Weave’s Director of Programs, Jayla Burton, joined Brittany Noble to discuss our Beautiful Hair Without the Scare Campaign.
January 12, 2026
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, January 12, 2026
MEDIA CONTACT:
Imani West, Communications Director
Weaving Voices for Health & Justice
imaniw@womensvoices.org
Denver, CO — Weaving Voices for Health & Justice (Weave) is extremely disappointed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) repeated refusals to release the long-overdue rule to ban formaldehyde and formaldehyde-releasing chemicals in hair straightening products. The end of 2025 marks yet another missed deadline to protect the public from toxic exposures, particularly for Black women and salon workers who have carried the burden of exposure for decades.
For years, Weave, alongside environmental health advocates, salon workers, and community leaders across the United States, has urged the FDA to act immediately on evidence showing the serious health risks posed by formaldehyde in hair straightening products. Despite repeated promises and five missed deadlines, the agency has once again failed to meet its responsibility to safeguard consumers and workers.
Since 2011, there has been public acknowledgement of health risks associated with formaldehyde exposure in hair straightening products, including cancer, reproductive harm, respiratory illness, and chronic health conditions. In 2023, the FDA first signaled that it was preparing a rule to address formaldehyde in hair straightening products, setting an action date of April 2024, raising expectations among workers, advocates, and impacted communities. The agency has missed its self-imposed deadline multiple times since the April deadline including, July 2024, September 2024, March 2025, and now December 2025. As of January 2026, the rule has still not been released.
“Every delay in releasing this rule allows continued exposure to a known carcinogen, particularly for Black women and salon workers who bear the greatest risk,” said Jayla Burton, Director of Programs at Weaving Voices for Health & Justice. “The science is clear and well-documented. The continued inaction only leads to deeper damage.”
In salons across the country, workers and patrons are exposed to formaldehyde day after day through inhalation and skin contact—often without adequate protection or full awareness of the danger they face. Black women, who are disproportionately targeted by and marketed to for these products, face health inequities because of institutional racism and regulatory failure.
“This is yet another missed opportunity to prevent cancer, respiratory illness, and daily harm,” Burton added. “Communities who have waited years for this rule deserve more than silence and continued delays.”
Advocates have repeatedly called on the FDA to release the rule and move toward a final ban, yet meaningful regulatory action remains stalled.
“The FDA has known about the dangers of formaldehyde in hair straightening products for over a decade,” said Debra Erenberg, Co-Executive Director of Weaving Voices for Health & Justice. “Failing to release this rule yet again raises serious questions about whose health is being prioritized and whose is being sacrificed.”
The delay also threatens public trust in federal health protections at a time when the United States is facing numerous administrative and regulatory reversals.
“At a time when public trust in health protections is already fragile, continued delay only reinforces the perception that the FDA does not care about the lives of salon workers and consumers,” Erenberg continued. “Federal leadership requires action, not excuses and continued delays on critical regulation.”
In 2025 alone, Weaving Voices for Health & Justice (formerly known as Women’s Voices for the Earth) led major efforts to elevate urgency and accountability:
Weaving Voices for Health & Justice will continue to hold the FDA accountable until this rule is released and finalized. Through its Beautiful Hair Without the Scare campaign, the organization allows consumers to send a letter to FDA Commissioner Dr. Martin Makary calling for the immediate release of the proposed rule to ban formaldehyde in hair-straightening products and invites salon workers to share stories of how they have been impacted by formaldehyde in their workplace. You can take action athttps://weavingvoices.quorum.us/campaign/beautifulhairwithoutthescareaction/
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About Weaving Voices for Health & Justice (Weave)
Formerly known as Women’s Voices for the Earth
Founded in 1995 as Women’s Voices for the Earth, Weaving Voices for Health & Justice (Weave) drives action towards a future free from the impacts of toxic chemicals rooted in gender justice alongside those historically and presently ignored by the environmental health movement by leveraging an intersectional solidarity approach based on our expertise in research, advocacy, and organizing.
October 16, 2025
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MEDIA CONTACT:
Imani West, Communications Director
Immediate Release — Women’s Voices for the Earth, a national leader in environmental health and gender justice advocacy, today announced a new name, Weaving Voices for Health & Justice, marking its 30th anniversary and the next chapter of its work.
The new name reflects how the movement has evolved: more expansive, intersectional, and fueled by the collective voices of those most impacted by toxic exposures and environmental injustice.
“Today’s unprecedented attacks on LGBTQIA+ people, immigrants and refugees, reproductive autonomy and our health require bold, collective action and an unwavering commitment to justice. This has been WVE’s approach for the past 30 years. Our refreshed identity signifies our recommitment to that mission, to the movements we organize with, and to the people whose lives and health are at greatest risk from harmful chemicals.” said Weave’s Co-Executive Director Debra Erenberg
Founded in 1995, the organization has long pushed corporations and policymakers to eliminate toxic chemicals from products and workplaces, from cleaning supplies and beauty products to period care. Today, Weave continues to center frontline voices in national campaigns for safer, healthier communities.
Amber Garcia, Weave’s Co-Executive Director, noted “This name change has been a long time coming. Weaving Voices for Health & Justice is an identity that reflects and uplifts the voices of the people and communities we serve and invites more people to see themselves as co-leaders in this work.”
