“Beautiful Toxic” is an eye-opening film that exposes the shocking lack of regulation in the cosmetics and personal care products industry and the potential health consequences for consumers.1
The global beauty industry is expected to reach $670.8 billion by 2024.2 However, in the US, the cosmetics and personal care products industry operates with minimal regulation. It is governed by only “two pages of federal law” — unlike the 110 pages that govern food and drugs.
The main law that regulates this industry, the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, was passed in 1938 and is sadly out of date. It focuses primarily on preventing defective or defective products, not on tracking harmful ingredients.
More importantly, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not have the authority to recall dangerous products. Congressman Jan Schakowsky said in the film, “When we use baby shampoo or baby soap, we have some faith that somebody, somewhere has assured them that it’s safe for our children,” and that doesn’t happen.3
Toxic ingredients and conflicts of interest have plagued the beauty industry.
In the absence of strong government regulation, the industry regulates itself through organizations such as the Personal Care Products Council (PCPC) and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Panel. However, these groups are funded by the cosmetics industry itself, raising serious questions about conflicts of interest. According to Ken Cook, President of the Environmental Working Group (EWG):4
“PCPC and CIR are not government organizations, but we found it very difficult to convince journalists of the issue. Finally, we had to send to the websites of the organizations that implemented the regulation and they realized that it was not a regulatory body. It was recognized by the government and was found in the cosmetics industry.
It is supported by the cosmetics industry and the staff is selected by cosmetics. These are the people who evaluate the ingredients in personal care products to see if they are safe.
The documentary focuses on the chemicals that are commonly found in personal care products.
• Faltz – These chemicals are often used in perfumes and have been linked to reproductive issues.5 Birth defects and hormonal imbalance. Shockingly, one study found phthalates in 75% of the products tested, but they weren’t listed on the labels.6
• Parabens – Parabens, which are used as preservatives, have estrogen-like properties that increase the risk of breast cancer.
• Formaldehyde – Formaldehyde is a known carcinogen, found in some hair styling products at higher levels than those used in embalming.
• Methylchloroisothiazolinone (MCI) and Methylisothiazolinone (MI) – These preservatives found in the controversial WEN hair products cause high rates of allergic reactions and hair loss.
There’s also the “fragrance loophole,” which allows companies to hide hundreds of ingredients on product labels under the single word “fragrance” or “perfume.” Stacey Malkan, founder of the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics and US Right to Know Coordinator, said in the film:7
“The fragrance secret gap Companies say it’s a trade secret so they don’t want their competitors to know how they make their fragrances. But that’s an outdated argument because they can reverse engineer fragrances, and we have to find out what’s in them.”
So consumers who don’t know about the smell, don’t just put the perfume on our body from any kind of products. ShampooDeodorant, lotion, baby products. It’s everywhere.”
Tragic, real-life consequences
The documentary shares the heartbreaking stories of individuals who have suffered serious health consequences from seemingly harmless events. Personal care products:
• Eliana Lawrence – At just 9 years old, Eliana lost all her hair after using WEN Cleansing Conditioner. Five years later, she still has bald spots and has gained a lot of awareness for many products.
• Hanna forced – A young social media influencer whose hair has revealed her figure suffered severe hair loss after using a hair straightening product. She recounts her experience:8
“I was walking around in the shower when I felt all the water running over my hair and I was trying to wash it off and it started to feel really messy, and it started to fall out, I could feel my hair coming up and down. Go back, and you can hear it splashing in the water.
The battle for safe cosmetics regulations
Clearly, the current regulatory framework for US personal care products is woefully inadequate. The European Union has banned 1,400 chemicals from use in cosmetics and Canada has banned 600. Since 1938, the US has banned only 11.9
“There’s more and more science every day that links the chemicals in these products to things like cancer and Alzheimer’s and autism. And that’s what scares me,” said Bruce Jensen, CEO of Pure Haven.10 However, even when consumers are trying to make informed choices, they face significant hurdles in finding safe cosmetics and personal care products.
• green wash – Many products use misleading words and packaging to make them seem safer or more natural than they really are.
