A new study shows some cosmetics contain ingredients that have been linked to cancer in animals, Pittsburgh television station WPXI reported.

The cosmetics industry is self-regulated. While the FDA urges cosmetics makers to test products, it does not require them to test for safety before the products hit the shelves.

Although this can be dangerous for all of us, it's especially dangerous for young girls, the station said.

Cosmetics companies use famous, fresh young faces to sell their products and it works.

Lauren McGinity, 13, said, "If they show a model and it looks good on them, most people will go out and buy it."

About $8 billion a year is spent on girls' health and beauty products.

Advertisers make lipstick, eye shadow and other cosmetics irresistible to teens.

McGinty said, "You can't help yourself because you think it will make you look that good, too."

It may look good, but according to the environmental group Skin Deep, many products contain ingredients that may be linked to cancer.

Dr. Devra Davis, director of Pittsburgh Center for Environmental Oncology, said, "Formaldehyde, toulene are things that are listed by the U.S. government as suspected carcinogens and can be found in a number of cosmetics."

CTFA, a cosmetics industry group, said the Skin Deep report is filled with "erroneous information."

A representative for the group said, "Thousands of public studies and the best science available confirm that cosmetic products are the safest of products used by Americans."

Davis said that although there is no definitive proof these chemicals cause cancer in humans, there is evidence they cause cancer in animals.

"Girls as young as 7 and 8 are using these cosmetics and there are ingredients in these cosmetics that are harmful to animals. Why should we wait until we prove they are harmful to young girls?" Davis asked.

Girls are wearing cosmetics at a younger and younger age, the station reported. Ninety percent of 14-year-old girls said they wear makeup and 63 percent of 7- to 10-year-olds wear lipstick.

The danger from these products is greater for young girls, the station reported. They are more vulnerable to toxins during puberty because it is a time of rapid cell development and tissues are more sensitive.

Davis said, "(The chemicals) work like hormones. They trick the body into producing too much hormones at the wrong times. Sometimes they can damage genes."

By using cosmetics at a young age, you also increase the cumulative effect of these products over a lifetime, WPXI reported.

"Some people who use cosmetics every day at the end of a lifetime they are using hundreds of pounds of these chemicals ... but ... it makes sense to reduce the use of these things," said Davis.

Most teens won't give up cosmetics, but using less does make sense to McGinity.

"I wouldn't stop wearing it. I guess be a little bit more cautious whenever you wear, like, not as much or, like, not on weekends," said McGinty.