While the name and visual identity are new, the mission remains the same: driving action towards a future free from the impacts of toxic chemicals rooted in gender justice alongside those historically and presently ignored by the environmental health movement by leveraging an intersectional solidarity approach based on our expertise in research, advocacy, and organizing.
The organization’s new logo, a globe and speech bubble woven together — symbolizes dialogue, connection, and shared advocacy across movements. The new name and redesigned website, weavingvoices.org, launches on Thursday, October 16th.
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About Weaving Voices for Health & Justice (Weave)
For thirty years, Weaving Voices for Health & Justice (formerly Women’s Voices for the Earth aka WVE) has driven action towards a future free from the impacts of toxic chemicals rooted in gender justice, alongside those historically and presently ignored by the environmental health movement, by leveraging an intersectional solidarity approach grounded in research, advocacy, and organizing.
April 17, 2025
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, April 17, 2025
MEDIA CONTACT:
Imani West, Communications Director
Denver, CO – On Tuesday, April 15, Women’s Voices for the Earth (WVE), in partnership with 41 environmental and public health organizations from across the country, has issued a formal letter to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) demanding immediate action to ban formaldehyde in hair-straightening products. The call is directed to the newly confirmed FDA Commissioner, Dr. Martin Makary, urging him to advance a long-overdue rule within 90 days.
Formaldehyde is a dangerous carcinogen used in hair straighteners and smoothing treatments. Its use in these products places salon workers and consumers at risk for cancer, respiratory complications, and severe allergic reactions.
“The FDA’s repeated failures to implement a formaldehyde ban in hair straightening products reflect a broader issue of regulatory inertia that endangers our health. Regulators cannot continue to sideline public health for bureaucratic delays and budget cuts. The time for action is now.” said WVE Director of Programs Jayla Burton.
In 2016, Women’s Voices for the Earth and the Environmental Working Group sued the FDA for failing to act on a six-year-old petition urging the agency to investigate the health hazards of formaldehyde in these products. Nearly a decade later, the agency continues to delay regulatory action.
Despite initial promises to act in April 2024, the FDA has now postponed its proposed action date four times, with the most recent deadline passing in March 2025. The continued inaction leaves thousands of salon professionals and customers—disproportionately Black and Latina women—facing preventable and dangerous chemical exposures on a daily basis.
This urgent call-to-action comes on the heels of the FDA’s recent workforce reduction, laying off nearly 3,500 FDA employees while critical matters remain unaddressed, including the long-awaited formaldehyde rule.
“Formaldehyde has been listed as a carcinogen since 2011, but consumers and salon workers continue to suffer due to a lack of government action. It is our hope that Commissioner Makary will quickly advance the FDA’s proposed ban on formaldehyde in hair straighteners despite the reported layoff of 3,500 FDA employees,” shared Debra Erenberg, Co-Executive Director of Women’s Voices for the Earth.
Environmental and public health leaders warn that continued inaction will not only lead to adverse health effects for thousands of Americans across the country, but it also sends a dangerous message: that the health of consumers, salon workers, and especially vulnerable communities, can be ignored for years despite overwhelming scientific evidence and public outcry.
“Black and Brown women have long borne the brunt of toxic beauty standards and the products that come with them. The continued delay in banning formaldehyde—a known carcinogen—is not just a regulatory failure, it’s a public health injustice. We urge the FDA to prioritize the lives, health, and dignity of communities most impacted and move swiftly to ban formaldehyde in hair-straightening products once and for all.” shared Diamond Spratling, Founder & Executive Director of Girl Plus Environment.
“Black Women for Wellness Action Project stands in strong solidarity with Women’s Voices for the Earth in calling for a ban on formaldehyde in hair straightening products. For too long, Black and marginalized women have borne the brunt of toxic beauty standards—exposed to harmful chemicals linked to cancer, hormone disruption, respiratory issues, and reproductive harm. Environmental Justice encompasses Beauty Justice in requiring the prioritizing of our health and safety over profit—and it’s time the FDA put our lives first by removing these dangerous products from the market.” — LaKisha G. Camese, Policy Analyst for Black Women for Wellness/Action Project.
Read the full letter here.
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April 2, 2025
As reported in multiple news outlets this week, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has announced layoffs of 10,000 workers, including 3,500 FDA employees (roughly 19 percent of its total workforce) and 2,400 CDC workers (roughly 18 percent). The CDC numbers include 873 workers at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) (two-thirds of its workforce).
Following is a statement from Women’s Voices for the Earth’s Co-Executive Director Debra Erenberg:
We at Women’s Voices for the Earth extend our sympathy to the 10,000 public servants who lost their jobs at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), their families and communities. We commiserate with the remaining workforce who must take on the burden of performing their duties in a chaotic and severely under-resourced environment. This massive reduction in force, without public input or transparency about planned restructuring, jeopardizes the health and safety of workers and consumers across the US and beyond.
Firing thousands of researchers, investigators and frontline staff is no way to “make America healthy again.” Workers and families deserve better.
