, putting their health at heightened risk of toxic exposures and adverse long-term health impacts.
Bottom line: Taking care of your body shouldn’t put your health at risk! Raise your voice and demand that Summer’s Eve remove toxic chemicals from its wipes, washes, douches, and sprays and come clean about all ingredients, including fragrance and Neutresse®.
Summer’s Eve “Fragrance-Free” Products are Full of Fragrance Ingredients?!
Nearly 1/2 the ingredients in Summer’s Eve “Fragrance-Free” products are actually fragrance ingredients. Just what the heck is going on here and WTFragrance?!
Open Letter to Summer’s Eve: Add Your Voice, Today!
Join the growing coalition of environmental, health, justice organizations — and researchers, scientists and healthcare providers — to tell Summer’s Eve toxic and hidden ingredients are not ok!
Victory! Summer’s Eve Removed Dangerous Dyes from Vaginal Washes
Thanks to your continued demands, Prestige Brands (makers of Summer’s Eve) has taken three harmful colorants out of vaginal washes. Learn more!
We Shook Up Summer’s Eve!
In sizzling New York heat, we protested toxic products & body-shaming outside of the makers of Summer’s Eve. The corporation is definitely taking notice, so keep raising your voice!!
Detox the Box Advisory Committee