• List of complex ingredients- The International Cosmetic Ingredient Name (INCI) system used for labeling makes it difficult for consumers to understand what is in their products.
• Lack of pre-market testing – Like drugs, cosmetics and personal care products don’t need safety testing before hitting store shelves.
There are two bills in Congress that aim to improve cosmetics safety regulations. The Personal Care Products Safety Act, sponsored by Senator Feinstein and major beauty companies, offers some changes but doesn’t go far enough to protect consumers. On the other hand, the Schakowsky Safe Cosmetic and Personal Care Products Act of 2019 provides stronger protections.
Schakowsky’s bill would ban 12 chemicals of immediate concern and direct the FDA to review 300 cosmetic ingredients for safety in the first two years. In contrast, Feinstein’s bill reviews only five to 10 items per year. While legislation is critical, it is clear that industry influence often undermines these efforts.
Environmental impact of personal care products
of Chemicals in personal care products They don’t just affect our bodies – they have a huge impact on our environment. When we flush these products down the drain, they enter our water system and continue through treatment processes.
An example is sunscreen. According to the documentary, “14,000 tons of sunscreen are believed to be washed into the oceans every year. That means 82,000 chemicals from personal care products could be polluting the oceans.”11
This pollution is having a devastating effect on marine ecosystems, especially coral reefs. Hawaii has taken bold action by banning sunscreens containing oxybenzone and octinoxate, chemicals known to harm coral reefs. This is a model that other states should follow.
One obstacle, however, is that even chemists do not know that the products they are creating are toxic. Renowned chemist John Warner, who founded the Warner Babcock Institute for Green Chemistry, highlighted a critical gap in chemistry education.12
“I didn’t have a class in my life, I had a seminar, I understood how to look at molecules and whether exposure to humans or the environment (is harmful) or not.”
This lack of training means that many chemists do not have the tools to assess the potential hazards of creating products. Warner’s work combines the principles of green chemistry with education to create safer products in the future.
Empowering consumers through information
While systemic changes are needed, consumers are not powerless. Apps like the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep Database and Think Dirty allow consumers to make more informed choices. As Cook explains, “The big change is that we now have the ability to inform and organize people that we didn’t have before, and people are starting to make decisions one product at a time, one category at a time. “13
The increasing demand for safe products has led to the creation of real natural and organic beauty companies that are not only creating safe products, but also supporting strict regulations. Meanwhile, the issue of toxic cosmetics forces us to reconsider our idea of beauty.
The documentary raises important questions about the costs – personal and environmental – of adhering to certain standards of beauty. True beauty does not come with toxic side effects. Being the best version of yourself involves prioritizing your health and the health of the planet.
Moving forward: A call to action
The current state of the personal care products industry is dire. The lack of meaningful regulation, combined with the health risks posed by many common substances, creates a perfect storm for consumer harm.
It’s clear that we need a comprehensive overhaul of the laws that govern this industry, but in the meantime, I encourage you to learn more about the products you use every day. Choose products with ingredients that are as simple and recognizable as possible.
Remember, what you put on your body is only as good as what you put on it. By making more conscious choices about your personal care products, you can reduce your exposure to harmful chemicals and protect your long-term health. To further accelerate meaningful change, we can also:
1. Educating ourselves – Use resources like EWG’s Skin Deep database to make informed choices about the products we use.
2. Vote with our dollars – Support companies that prioritize security and transparency in their products.
3. Advocate for Better Chemistry Education – Encouraging universities to incorporate green chemistry principles into their curricula.
4. Consider the environmental impact: Choose products that are safe not only for us, but also for our planet.
5. Rethink Beauty Standards – Challenge societal norms that prioritize appearance over health.
According to Warner, “Fear is a motivator to communicate, but not to solve the problem … if you have no hope of solving the problem.”14 Let’s move out of fear and into action. By working together – consumers, companies, lawmakers and scientists – we can create a safer and healthier future for ourselves and our planet. It’s time to clean up our act and embrace a new definition of beauty that values health, sustainability and authenticity above all else.