November 7, 2024
Dear Friends,
In this moment, when so many of us are grieving, reeling, furious, frightened, struggling – or cycling through all of these feelings, I felt that it was important to remind you that in this moment, Women’s Voices for the Earth is with you. We are holding you in our hearts; we are steadfast in our support; and we are up to the challenges that lie ahead.
We remain steadfast in advancing equity, justice, and liberation for LGBTQIA+ people, young people, Black people, Indigenous people, Latine people, APIDA, refugees, immigrants, people with disabilities, TGNC, and working-class people —critical constituencies that drive our mission and guide our work.
In this moment, the work before us is clear. We will not, cannot, stop working towards a healthier, more just society. We have prepared for this scenario, and we know that progress is still possible. Not only is it possible, it’s imperative.
The most straightforward part of our work ahead involves continuing to build momentum for safer and healthier products, workplaces and communities. We know that state-level policies have the power to drive changes beyond their boundaries, especially when we see multiple states taking up similar issues and building upon each other’s work.
Add to that the power of consumer action to influence corporate decisions, and we have every reason to expect our forward movement to continue despite a lack of progress – or outright resistance – at the federal level.
Most importantly, we must double down on our efforts to build and support a broader, intersectional movement for health and justice for everyone. We must invest in training, nurturing and uplifting new leaders who bring powerful voices and diverse perspectives to this work. And we must show up, stand up and speak up.
We know that some WVE staff, allies, partners and communities face much greater risk and uncertainty in the time ahead. Please know that you are not alone. Our commitment to you is that WVE will be there when needed. We are in this together, we will rise in the face of adversity and continue to build a healthy and just future!
In solidarity and with love,
Debra Erenberg, Acting Executive Director
Women’s Voices for the Earth
May 11, 2023
Media Contacts:
Micaela E. Martinez, WE ACT for Environmental Justice, micaela.martinez@weact.org, +1-917-597-4282
Michael Bender, Zero Mercury Working Group, mercurypolicy@aol.com, +1-802-917-8222
Astrid Williams, Black Women for Wellness, astrid@bwwla.com
Erika Wilhelm, Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, Erika@bccp.org, +1-415-539-5005
Support grows for global treaty amendment to ban advertising, display, sales, and offering of sales of mercury skin lighteners
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, NEW YORK – In early May, the African Region proposed an amendment to the Minamata Convention on Mercury to ban advertising, display, sale, and offering of sales of mercury-added cosmetics, including skin lightening products (SLPs), some of the most notoriously toxic cosmetic products sold. Advocates from across the U.S. applaud this proposal, which would also require Parties, like the U.S. Government, to set national objectives, coordinate interagency responses, and collaborate globally to curtail national sales and advertising of cosmetics containing mercury.
“We applaud the African Region for taking a leadership role in proposing an amendment to the global treaty on mercury in order to ban the advertising, display, sale, and offering of sale of skin lightening products that contain this harmful neurotoxin,” said Micaela E. Martinez, Ph.D., Director of Environmental Health, WE ACT for Environmental Justice. “The manufacture, distribution, and sale of toxic cosmetics is global threat to public health that requires coordinated international action.”
Mercury is added to SLPs because it lightens the skin by suppressing the production of melanin. It is harmful because it is a persistent neurotoxin that can cause severe adverse health effects. [1] When added to SLPs, mercury can enter the body via absorption through the skin, inhalation or orally. [2] Due to its ability to vaporize and spread within a home, mercury in cosmetic products is not only a danger to the user, but it may also poison other people in the home where the products are used. Infants, children, and the developing fetus are particularly vulnerable to the neurodevelopmental effects of mercury. [3] Long-term exposure may damage the eyes, lungs, kidneys, digestive, immune and nervous systems.[4]
Consistent with U.S. regulations, the Minamata Convention bans the manufacture, import, and export of cosmetics with mercury content above 1ppm. Despite current bans, however, mercury-added skin lighteners continue to be sold in the U.S., both in local markets/stores and on the internet. This is due in large part to the lack of a national sales ban and coordinated enforcement, particularly of illegal and toxic online sales by E-commerce giants like Amazon and eBay, and third-party vendors.
“Despite the Convention’s ban on manufacture and trade, online advertising and sales of illegal, high mercury cosmetics continues unabated, here and across the world,” said Michael T. Bender, International Co-coordinator of the Zero Mercury Working Group. “Consistent with its support for environmental justice reforms, the Biden Administration should endorse and co-sponsor this amendment.”
Advocates argue that mercury has no place in beauty products and that racist beauty standards are driving the use of toxic SLPs.
“There’s a really strong link between racism and the use of cosmetics, particularly skin-lightening creams,” said Yuwa Vosper, Policy & Regulatory Manager at WE ACT for Environmental Justice. “Much of this comes from colorism, with the deliberate targeting of harmful products to people of color to fulfill the socio-cultural influences and prioritization of Euro-centric beauty standards.
“A new 2022 New York State law prohibits the use of mercury as an ingredient in personal care products,” added Vosper. “And while state legislation such as New York’s will deter the use of mercury in skin lighteners made by major U.S.-based manufacturers, the influx of illegal products from overseas and via online retailers will still persist unless this amendment to the Minamata Convention is passed and strongly enforced.”
