Reviewed and Approved by Rasha Abueid, R&D Supervisor, Certified Laboratories
1-Minute Summary
- Pending U.S. federal legislation could ban 18 ingredients and ingredient classes used in cosmetics.
- The Toxic-Free Beauty Act headlines the bills and would ban phthalates and formaldehyde-releasing preservatives, as well as other ingredients.
- Certified Laboratories offers analytical methods for nearly all ingredients on the list and can develop methods for the others.
- Consider screening your products now to avoid regulatory headaches if this legislation becomes law.
“Safer Beauty Bill Package” Could Ban 18 Ingredients
A collection of federal bills, known collectively as the Safer Beauty Bill Package, is proposing a ban on 18 ingredients and ingredient classes used in cosmetics and personal care products sold in the United States.
While this legislation is still pending, manufacturers and distributors should be thinking ahead. If passed, these laws would significantly expand upon MoCRA by restricting ingredients that have raised health or environmental concerns, many of which are already banned in the EU or in select U.S. states.
What’s Being Proposed?
The central bill, the Toxic-Free Beauty Act, would ban two major classes of compounds: phthalates and formaldehyde-releasing preservatives, as well as specific ingredients including:
- Formaldehyde
- Methylene glycol
- Mercury and mercury compounds
- Isobutylparaben
- Isopropylparaben
- M-Phenylenediamine
- O-Phenylenediamine
- Lilial
- Styrene
- Toluene
- Triclosan
- Triclocarban
- Cyclotetrasiloxane
- Acetaldehyde
- Vinyl acetate
- Ingredients containing 1,4-dioxane ≥ 2 ppm
- Lead and lead compounds ≥ 2 ppm (color cosmetics) or ≥ 5 ppm (general cosmetics)
Other bills in the package aim to improve ingredient transparency, consumer labeling, and fund research into safer alternatives, particularly for products marketed to vulnerable populations.
Our Cosmetics Testing Labs Are Ready
Certified Laboratories’ ISO 17025-accredited cosmetics testing labs in the U.S. and Canada already offer analytical methods for nearly all of the proposed banned ingredients.
We currently offer testing for:
- Formaldehyde
- Mercury
- Isobutylparaben
- Isopropylparaben
- M-Phenylenediamine
- O-Phenylenediamine
- Lilial
- Toluene
- Triclosan
- Styrene
- Cyclotetrasiloxane
- Acetaldehyde
- 1,4-dioxane (0.5 PPM LOD)
- Lead
The only ingredients on the proposed list for which we do not currently offer testing are:
- Vinyl acetate
- Methylene glycol
Our Innovation/R&D team is always ready to work on new methods to meet customer needs, so please contact us if you need testing for an ingredient not on this list.
Act Now to Stay Ahead of Potential Ingredient Bans
These bills signal where U.S. cosmetic regulations may be headed. MoCRA already requires safety substantiation, and the Safer Beauty Bill Package is designed to close additional safety and transparency gaps.
By testing now, you can…
- Evaluate your formulations for regulatory risk.
- Make informed reformulation decisions.
- Avoid disruption down the road.
Start Your Cosmetics Lab Testing Now
We’ll be tracking this legislation closely and encourage you to do the same. In the meantime, if you need to screen your products for any of the ingredients listed above, we’re ready to help.