Personal Care Truth Mission Statement
Personal Care Truth believes education is the foundation in understanding cosmetic safety. We are lifelong learners committed to delivering information based on current scientific evidence while encouraging open discussion and dialogue.
Small Businesses Share Impact Of HR 5786, If Passed As Written [Audio]
Entrepreneurial stories offered practical insights on how HR 5786, as drafted, would impact their businesses without providing consumers with additional safety benefits.
6 Mom-Owned Small Businesses That Closed Due To CPSIA
Safe Cosmetics Act of 2010 would have the exact same effect on small, woman- and mom-owned cosmetics businesses as the CPSIA had on toy manufacturers.
Are You Ready to Pay the Price for Safe Cosmetics?
The impact the Safe Cosmetics Act will have on the cosmetic industry, as told by an artisanal soap-maker.
Safe Cosmetics Act: Where Does It Go From Here?
A great reminder of how a bill becomes a law.
‘Safe Cosmetics Act’ NOT So Safe For Small Biz
The Safe Cosmetics Act of 2010′ (H.R. 5786) was introduced this week by Democrat Representatives Scharkowsky (Illinois), Markey (Massachusetts) and Baldwin (Wisconsin). The full version of the draft bill for you to read is here. This draft has not yet been voted on. There is still time to have changes made. Now is the time to educate yourselves and write your lawmakers.
A dash of TNT with that, madam?
One of the reasons given for supporting the Colorado bill was that the targeted ingredients are more stringently restricted in Europe than in the USA. It’s true that the FDA has prohibited only 9 substances as cosmetic ingredients, compared to 1,233 currently prohibited in Europe. Well, clearly “no contest” in the legal stringency stakes. But, the great majority of the 1,233 are petroleum derivatives, and many are pharmaceutical drugs, industrial solvents, or poisons such as curare, strychnine and arsenic – you can read the full list here.
Tunnel Vission
People should expect reasonable and sensible protection from harm by those who regulate consumer products, and vulnerable groups such as children and pregnant women may need special consideration. Therefore, cosmetics that are totally free of all carcinogens and teratogens may sound like a good idea. But is it realistic? And is more legislation needed?
Decoding The California Safe Cosmetics Act
California, my home state, is the only state in the USA that has currently enacted laws around safe cosmetics. Some view it as progressive, others think it’s not up to the state to decide, and many don’t understand what exactly is going on in the world of cosmetic regulations and science altogether! According to the California Department of Public Health, “The primary purpose of the California Safe Cosmetics Program is to collect information on hazardous and potentially hazardous ingredients in cosmetic products sold in California and to make it available to the public.”
Small Business Owners: Embrace Your Legislative Advocacy Power!
For those who may be new here, I am the president of the Indie Beauty Network, a trade organization representing small manufacturers of soaps, cosmetics, candles, fragrances and aromatherapy products. IBN members also make confectionery products and jewelry, and many members provide services to the companies that make products. I am an attorney (though not [...]