A global industry estimated to be worth $32.1 billion by 2024, skin lighteners and whiteners are most often marketed to people of color. Due to the lack of ingredients disclosure on the labels, users are often unaware of the toxic ingredients in SLPs and the harm they pose to their health. Advocates contend that it is not only just exposure to mercury itself, but the entire life cycle of mercury that adds to both the cumulative and disproportionate impacts on communities of color.
“Many EJ communities already face higher exposure to mercury and other toxic chemicals in the personal care products they use; Black women and girls are conditioned to adopt Eurocentric beauty standards that favor lighter skin tones leading to harmful beauty practices,” said Dr. Astrid Williams, Environmental Justice Program Manager with Black Women for Wellness. “While reducing other sources of mercury exposure are more often costly and complex to address, exposure from cosmetics is more straight forward to eliminate – simply by enacting and then effectively enforcing a national sales ban.”
“Mercury is a highly toxic substance that poses serious health risks to users, and can even cause death. We strongly support the amendment to the Minamata Convention on Mercury. Without global action, these products will continue to be illegally imported and sold in the US,” said Jamie McConnell, Deputy Director at Women’s Voices for the Earth.
“The proposed amendment to the Minamata Convention on Mercury banning the sale and advertising of mercury-containing skin lightening products is urgently needed,” said Janet Nudelman, Director of Breast Cancer Prevention Partners’ Campaign for Safe Cosmetics. “Mercury is one of the most toxic chemicals on the planet. The ongoing, illegal sale of these products is a travesty that is impacting women of color throughout the United States and globally, and it must stop.”
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For more information:
[1] The Minamata Convention: (https://mercuryconvention.org/sites/default/files/2021-06/Minamata-Convention-booklet-Sep2019-EN.pdf) and the African Region’s proposed cosmetic amendment: (https://mercuryconvention.org/sites/default/files/documents/2023-04/EN_Africa_Amendment%20Proposal_Cosmetics_March_2023.pdf) will be considered at the fifth Conference of the Parties (COP5) in Geneva, Switzerland, 30 October 2023 – 03 November 2023 (https://mercuryconvention.org/en/meetings/cop5.)
[2] Numerous peer-reviewed studies confirm the negative impacts of mercury added SLPs on human health. Moreover, the World Health Organization has recognized that mercury is a “major public health concern,”(https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240023567 and has outlined its concerns about SLPs in a fact sheet (https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240023567)
[3] Zero Mercury Working Group testing indicates that hundreds if not thousands of toxic SLPs are available in the U.S. and global market, containing from 2-10% mercury by weight. ZMWG recently released a new report in February 2023, clearly showing continuing illegal sales of high mercury SLPs by Amazon.com (https://eeb.org/library/online-sales-of-illegal-high-mercury-skin-lightening-products/ and http://www.zeromercury.org/mercury-added-skin-lightening-creams-campaign)
[4] WE ACT for Environmental Justice has published a recent study on the use of SLPs in Northern Manhattan (https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/env.2022.0053)
[5] The Beauty Inside Out Campaign, run by WE ACT for Environmental Justice, is a campaign against toxic chemicals in cosmetics marketed to people of color (https://www.weact.org/campaigns/beauty-inside-out/).
[6] The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics provides resources for transitioning to non-toxic beauty (https://www.safecosmetics.org/).
[1] Goeckermann WH (1922). Peculiar discoloration of skin: Probably Resulting From Mercurial Compounds (calomel) In Proprietary Face Creams. Journal of the American Medical Association 79, 605-607. doi:10.1001/jama.1922.02640080007002; Aberer W (1991). Topical mercury should be banned – dangerously outmoded, but still popular. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology 24, 1550-151. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0190-9622(08)80057-6; Boyd AS, Seger D, Vannucci S, Langley M, Abraham JL & King LE (2000). Mercury exposure and cutaneous disease. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology 43, 81-90. https://doi.org/10.1067/mjd.2000.106360.
