Health Canada Just Recalled These Dry Shampoos For Containing A Cancer-Causing Chemical

Certain batches of each product are contaminated.

Dove, Tresemmé and Bed Head products currently under recall.

Dove, Tresemmé and Bed Head products currently under recall.

Health Canada
Staff Writer

When you're trying to get your hair to look presentable in a pinch, increasing your risk of cancer might not immediately be on your radar. But several Unilever dry shampoo brands are under a Health Canada recall for containing benzene, a human carcinogen.

Before you freak out, it's worth noting that Health Canada, using EPA data, confirmed that daily exposure to the level of benzene detected in these products is not enough to cause "adverse health consequences." There also haven't been any confirmed cases of injury or illness related to the products being recalled.

What haircare products are being recalled in Canada?

The list includes certain batches of Dove, Bed Head and Tresemmé dry shampoos. The full list is below, and batch numbers can be confirmed on Health Canada's site.

  • Bed Head Dirty Secret Dry Shampoo
  • Bed Head Mini Dirty Secret Dry Shampoo
  • Bed Head OH Bee Hive Dry Shampoo
  • Dove Care Between Washes Fresh Coconut Dry Shampoo
  • Dove Care Between Washes Go Active Dry Shampoo
  • Dove Care Between Washes Invigorating Dry Shampoo
  • Dove Care Between Washes Invisible Dry Shampoo
  • Dove Charcoal & Clarify Dry Shampoo
  • Dove Refresh + Care Fresh & Floral Dry Shampoo
  • Dove Refresh + Care Unscented Dry Shampoo
  • Dove Refresh + Care Volume Dry Shampoo
  • Dove Volume Dry Shampoo
  • TRESemmé Fresh Clean Dry Shampoo
  • TRESemmé Volume Clean Dry Shampoo
  • TRESemmé Volume Clean

If you happen to own any of the listed products, the official guidelines are to double-check each one for its lot number and UPC, or Universal Product Code. The UPC is essentially the numerical expression of the same info the barcode gives you: the basic specs of the product you're looking at, including brand name, colour and size.

If you find a match in both the lot number and UPC listed with Health Canada, you should immediately throw the product away (safely) and reach out to the company for reimbursement, but know that you'll need to provide proof of purchase.

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  • Willa Holt

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    Willa Holt (they/she) was a Creator for MTL Blog. They have edited for Ricochet Media and The McGill Daily, with leadership experience at the Canadian University Press. They have an undergraduate degree in anthropology with a minor in French translation, and they are the proud owner of a trilingual cat named Ivy.

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