A toxic-chemical ban signed into law in California will change the composition of cosmetics, shampoos, hair straighteners and other personal-care products used by consumers across the country, industry officials and activists say.
The ban, signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom at the end of September, covers 24 chemicals, including mercury, formaldehyde and several types of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, known as PFAS. All the chemicals are carcinogenic or otherwise toxic — and advocates argue they have no place in beauty products.
When the law takes effect in 2025, it will mark the first major action to remove toxic substances from beauty products in almost a century. Federal regulation of cosmetics has not been updated meaningfully since 1938, and only 11 ingredients in personal-care products are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration. By contrast, the European Union bans more than 1,600 substances and ingredients from cosmetics.
The California law, passed by wide margins in both houses of the Legislature, “is a milestone for cosmetic safety in the United States,” said Emily Rusch, executive director of the California Public Interest Research Group, which was heavily involved in shaping the bill.