[2] USFDA. Laws & Regulations – Prohibited & Restricted Ingredients. USFDA-Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition; 2015 [updated 1/26/2015. Available from: https://www.fda.gov/cosmetics/guidanceregulation/lawsregulations/ ucm127406.htm
[3] Mercury Poisoning Linked to Skin Products | FDA
[4] Mercury in skin lightening products. Chemical Safety and Health Unit, World Health Organization, 3 November 2019. Mercury in skin lightening products (who.int); Pollock S et al. (2021). The Dark Side of Skin Lightening: An International Collaboration and Review of a Public Health Issue Affecting Dermatology. Int’l J. Women’s Dermatology 158, 159; Chen Z, Myers R, Wei T, Bind E, Kassim P, Wang G, Ji Y, Hong X, Caruso D, Bartell T, Gong Y, Strickland P, Navas-Acien A, Guallar E & Wang X (2014). Placental transfer and concentrations of cadmium, mercury, lead, and selenium in mothers, newborns, and young children. Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology, 24(5), 537–544. https://doi.org/10.1038/jes.2014.26; Dickenson CA, Woodruff TJ, Stotland NE, Dobraca D & Das R. (2013). Elevated mercury levels in pregnant woman linked to skin cream from Mexico. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 209(2), e4–e5. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajog.2013.05.030
March 7, 2023
Media Contacts
Imani West, Communications Director, Weaving Voices for Health & Justice (formerly Women’s Voices for the Earth)
imaniw@weavingvoices.org | 406-543-9637
Lisa Fu, Executive Director, California Healthy Nail Salon Collaborative
lfu@cahealthynailsalons.org | 833-214-8360
Dr. Astrid Williams, Environmental Justice Program Manager, Black Women for Wellness
astrid@bwwla.com | 323-290-5955
For IMMEDIATE RELEASE – A new report released by health and justice organizations, Women’s Voices for the Earth (WVE), Black Women for Wellness, and the California Healthy Nail Salon Collaborative (CHNSC), spotlights how new ingredient disclosure requirements for professional salon products are providing improved and vital information about chemical exposure from the use of these products. The report, Exposed: Ingredients in Salon Products & Salon Worker Health and Safety, calls attention to significant changes the industry has made in increasing ingredient transparency as a result of new laws. It also points to chemicals of concern that, despite years of documented links to adverse health impacts, continue to be widely used in professional nail and hair products. Specifically, the report reveals over 30 hazardous ingredients in professional salon products only recently disclosed on product labels.
“For decades hair and nail salon workers have been denied essential ingredient information about the products they are exposed to at their jobs,” said Alexandra Scranton, lead author on the report and WVE’s Director of Science and Research. “While studies of salon workers have long established the health dangers associated with chemicals used in professional salon products, the industry has been legally allowed to keep these harmful ingredients a secret. Finally, we’re getting a clearer look into exactly what and where exposures are occurring, and more importantly, we can hold the industry accountable for the pervasive use of hazardous ingredients known to put the health of workers and their clients at risk.”
“Hair and nail salon professionals bear a high burden from toxic chemicals in beauty care. There is inadequate regulation and policy to protect workers. Unfortunately, hair and nail care professionals are overexposed and under-protected to a greater extent and a disproportionate number of workers are Black individuals, and women of color,” said Dr. Astrid Williams, Environmental Justice Program Manager with Black Women for Wellness. “The industry’s apparent disregard of ingredient safety means these workers are forced to bear a higher toxic load for working day in and day out with some of the most toxic chemicals.”
Several significant cosmetics laws newly enacted in California are providing more information about professional salon products than ever before. Of particular importance to ingredient transparency is AB 2775 that passed in 2018 (introduced by Assembly Member Ash Kalra (D-San Jose)) and was enacted in July 2020 – making California the first state in the nation to require manufacturers of professional salon products to disclose ingredients. Unlike retail cosmetics, products used by salon professionals were previously not required to list any ingredient information on the label, making it nearly impossible for salon workers to know what chemicals they are being exposed to and preventing workers from selecting products that may pose less of a health risk.
Also of significance to ingredient information of salon products and cosmetics is California’s Fragrance and Flavors Right to Know Act of 2020 (SB 312) which requires manufacturers to report toxic fragrance and flavor ingredients listed on the California Safe Cosmetic Program (CSCP) Reportable Ingredient list to the CSCP. This information is publicly available on the California Safe Cosmetics Program Product Database.
From August 2022 – October 2022, the report’s co-releasers led a field study examining ingredient disclosures on salon product labels in California. This new report examines the findings of that field study.
“Companies have little incentive to develop safer and better alternatives to toxic ingredients when they are allowed to sell products without having to admit what’s in them,” said Lisa Fu, Executive Director of the CA Healthy Nail Salon Collaborative (CHNSC). “Ingredient transparency is a step in the right direction towards centering the health of those most impacted – the beauty care workforce.”
“I think that it’s our right as stylists to know what chemicals we’re exposed to so that we can make informed decisions on whether or not we want to use certain products for our own protection as well as for the safety of our clients,” said Freda Cullins, who has been a hair professional for over two decades. “I hope for honest, effective, clean products with ingredients that I can identify and trace back to a source that has a place in maintaining the health of hair.”
Results of the field study found that most professional salon products reviewed did include a listing of ingredients on the package, yet compliance was still imperfect in many cases. The three types of compliance problems included products having no listing of ingredients at all; ingredient information was either inaccessible or impossible due to missing outer packaging; or product labels listed ingredients in a manner that was vague or non-specific.
The report also reveals a damaging lack of innovation toward safer chemistry in the professional salon product industry. Despite decades of warning from public health officials about many chemicals used in these products – and known harm to salon workers – the report outlines numerous hazardous chemicals remain widespread in professional salon products that harm lungs, cause allergic skin reactions and are linked to reproductive harm and cancer. And in cases where manufacturers did make changes to formulas in an attempt to reduce toxicity, many times toxic ingredients were replaced with regrettable substitutions; a known practice where essentially one toxic chemical is swapped out for chemically-similar, toxic alternative.
“Swapping one toxic chemical for another is not a solution to safer products or improved ingredients,” said Jamie McConnell, Deputy Director at WVE. “The industry needs to do the due diligence necessary to develop truly safer alternatives before putting it on the market. The choice of regrettable substitutions perpetuates occupational exposure to harmful chemicals among salon workers and their customers. The industry can and must do better to protect health.”
