New Law Protects Consumers Against Unhealthy Ingredients in Cosmetics

Prior to 2018, only retail cosmetics manufacturers were required to list the ingredients on their products. Last year, however, the State of California passed a law that requires all manufacturers to disclose ingredients on labels of professional cosmetics.  The bill was introduced by Assembly Member Ash Karla (D- San Jose) and was co-sponsored by Black Women for Wellness, Breast Cancer Prevention Partners, California Healthy Nail Salon Collaboration and Women’s Voices for the Earth. 

The passage of this law is important for several reasons.  AB 2775 is the first law in the country that is designed to protect consumers against products in cosmetics that are linked to health concerns such as birth defects, cancer and respiratory issues.  Black women spend $7.6 billion annually on cosmetic products, 51% more than the national average, and more than 80,000 black women in California work as hairdressers, hairstylists and cosmetologists—leaving a large number of black women vulnerable to exposure to harmful ingredients such as parabens, sulfates, ethanolamine and calcium hydroxide. 

 According to Janette Robinson-Flint, Executive Director at Black Women for Wellness, “Black women, particularly black beauty professionals are over exposed and under protected from chemical exposures.”  She also noted that, the cancers we experience are much more aggressive and we are sadly more likely to die because of those cancers. Our immune systems are compromised by the chemical onslaught from early ages due to beauty routines.”