Senators Propose Bill to ‘Ensure the Safety of Cosmetics’

Two senators have proposed a bill that would amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to “ensure the safety of cosmetics.”

The Personal Care Products Safety Act, proposed by Senator Dianne Feinstein and Senator Susan Collins, would give the FDA the authority to regulate the safety of beauty products, The Cut reports.

At the moment, the law does not require cosmetic products and ingredients (other than color additives) to have FDA approval before they go on the market. The FDA considers items including moisturizers, perfumes, lipsticks, nail polishes and eye and face makeup as cosmetic products, but does not include soap.

It is currently the responsibility of cosmetic manufacturers to ensure that their products are safe to use, rather than the FDA — which is something that Feinstein and Collins think should change.

If their bill is passed, the FDA would have much more power. For example, if the FDA determines that a cosmetic has been adulterated, misbranded or is likely to cause “serious adverse health consequences or death,” it can force a person responsible for the item to “immediately cease distribution.”

“From shampoo to lotion, everyone — women, men, children — uses personal-care products every day,” Feinstein told The Cut. “Despite the universal use of these products, none of their ingredients have been independently evaluated for safety. This puts consumers’ heath at risk and we urgently need to update the nearly 80-year-old safety rules.”