Studies routinely show that women working in nail salons report acute health concerns such as rashes, headaches, dizziness, and breathing difficulties, as well as miscarriages, birth defects and cancers. [1] [2] Hairdressers are at increased risk of miscarriage and babies born with cleft palates. In addition, studies found that hairdressers have greater risks of dying from neurological conditions including, Alzheimer’s disease and pre-senile dementia, compared to workers in other jobs. [3]
“I was very healthy before starting work in the nail industry. Three or four years after working in the nail salon industry, my hands started shaking. My entire left arm went numb, so I couldn’t feel it a lot. At work, while massaging customers, I would pretend to use my left hand to push, but really I was just doing the motion. My right hand was doing most of the massage. I also had bad body aches,” said Trish Pham, a former nail salon worker whose story is featured in the report. “Then I got cervical cancer. I don’t know if any of my body aches or left hand numbing or the cancer is related to the nail salon industry. I just know that after the cancer treatment I had to quit the nail salon work because it is too dangerous for me now.”
In addition, instead of any significant innovation to make salon products safer, the report uplifts how the industry is relying on warning labels and complex user instructions to reduce exposure to the toxic chemicals they contain – many of which are virtually impossible to follow given the nature of these products. For example, hair relaxers include warnings to “Keep relaxer off scalp and other skin areas.” While caution can certainly be taken to minimize skin exposure, this is clearly an unrealistic instruction for a product that is intended to be applied to hair that is growing out of one’s scalp. What’s more, this tactic unfairly puts the responsibility for safety on the shoulders of salon workers, rather than on the manufacturers.
“Cosmetic companies often put egregious and unrealistic use instructions on products that can be completely contrary to the product’s purpose,” said Tianna Shaw Wakeman, Environmental Justice Program Lead at Black Women for Wellness. “This unfairly puts the onus on salon workers to make changes instead of on companies to make safe products. Therefore, not only have many salon workers been forced to use products with ingredients that harm their health and the health of their clients, but in many cases, they’ve also been blamed for this harm. It’s simply cruel.”
In 2022, the Modernization of Cosmetics Regulation Act of 2022 (MOCRA) was signed by President Biden. Under this new law, professional salon products are required to meet the same requirements as the labeling of retail cosmetics by the end of 2024, bringing the rest of the nation up to par with requirements in California. MOCRA represents the first significant updates to the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act in over 80 years. In addition to requiring the labeling of salon products, the law also requires manufacturers to report serious adverse events to the FDA within 15 days; gives the FDA the authority to issue a mandatory recall of products that are adulterated and/or misbranded if the manufacturer doesn’t voluntarily recall the product; and requires labeling of fragrance allergens, as directed by the FDA via new regulations. These new laws mark a significant change in the public’s right to know (and particularly salon worker’s right to know) about ingredients in cosmetic products.
“This level of transparency and increased regulations for cosmetics salon products has been decades in the making and is something to celebrate. We have long fought for ingredient transparency as an invaluable tool to empower the public and as an important step toward ingredient safety and corporate accountability. And we’re getting there. Ultimately, all manufacturers can and should improve on their disclosure and the ingredient safety of these products, and support policies to ensure transparency, safety and accessibility is practiced throughout the industry,” said Scranton of WVE.
“I have always made a point of knowing as much as possible in my field, especially about products and chemicals I am exposed to, but the information in this report made me realize how much I did not know. It makes me angry and sad for the lack of protection we have been experiencing for years,” said Fabienne Grisel-Todorov, a hair professional who participated in the report’s field study and research. “But I am thrilled to see things changing for the better and that laws are being updated. The impact of knowing what is in the products is huge, not just for salon workers, but also for the public who trust us as their stylists in making informative decisions, and let them know if they are exposed to allergen or dangerous chemicals. Having ingredients stated on the labels helps everyone.”
View Full Report.
View Report Fact Sheet.
[1] Quach, Thu, et al, Adverse birth outcomes and maternal complications in licensed cosmetologists and manicurists in California, Int Arch Occup Environ Health (December 2014)
[2] Beauty and it’s Beast, https://womensvoices.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Beauty-and-Its-Beast.pdf
[3] Park RM, Schulte PA, Bowman JD, Walker JT, Bondy SC, Yost MG, Touchstone JA, Dosemeci M. Potential occupational risks for neurodegenerative diseases. Am J Ind Med. 2005 Jul;48(1):63-77.
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ABOUT
Women’s Voices for the Earth (WVE)
Founded in 1995, Women’s Voices for the Earth (WVE) drives action towards a future free from the impacts of toxic chemicals alongside those historically and presently ignored by the environmental health movement by leveraging an intersectional solidarity approach based on our expertise in research, advocacy and organizing. womensvoices.org
Black Women for Wellness
Black Women for Wellness is a nonprofit 501c3 committed to the health and well-being of Black women and girls through health education, empowerment and advocacy. bwwla.org
California Healthy Nail Salon Collaborative (CHNSC)
The California Healthy Nail Salon Collaborative’s mission is to mobilize the nail salon workforce to transform the health, safety, and working conditions of the nail salon industry to build a healthy, sustainable, and equitable community. Through outreach and education, nail salon workers and owners build their knowledge and skills on health, safety, and workplace rights. We also provide leadership development and believe in organizing to transform communities, organizations and individuals. For more information, see www.cahealthynailsalons.org.
