Pass AB 2775: Fill The Gap in Cosmetics Disclosure Laws

California State Senate Appropriations Committee

WHAT AB 2775 CALLS FOR

AB 2775 will require manufacturers to list ingredients on the labels of professional cosmetic products sold in California, excluding fragrance and colorants. Hair stylists, nail manicurists, and other salon and barber professionals have a right-to- know what chemicals they are being exposed to in the workplace.


WHY WE NEED AB 2775

The predominantly female nail and hair salon workforce regularly and often handles nail polish remover, glues, polishes, straighteners, and other beauty care products containing a multitude of chemicals known or suspected to cause cancer, and respiratory, neurological, and reproductive harm.
Although manufacturers are legally required to list ingredients on the labels of cosmetics sold at the retail level, they have no similar legal obligation when it comes to professional cosmetics. This lack of transparency hampers beauty professionals’ ability to make informed choices about the products they use and measures they can take to protect their health. It also obstructs their ability to inform customers about the presence of unsafe chemicals used in these products.

CHEMICALS IN PRODUCTS

Some of the most hazardous chemicals in nail and hair salon products include the following:
• Formaldehyde - a carcinogen which is known to cause asthma and allergic dermatitis, may be linked to reproductive harm, and irritates the eyes, nose, throat and skin. Found in many hair straightening products.
• Toluene - a neurological and a developmental toxicant that
can cause headaches, dizziness, nausea, symptoms similar to drunkenness, loss of short-term memory and may
contribute to spontaneous abortions.
• Sodium hydroxide (lye) - extremely corrosive and can cause pain, redness, burns, and blistering and result in permanent
scarring. Can also cause eye damage. This chemical has also been linked to uterine fibroids.
• Triphenyl phosphate (TPhP) - a suspected endocrine disruptor and a concern at low doses. Can be absorbed through the
nails or skin.


AB 1575 Author: Assemblymember Ash Kalra

Co-Authors: Assemblymembers Wendy Carillo, Brian Maienschein, and Marie Waldron

Co-sponsors:

Black Women for Wellness

TW: @bw4la

-         Contact: Nourbese Flint

-         nourbese@bwwla.org

-         323-290-5955

Women's Voices of the Earth

TW: @women4earth

-         Contact: Jamie McConnell

-         jamiem@womensvoices.org

-         406-543-3747


California Healthy Nail Salon Collaborative

TW: @ca_hnsc

-         Contact: Catherine Porter

-         catherineAporter@gmail.com

-         510-985-1146

Breast Cancer Prevention Partners

TW: @bcppartners

-         Contact: Janet Nudelman

-        janet@bcpp.org

-        415-321-2902


Supporters:

  • ACT for Women and Girls
  • Alaska Community Action against Toxics
  • American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
  • Asian Health Services
  • Asian Immigrant Women Advocates
  • Asian Pacific Environmental Network
  • BeautyCounter
  • California Labor Federation
  • Clean Water Action
  • Community Health Partnerships
  • Consumer Federation of California
  • Environmental Working Group
  • National Employment Law Project
  • Physicians for Social Responsibility- Bay Area
  • Physicians for Social Responsibility- Los Angeles
  • San Mateo County Healthy Nail Salon Recognition Program
  • Sierra Club California
  • Silent Spring Institute
  • UCLA Labor Center
  • Women's Foundation of California
  • Worksafe
Petition by
Gravatar
Michael Lok
Oakland, California

To: California State Senate Appropriations Committee
From: [Your Name]

We support the passage of AB 2775 because we agree that professional nail and hair care products and cosmetics should have ingredient labels so that workers and consumers make make informed product choices.