The Yuka app, pictured here, rates products for chemical safety—filling a regulatory gap that leaves most Americans in the dark. (Fox News Digital)
"I started to dig into the causations," she told FOX. "The first thing I did was remove every single product in my house—from hair care to dish detergent. I went back to grandma’s remedies—baking soda, vinegar—because I didn’t know what was safe anymore." As she researched, she realized just how many widely used beauty and hygiene products are packed with potentially harmful chemicals.
While Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has pushed for the removal of toxic additives in processed foods, he has yet to tackle the personal care industry. FDA Commissioner Marty Makary admits the agency is in a "deregulatory mindset," saying, "[We’ve] been regulating too much."
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American consumers are taking product safety into their own hands, one barcode at a time. (Wavebreakmedia)
Janet Nudelman, Director of the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics at Breast Cancer Prevention Partners, agrees that consumers are often left choosing "between protecting against skin cancer versus increasing their risk of breast cancer" because of harmful ingredients. Dr. Leonardo Trasande, whose studies highlight the health hazards of common chemicals, called the current system "rigged to produce chemical exposures that are toxic to our hormones." The consequences, he warns, are societal: higher healthcare costs and lifelong reproductive and developmental health problems.
The federal government is slowly responding. The Safer Beauty Bill package, reintroduced in Congress, seeks to ban toxic ingredients, increase ingredient disclosure and protect vulnerable populations like hairstylists, nail technicians, and women of color. But for now, consumers are largely left to protect themselves.
FDA Commissioner Makary insists change is coming: "We're doing an inventory of all chemicals in the food supply to see how we can make it safer." Still, advocacy groups say the U.S. is far behind the EU in regulating cosmetic safety.
Industry representatives push back. The Personal Care Products Council asserts: "PCPC and our member companies are fully committed to upholding the highest standards of safety, quality and transparency."
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From produce to personal care, advocates like Tiah Tomlin-Harris say it’s time for full-label transparency in the U.S. (iStock)
But for advocates like Tomlin-Harris, promises aren’t enough. "This isn’t just a women’s issue," she said. "It’s a people’s issue. Men are affected. Children are affected. Our entire population is being exposed to chemicals we didn’t consent to, and we’re paying the price."
Her message is clear: "We need transparency. We need regulation. And we need accountability from the companies creating these products. It’s time to detox our routines, demand safer alternatives and prioritize our health."
NuNu Japaridze is a Director of Story Development based out of Washington, DC.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/banned-chemicals-found-american-shampoo-sunscreen-tampons-across-major-brands