October 18, 2022
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, San Francisco, CA – The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics’ (CSC) new List of Top Non-Toxic Black-Owned Beauty Brands features entrepreneurs making safer beauty products for Black women, free of the toxic ingredients linked to breast cancer and health concerns that disproportionately impact Black women. This project brings health equity to the forefront by providing a database of clean beauty products to help Black women and girls live their healthiest lives and prevent breast cancer.
CSC’s Top Non-Toxic Black Beauty Brands 2022 > CSC’s Non-Toxic Black Beauty Product Database >
Released during Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the Non-Toxic Black Beauty Project focuses on specifically supporting Black women’s health because Black women face the highest breast cancer mortality rate of any racial or ethnic group in America [1]. Beauty products marketed to Black women often contain the most toxic cosmetics ingredients, including chemicals linked to cancer. In fact, Black women who regularly dye their hair have a 60% increased risk of breast cancer, and those who use chemical hair straighteners are 30% more likely to develop the disease [2]. By uplifting leading non-toxic Black-owned beauty brands and connecting Black women with products they can trust, CSC aims to combat toxic health disparities to help prevent breast cancer and other diseases.
The 80 small and medium sized businesses who made the list raise the bar for ingredient safety and lead the movement to address the injustice of Black beauty by selling products free of CSC’s 241 “Do Not Use” Red List Chemicals of Concern in Cosmetics. CSC vetted all 700+ products included in the first-ever searchable database for safety and verified them to be free of harmful chemicals linked to health concerns like cancer, diabetes, early puberty, endometriosis, infertility, maternal health, pregnancy complications, and uterine fibroids.
“We are thrilled to announce the launch of our searchable database of non-toxic Black beauty products” said Janet Nudelman, Director of the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, a program of Breast Cancer Prevention Partners. “The companies we’re showcasing are making safer Black beauty products that won’t harm the health of Black women and girls. We hope that more and more companies will follow their lead and help grow the clean Black beauty industry by selling non-toxic makeup and personal care products that Black women can trust.”
“As a scientist, I’ve spent years researching and documenting the presence of toxic chemicals in hair care and other personal care products marketed to Black women,” said Dr. Tamarra James-Todd, Associate Professor at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. “What makes me so happy about this project, is that it has taken that science and translated it into information that can be used to avoid toxic chemicals linked to a variety of adverse health conditions that disproportionately affect black women. Having tools such as these provides an opportunity to reduce environmental health disparities through education and empowerment.”
By eliminating toxic ingredients that negatively impact Black women, these companies have made a significant commitment to protecting their customers’ health and well-being. They are also helping to reduce the disproportionate toxic burden that Black women face from unsafe chemicals in beauty and other consumer products they use, which can help prevent the development of chronic diseases like breast and ovarian cancer.
As Black women purchase and use more beauty products per capita than any other demographic, spending more than $7.5 billion dollars on beauty products a year [3] and nine times more on hair products than the average consumer [4], toxic exposure from beauty products is of particular concern.
“With the emergence of the clean beauty movement, consumers are increasingly aware of the potential that their personal care products might contain harmful, toxic chemicals,” said Dr. Adana Llanos, Associate Professor at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health. “Black women spend substantially more money on cosmetics and hair products annually than other demographics in the U.S., and we also tend to have the worst outcomes for numerous health conditions. So, if harmful exposures from the products we are using contribute to persistent health inequities, we need resources to help promote the purchase of safer products. The Non-Toxic Black Beauty Project will be that resource for Black women and their families. Highlighting the Black-owned beauty brands offering these safer options is icing on the cake!”
The Non-Toxic Black Beauty Project is guided by an Advisory Committee made up of leading non-profit organizations and scientists working to improve Black women’s health.
“Black women carry a disproportionate amount of exposure to toxic chemicals, and all products are not created equal,” said Dr. Astrid Williams, Environmental Justice Manager for Black Women for Wellness. “At Black Women for Wellness, we advocate for safer and cleaner products to support our efforts to style our hair safely. Textured hair comes with its unique challenges. Choosing products that you feel confident and safe using can be difficult. The companies highlighted by this important project were vetted to ensure they are not using carcinogens and other harmful ingredients, making it easier for individuals to choose products and search for healthier options that are held to a higher standard of ingredient safety.”
Clean Beauty for Black Girls Founder and Executive Director Hannah McCall said, “Transparency is often the catalyst for long-term change and this data provides exactly that. The toxic burden facing many Black women paired with lack of awareness, access & beyond has gone on for far too long and is attached to far too many adverse health effects. This project is a pivotal piece of our pursuit of beauty justice. I’m so proud of how the Black Beauty Project sets a standard for possibility, expectations and consumer demand. Clean Beauty for Black Girls remains committed to moving that needle forward.”
