Over the past week, my social media feeds have been flooded with warnings that our skincare products are exposing us to benzene, a known carcinogen. Consultant dermatologist Dr Ophelia Veraitch adds that benzene is not deliberately added to skincare products. Benzene has been detected in benzoyl peroxide skincare products and certain aerosol sunscreens, but she says the conditions used were not representative of normal day-to-day storage. In her view, Valisure demonstrated that it was theoretically possible to decompose a skincare product under extreme conditions. The health concerns associated with benzene primarily relate to much higher or more prolonged exposure than would typically be expected from skincare products.