California Assembly Bill 2762: The Toxic-Free Cosmetics Act
California law on cosmetic safety mirrors the inadequate federal law. It does not give state regulators enough authority to ensure that cosmetics sold to Californians are safe. What authority the law does provide to regulators is rarely used. When state agencies investigate harmful cosmetics, the results are limited and the products often remain on the market.
AB 2762, the Toxic-Free Cosmetics Act, will explicitly prohibit the use of the 12 of the most harmful chemicals and contaminants in cosmetics today. These “Toxic Twelve” ingredients include mercury, three types of formaldehyde, some of the most toxic parabens and phthalates, and the fluorinated compounds known as PFAS.
Keep Up With All of EWG's Latest Cosmetics News and Analysis
Since releasing our 2011 Sunscreen Guide in May, Environmental Working Group has received dozens of requests from supporters and companies asking us to add more of their favorite products.
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Skin Deep boasts a new look today, featuring smoother navigation, easier search functions and additional tips for consumers looking for information on the ingredients in their soap, deodorant, toothpaste and countless other personal care products.
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EWG's investication of chemical hair straightening treatments, the largest published to date, turned up numerous complaints of hair loss, blisters, burning eyes, noses and throats, headaches and vomiting in women who had been given or had applied Brazilian-style straightening treatments.
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Congress, at the request of industry, has managed to delay efforts by the federal Environmental Protection Agency to classify formaldehyde as a known human carcinogen, a significant step for public health protection that other U.S. and international scientific and public health agencies have already taken.
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EWG urges EPA to work with FDA to ban all non-medical uses of triclosan, an antibacterial additive and potent hormone disruptor. In a letter to EPA's pesticide division EWG outlines new evidence that the chemical poses an unacceptable health risk to the American public.
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EWG has been monitoring reports from Oregon regarding the discovery of formaldehyde in test samples of Brazilian Blowout – despite claims that the products are “formaldehyde free.” Oregon health officials found concentrations of formaldehyde that were more than 50 times greater than industry’s recommended 0.2 percent limit. They conducted tests following complaints from hair stylists who experienced “eye irritation, nose bleeds and difficulty breathing” after using Brazilian Blowout’s products.
Read MoreFOIA request to FDA regarding reports from Oregon regarding the discovery of formaldehyde in test samples of Brazilian Blowout.
Read MoreEWG comments on FDA’s 5-year plan urge the agency to give priority to cosmetics safety, particularly nanotechnology in cosmetics, surveillance of adverse reactions and consumer education of questionable cosmetics claims.
Read MoreHalloween is spooky enough without having to worry about the toxins in your decorations and costumes. You and your family should have your haunted fun -- without being exposed to an abundance of toxic chemicals.
Read MoreEnviroblog readers are fully aware that there are toxic chemicals in personal care products, and many turn to EWG's Cosmetics Database to find less toxic products.
Read MoreIt's a busy time for the multi-year effort to make cosmetics safer in the U.S.
Read MoreThe U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) should have the authority it needs to regulate cosmetics and personal care products - so that you can trust that what you're buying is safe for you and your family.
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This morning I relied on a dozen grooming and beauty products to help me face the day. I used soap, shampoo and conditioner in the shower, and gel and mousse when I dried my hair. I slathered on moisturizer and dabbed my face with sunscreen. I applied foundation, blush and eye shadow. I rolled on deodorant. And I used toothpaste, of course, when I brushed my teeth.
Read MoreThe new Story of Cosmetics video explains why personal care products in the United States contain untested and downright dangerous ingredients.
Read MoreThe 2009 President's Cancer Panel report, "Reducing Environmental Cancer Risk, What We Can Do Now," confirms what Rachel Carson articulated in Silent Spring and what Sandra Steingraber argued in her book, Living Downstream.
Read MoreAnnie Leonard does it again. This time she tells us about all those products in the cosmetics aisle that we use so many of every day (12 for women, 6 for men, on average).
Read MoreWASHINGTON, July 21 –For the first time in 70 years, Congress is poised to close the gaping holes in the outdated federal law that allows chemicals linked to cancer, birth defects, learning disabilities and other illnesses in the products we use on our bodies every day.
Read MoreHave you ever counted how many cosmetics or personal care products you use in a day? Chances are it's nearly 10.
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EWG asks the FDA’s National Center for Toxicological Research to complete its study of vitamin A ingredients, which according to agency tests speed the development of skin tumors and lesions on sun-exposed skin. EWG urges FDA to make a determination about the safety of these ingredients in cosmetics and sunscreens.
Read MoreSan Francisco - A new analysis reveals that top-selling fragrance products—from Britney Spears’ Curious and Hannah Montana Secret Celebrity to Calvin Klein Eternity and Abercrombie & Fitch Fierce —contain a dozen or more secret chemicals not listed on labels, multiple chemicals that can trigger allergic reactions or disrupt hormones, and many substances that have not been assessed for safety by the beauty industry’s self-policing review panels.
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