“Black women pride ourselves on crafting our crowns in every style that reflects the identity we choose to share with the world in each moment,” said Dr. Dede Teteh, Assistant Professor of Public Health at Chapman University. “The Non-Toxic Black Beauty project provides us with the knowledge and tools that help us care for our hair and other beauty assets without compromising our health. This list is a call to action for support of Black-owned businesses with our money and to elect public officials who make our interest in removing toxic products from our shelves a priority.”
“As the California Black Health Network (CBHN) works to elevate the level of health literacy for Black Californians, and the importance of the impact of exposure to toxic chemicals on their health, well-being, and safety, it is critical that we educate the community about the risks associated with products that we use every day and take for granted that they are safe,” said Rhonda Smith, Executive Director of the California Black Health Network. “Black women in particular need to know about the safety and health risks associated with our hair and personal care products in order to avoid those chemicals that can contribute to the development of maternal health issues, breast cancer, diabetes, etc. We are excited to collaborate and partner with BCPP on the Black Beauty Project and share this important information with our community as part of our efforts to get to the root causes of health disparities, empower the community to be more proactive about their health and wellness, and enable Black women to make better choices and more informed decisions for themselves and their families.”
President and CEO of Tigerlily Foundation Maimah Karmo said of the project, “This is such a landmark initiative and one that is much needed. We know that Black women are negatively impacted by many social determinants of health, to include toxins in the environment. I’m proud to be a part of this project that will impact the health and lives of Black women and excited to see this launch of the database of non-toxic Black-owned beauty products. Educating companies and consumers is critical to creating bi-directional awareness and accountability to ensure we eradicate environmental toxins which create barriers to health and quality of life. This is a big step in the right direction to protect the health of Black women and girls. We encourage others to support this activity and Tigerlily is committed to supporting the clean Black beauty industry to ensure non-toxic make-up and personal care products are provided to Black women and girls.”
“We are honored to partner with the Non-Toxic Black Beauty project by leveraging the Clearya data analysis platform to screen thousands of product ingredient lists for hundreds of toxic chemicals,” said Amit Rosner, Co-founder at Clearya. “Data previously analyzed by Clearya from millions of online shopping interactions reveals that chemicals linked to cancer, reproductive toxicity, developmental harm and hormone disruption are commonly found in personal care products, which could disproportionately affect Black women and girls. The Non-Toxic Black Beauty project empowers Black women to make safer buying decisions and demonstrates to the beauty industry that setting higher safety standards can be both achievable and rewarded by consumers.”
This project represents the first comprehensive effort to generate a list of chemicals of concern in Black beauty products that should be avoided by consumers, cosmetic manufacturers, and retailers.
See our full list of expert speakers available for interview and quotes >
Contact:
Erika Wilhelm, Director of Marketing, Campaign for Safe Cosmetics erika@bcpp.org 415-539-5005
Janet Nudelman, Director, Campaign for Safe Cosmetics janet@bcpp.org 415-321-2902
Imani West, Communications Director, Weaving Voices for Health & Justice (formerly Women’s Voices for the Earth), imaniw@weavingvoices.org 406-543-9637
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About the Non-Toxic Black Beauty Project
The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, a program of Breast Cancer Prevention Partners, is tackling the environmental injustice of Black beauty with our list of non-toxic beauty brands and database of products that Black women can trust. The products on our list are made and sold by Black-owned companies that are committed to safer beauty and personal care products without the toxic chemicals linked to health concerns that disproportionately impact Black women. To be included in the next CSC List, Black-owned businesses should contact safecosmetics@bcpp.org. Learn more at safecosmetics.org/black-beauty-project/
About the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics
The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics (CSC) is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization that leads the movement to make beauty and personal care products safer for all. safecosmetics.org
About BCPP
Breast Cancer Prevention Partners (BCPP) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization focused on eliminating toxic chemicals and other environmental exposures linked to breast cancer. bcpp.org
About (WVE)
Founded in 1995, Women’s Voices for the Earth (WVE) is a national environmental health organization that drives action towards a future free from the impacts of toxic chemicals alongside those historically and presently ignored by the environmental health movement by leveraging an intersectional solidarity approach based on our expertise in research, advocacy and organizing. www.weavingvoices.org
[1] DeSantis, C.E., Fedewa, S.A., Goding Sauer, A., Kramer, J.L., Smith, R.A. and Jemal, A. (2016), Breast cancer statistics, 2015: Convergence of incidence rates between black and white women. CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, 66: 31-42. https://doi.org/10.3322/caac.21320
[2] Eberle, C. E., Sandler, D. P., Taylor, K. W., & White, A. J. (2020). Hair dye and chemical straightener use and breast cancer risk in a large US population of black and white women. International journal of cancer, 147(2), 383–391. https://doi.org/10.1002/ijc.32738
[3] Bryant, Taylor. “How the Beauty Industry Has Failed Black Women.” Refinery 29. February 27, 2016. Available online: https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2016/02/103964/black-hair-care-makeup-business. Accessed July 7, 2022.
[4] Harmon, Stephenetta. “Black Consumers Spend Nine Times More In Hair & Beauty.” Hype Hair, February 26, 2018. Available online: https://www.hypehair.com/86642/black-consumers-continue-to-spend-nine-times-more-in-beauty-report/. Accessed July 7, 2022.