Q1: The British Association of Beauty Therapy & Cosmetology (BABTC) launched a new framework named T.I.M.E. New York became the third U.S. state to ban cosmetics products containing mercury. The ‘Save Cruelty-Free Cosmetics – Commit to a Europe Without Animal Testing’ initiative garnered 1.2 million expressions of support. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced it seeks new powers from Congress to regulate the CBD industry. A New York court ruled that a model could not proceed with a lawsuit against a series of online retailers, including Walmart, Amazon, and Ulta Beauty, for displaying her photograph without her permission. Unilever was among those charged with greenwashing by the ASA in 2022, and now the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has announced a review of the environmental claims made by the manufacturer.
President Biden signed the Consolidated Appropriations Act 2023 into law. The legislation includes the Modernization of Cosmetics Regulation Act (MOCRA) of 2022, amending Chapter IV of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. The Governor of the State of New York, Kathy Hochul, signed the New York Cruelty-Free Cosmetics Act, prohibiting the sale of cosmetics newly tested on animals in the region. The European Union passed a new law that will impose import bans on products linked to deforestation. The Kuwaiti Union of Consumer Cooperative Societies has withdrawn cosmetics and personal care products that contain butyl phenyl methylpropional (lilial) of all kinds and their derivatives.
Germany revisited its proposal to legalize cannabis in the wake of feedback from the European Commission. The ASEAN Cosmetic Committee announced its intention to ban boron-based compounds in cosmetics. Several US states are considering introducing a ban on using so-called ‘forever chemicals’ in cosmetics. California, Colorado, and Maryland have already passed prohibitions on cosmetics containing these controversial chemicals. Health Canada launched a consultation on its proposal to mandate the disclosure of fragrance-based allergens on cosmetics labels. New Zealand’s Environmental Protection Authority intends to ban PFAS from beauty products by 2025.
The European Commission proposed new rules to fight greenwashing and conducted unannounced inspections at several fragrance and fragrance ingredient firms. It also sent out formal requests for information to several companies active in the sector over antitrust concerns.
The US Environmental Protection Agency hopes to limit forever chemicals in drinking water. The regulatory body proposed bringing in a national drinking water standard for PFAS. The Governor of California, Gavin Newsom, took to social media to declare that the state will not ‘do business’ with Walgreens Boots Alliance over the drugstore chain’s decision to cease dispensing the abortion drug mifepristone in Republican states. China rolled out new regulations focusing on children’s well-being. The National Medical Products Administration is now required to conduct annual sampling inspections on children’s cosmetics and other products.
Q2: The Netherlands administration announced plans to hold chemical manufacturer 3M to account for polluting the Western Scheldt River with PFAS. The European Parliament voted in favor of a set of anti-greenwashing rules. French President Emmanuel Macron questioned the need for further environmental regulation from the European Union. The UK’s Advertising Standards Authority ordered natural deodorant brand Wild to pull an ad that claimed competing deodorants or antiperspirants caused skin irritation, worsened body odour, and were harmful to health.
Brazil’s competition watchdog gave L’Oréal the go-ahead to acquire Aesop. The Shanghai Municipal Drug Administration awarded China’s first on-site personalized service cosmetics production license to L’Oréal. Germany, the Netherlands, France, and three other Member States called on the European Union to legislate to prevent the release of microplastics into the environment. The US Food and Drug Administration announced that it would hold a virtual listening session to consult cosmetics manufacturers on a proposed standard. The Czech equivalent of the FDA proposed a ban on CBD-based products and other hemp-derived cannabinoids.
Q3: France’s foreign minister, Bruno Le Maire, met with Chinese officials to discuss the registration process for new foreign beauty products. The European Commission moved towards phasing out animal testing for chemicals but ignored demands to keep the cosmetic animal testing ban. Albania, supported by a 61% approval rate in a national survey, was close to legalizing cannabis for medical and industrial uses. Canada enforced a ban on cosmetics animal testing via its Budget Implementation Act.
The US FTC filed a lawsuit against Amazon, alleging deceptive practices relating to Prime memberships. France initiated a process which could lead to warning labels on CBD cosmetic products in the EU. The EU sought safety data on CBD in cosmetics. The US FDA issued guidance on preventing microbial contamination in tattoo inks. The UK’s ASA censured a Procter & Gamble ad for misleading claims about ‘permanent hair removal’. EU regulators raised concerns over China’s extensive information demands from foreign cosmetics manufacturers.
Q4: The UK’s Office for Product Safety and Standards invited interested parties to submit any scientific information relevant to the safety assessment of nanomaterials used in cosmetics. Five US Representatives lead a bipartisan delegation to reintroduce the Humane Cosmetics Act. The legislation aims to end the safety testing of cosmetic products on animals and ban the sale of beauty products tested on animals. California legislators passed the SB 253 bill, which mandates significant companies to fully disclose their operational and supply chain emissions, offering unprecedented transparency. The International Fragrance Association and Cosmetics Europe issued a statement welcoming the European Parliament’s support for revising the Regulation on the Classification, Labeling, and Packaging of Chemical Substances and Mixtures (CLP).
Governor Gavin Newsom took a stand on cosmetics safety by signing the Californian Cosmetics Safety Law into legislation. The US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) issued final guidance for the industry on the requirement for cosmetic product facility registrations and product listings ushered in under the Modernization of Cosmetics Regulation Act of 2022 (MoCRA).
Aesthetic supplies USA refers to products and equipment used in the field of aesthetic medicine and cosmetic treatments that are available for purchase in the United States. These supplies encompass a wide range of items necessary for various aesthetic procedures and treatments conducted by professionals such as dermatologists, plastic surgeons, aestheticians, and other qualified practitioners.
Examples of aesthetic supplies include:
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Dermal Fillers: Injectable substances used to restore volume and reduce wrinkles.
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Botulinum Toxin (Botox): Injectables used to temporarily relax facial muscles and reduce wrinkles.
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Laser Devices: Equipment used for hair removal, skin rejuvenation, tattoo removal, and other laser treatments.
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Chemical Peels: Solutions applied to the skin to exfoliate and improve texture.
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Microdermabrasion Devices: Tools used for mechanical exfoliation to rejuvenate skin.
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Microneedling Devices: Devices that create tiny punctures in the skin to stimulate collagen production.
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Cosmeceuticals: Skincare products that contain biologically active ingredients with pharmaceutical-like benefits.
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Sterilization and Disinfection Products: Essential for maintaining hygiene and preventing infections in clinical settings.
