New Bill Could Tighten US' Lax Beauty Regulations

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The Food and Drug Administration may finally be allowed more control over how the cosmetics industry is regulated for the first time in nearly 100 years, thanks to a new bipartisan bill being proposed by Senators Dianne Feinstein and Susan Collins. According to The New York Times, the bill will give the FDA the authority to force product recalls, something that it can only ask cosmetic companies to do voluntarily as of now.

Companies will also have to report any life-threatening health effects that they become aware of through customer complaints within 15 business days. Non-serious health effects will have to be disclosed in an annual report.

Under the new bill, the FDA would be able to investigate safety concerns surrounding five dubious chemicals used in a variety of cosmetics and personal care products: propylparaben, methylene glycol, two formaldehyde-releasing preservatives, and lead acetate.